[macojoe]

Welcome to the site!!

I did mine about 5 years ago and its still perfect!

If you have any skills at all and a few tools you can do yourself!!

First you will have to remove the motor and out drive and everything that goes with it.

But don't trash it!!! I made several hundred dollars on the old parts, they are worth a few bucks! Might even be enough there to pay for your conversion.

After that you will go on the inside of the boat and with a skill saw set to 1" square off the hole. Remove the first layer of wood (there are 2 layers of 3/4) Then square off the 2nd hole smaller then the 1st.

Leave the outside glass the way it is no cutting!!Cut a piece of 3/4 ply the size of the small hole and glass it in to the transom, then cut more ply bigger like the 2nd hole, glass that in (can use screws at this time to hold toghter while drying) Now just layer glass till you have everything level.

Now go outside and use some glass matt and wet it out filling the hole till she is full and then a layer of glass over that, your are now done!!

Line up bracket drill holes and mount bracket.
Of coarse this is the short version, but this can be done in a weekend.

Now the best way is to use as little set back as you can to get the motor up out the water.
Beggers can't be choosy I got my bracket from a local marina as a take off for $400 New $1600 cause it was a full swim platform. But was a 30 set back.

Lots of deals out there on used brackets!! So look around!
As for power, I believe a 150 hp is the smallest you should put on there but there are a few here that have less and have good numbers to go with them.

I have had a 175 on mine the hole time and always worked great for me!!

I have photos in my gallery, I sold my boat this summer to move up, But I had the boat 9 years and the first 4 was I/O like you and I feel your pain!

there you go, more info they you probably wanted