Repowering my boat question

[Cap.Silver]

I thought I ask fellow fisherman (with boats) for advice . I have 79 Hard top boat with AQ 140 A 4 cyl  125 HP Volvo and 280  Volvo outdrive .
My boat is about 21' and it could use little fresher  engine and more power . Have any of you repowered above mentioned engine and outdrive with mercruiser or volvo ? What outdrive would fit the 280 cutout ?  Can anyone recommend good shop ? I'm thinking about :
a/selling it and getting something newer
b/keeping it and redo the engine (which is not the cheap version) but I will still have old boat .
Money is tight like everywhere else ,but want to keep fishing the ocean .....

[gasman]

Just give it to me and buy a new boat....

There problem solved 

[rasbo]

maybe look into a 4.3 with the volvo outdrive,see if that will work...might be a big con O worms.But I think it would be a good combo,not sure on the re fit on the outdrive,a phone call might answer that for ya

[lokidog]

Or, you could cover up the outdrive hole with a nice big plate that you can mount an outboard to thus freeing up a bunch of deck space....   

[woodman]

I don't know about your particular boat, but I re powered my boat last year. I was a project to get the company that was working on it to get it done properly. It was supposed to be done in January and was finally done in April. It took four different engines to finally get one that would not burn a valve or lose oil pressure etc. They put a car carburetor it and I had to threaten them to put a marine one on it. Automotive ones or illegal. They also put automotive ignition on it. It was a nightmare because we would get our boat and it would break down the very first day we would use it. (Destroyed a vacation) This company came highly recommended, just do your homework if you farm it out and don't let them screw you over.

My boat is a Trophy 2359 and had a V-6. I had it changed to a V-8 because it was under powered. It is done now and works well, but I had to stay on top of it or I would have been burned pretty bad by them taking cheap short cuts.

Good luck!

[PolarBear]

Rip it out, glass over the transom, put on an aluminum bracket and get an outboard!  If that is not an option, stick with a Volvo.  Not a big fan of Mercruiser. 

[TONTO]

Or, you could cover up the outdrive hole with a nice big plate that you can mount an outboard to thus freeing up a bunch of deck space....   

 I have seen some very nice offshore bracket conversions where the outborad is mounted behind the transome. With the cost of the conversion and of course outboards aren't cheap either, it may not be worth it, but it would esentualy be a new boat. By mounting the motor outback it may give you a smoother ride actualy increasing your planing leangth, making it ride like a larger boat. Pluss it would give you alot more deck space.

[twistiron]

In my exsperince it is never an easy or cheep job to repower a stern drive. if it was mine i would freshen the motor, i am sure the performance gain from that alone would be huge. if you put a higher hp engine in then you have to have is re certified from the coast gaurd because each hull is hp rated. it can be a huge PITA!  i would be willing to freshen your motor for you this winter, wont be as fast of a turn around as a shop but i wont take advantage of you either and i would be open to a trade of some sort for the labor. from what i have seen swapping a merc into the place of a volvo is about like putting a 350 in place of a 302 can be done but its a huge project and half the time it never really runs right. i hope this helps let me know if i can be of more assitance.
-forrest-

[lokidog]

In my exsperince it is never an easy or cheep job to repower a stern drive. if it was mine i would freshen the motor, i am sure the performance gain from that alone would be huge. if you put a higher hp engine in then you have to have is re certified from the coast gaurd because each hull is hp rated. it can be a huge PITA!  i would be willing to freshen your motor for you this winter, wont be as fast of a turn around as a shop but i wont take advantage of you either and i would be open to a trade of some sort for the labor. from what i have seen swapping a merc into the place of a volvo is about like putting a 350 in place of a 302 can be done but its a huge project and half the time it never really runs right. i hope this helps let me know if i can be of more assitance.
-forrest-

What a great offer! 

A neighbor bought a boat, then shortly had to put a new engine in it, then had to replace the starter, and again a new starter.  He has spent way more on it than the boat was even worth. 

[whacker1]

In my exsperince it is never an easy or cheep job to repower a stern drive. if it was mine i would freshen the motor, i am sure the performance gain from that alone would be huge. if you put a higher hp engine in then you have to have is re certified from the coast gaurd because each hull is hp rated. it can be a huge PITA!  i would be willing to freshen your motor for you this winter, wont be as fast of a turn around as a shop but i wont take advantage of you either and i would be open to a trade of some sort for the labor. from what i have seen swapping a merc into the place of a volvo is about like putting a 350 in place of a 302 can be done but its a huge project and half the time it never really runs right. i hope this helps let me know if i can be of more assitance.
-forrest-

What a great offer! 

A neighbor bought a boat, then shortly had to put a new engine in it, then had to replace the starter, and again a new starter.  He has spent way more on it than the boat was even worth. 

Yes - great offer.  I don't know that I would be dumping $3000 - 5000 on a 79 boat in re-powering, but to freshen up a motor at $1000 or less would make a lot more sense.

[Skillet]

If the outdrive is in good shape, I'd definitely take twistiron up on his offer!  After having spent my way through most of an I/O to outboard on bracket conversion (with lot of my own sweat involved), I am 100% confident in telling you that switching drive systems is not a wise use of money compared to selling out and buying a different boat...