Will OMC Engine/Drive Match Mercruiser- Plug & Play?

[frustratedboater]

Looking to purchase a 92' Sea Ray 24' bowrider, that does not have a motor & drive (not sure what came out). From what I've researched it may have had either brands.. The boat is in fantastic shape and looks really good.
There is another Four Winns Sundowner locally that has the OMC Cobra drive and engine (OMC?) also in great shape for 750 and want to grab it for the trailer and engine/drive combo.
Can you put a Mercruiser engine/drive in where an OMC came out and vice versa? Will everything pretty much bolt up?

 

[Scott Danforth]

not sure why you would ever want to buy anything that has OMC in it. many parts are NLA

the 92 Sea Ray needs to be seriously looked at. the motor and drive most likely came out because the hull is rotten

with a bit of work, you can put a complete Mercruiser longtail in the location that there was an OMC.

 

[Scott06]

Looking to purchase a 92' Sea Ray 24' bowrider, that does not have a motor & drive (not sure what came out). From what I've researched it may have had either brands.. The boat is in fantastic shape and looks really good.
There is another Four Winns Sundowner locally that has the OMC Cobra drive and engine (OMC?) also in great shape for 750 and want to grab it for the trailer and engine/drive combo.
Can you put a Mercruiser engine/drive in where an OMC came out and vice versa? Will everything pretty much bolt up?

No offense but this sounds like a bit of turd polishing... and could be a lot of work with no result for you.

As Scott outlines likely removed it and stopped doing work because transom is rotten... which can be fixed but its a lot of work. If it had a Merc alpha or bravo drive the keyhole is the same as a OMC cobra. So theoretically yes it could fit. If the 92 sea ray had different drive like VP or somebody did a weird swap like a TRS or other drive that has a different key hole then you need to rebuild the transom.

The issue with the OMC Cobra is yes there are guys who get good results with them but OMC went out out of the stern drive business 25 years ago. Parts for these are hard to come by and if you need a mechanic to work on something that old that will be even harder to come by.

You would be way better off finding a newer merc or VP driveline out of a wrecked rotten or beat up craigslist boat. That way you will be able to maintain it moving forward and if you need to sell it will be more saleable...

 

[frustratedboater]

not sure why you would ever want to buy anything that has OMC in it. many parts are NLA

the 92 Sea Ray needs to be seriously looked at. the motor and drive most likely came out because the hull is rotten

with a bit of work, you can put a complete Mercruiser longtail in the location that there was an OMC.

I appreciate your comment. I just heard back and a Mercruiser big block is coming out. In some of the pictures, I saw some crumbling wood in the ski compartment, and he said that the floor up front was a little soft. Too bad, the seats are in great shape! A "little soft" means lots of rot.. I may pass on it.

 

[frustratedboater]

No offense but this sounds like a bit of turd polishing... and could be a lot of work with no result for you.

As Scott outlines likely removed it and stopped doing work because transom is rotten... which can be fixed but its a lot of work. If it had a Merc alpha or bravo drive the keyhole is the same as a OMC cobra. So theoretically yes it could fit. If the 92 sea ray had different drive like VP or somebody did a weird swap like a TRS or other drive that has a different key hole then you need to rebuild the transom.

The issue with the OMC Cobra is yes there are guys who get good results with them but OMC went out out of the stern drive business 25 years ago. Parts for these are hard to come by and if you need a mechanic to work on something that old that will be even harder to come by.

You would be way better off finding a newer merc or VP driveline out of a wrecked rotten or beat up craigslist boat. That way you will be able to maintain it moving forward and if you need to sell it will be more saleable...

Thanks for your help on this. I didn't know my about those drives or that there were hard to find parts. I think I'll save my $$ and focus on the Mako restoration I still have to finish! I get distracted sometimes..

 

[Scott06]

I appreciate your comment. I just heard back and a Mercruiser big block is coming out. In some of the pictures, I saw some crumbling wood in the ski compartment, and he said that the floor up front was a little soft. Too bad, the seats are in great shape! A "little soft" means lots of rot.. I may pass on it.

Floor is the last thing to rot from the bottom up... Ok so the boat is together they are keeping a nice motor and drive because they know the boat is roached...best to move on

 

[JASinIL2006]

Run, don't walk, from this boat! Run!