Probably it will but it can also get stuck on the shaft in the upper.

You can reach up there with a magnet or if needed take the upper loose from the intermediate. It will swing up on the u joint.
You don't really need to pull the whole drive off the boat.

I will say the mid 70's was the last time I worked on one of these

Do these drives use a tranny ? or like a bravo

Thank you!
I believe that is where I will start. Wasn't looking forward to pulling the whole unit. Thanks again

They shift in the upper with a cone clutch like a Bravo. Volvo had it way first, maybe as far back as the 60's.

The Volvo drives were really common on the Cig's and Magnums from the early 70's. They were counter rotate also. A quick change at the shift linkage at the drive.

Overall not a bad drive at all. Certainly not designed for the abuse we put them through, Until Mercury came out with the TRS there was not much else around.

Ok cool, Id like to find one of those Cig's or Magnums from the day.........I was thinking the coupler on the fly wheel not the link between the shafts

Back then they used a spring loaded drive plate. I think today it is a rubber coupler.

Here are some pics of Volvo boats

My buddy Lucky Strike, Steve had several of those back then, he even got to build his Cig 28 at the factory, the guy was such a wealth of info and a successful racing career RIP my friend
NO hijack intended to the OP

Well I pulled the stern drive and had water and oil/grease in the u joint bellows. The u joints are in good condition with little to no rust. The bellows is in perfect condition, soft rubber viable with no apparent cracks. U joints feel solid and the shifter works and everything looks and feels great. Gears turn nice no noises. Fluid in the stern drive was perfectly fine. Not milky and no metal shavings.
so back to the beginning of this thread as stated shift cable moves the shifter into gear. Is the cable supposed to move a lot more when the shift lever is pushed down for more power. My guess is it doesn't?? Now I am wondering how the water got into the u joint bellows and could the keyway on the crank be bad or the shaft bearing that the u joints slide into on the motor side. Appreciate any help. Thnx!

Did you look at the splines on the drive plate coupler mounted to the flywheel