out drive question.

[skwotastropy]

i have a 18ft donzi classic, heres my problem, right now it has the original volvo drive on it, which was normally fine, however now i need something with power trim to get in and out of most of the canals around here, is there a system i can add to this? where would i get it? or should i swap out to a alpha drive or bravo if that is possible?? i think a bravo 1 drive would be over kill, we had a alpha on our baja 196 sunsport and it did its job well, however i need some serious adivice on where to go with this one, thanks

matt

[mphatc]

I'm presently swapping a H&M Volvo 250 to a Bravo on my Corsican . . .
big project.

Requires rebuilding the transom etc. I presume you have Ford power?

There are no bellhousings to go from Ford to Bravo . . I am creating the connection for my application using the original H&M bellhousing.

The easiest way is to switch to a newer Volvo with trim, 280 or 290 . .

MPHATC

[Rootsy]

i believe and others will know more than i... the 270T and 280T have power trim and tilt... i am a black kinda guy when it comes to sterndrives...

mario is right.. it is pricy and time consuming to swap from white to black... unless you find good deals on components. the bravo is not overkill if you EVER plan to add ponies under the hatch and bout the same price as doing an alpha within a few hundred bucks or so...

if you go alpha get a gen II... but if you cannot come up with it all a GEN I is much easier to aquire parts for in the used markets such as ebay...

merc made an 888 powerpackage offering in the late 70's early 80;s... it was a 302 ford mated to the pre- alpha... (#1 / r / mr) drives... it will bolt directly to the inner transom plate of an alpha... i didn't know a bravo inner plate was different... as far as mounting points...

if you can find one when doing a white to black alpha style swap... alpha SS will make her run with stock power...

[mphatc]

Rootsy wrote :
merc made an 888 powerpackage offering in the late 70's early 80;s... it was a 302 ford mated to the pre- alpha... (#1 / r / mr) drives... it will bolt directly to the inner transom plate of an alpha... i didn't know a bravo inner plate was different... as far as mounting points...

INTERESTING . . . why hasn't anyone that I have spoken with mentioned this?? ARRGHH . . still wouldn't change what I am doing as I want to retain the H&M belhousing . . . just for looks!

mphatc

[skwotastropy]

i would rather not cut into the transom, so i might be looking into a newer model volvo drive, and yes your right, it is ford power, 351, and it is left and helm if that has anything to do with it.

[Woodsy]

Mario....

I told you about that plate months ago..... I was looking for one for Robbieo... they are pretty easy to find... I think he found one in NH.

Stop workin on those BMW's and get back to the boat, all that German Engineering is messin with your head... LOL!


Woodsy Von Outboard

[skwotastropy]

anyone know what a 270t 280t costs? and what is involved in the swap??

[MOP]

Rootsy wrote :
merc made an 888 powerpackage offering in the late 70's early 80;s... it was a 302 ford mated to the pre- alpha... (#1 / r / mr) drives... it will bolt directly to the inner transom plate of an alpha... i didn't know a bravo inner plate was different... as far as mounting points...

INTERESTING . . . why hasn't anyone that I have spoken with mentioned this?? ARRGHH . . still wouldn't change what I am doing as I want to retain the H&M belhousing . . . just for looks!

mphatc

Now I know two of us told you about the early Merc/Ford bell housing! Like Woodsey says stop the friggen with the land toys :biggrin.:

[Ranman]

Cant help you with the outdrive concerns, but where are you boating exactly. There is a whole crew of Donzi owners out on Lake St. Clair. Maybe you would want to participate in the M.A.D.C.O.W. event...

MADCOW Cruise (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=31902)

[BigGrizzly]

The 270t is a direct bolt on. As for the adapter for a Ford to a bravo1 try Osco exhayst

[MOP]

Check out Mario's 290 it should be an easy swap and give you trim, It is a good deal and in great shape.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29977

[Dax McDavid]

I just did the volvo to merc. swap for the same reason. I live on TX. Coast so I must have trim. I recommend calling some performance places. Sometimes they will put together an engine package that won't sell or the buyer will cancel so they will be willing to break apart the package and sell the outdrive and engine separately for a great deal. That is what happened to me. I used affordable marine. Don't recommend these people b/c when I got my outdrive in there was a gash in the side of the housing and they did not want to fess up to it!! So it was a mess. Horrible business people!!!! I wish only Bankruptcy for this company. I also recommend looking for boats that have been wrecked or burned and total by insurance companies but the back of boat is still in good shape. But this process is a big undertaking. Very expensive. :banghead:

[skwotastropy]

Cant help you with the outdrive concerns, but where are you boating exactly. There is a whole crew of Donzi owners out on Lake St. Clair. Maybe you would want to participate in the M.A.D.C.O.W. event...

