What to do with my OMC?

[BeerBrewer]

I'm considering buying (real cheap) a 1979 Grady White with an I/O. The current owner knows nothing, he doesn't even know if it runs (I'm sure it doesn't). I could not find the engine serial number, all I could see was 200 written on the valve cover. I think,..thing it looks like a small block Chevy, maybe a 305.

Any idea's what size the engine really is?

I was giving thought to rebuilding the engine and replacing the outdrive. What are my options?

I was also considering converting it to an outboard, with a bracket.

I trying to estimate what it will cost to get the boat running again (worst case). I'm handy and plan to most of the work myself.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

^^^that kinda reads like a top 10 list of bad ideas

If you want to repower- just buy the kind of boat with the brand of power you want - don't buy an OMC unless you want an OMC (and who does, given an option?)

I trying to estimate what it will cost to get the boat running again (worst case). I'm handy and plan to most of the work myself.

it always costs more than buying a well maintained running boat.


To gut the boat, and repower it with fresh Merc or VP stuff, you'll spend $8000 to $10000 doing everything yourself.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

Even as a project an older OMC(unless you dump the OMC) Is a bad idea.
No parts, no one wants to work on them(YOU can't work on the drive).The motor a 305 is a good one but the rest of the stuff isn't.
Buy another junker with a Merc or Volvo(be real careful which Volvo) and swap the drives.J

 

[sea wolf]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

The outrive is a pig, parts are hard to find & costly. To replace that dinosaur with another drive entails a major transom redo. The owner knows nothing about the boat? Walk away before u drain your bank acct.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

The current owner knows nothing, he doesn't even know if it runs

the current owner knows plenty

 

[BeerBrewer]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

I wasn't considering keeping the OMC out drive or anything else OMC.

Plan A: Possibly rebuilding the 305 and use it with another outdrive... Is that possible? I know a new out drive could cost $3000, but will it fit the boast and 305? I've never owned a boat with an I/O, only OB...so I'm a tad in the dark.

Plan B: Replace both motor and outdrive with something from a vendor like "Michigan Motorz". I'm told, that would cost around 10K, but I don't know what would be a good replacement and don't even know how or where I'd find that out.

Plan C: Convert the I/O to Outboard. I talked to Grady and they said it can be done, but I don't know what will happen to performance when I change the wt distribution by moving the engines back 3 feet. The bracket is about $2K and the OB is lets just say "A LOT"

I've been looking at used boats and and the cheapest decent one's I've seen start at $8,000 and go up from there. Unfortunately all have older engines and no matter how clean the boat is you still don't know how well the past owners cared for it. So could still end up dropping a lot of money to keep it running. I forgot mention that I'd be getting the boat for $200. No matter which plan I go with, I know in the end I'll up with a mechanically brand new boat. The fish won't care that hull was made in 1979, so neither will I.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

I've been looking at used boats and and the cheapest decent one's I've seen start at $8,000 and go up from there.

$8K for a seaworthy boat would be a bargain compared to any of your options above.

Not sure where you are shopping. Marina near me has a 1992 Bayliner with a Mercruiser 4.3 and 1 season powertrain warranty for $2999. It's solid as a rock and has a new SEI drive on it.

A new outdrive is not $3,000 when you have no gimbal or transom shield or steering, or trim system,

budget $10K minimum and 200 hours labor

when you're done, you'll have a boat worth $4k in my neighborhood

nobody wants a boat with mercruiser parts all spade connected to 1979 OMC gauges and wiring and drawing fuel from a 1979 tank with an old vent hose that is fuming and you don't even know if the stringers are any good

That Grady might have a big crook in the hull and turn circles in the lake when you're all done going broke.

you need to water test a boat before investing huge $ in it.

Repowering only makes sense when someone knows EVERYTHING about the boat's life and history

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

$8K for a seaworthy boat would be a bargain compared to any of your options above.

Not sure where you are shopping. Marina near me has a 1992 Bayliner with a Mercruiser 4.3 and 1 season powertrain warranty for $2999. It's solid as a rock and has a new SEI drive on it.

A new outdrive is not $3,000 when you have no gimbal or transom shield or steering, or trim system,

budget $10K minimum and 200 hours labor

when you're done, you'll have a boat worth $4k in my neighborhood

nobody wants a boat with mercruiser parts all spade connected to 1979 OMC gauges and wiring and drawing fuel from a 1979 tank with an old vent hose that is fuming and you don't even know if the stringers are any good

That Grady might have a big crook in the hull and turn circles in the lake when you're all done going broke.

you need to water test a boat before investing huge $ in it.

Repowering only makes sense when someone knows EVERYTHING about the boat's life and history

Well said!

