Would using an imco 2" lower keep me from having to do less transom work to mate the 454 to the drive?

Nothing to do with any transom work. He's talking about using a -2" lower unit (2" shorter lower unit) connected to a Bravo upper.

no the lower has nothing to do with mating to the engine you need to find a complete bravo with the gimble you'll have to pull the engine to install it all I think it should mount right up to the existing cutout I think you just have to drill two holes to mount it but you will have to run a seawater pump off the engine since your alpha has the pump in the drive unless you plan on running more power then what you currently have it may not be worth it

To go from an alpha to a bravo I'll need to drill 2 other holes and trim a little to mount the transom plates,right? Just want the x factor to stay the same. The ss is 2 or 2.5 inches shorter. The stock bravo would be deeper than the ss. My thinking was that to line everything up I might have to trim more of the transom.

I'm not exactly sure of what transom work is needed to change over gimble assemblies from a alpha to a bravo. If I was going to do this I would first put a straight edge against the bottom of the boat running back past the prop shaft and measure how much lower the prop shaft is below the bottom of the boat. Then I would install the Bravo and see what it measures to. Then decide if you want to go with a shorter lower unit. The Bravo is for sure going to be running deeper but if your talking about raising the gimble assembly in the transom to keep the same X it wouldn't be worth all the work as you would also have to raise the engine.

To change over to a bravo it's going to probably cost more than the boat is worth. A used bravo drive and transom assembly will be at least 5K. Then you have the water pump issue and if you go to a shorter lower unit that will be probably another 3K for a used one. And that's just for starters. Personally I would just leave that alpha in there. It's been there 24 years now.

Mr picklenjim, You just helped me make up my mind. The alpha will stay and the dream of taking off like a bat out of hell will just have to wait. Thanks. This is my 1st I/O.

give me a pm also when you want to sell the alpha

I think you have made a wise decision. This would be a good excuse to upgrade to another boat though. However it would be hard to part with that Donzi, their a fine piece.


I see the old Mississippi River Rat Plowtownmissle chimin in. What are you runnin one of them alpha's on that "Loose Change" boat ?

3 times its been on the river and I'm a river rat already? lol

Yeah, just an alpha1gen2 on it. It was stone stock this year but I've got a few things planned for it next year.

Dont give up yet.
I bought my boat complete minus engine for $4500
That included Bravo and external steering. I could have removed the drive and steering and still gotten most my money back for boat and trailer.
That would put me at 2500 for drive and trailer. Your SS will sell for at least that if not more. Then all you need is a couple grand for a used -2 imco.
My neighbor Doug (boatally insane on here) bought a complete boat with a fresh 454 and a Bravo for $3500, sold motor and trailer for $3000 and ended up with complete Bravo setup for $500
There are a LOT of deals out there if you have money in hand and the Alpha SS is so rare that people will pay top dollar for them even in these hard times.
Alpha to Bravo swap will take you an afternoon if you have all the parts and tools you need.Except for the hole for drive fluid the boats transom stays the same.

Personally I would not do the shorty lower until you actually run it with the bravo drive.
You may not lose mph if your current setup was never optimized prop wise.