Just a suggestion, I've done for years, find a doner boat, mid 80's up, rotten floor and seats, or froze broke motor, wrecked or something like that, that has a V-8 motor and Mercruiser drive, often pick one up cheap, get the parts you want off it, and sell the rest, often get the parts you want for very little cost, just a little work, that way you get everything you want, every nut, bolt, tilt/trim, new style power steering, manifolds and "y" pipe, thats the way to go.
Couple years ago, I bought a nice looking 24ft 1987 Four Winn's with a good trailer, freeze busted motor, manifolds had been drained, I payed $1500, I took off the center rise manifolds, thunderbolt ignition, drive and trim system, thermostat housing and hoses, sonar, ship to shore radio, and a pretty new battery. I listed the rest of the boat on craigslist for $1500 ... sold it in a couple days for the asking price.
