TOPIC: Mercruiser insight

New member just got my first vintage project its what i beleive is an early 70s aristocraft 19 the motor and outdrive are just about shot gonna evaluate the status soon just got the boat a couple days ago. Its got an inline 6 chevy motor and a pre-alpha mercuiser out drive on it. So a couple questions: are there any mercruiser outdrives that are interchangable? As in if i wanted to put a newer out drive on it without having to change the transom configuration. Ive contemplated breaking the rules of consistency and going for a chevy 350 v8 in it so if there are some interchangable outdrives would i be able to change it out for a mercruiser outdrive to handle the horsepower. A vintage arostocraft with a v8 sounds fun and dangerous lol let me kow if anyone has any insight in to the outdrive, or boat for that matter. I will post some pics of the boat a little later

Hello, I also have one of those boats with the 250 GM 6. The outdrive on mine has been switched to a little newer model. I believe it to be in the early 80s. The boats handle good enough. I installed smart tabs on mine and it helps keep the bow down.