 

[jmfrost]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

Even as a project an older OMC(unless you dump the OMC) Is a bad idea.
No parts, no one wants to work on them(YOU can't work on the drive).The motor a 305 is a good one but the rest of the stuff isn't.
Buy another junker with a Merc or Volvo(be real careful which Volvo) and swap the drives.J

+1

Last boat was OMC Cobra. Even when I could find parts, they were WAY overpriced. I'm sure there are some who will probably swear by OMC, but in my opinion...move on to either Mercruiser or Volvo. Parts are much easier to find (as well as mechanics and information).

 

[ezmobee]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

I think what the OP is missing is that the old OMC Stringer setup in the boat he's considering is NOTHING LIKE any other I/O set up he would want to swap in and would be a MAJOR project.

 

[BeerBrewer]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

I really appreciate all your input.

So it sounds like keeping the IO or fixing it is a waste of time.... Seems like the only remaining options is walking away or doing an I/O to OB conversion. Truthfully the conversion was my favorite, since I'm not an I/O man and I hate walking away

I'm not afraid of tackling the transom work since I'm a structural Engineer, a good carpenter and I've also done a lot of glass work. My biggest concern about adding a bracket and OB was what the shift would do to the boats performance. What I've learned is, it improves speed and gas mileage and it should NOT make the boat sit too low in the water at rest. This co version would cost 2K for the bracket plus another 1K ( a SWAG) for new controls and gauges. I priced OBs and they range from 5K (used) to 14K, but this investment is transferable, meaning I could put the OB on another boat.

Lastly, I know I could get a cheaper Bayliner or some other brand, but I want a Grady-White. Nothing against Byliner's, but I want a fishing boat......I want a Grady White! I don't want to worry about getting fish guts on the carpet and I don't want to worry about the integrity of the hull. I also don't expect to sell the boat I buy for for years and profit is not my goal!...I know...I'm nuts.

Lastly...I really apreciate and value your opinions. Just so you know.....I'm 80-90% going to walk away on this boat. Thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

Can I be honest with you? I understand wanting a Grady. They're classic and awesome looking. However, I don't think the particular one you're considering has that look. I think it looks just like any other '79 boat. Now if we were talking about this:

I'd be like go for it.

 

[SSSuper83]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

Just for reference and influencing your decision...

I paid 500 for my 83 Sea Sprite with a Merc 898 drive. It came with a rusty but trusty ez loader trailer. It was completely jackrigged with a 350 car engine and a horribly homemade interior. It did not crank, and did not run. Seller was honest with me about this.

The hour meter showed 172 hours. Outside of the hull really confirmed this.

After running the numbers on the engine, turned out to be a mid 70's 4 bolt main 350 from a 1/2 ton truck. I swapped in the right freeze plugs, converted to center risers and thru hull exhaust, and almost have it finished.

I have 1100 in the whole package.

WALK AWAY from this nightmare. Get something with a Mercruiser powertrain. Even if the transom is rotten, you can get it running and maybe get a couple seasons out of it for very little money. Scan the auction sites and ******list. Used parts can be had for cheap. You will learn very quickly what is useable and what isnt.

The point is that you need to find a project that wont break the bank and can get you out there quickly. I found mine. Pass on the Grady and let us know what you find.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

I want a Grady-White.

then buy it. if it's what you want, it's what you want.

hopefully, by the time it hits the water it'll still be what you want and won't porpoise like Flipper and spin in circles uncontrollably because the stringers are hooked.

there is a great feeling of pride that goes with restoring a boat from the ground up

When a son/daughter or grandchild is helping with the project it gets really cool and the price gets justified by the education it is providing.

 

[SSSuper83]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

then buy it. if it's what you want, it's what you want.

hopefully, by the time it hits the water it'll still be what you want and won't porpoise like Flipper and spin in circles uncontrollably because the stringers are hooked.

there is a great feeling of pride that goes with restoring a boat from the ground up

When a son/daughter or grandchild is helping with the project it gets really cool and the price gets justified by the education it is providing.

I agree with this wholeheartedly..but in this day and age when most of us are on tight budgets...its like building an AMC engine when you could build up a Chevy small block for 1/3 the price. Said education could be equally given with a MUCH cheaper approach.

 

[BeerBrewer]

Re: What to do with my OMC?

Well I decided what to do with the boat........walk away!

You folks are right! Even though the boat was virtually free its just not worth it. The old OMC engine and Stringer outdrive aren't worth fixing and they can't be easily replaced without dropping a ton of money. Converting to OB is possible, but the bracket costs $2000, I'd have to replace the steering, gauges, etc.... Not to mention I'd have to beef up the transom and stringers. All of which can be done, but there is one big unknown....how will the boat perform? No one knows for sure. I searched and searched but there aren't a lot of converted Grady I/Os out there to draw comparisons from. Its just too RISKY to go thru all that work and money to possibly end up with crappy handling boat! For the money I'd spend retroing a 1979 I can just buy a newer one in better shape and with an OB already. When I started my search, I was strictly looking for an OB, but the $200 price fogged my thinking.

Thanks for talking me out of it.....if nothing else I learned a ton!

Thanks!