PLEASE HELP!!! What drive was on this boat? never seen it

[baja931]

OK guys to make a long story short. My dad owns a car dealership and for some reason he decided to buy another boat that ran through one of the auctions last week. Its a 1987 32 footer. From running the hull id it says the boat was made by K&K industries. Its a really good looking boat that came with twin ig blocks, i believe there 454's. The one problem with the boat is there are no drives on the boat! They were takin off by the boat before it got re poed. I cant figuire out for the life of me what drives this boat had on it I have never seen a bolt pattern like this before. It has Borg Warner transmissions on it. From the tag on them they said they were Velvet Drives? If you guys can help me figuire out what drive you think goes on this boat it would be awesome!

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Looks like it used to be a stern power.. It was a budget alternative to Merc years ago.

I would suggest you don't waste your time looking to restore it like it was. Put something else on it.

[DAREDEVIL]

OK guys to make a long story short. My dad owns a car dealership and for some reason he decided to buy another boat that ran through one of the auctions last week. Its a 1987 32 footer. From running the hull id it says the boat was made by K&K industries. Its a really good looking boat that came with twin ig blocks, i believe there 454's. The one problem with the boat is there are no drives on the boat! They were takin off by the boat before it got re poed. I cant figuire out for the life of me what drives this boat had on it I have never seen a bolt pattern like this before. It has Borg Warner transmissions on it. From the tag on them they said they were Velvet Drives? If you guys can help me figuire out what drive you think goes on this boat it would be awesome!

The best way is to close the transom and stick some bravos on it !!!!
U can buy them used for little money and u have an awsome boat that will hold up , hence its only 32 feet and 454's in it...should run mid to high 70's !!!!

If not..let me know and i might be intressted in the boat !!!!

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I am sorry I forgot to Welcome you here at Serious.

Thanks for joining us.

[DAREDEVIL]

I am sorry I forgot to Welcome you here at Serious.

Thanks for joining us.

[baja931]

Well thank you for the welcome i have been looking around the forum really like it. So you think what it had in it was a drive called Stern Power? Say this bolt pattern really confused me. With the Borg Warner's in it i thought it possibly had some type of really old Arneson set up? At least that was one persons idea. So you guys recomend just doing a transom fill and starting over? If we go that route (probably will have to) would you recomend bravos, or possibly putting an Arneson drive on it?

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Arneson makes a nice drive that will work on it. It is a toss up as to whether you put Bravo's or the Arnesons on it. The Arnesons the engines will stay closer to where they are now possibly the same place. Bravos will need to move the engines back. Konrads are a possibility as well. Parts are available for any of those mentioned.. You will probably need to up grade steering too.

[DAREDEVIL]

Well thank you for the welcome i have been looking around the forum really like it. So you think what it had in it was a drive called Stern Power? Say this bolt pattern really confused me. With the Borg Warner's in it i thought it possibly had some type of really old Arneson set up? At least that was one persons idea. So you guys recomend just doing a transom fill and starting over? If we go that route (probably will have to) would you recomend bravos, or possibly putting an Arneson drive on it?

It depends on what power your thinking down the road...if u stay mild ..lets say 600 HP max each..then go Bravo I,,u can start out cheap that way and later upgrade to IMCO or so....
If u think u want 600 + and stuff like that i would go ASD 6 in a light boat like a 32 footer its plenty !!!!

I seen used Bravos incl HP gimbals for 5500 a pair !!!! , u can sell the trannys and set the engines back or leave the engines and stick some boxes on it , that way u may not even need to fill the holes and use driveshafts to the gimbal !!!!!!

[baja931]

It depends on what power your thinking down the road...if u stay mild ..lets say 600 HP max each..then go Bravo I,,u can start out cheap that way and later upgrade to IMCO or so....
If u think u want 600 + and stuff like that i would go ASD 6 in a light boat like a 32 footer its plenty !!!!

I seen used Bravos incl HP gimbals for 5500 a pair !!!! , u can sell the trannys and set the engines back or leave the engines and stick some boxes on it , that way u may not even need to fill the holes and use driveshafts to the gimbal !!!!!!

