Cobra Conversion to Alpha

[VetteLT193]

SEI is making a Cobra conversion kit. Not King Cobra, just regular.

IMO this is pretty good news if you have a Cobra because if you lose the drive it won't cost you an arm and a leg to get a new SEI to bolt up and a 3 year warranty too.

http://www.sterndrive.cc/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9D-116&Category_Code=Cobra

[silverghost]

Checked-out the link~
Looks like a good deal for the Cobra drive guys out there.
Very complete kit. Price looks good for all the parts incuded !

[donzi racer]

Checked-out the link~
Looks like a good deal for the Cobra drive guys out there.
Very complete kit. Price looks good for all the parts incuded !


I have been looking for something like this for many years. It does take a Alpha 2 drive but sure looks like a steal of a way to convert. I have passed on a lot of boats because of the cobra drives. I would really like to talk to someone that has done this and see how things are going for them. I have personal experience with the Sei ALPHA 1 drive and it is fantastic as far as I am concerned. Pushes 400 hp in a small block in a 22 classic extremely well for over 2 years. No really hard hole shots but lots of top speed running. Tom

[Walt. H.]

I would sure like to see a late 90's and above King Cobra conversion to a Bravo-l or lll made available since parts that are still available are going thru the roof price wise this past year, and i,m not planing on parting with our family creature comfort slightly performance 1993 Chris Craft Concept 268 anytime soon..

Most sort after parts now from electrical trim senders to gaskets and hoses etc, you'll find a "NLA" along side the old part number w/o a price. Ugh!

Anyone in need of a trim sender switch for a late model K.Cobra 90' thru 95' contact me and I can rebuild your old sender with new electrical internals for $45.00 including return shipping back to you..That sure beats the last known price when it was available @ $187.00 by a few miles.....

PM me for my phone# and mailing address if your trim gauge no longer works and you need a remanufactured sender.

[joseph m. hahnl]

Oh No!! Cobra attack:uzi::fire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxQa8VL8bUg

[MOP]

IMO don't run out just to do the swap just for the sake of it, the 89 and up Cobra's will be around for awhile yet. If you have one run it until it dies you may end up being surprised, the innards are heftier in both drives, may last longer then you think. Had OMC come out with these just a littler sooner Merc would not be as high up as they are, both Cobras King and standard were put together better then the Merc A&B drives. A thought to bear in mind, amongst our members there have been little to no OMC's breaking, but there have been a number black drives that went south.

[Walt. H.]

Yes Phil I agree the 90' and newer cone clutch King Cobra's are strong like an ox and shift like silk, but all the maintenance parts that are still available can cost almost three times as much compared to a Mercruiser, such as a water pump kit for a 1990 and newer like my 93' model cost over $146. discounted from sugg, retail and you don't even get a new housing for that money. Ugh!

[silverghost]

Many OMC parts are now made from unobtainium.
Had a buddy looking all over South Jersey for a needed part last june.
Two old OMC dealers had it in stock~
But would not sell it !
They are keeping the parts they have for their own service dept .
Can't really blame them !

[Walt. H.]

Thats a good expression, i'll have to remember "Unobtainium"..

This should help in the future:
Doug Russell Marine in Worcester, Massachusetts Ph,506 791-4917
http://dougrussell.com/
are pretty good in stocking NLA/Obsolete OMC parts and are usually better price wise then you will find locally discounted.
They're pretty big and are great to deal with over the phone and ship out parts to you quickly, I guess its because they do quite a bit of E-Bay parts sales on-line.

Give them a try the next time you can't find what you need locally and you can use their on-line parts catalog to to get the part number you need for that item else where if needed.
http://dougrussell.com/partscatalog/volvo_omc/index.cfm?fuseaction=group&type=omc&group=

[The Hedgehog]

That is a good idea.

Like Phil, I would not run out and do it but think it is a great option for one on its last leg

If anyone has an alpha SS around I will try it on dad's 16 right now.