We have a 2005 Formula 382 with Mercury Racing 600's/ Stelling extension boxes. A couple years back, the CMI welds failed and trashed the engines. That turned into redoing the interior which turned into updating the dash which turned into my OCD taking over and re doing the entire boat. Then my ADHD got me distracted for a few years with our other boats and this one went on the back burner. Im finally to the point where I am back to working on this boat and ready to get it back to life.

My issue has been Bravo XR's and blowing through them. Having no coupler to take the shock just means that anything and everything goes to the weakest link, the bravo gears. In pulling the drive lines, they are trashed from salt water. This is a perfect time to do this right, my problem is I am not 100% sure on the best setup. I want a reliable "bullet proof" package. I understand nothing on these boats is bullet proof, but i know we can do better than XR's with stelling boxes.

My first thoughts are replace the drives with IMCO full SCX drives, IMCO extension boxes with torsional shaft and factory engine coupler. I need to know things like whether the factory Latham Marine steering will match up or if I need to replace that, if it is worth getting the blue printed drive, if I should get the normal SCX or the 4"? Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated. The stellings have 3 heights and it looks to be on the middle one with the factory setup.

Also, I would like to do Whipple stage 1 or 2 when everything is completed. I believe the SCX drive is rated to around 1,000hp but cant find the numbers?

On my Gun I have Stellings and like you I was Eating up XRs. A couple a year easily. We went from the 575s and built to over 700 hp.
I decided to go SCXs 5 years ago now. My guy took out the guts of the boxes and made longer shafts from transom assembles and then put on normal couplers. We just sent in drives this year after 4 summers of Hard use. Imco did replace some of the upper gears as they suggested. I have looked at the old parts and there is very little wear. He did give me the option of swapping sides and probably would have given me a few more years but they were at Imco so took his advise and replaced.
There is also that Drive Guardian available that you might consider.

Good luck

Are the Lysholm chargers shot or are there other reasons to dump them for whipple?

Ditto on the drive guardians. I have two on mine and when this last coupler goes all will be guardians.

Had 625 hp in front of stellings boxes and b1 drives. 300 hrs and not one failure. Have 575's in front of stellings boxes and XR drives. In 180 hrs went through two drives. Don't think it's as much the stellings as the **** XR gears

With your power and hull, have you considered an Arneson?

What HE^^^^Said

Here's what fun looks like with only 800 hp Teague. Boat can reach 107.

https://youtu.be/gjgCvTsRkyU

I also experienced way to many bravo gear failures i replaced them with the arneson conversions now i am starting my third year of drive breakage free boating

Arneson - give Rik a call

How are arnesons around the dock? I plan to use this boat for more than just poker runs/ fun runs and want it to be easy to drive/ maneuver.

We also have a Donzi 22 Blackhawk limited edition and the BH surface drive is a PITA around the docks and trying to idle. I know they are completely different, but that is the only experience I have with a surface drive setup. The boat is fun and fast, but not so much when just idling around. We do a lot of Chicago trips and enjoy going up and down the river.