76 Sea Ray 351W to Chev 5.7L Repower Stringer Changes?

[76SeaRay]

I need to rebuild the transom and at least part of the stringers. 76 Sea Ray SRV 220 OV Hardtop. It had a 351 Windsor OMC. When I do the stringer work, do I need to change the design to put in a 5.7L Chev Vortec or will it fit in the same stringer/engine well configuration as the current design so all I need to do is rebuild it like it was? I know the mounts are different but not sure if they just mount up to the current engine bay.

Thanks...

 

[chevymaher]

If your switching over the best plan of attack if find a donar boat with the chevy drive in it. You need a bunch of part to make it work. Bell housings and flywheel coupler. exhaust manifolds Y-pipe Cable mounts on the engine to a chev/mercruiser. Front motor mounts.

By the time you get all that and your re doing the boat anyway. Make it for a mercruiser drive and re cut the hole in the transom. OMC parts are hard to get and they still make replacement parts new for even my antique mercruiser.

Stringers and engine compartment can stay exactly the way they are when you rebuild it. It will fit in there just fine.

 

[AShipShow]

I assume the front mount width is similar but I would verify before redoing stringers because they will need to accommodate the new mount locations.

I would also imagine there's about a 0% chance the mounts will be the same location (height/ width/ distance from transom)

 

[Scott Danforth]

the stringers used a front mount for the front of the motor and rear mounts where the stringer assembly pivoted.

the stringers themselves will be in the same location, however the mounts will be completely different

the merc and volvo and later OMG's all mounted the rear off the transom and the motor mounted at the sides of the motor

mounting blocks will be similar in construction, however different in size and location.

plenty of info in link 14 of the DIY stickies.

 

[76SeaRay]

Great, thanks all for the info. Sorry I have been off here for a while but a move and job change interrupted the process. Mostly what I was looking at was the footprint for the mounts and the size engine bay in the floor of the boat. I will try to do up a drawing and a picture. I am starting with the transom replacement first and then o to the stringers but want to start thinking about any changes that might be needed to the factory stringers. One interesting discovery after opening up the last 8 inches of the floor and stringers to get at the transom wood is that the stringers and floor were only glassed on the top and outside surfaces. The stringers were not sealed in fiberglass leaving the backside (inside) open to water soak.

Back soon with a picture.

 

[Scott Danforth]

That is typical of most boats. They have a 15 year design life to keep people buying new boats.

As stated prior, stringers tge same, motor mounting blocks different. Go to the DIY stickies and go thru link 14