shifting S drive

[YY11]

Hi
Does anyone know how exactly does it happen that an S drive becomes so loose, and what is the procedure to correct that?
This is an old Comar Comet 11 badly neglected that I am consider buying, fixing (obviously by a professional) and sailing the Med with. How does it happen and how can it be fixed. Is this a reason to reject the boat? It has many other defects but this one is one of the more serious issues
Video
Also does the fault line in this image, probably between the Steel keel and the fiberglass hull, mean the two are separated?
Other images of the keel / hull areas attached as well

 

[KD3PC]

it looks like either the flex/ring mount is shot or badly damaged. Or the bracketry that the mount is attached too....worn out, or perhaps some one hit something. Less likely but possible the bolts, or one of them - holding the ring/out drive to the engine assembly is shot.

I am not sure how many mounts on this boat, but even one being worn, cracked or separated would allow quite a bit of wobble.

As to the line between the keel stub and the bottom of the boat, it appears not too bad, just needs repairing and fairing a bit...

what does concern me and should you, is the regular rust marks on the second to last picture - that appear to be the keel bolts/J-bolts rusting out, from within, and showing stains on the exterior - those vertical stains are just too regular to be anything but.

I would drop the keel, or do some hammering on that area to see if dropping the keel is indicated.

 

[YY11]

Thank you KD
I take it the engine must be lifted in order to fix S Drive
Indeed the rust spots on the keel are worrying. The keel bolts heads, seen in the bilge...which is full of rainwater... look fine., is it possible then that they are rusty inside the keel but no indication of that on their tops? There are 8 square rust marks on each side of the keel, I guess one for each bolt. Is this caused by some work done on the boat or is it original, as part of inserting/manufacturing the bolt-keel connection?
Drop the boat is something I heard from 3 more different people, but I still have hope these issues can be corrected to an As New condition, and the boat made safe to sail. Yet it seems less likely I'll get this boat.