Newbie with King Cobra drive question

DO NOT BUY THIS BOAT. Almost all the parts on the drive are NLA including the water pump!

The 96 is mostly Volvo and the impeller and most parts are readily available.
The OMC with the pump outside is NLA and don't buy this kind.
Post the model#
96 BB had the Volvo/OMC drive and were really good,being mostly Volvo.

Jerryjerry05 said:

The 96 is mostly Volvo and the impeller and most parts are readily available.
The OMC with the pump outside is NLA and don't buy this kind.
Post the model#
96 BB had the Volvo/OMC drive and were really good,being mostly Volvo.

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Last mid 90's KC I worked on I could not find a water pump for. It was behind a BB ford.

Need more info from the OP here.
In 1996, these would have been Volvo Penta drives, in spite of what some may believe. The last OMC Cobra was in 1993, if memory serves me.

The Ford 460 (7.5L) was mated with the KC drive, and in both the Dog Clutch and the Cone Clutch versions.
The GM 454 (7.4L) was not used with the KC to my knowledge.

Pictures would be very helpful.




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What is NLA?

Thanks for all the info. So I take it NLA drives are easily priced because of that.

So the question I want to ask of boaters and not dealers is:

What is the hierarchy of boats? Bayliner's are near the bottom I understand, where do other boat brands stack up (Sea Ray, Four Winns, Carver, etc) and what are the better drives? I am looking for a weekender or one you can spend more time on, 28-32 ft.

Look for a Bertram 28. There are plenty out there. Usually there's one or two in every boat yard. They have straight twin V8 inboards, so they are simple to get parts for and work on. They are built like the proverbial brick you-know-what house, will hold their value so you can sell it for what you paid for it, give a comfortable ride with good fuel economy, will get you home in just about any weather and look really good. ONLY bad thing is that some were made with integral fiberglass tanks. Ethanol fuel will ruin these type of tanks so look for one that has been done or use that as a bargaining chip. They are also rather dated as far as interior appointment goes. You will spend between 5 and 15K depending on condition.
If you own one everyone you encounter will want to talk to you about it and how they wish they had one.
Also, your standard-issue boatyard mechanic should be able to service it without any issues with parts. No oddball drives, just good old Velvet Drive transmissions hooked to Ford or Chevy engines. Closed cooling systems for long engine life. Truly a hammer proof boat. Twin engines allow you to pivot the boat in its own length...very handy when docking.
A veritable 4x4 pickup truck of the boating world.

The best guidance I can give you is to pick the boat you like, then hire a marine surveyor. For the couple hundred bucks you spend on the survey, you will know whether you are getting a good boat or a money pit (well, actually all boats are money pits). They will also know the market you live in, and may be able to direct you towards something that you couldn't have found on your own.

Thanks for that reply. Very good information. My dad has a sailboat, and I do know that all boats are moneypits.

msquared

The pecking order used to be Bayliner on the bottom.
Not so much any more Bayliner and Searay are made by the same company.
The best all around boat comes with a Mercruiser or a Volvo.
Volvo parts tend to be more expensive.
But Volvo is a bit more dependable(that's if it's taken care of).
The Berts are a boat that needs to stay in the water.
The hulls flex and the drive components need to settle.
The sterndrives are easily trailerable up to 28ft.
A good weekender is any 24-26ft with at least a 350block,260hp or bigger Volvo or Mercruiser.
They can be equipped any number of ways.
A gen/set is always nice.

msquared said:

Thanks for that reply. Very good information. My dad has a sailboat, and I do know that all boats are moneypits.

msquared

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If you maintain your boat by doing the proper services and the preventive maintenance. You will not have a money pit. It will all start with the purchase of a good vessel. Something well maintained and mainstream. Nothing OMC or AQ series Volvo Penta. It does not matter how reliable the AQ WAS.

The newer SX Volvo Penta or Mercrusier Bravo Series will serve you well for many years. Do not forget about a vessel with a newer 4stroke outboard.

Figure out what kind of boating you want to do, pay more for the boat in the beginning and you will save more in the long run. Cheapest is not always the best deal.

Docksidemarineservices said:

If you maintain your boat by doing the proper services and the preventive maintenance. You will not have a money pit. It will all start with the purchase of a good vessel. Something well maintained and mainstream. Nothing OMC or AQ series Volvo Penta. It does not matter how reliable the AQ WAS.

The newer SX Volvo Penta or Mercrusier Bravo Series will serve you well for many years.

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Chris........ please tell me that you're kidding!

It doesn't get much better than the 1996-ish AQ series DP-C1 or C2 drives.... or the Diesel AQ series that ran into year 2000.



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RicardoMarine said:

Chris........ please tell me that you're kidding!

It doesn't get much better than the 1996-ish AQ series DP-C1 or C2 drives.... or the Diesel AQ series that ran into year 2000.



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My 1972 Chevy K5 Blazer was great and reliable too back in 1985, I would not trade my Dodge diesel for it. Parts are getting scarce for the older VP AQ drives.

Buying a boat with a 20year old out of production drive system is not a good idea if you want to have it to enjoy it.

Many do not realize that the AQ series was continued right along side of the Gimbal System VP's, and through the first of years 2000's.
I don't believe that parts for these are scarce, Chris.

Look what the later AQ series offers:

Main Suspension fork and Pivot Tube geometry...... (no Gimbal System BS)
No Gimbal Bearing..... (PDS and PDS bearing instead)
No required annual engine coupler alignment.
No rubber hubbed drive coupler..... (AQ series uses Borg Warner)
3 pc drive...... (Transmissions and Lower Units can be removed seperately)
Easy drive shaft bellows replacement.
NO thru prop-hub exhaust......... (exhaust exits via the drive housing)


Chris, I don't have any dog in a fight here.... but I can certainly quote examples that support the AQ series over that of the SX or DP-S style VP drives.


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