confused about right OMC transom assembly

[Abter1]

I need an OMC Cobra transom assembly (aka gimbal housing)...my original blew up in a rather ugly on-the-water incident. My engine and drive specs are: OMC Cobra Stern Drive Unit Model # 987346 Engine: 1993 Ford 5.0 L, OMC Model # 502APRJVB

There is a critical difference between how OMC Gimbal units are built in the area that the exhaust Y-pipe enters the gimbal housing unit. Ford engines and Chevy engines do not take the same gimbal unit, and I just learned that NOT all Ford engines take the same gimbal unit (I learned the hard way when I bought a gimbal housing for a Ford 2.3L engine which uses a different gimbal unit than I use). My mechanic now tells me that a gimbal unit from a Ford engine size 3.0L, 4.3., 5.0, and 5.8L all take the same gimbal unit. He said get one from either my year (1993), or anything from 1994 on. Now I have serious questions about whether a '93 would work.

My mechanic say that my transom assembly appears to be from a 1994 model, not a 1993 one. The shape of the Y-pipe entry into the transom assembly from my boat is very different than the one they got. They had a gasket in stock from a 1994 model, and it was the right shape for my boat...and different than the one for a '93 Cobra. The diagrams for a '94 5.0L Cobra clearly shows a different gasket shape than the '93 one, and the '94 gasket appears to be the same shape and orientation as my boat needs.

I have conflicting info; my hull serial # (HIN) is clearly a '94. The boat company (Seaswirl) was owned at the time by OMC though, and they could have mixed-and-matched a bit. The engine OMC model # says it is clearly a '93. I can't find an exact "how to identify an OMC Cobra model #" page, but the one link I could find with my Cobra model # (987346) suggests it is a '93.

So far I can't argue with what my mechanic tells me though; I have a y-pipe opening that has a "hangy-down" part, consistent with the gasket shape of the '94. But that makes it a Cobra SX, not a Cobra. It does not say "Cobra SX anywhere on the engine or drive...just Cobra.

what a nightmare. Any help or suggestions are appreciated !

If anyone has any ideas where the heck I can get one, I would appreciate that info too.

If you want, email me at Abter1@yahoo.com (that is a one at the end of Abter, not a small letter L)

Thanks