Volvo 280 to Alpha 1

[Forino]

I have a 68 18' and it still has the original Volvo 280 drive. I want to convert it to an Alpha but I do not want to re- glass anything or cut anymore if possible. Is it true that MerCruiser made a plate that went on the transom for this conversion? Any help would be great. Thanks

[mjw930]

Give Galen @ Speedmasters a call (http://www.speedmasters-inc.com/). If it's still made he would know and he might even have one in stock!

386-734-3133

[Sweet little 16]

why???

[vonkamp]

why???

+1

What engine do you have? You probably have a barrelback, can you post some pic's of your boat?

[Forino]

Its a Chevy 350. These are the only pics I have on my computer but the boat currently has the deck off.

[MOP]

Another "Y" take off something that is at the very least as good as a Maytag to a drive that will last about 1/5 as long if that!

[Forino]

The drive will be for sale after I rip it off so if any of you antique lovers are interested just let me know. Ha.

[vonkamp]

Nice barrelback, I would stick with the Volvo, they are bulletproof and would keep with the vintage look. :yes:

[vonkamp]

The drive will be for sale after I rip it off so if any of you antique lovers are interested just let me know. Ha.

Or not...:bonk:

[Forino]

No but this drive is blown apart and I do not know if it is worth replacing.

[Sweet little 16]

I would find a replacement drive they pop up on ebay very often just make sure it is a V8 ratio drive i have seen them reman'd and also used on ebay and yes us antique lovers like them not too many things last 30 plus years the volvo is one of them plus there are new prop selections that really make them perform well but I am sure i could be wrong I am sure some board member with a 30 year old alpha will correct me :p
nice looking boat:)

[penbroke]

Keep the Volvo. It IS worth replacing. My '66 is still going strong.

Depending on what has failed in your drive I may be able to help ya out...


Frank :cool:

[MOP]

Just do the math 1968 now 2008, show me any other drive that will hold a candle to that!

[Forino]

Thanks guys I will keep an eye out.

[HIGH LIFE]

I have a pair of VOLVO SPEEDMASTERS w/ power trim and 3-blade s/s cleaver props. Came off a '73 MAGNUM. HIGH LIFE cell # 781.844.8082 IN MASS.................

[mphatc]

Stay with the Volvo for several reasons . .

1. You need a left hand drive, and LH Alpha's are very hard to find, and will be hard to service in the future
2. The Volvo is stronger
3. The conversion from the Volvo to Merc is more involved than just nuts and bolts . You'll need to add a shift interupter, power steering pump, power tilt pump and change the cooling on the engine as you now have a crank driven water pump and the Alpha has it's own pump.
4. The new props for the Volvos will make it perform as well as any Merc.
5. the 18 does not need power trim in most waters
6. Originality will add long term value on a classic boat.
7. Volvos are the most common outdrive world wide . . good 280's are out there!

Mario L.

[f_inscreenname]

Stay with the Volvo for several reasons . .
5. the 18 does not need power trim in most waters
Mario L.

All you need is a 280T shield and you could have trim like me. I have a 1972 Volvo 270 bolted to (unknown year) Volvo 280T transom shield run by home made lines and a MerCruiser trim pump, bolted to a MIE340 MerCruiser 454 Big Block. Or what I like to call my "VolCruiser". Cant do that with a alpha.

[boxy]

Volvo outdrive's, Stone Wheels, Model T motors, Knee length 1 piece bathing suits.......

You can never improve on an idea ....... :D

I would gladly give up some of the Volvo's benefits for a continent wide availablity to quick parts given our short boating season.

[BigGrizzly]

Most people change drives because of prop selection- I have corrected that problem!! I have a 1971 Corsican and I havn't got rid of the Volvo. I run it hard and the kids do too. It may break but I will just fix the Volvo when the time comes if ever! As for the Plate Volvo still makes the adapter plate they use it to swap to the SXa drive on the older drives. MOP I think Had a web site that had them or another brand on it can't find it now. Remember it isn't going to be that easy to swap, you may need to move the engine back, not fun.

[EWPE]

The transom adaptor kit is available from eBasicPower.com . I used one on a 23 Chris Craft, it worked great. I have the 280 drive off that boat that anyone can have for free.

[cutwater]

The transom adaptor kit is available from eBasicPower.com . I used one on a 23 Chris Craft, it worked great. I have the 280 drive off that boat that anyone can have for free.

I couldn't find the adapter kit on their site. Do you know a part number?