Yeah i have seen Bravos for around that price as well, which isnt bad. I may need more info on what your saying about maybe not needing to fill the hole. This is our first power boat we have had. We have had lots of ski boats and Cabin cruuiser. Currently we have a 32 foot regal cruiser and a ski boat. I have heard stuff about the bravos blowing up easily in these types of boats and thats why i was told to go with the Arnesons??

[DAREDEVIL]

Looking at your pictures i think its a pop of from either 32 excalibur or a cobra ( Powerplay ) all of these run eccselent with Bravo's on boxes !!!

here is a picture of my old one.... similar

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Get some more info to us.. Some pix of the engines would be helpful.. I would suggest you check it out well. Check out and run the engines for sure. Make sure there are no other problems before you start spending money.. I think you will need to fill at least part of the holes for Boxes.. They would be a nice way to go too.. Like DD said your power intentions will play a big part as to which way to go.

[DAREDEVIL]

Yeah i have seen Bravos for around that price as well, which isnt bad. I may need more info on what your saying about maybe not needing to fill the hole. This is our first power boat we have had. We have had lots of ski boats and Cabin cruuiser. Currently we have a 32 foot regal cruiser and a ski boat. I have heard stuff about the bravos blowing up easily in these types of boats and thats why i was told to go with the Arnesons??

If u go with arnesons...hell yea, they will ot break, but a set of those are about 40-45 K !!!!!!
i would not go and buy used old arnesons,,they do not do justis on a build up !!!!!!
But thast me !

Also, before u do anything i would check the transom for water damage ....just a tought !

[baja931]

I will attach a few pictures of the engines. We have already pertially gone through the motors. Both start and run fine. Couldnt find any major porblems with them. They need the carbs cleaned on them, but they both run strong. Honestly like i said its my dads boat, and he isnt looking to be the fastest guy on the lake. He is just going to want the boat to work. The hull appears to be solid as well. The boat was in the water last year.

.

[baja931]

I can take more pictures of it tomorrow. I mean if you think bravos would do a good job they might be good to go with. You think stay away from tryign to find a Stern Powr to put back on though

[DAREDEVIL]

I will attach a few pictures of the engines. We have already pertially gone through the motors. Both start and run fine. Couldnt find any major porblems with them. They need the carbs cleaned on them, but they both run strong. Honestly like i said its my dads boat, and he isnt looking to be the fastest guy on the lake. He is just going to want the boat to work. The hull appears to be solid as well. The boat was in the water last year.

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They appear bigger then stock 454...they have 800-850s on them so i think they have work done to them,,,,only thing i see , that i don't like is the exhaust !!!!

But hey, for now i guess its ok !

If u wanna go real cheap, have a 1/2 aluminum plate made about 1&1/2 inches bigger then a extension box, bolt it on the transom, bolt the gimbal on to it , run drive shafts to the carrier and done...u would need to change the driveplate !!!!!
With that set up i would recomend Stelling boxes, i know where there is 1 for sale cheap...because they use a bearing carrier for the bravo inside the box,,imco would not work because its a plug in style shaft that runs thru the box in to the engine coupler !!!!!
Oh, and get the plate powder coated !

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Is it a salt water boat?

[DAREDEVIL]

I can take more pictures of it tomorrow. I mean if you think bravos would do a good job they might be good to go with. You think stay away from tryign to find a Stern Powr to put back on though

U can't get them ,,and if u do ..there are no parts for them !!

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

They don't look like Dominators to me.

[baja931]

I have no idea of the history of the boat, like I said the boat was re poed and my dad bought it at an auction. The hull is extremely clean which makes me think it wasn’t a salt water boat, and the tags on it are from Michigan which is pretty far from salt water. However a dealer in Indy that looked at the pictures thought the engines had been in salt water?? Also he said he didn’t like the exhaust either.

[DAREDEVIL]

They don't look like Dominators to me.

I looked again and your right more like 800's or so !
But bigger the stock 454's !?