TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Can anyone provide some insight or experience on making this conversion? Boat is a 1976 Cig 28SS and my goal is to simplify the entire rig for increased reliability. Is it feasible to cobble parts together or better to purchase a turn key engine/drive combo?

John

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

If you can, it will probably come out cheaper to try and find a complete combo....piece parting it will more then likely cost ya more in the end.
Also will depend on how you want to try and save money......do you plan on glassing the whole transom and then recutting the opening for the bravo's? or do you plan on getting the stellings TRS to Bravo box?.....
In the long run unless you got the hull for cheap it may not be worth doing the conversion...

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

I just got done doing this conversion. I had the transom redone and recut holes for the bravos. I bought a used set of IMCO's and Stellings boxes with steering all together. I bought the engines separate. I would get the most parts you can together. It really adds up!

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Wally, did you trade windshields with a guy in Detriot a while back for a 28SS, the guy I bought this boat from had mentioned the name "Wally" and wander it that was you?

Excaliber, where are you located in Texas?

John

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Yup that was me. You bought Erics boat eh? it looked nice from the pics i saw of it.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Why would you want to re rig your boat and decrease the realiablity?

Just bolt on a pair of Konrad 540's and be done with drive problems for the life of your boat!

Feel free to PM me. I did the conversion last April and I've enjoyed a very hard season this far :D :eek: :eureka:

The Konrad 540 is the Rolex of sterndrives,.. PERIOD.!!!

Kurt.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

DITTO's////// DITTO's

I'm with BIGGUS on this one !!!!!!!

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Whats a rough cost of how much the Konrad 540 set up is??

I've read up on them but didn't get any figures on conversion cost.

Thanks

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

The Konrad PRS conversion kit that bolts up to a TRS transom assy. is @9k

Drive and transom assembly is under 12k (retail)

www.konradmarine.com

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

I knew the Konrad's would come up and there's no doubt that that's a great way to go, except for one thing, economics. 28SS's are selling for the low to mid $20's, maybe $30k if they're VERY nice. And mines pretty dang nice, but has a tired drive train. I can put Konrad's on for $18k and still need engines. Say $5k each for very simple freshening of my existing engines and I've got a boat worth around $30k with $28k of improvements, not counting my purchase price of the boat. Or, I buy some new 350's with Bravo's for $22k, add $2k for misc and fiberglass and I've spent $24k on improvements. I'm $4k less in the tank on my $30k boat. Oh, and we're talking small blocks here so the Bravo's would be no less reliable than Konrad's. I could also sell the TRS's for what, maybe $2k apiece?

So, after thinking out loud here, I think the best option is to stick with the TRS's and only spend $10k on freshening up the engines.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Im at Texoma and in Galveston. You might contact Derebery Performance Marine. We did a 28SS there this summer and installed new 350 Mags and used/rebuilt bravos. The entire project was very smooth. 903 786 3797, ask for Leon.

BTW, i think the power loss with a 350ci and TRS would be pretty substantial.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Can I get an Amen!

The Sutphen ran great at the Big Dick's run on Friday.. So why would you think I am contemplating the switch... :drink: boater's human nature..

Mid $30's to possibly $40 (resale),,, with the new power I plan and then dropping $10K per side roughly on Konrads, after my Tick Marine discount.. :D I now have 60K in a 20 year old boat.... That I can maybe sell for $45K and the new owner will probaly strip the boat for parts. Can I get somebody to slap me now! :p

You would think that there would be a marina out there that would get set up for TRS to Bravo conversions. The more you do the the easier it would become and I would think lower overhead. Oh well,, what do I know... :stupid:

Its my birthday.. I am gonna look at some more porn.... :eek:

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

It is if you look at boating from the purely economics side, but who can put a price on the enjoyment of having a boat rigged just the way you want it? I don't look at boating as an investment, it's a lifestyle, and I intend to keep on living it! :drink:

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

I'm with Cuda. If your talking "economic sense" you're in the wrong hobby. If you're thinking about the back end of this deal just sell the boat "as-is" and go buy something more modern. If you want to build a real nice older boat, then forget about the money and just do what you need to do and enjoy the boat.

BTW, Stelling sells box's that will allow you to mount a Bravo without any transom mods or glass-work. If you're running small blocks you'll be better off with the Bravo anyway.

The Konrad is nice but I think the Jury is still out. No disrespect to anyone but these things haven't been around very long so who knows what problems might crop up. Also I would worry about getting parts on short notice. I doubt too many marinas and supply's will have Konrad gaskets, seals, etc. off the shelf that you can pick up on Sunday morning?

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Regarding the whole discussion about boating not being an economic equation, I get it, totally. I grew up boating and don't feel "complete" unless I own a boat. Problem is I took a total bath on the last boat I sold, a 26 Thoroughbred that was rock solid reliable, fast, and totally dialed in. I think I'm still smarting over that deal and really don't want to get into that situation again if I can help it.

I'm really digging this old Cig and I want it first to be 100% reliable, maybe then spend some time and money to have it run fast.

Thanks for all the great comments.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

[QUOTE=JohnJan] Problem is I took a total bath on the last boat I sold, a 26 Thoroughbred that was rock solid reliable, fast, and totally dialed in. QUOTE]

Did a guy name Jim buy the Thoroughbred?

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Maybe someone can help me on this subject I just lost the TRS due to the transmission to drive shaft breakage. It took out the outer transom assembly and the input shaft on the drive, Ouch!! Does the Konrad drive shift or does it require me to re-use the merc II tranny? Would a bravo be sufficient for 500 - 600hp on a 4400lb boat? What is the difference between a standard bravo transom assembly and a HD assembly other than $$ ? thanks.

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

You still use the tranny. What boat you running that kind of HP through? You are doing well if you are keeping Merc transmisions together with that kind of HP.

Jon

Re: TRS to Bravo Conversion
 

Ironman,

When converting to the Konrad 540 Performance Replacement System (PRS) you can either use your existing TRS outer gimbals, or go with the Konrad outer gimbals and transom assy's. Both use the same transom holes. The advantage to the latter solution is there is a ton more room for beefier drive input shafts, yokes, u-joints. They are generally much heftier in the gimbal rings, as well as hinge pins, trim pistons, etc. I'll attach some comparison photos between the TRS and 540 yokes below. Sorry for darkness - the TRS's are in the back of my truck, and are going away tomorrow morning.

500-600 HP is WELL within the operating spec for Konrad 540's, and is also pushing the outer limit of what a TRS system can handle. I broke 4 TRS's (along with 3 BW trannies) this season alone with less power (HP500's) and a 8000lb+ boat.

And one more thing to consider, how was it finding parts when you broke your TRS? The Konrad folks can get me anything I need tomorrow, and with their bread-and-butter being the US Navy, I'm betting they will be building propulsion systems for decades to come.

If you're tired of breaking stuff, take a close look at what they have to offer.

Best of luck,
Brian