[Lenny]

Say WHAT??? :eek: :eek:

I think he means that you just leave her in the third hole and "float" around in the air.

It works for me :D

[BUIZILLA]

I think he means that you just leave her in the third hole and "float" around in the air.
It works for me :D you found a third hole??
such a man you are :cool:

[tiger lily]

for the longest time i wanted to swap to a bravo on the 18, till i finally came to my sense's, the cost was not worth it, and i really wanted to keep it ford powered, well it still has the volvo drive on it now, and we still beat the snot out of it, runs great, handles awesome, not the fastest or nowhere near, but when it gets sloppy we just keep the throttle down and the drive is the last of our concerns

[onesubdrvr]

If it were me,...... :wink:

I'd contact that guy with the speedmaster lower units, get both of them, rebuild the drive, find power tilt / trim to it, install the speed master lowers, get a prop, and make those mercruiser guys jealous. If I had the time and money (I'd still have my X-18 for one), but that is the EXACT route I'd take. I sold my 280t drive because I couldn't find a speedmaster lower, and my transom needed to be redone, then I sold my boat because I went back to school.

Regardless, if I had it to do over again, I would do what I stated above.

Oh, and I would never have put an Alpha on,....but I like to go fast, and want something bulletproof, I was thinking Bravo when I was at the crossroads

Wayne

[EWPE]

I couldn't find the adapter kit on their site. Do you know a part number?

The part number is MER827691A1 .

[Donzi Racer]

The transom adaptor kit is available from eBasicPower.com . I used one on a 23 Chris Craft, it worked great. I have the 280 drive off that boat that anyone can have for free.

I have had the volvos, but I got to have trim. When I was younger, I stayed in the water changing the pin from two to three position more than I ran the boat it seemed sometimes. I even was looking for items to put around the pin to get a little extra thickness for more speed. (Don't say it Jim) We know you are thinking it.
I would love to find a 280 T transom plate if anyone knows of one. It would be for the triple hatch for my dear Nephew Donzi Vol. We are keeping the engine stock so it would be nice for him to have the trim which I did not have when I was his age and much younger. So somebody make a trim kit for the old 270 & 280's. By the way what would have been on a late triple hatch barrel back? 200, 250? Would like to get some info on your 280. Would be glad to make a donation to the site or? Thanks, Tom 256-777-0844 or mishunaire@aol.com

[mphatc]

OK Poodle and Lenny, lure me back in to add to this ..
You guys know that I added the Bravo to my Corsican because I wanted trim, LH rotation, ability to handle lots of HP, and more reliablity than an Alpha . .
What I have found is that I can happlily run this boat w/o ever touching the trim . . it's there , I use it, but don't need it!
the complexity of my set up, Ford SB, H&M belllhousing, to Bravo , PS pump, internal PS , stock exhaust outlet locations, and a completely rebuilt transom have made this a project gone overboard.
Sure the boat does stuff it couldn't do before, goes faster, but the price has been huge . . Ask Linda!!
With the new selection of props that can lift the bow, lift the stern, and still cause the boat to jump out of the water, I'd rather own 6 fancy props than have what I built!!!
I don't regret my build, It's been fun, challenging , and too expensive, but I enjoy the build as much as the use.
Hopefully I get to ski behind her before I get too old . .
Mario

[f_inscreenname]

Regardless if you use it when underway or not when you get to a beach it’s nice to have. Also for what I paid for and how much it cost to install it was only a fraction of what I paid for all those junk “tilt” motors over the years. Adding in the embarrassment of having to use a 2X4 to hold up your outdrive on your classic boat it was well worth it.
If you find a 280T shield don’t hesitate to buy it. All you need is the shield and rams. Everything else can be rebuilt and cheap. I used a MerCruiser trim pump (easy fit, no mod’s), two main hydraulic lines to a splitter each and to each ram, any missing brass fittings can be found at H/D. It’s that simple.
Also when I got my shield it was full of dirt like it was laying on the ground for years. Blew out all the passages and rebuilt the rams. And yes you can rebuild them in your backyard with a 25 dollar kit and about a half hour. With a quick coat of paint it was ready to install. Again it’s that simple. The hard part……..finding one. I looked for 2 years and found 2. The first was about a week after I knew they would work with a 270. The guy wanted $600 for it and I thought he was crazy and another would come up. I then spent the next two years looking. When I found it I figured I would pay twice what the last one went for. I was lucky and won the auction for a little over 4 but the extra 2 bills was not worth the 2 years wait.

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