Identifying an outdrive

[emac]

trying to figure the exact model outdrive, PO said it was a volvo penta, didnt know more... Faded sticker on top looks to say 600, or maybe 603, or 608, couldnt find a machine stamp, but needs to be cleaned and looked at closer. Found engine identifying on previous threads, but not outdrive

 

[emac]

here is pic of top of outdrive

 

[RicardoMarine]

That is not any Volvo that I am familiar with. Looks more like one of the OMC stringer drives. There was a 400 and 800 I believe.
Shame on the PO for telling you this.

You'll typically see boat ads like this in the year range of the Stringer Drives:

XXX 23' boat, runs good, good engine, good seats, Mercruiser engine/drive.

YYY 23' boat, runs good, good engine, good seats, Volvo Penta engine/drive.

ZZZ 23' boat, runs good, good engine, good seats.

Notice anything missing in the last ad? :rolleyes:

Post a photo of your engine..... that will tell you quite a bit about the drive.
If the original OMC engine was blue in color, that was what OMC used on their engines back then.

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[sandkicker]

The real give away if its an OMC of this era is how it gets thru the transom...
The Volvos have a "hard" transom mount, while the OMC had this large bellows thru the transom.

 

[emac]

79 grady white, 20'. Good to know what i'm getting into either way. I think it might have the bellows through the transom, I'll be bringing it to my backyard this week, easier to putter with here.

 

[RicardoMarine]

After seeing the drive tilted up that high, and if I'm seeing this correctly, you have a Sringer drive.
You may want to re-consider whether or not any restoration (while maintaining the stringer drive), would be a wise choice! IMO, that is!

NOTE: depending on the manufacture (grady white in your case), this boat may or may not have a structural transom.
To install any other drive, a complete and structural transom core is necessary.... of which would include infilling the existing Stringer drive opening.

You'd have to really love this boat, or have some sentimental value for it, in order for this to pencil out for you.

.

 

[emac]

so, will any outdrives fit the same transom hole, forgive my ignorance, my last engine had a velvet drive inboard, assuming it is a stinger.

 

[RicardoMarine]

so, will any outdrives fit the same transom hole, forgive my ignorance, my last engine had a velvet drive inboard, assuming it is a stinger.

Like said earlier, often the Stringer Drive transom need not be structural, meaning it is just the hull in this area. The engine/drive are supported by...... you guessed it, the Stringers only!

Even if it were reinforced and structural, the opening for the Stringer Drive is very much larger than any other type drive.... including the later OMC drives.
It would require some major work.

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[sandkicker]

Just to give you an idea of what a "structural transom" looks like, the photo below shows the plugs that I cut out of my transom in the process of changing over to "thru the transom" exhaust.