I've just found myself at a cross roads here...with more options I did not anticipate.

I just had a Bravo Transom assembly fall into my lap. Complete. No drive.

My Formula 233 plan was to run the Merctrans II and TRS with a 400hp BBC.

My Merctrans II likely needs a complete rebuild...or a 2nd unit and use mine for parts etc. So woek and cost there. Along wirh the PITA of the Merctrans.

Now I have the Bravo option. Puts the engine COG back, but now I have a drive that is only rated for 400hp, amd would need to source a good Bravo Leg.

I have 85% of the tools to service the TRS and Merctrans.

Locally, not many TRS or Bravo around...so they're both scarce.

Bravo Drive will be fine on that boat. They put them behind 496Ho with 425 hp all the time on boats like 25 Baja.
Chris

The regular Bravo 1 has had varying HP ratings throughout its life. It was the standard drive behind the HP500, 525SC and 600SC. It will be fine with 400hp.

Hey I am just over in Bellingham, I have a spare merc2 trans and several borg warners with trs tails, also a couple trs drives, my buddy here in Bellingham has seal kits for the merc2 trans and some spare parts for them. Will let my stuff go cheap, my mum live in Victoria and if your not in a rush I could drop off anything you need, I have tons of trs stuff as I am switching my 1977 30ft scarab over to Volvo penta dp drives. Let me know if you need anything, it’s turning into yard art.

You pay the ferry fare and a couple bucks

Page 4, paragraph 3 , section 9 of the offshoreonly bylaws requires you start a build thread with pictures in the restoration section of said 30 scarab conversion to volvo dp.
that'll be a great project and we would like to see it.

I have thought about that but after seeing the restoration work that people are doing to their scarabs, my stuff looks terrible, it will work well but not pretty. I ended up removing the liner to get to stringers then put a deck on instead of the liner that was in there. I did not read page 4, paragraph 3, section 9, guess it’s like the credit card agreement just scan to bottom and hit accept. I am busy with doing a mini spring refit of my Bayliner right now, converting to Holley commander 950 Efi from carb, don’t make me start a thread on that too. Ok ok I will start some threads, not today as I am wiring up Efi and adding my new used oil cooler I got from a guy here on oso. The Bayliner has my 496 tall deck bbc, aluminum heads roller cam all the good stuff forged crank rods pistons roller cam, aluminum water manifolds, used to have Holley 250 blower with twin Holley Efi throttle bodies commander 950 system worked great.

The scarab is a 1977 cam with Sbc that need rebuilds, only paid 3500. On a triple axel trailer, first engine just about done, of course went to 388 aluminum heads roller cam etc, I have a couple magnuson carbed superchargers in my closet that need homes they now will have a home, the blowers look like the Edelbrock superchargers, they don’t have manifolds so I bought some 6/71 manifolds put an aluminum plate on manifolds then a plate on the blowers slide the blowers till the pulled align and bolt down done it twice before works great, yes will do pics later

I was also considering a 290 Volvo single prop. They're strong drives. Lots of them around the local area here. Rumor has it the Bravo 1 drive was patterned after the Volvo 270-290 drives.

Yes I believe they may have been, if you go Volvo go dp drive way better overall performance, I have switched all my boats to Volvo, I have some great vp guys that do work on my drives, even if you you go single prop you can later switch out lower unit for dp drive lower. Anyways if you want any trs stuff dirt cheap let me know, I sent you my email and I can send pics of all my stuff