in the next two weeks I'm going to be visiting my folks. I wanna look over the "old family boat" and be able to write down any/all #'s I'll need....plus take pics for you guys...so you can help me ID the engine and outdrive.
at this point all I know is the boat is a 1979 20' boat with a mercruiser drivetrain. engine is a 4-banger chevy that apparently was also used in commercial equipment. my folks even have another boat with the same drivetrain they got for free and then made me work on it for 2 weeks until I finally got THAT running...
personally, I hate the drivetrain in the boat...but love the boat itself. I grew up on it but that old crappy engine and outdrive left us stranded sooo many times and for some reason my dad just wouldnt give up on it until the head finally cracked back in 96.
anyway, the long/short of this is after I'm done with my own boat, I wanna bring this back to glory since my brother recently had a kid and I've got one on the way...want them to grow up in the same boat.
but damn if it'll have that drivetrain in it. I want to ID it so you guys can tell me if its possible to upgrade to a 5.0 setup. I know it'll fit in the doghouse and a 5.0/302 only weighs another 60lbs versus the current engine as I've had the spare engine on a scale.
I'm emmensely more familiar with the 5.0 engine and would simply like to go this route.
anyway, what info/pics do I need to get you guys??
hell, I've even been reading how some people convert I/O's to outboard setups with some sort of retrofit bracket but I just dont think I'd trust closing in a huge hole in the transom and it not cracking or something goofy like that.
at this point all I know is the boat is a 1979 20' boat with a mercruiser drivetrain. engine is a 4-banger chevy that apparently was also used in commercial equipment. my folks even have another boat with the same drivetrain they got for free and then made me work on it for 2 weeks until I finally got THAT running...
personally, I hate the drivetrain in the boat...but love the boat itself. I grew up on it but that old crappy engine and outdrive left us stranded sooo many times and for some reason my dad just wouldnt give up on it until the head finally cracked back in 96.
anyway, the long/short of this is after I'm done with my own boat, I wanna bring this back to glory since my brother recently had a kid and I've got one on the way...want them to grow up in the same boat.
but damn if it'll have that drivetrain in it. I want to ID it so you guys can tell me if its possible to upgrade to a 5.0 setup. I know it'll fit in the doghouse and a 5.0/302 only weighs another 60lbs versus the current engine as I've had the spare engine on a scale.
I'm emmensely more familiar with the 5.0 engine and would simply like to go this route.
anyway, what info/pics do I need to get you guys??
hell, I've even been reading how some people convert I/O's to outboard setups with some sort of retrofit bracket but I just dont think I'd trust closing in a huge hole in the transom and it not cracking or something goofy like that.