MADCOW Cruise (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=31902)


looks like some fun, the donzi runs around at home on the chain of lakes , zukey lake, portage, all those lakes out here near pickney, well, i try to run it out there but with out power trim its a difficult task, this past summer was the first time this boat was out here, before that it was always run in the detroit river/lake erie, being that run isnt too far from me, ill see what plans out when time gets sooner.

[mphatc]

:embarasse

OK, so you guys did . . . tell me . . .but I only seem to have caught half the info . . :splat: I was unaware that the Alpha inner transom plate matched the Bravo outer . . or that the old Ford to Merc would match up to Bravo . . :bonk: :banghead: So maybe those :germany: :italy: cars are messing with my abilities to function . .

:lightning :idea:

Use the Ford to Merc piece, eliminate the H&M bellhousing :eek!:, bolt this thing together instead of the fancy fabrication required to mate the two . . \
and go boating . . .

????? How ugly is the Merc/Ford bellhousing?


As for the 290 Drive, sold to someone in CO with some 600HP Chevy in a Four Winns :puke: :outtahere

Woodsy, MOP . . . next round is on me! :wavey: :beer:

MPHATC

[MOP]

Not sure how it would look brought back to its natural aluminum color and clear coated but that would be a consideration. It can't be a heck of a lot different just a bunch easirer to install. I am pretty sure the rear mount on the transom shield is in the same location and at the same height on both the Alpha and Bravo so the inner is not an issue. I think the bravo shield is a tad stronger, the only difference I see is the Bravo has two more holes.

Ok! Damn someone stole the beer mugs!

[Rootsy]

Mario,

you use the merc 888 (302 ford) bellhousing on the motor... the inner transom plate for an alpha won;t work on the bravo, bravo has 2 more mounting studs... you use the bravo inner transom plate... BUT the round ears projecting out on the inner transom plate SHOULD line up with the round ears on the 888 bellhousing... this is your rear motor mount... 2 LONG bolts slip thorugh... there are some fiber washers and a spring... and a nut on the bottom...

the bellhousing is not ugly... it is a black bellhousing in a sbf and merc configuration for mounting... you could blast it... polish it.. clear it... if oyu want to take the time... that merc paint is a BITCH to remove.. even with a sandblaster... well least the newer stuff...

[mphatc]

Rootsy!

Thank you! Just the info I needed to cross the T's and dot the i's!

I'll blast the parts with aluminum oxide, powdercoat to match the original H&M blue . . . heck I could even attach the original H&M spec tag . . :wink:

Mario

[MOP]

Mario another thing the length may be off using the volvo HM to Merc as opposed to the Merc to Merc. Hmmm! And at what X are you putting it?

[Blewbyu]

Go to a really big outdrive repair facility.Go into the shop.See what color is hanging on the walls and all over the floor.Go with the other color.....and you won't have to cut any holes in yer Donzi! :yes: :yes: :yes:

[Ranman]

Go to a really big outdrive repair facility.Go into the shop.See what color is hanging on the walls and all over the floor.Go with the other color.....and you won't have to cut any holes in yer Donzi!

Only problem is, when you finally get on the water, you'll never be able to keep up with that other color. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

[Rootsy]

Go to a really big outdrive repair facility.Go into the shop.See what color is hanging on the walls and all over the floor.Go with the other color.....and you won't have to cut any holes in yer Donzi! :yes: :yes: :yes:

and that is very misleading.. you need to be looking at PPM in order to gain an accurate picture here... statistics my friend.. statistics...

JR

[MOP]

I would argue the Volvo praise any day having worked on them longer then some members are old. Right in our group are quite a few 20-30 years old one that been hammered and never broke, I am now going to run a black BH even though our shop is littered like all the shops out my way with black. I picked on Cliff this afternoon for not using the 290 and then selling it to Mario and then picked on Mario for getting rid of it. Now if it was an SX I think Mario would have run it, they are as fast as the Bravo.

[Drydock]

Just following this thread to learn a bit more about engine/drive combinations and wondered if Arneson is an option.

http://www.donzi.net/tech/DonziArneson.htm