Outdrive for 351w ford.

[Earle]

Just got an older Grew boat with a 1977 351w ford engine. Engine and boat look good, but no outdrive. Can anyone tell me what outdrive went with this boat/engine. Model # of engine is 990241E. Boat is a Grew 245. Thanks for any info offered.

 

[southkogs]

Should be a 1977 OMC Electric Shift Stringer Outdrive. The HP of the system was 235, but I'm not sure how different the gearing is to other models.

EDIT: You're going to have a tough time looking for an outdrive for that system, but it is possible. You'll want to weight the difficulties of owning a Stringer Drive. OMCs been outta' business and the electric shift Stringer is the obsolete-est of the obsolete. Many marine techs won't even work on 'em.

The '77 235 shared a lower unit gear ratio with most of the other drives, but the upper gear ratio seems pretty specific by the tables that I have (others may know more than I do).

 

[Earle]

Thanks for the quick reply. I did a little research and there are a few of those outdrives around, from pretty cheap to pretty pricey. The thing is, the engine seems pretty strong, but I'm dubious about putting in an other outdrive that,s obsolete. Is there any way the engine can be adapted to accept an outdrive that is less dated and easier for parts/service etc. Failing that, I think I might be smarter going the re-power route, as this boat is going to Mexico next year and staying there. I really don't want to looking for scarce parts in Mexico. Any suggestions guy's?

 

[southkogs]

The hitch with a Stringer is that it doesn't mount like any other outdrive. Most of the others mount to the transom, but the Stringer passes through the transom using a MUCH bigger hole (which is why you have a big rubber boot at the drive). That hole has to be glassed in and rebuilt in order to use a different drive.

 

[Earle]

Thanks again. My next question is how dependable are the stringer outdrives. I've sourced a place that has fully re-conditioned units (with warranty) but......., are they a good unit for saltwater use? Can I expect to get good service from one, assuming proper maintenance/service etc. It would be cool to be able to use a unit without having to change engines and rebuild transoms. Any thot's on the subject are appreciated. Thanks
Earl

 

[southkogs]

If you're going to go for it, my suggestion would be convert up to a fully mechanical shift. I've been running my electric shift for 5 years and have had relatively little problem with it. There are several fella's on the boards who keep Stringers going and all of these drives are 30 years old plus. Overall, they're a pretty robust system - but they have a few "Achilles Heal" issues that make 'em a little finicky. With proper maintenance and the willingness to deal with them, yes they can go quite a long time.

If, however, it was a $3k project to get the boat running right and a $5k price to replace it with something more modern - my opinion would be to spend the extra $2k on the replacement. If you're really hung on the Grew, and don't mind the garage time you'll have to spend on the boat - it may not be too bad to deal with.

I actually like my boat quite a bit, and actually like the Electric Shift Stringer for a few reasons over the Mercruisers I've run. But I don't recommend the drive system if you can get away from it.

 

[Earle]

Hello again southkogs. You've pretty much hit the nail on the head with your $3k - $5k comparison, as $3k is close to the number for a reconditioned, guanteed stringer unit. I actually don't mind going to $5k if it will be a better set-up, and garage time is not an issue as I won't be using the boat till I retire in another 2years. Assuming the engine (351w) is as good as I think it is, what would be a doable outdrive to replace the stringer, and still keep the $ in the 5k area. As always, opinions appreciated.
Earl

 

[southkogs]

The entire transom would have to be rebuilt in order to support a Mercruiser or Volvo. In my area, you could buy a "lake ready" boat for $5k. I would say it would be best to part out the Grew and spend the money on a newer boat/drive combo.