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Agree with the above post. OMC parts are getting harder and harder to come by, if it had Merc's on it you would be a lot farther down the road to restoring it since you can still get most parts for Mercruisers even that old.

 

Agree with above - in the day OMC was fine, had a neighbor that had one in a boat and it ran fine. Today, though I think it would be impossible to find parts or anyone to work on it. If you got this boat I would plan on converting the out drive to an Alpha I or SEI, I know they have some coversions for Cobra drives, not sure about OMC. But hey, if the price is right and the drive is working now, it might be fine for some time -- just know what you are getting into.

 

If they are the white stringer mount outdrives, I'd steer clear. Those were bad from day one. I don't believe there is any way to convert those without rebuilding your whole transom.

 

Run twinscrewzz Run away as fast as you can find a boat with a Merc.

 

Thanks all for the reply's. Sound advice all. Did a significant amount of research. As the boat was an 84 I was the last year for the Stringer outdrive system. No Conversion available without rebuilding the transom. The Stringer was not mounted to the transom but to the motor so the stringers.
If it was in 85 first year for the OMC Cobra a simple conversion kit is available. Kit $350. New SEI Alpha drives $1495.00 Have seen labor at $640. There is a video on you tube of the conversion.
It's amazing what can be learned in a day with internet access.

 

I have a 77 all original OMC 235 hp with 800 stringer out drive sterndrive.info has all the parts for OMC including complete rebuilt units mine even has the electric shift runs good but I do all my own work mechanics tend to only want to work on the new stuff

 

I had twin stern drive OMC in a 1982 28 footer waterline. Each year the marina rebuilt one unit. The seals would go at 50 hours and by 100 the oil was very milky. Price to service boat each fall was about 2,500 or so.
I hit a twig once and it chipped a gear that took out a seal. Marina had a mechanic that kept all things. My unit was ruined. He had one he was able to rebuild and get me back is service. Once he told me you need to strip the units down every 2 years as some parts seize in salt water and he could not get some parts any more. in 2003 he told me I should get ready to replace the outdrive with Merc ones. I got the present boat in 2005 and sold the 28 footer.

 

Just sold my 88 four winns with a 5.7 omc. Owned it since 98 and put over 500 hours on it with no issues other than a shift cable