Hubbell Lower Unit

[largecar91]

Can anyone tell me about Hubbell lower units? Didn't the record "Starflite" boats run them? I just bought a Parker tower and thought this would be a pretty neat lower to put on it? What kind of horsepower would the Hubbells take?:confused:

[Mark75H]

The Hubbells were originally made for 4-60 OMC racers that made about 85 hp on alcohol and nitromethane. There were several minor variations. Some had overdrive or reduction gears in the middle of the leg, some had it at the top right under the motor, some were direct from the powerhead to the prop shaft.

The Hubbells used on the Starflite boats were custom made just for those boats; they may have had different bearings etc.

Jim Parker acquired the Hubbell racing stuff and beefed up the lower unit and sold it under his name. The Parker upgrade had an even larger gusset above the prop shaft, one of the mods done for the Starflite units.

In short, I would not recommend running a Hubbell with more than 90 hp (and be ready to have a machinist make you replacement parts when needed).

[largecar91]

The one I have a chance to get is supposed to be off one of the Starflite boats. I was not sure of the horsepower of those engines. I know they used different engines.

[Mark75H]

The one I have a chance to get is supposed to be off one of the Starflite boats. Unlikely. There were only 2 and I'm pretty sure they are both accounted for. Many people do not recognise the differences and pass off one of the hundreds of regular Hubbells as Starflite Hubbells.

The Starflite Hubbells have a heavy gusset above the back of the torpedo (angled compared to the Parker gusset) and the torpedo is tilted 7 degrees down at the back.

See if you can get a picture of what you are trying to buy and I will show you the differences

[lloyd]

Unlikely. There were only 2 and I'm pretty sure they are both accounted for. Many people do not recognise the differences and pass off one of the hundreds of regular Hubbells as Starflite Hubbells.

The Starflite Hubbells have a heavy gusset above the back of the torpedo (angled compared to the Parker gusset) and the torpedo is tilted 7 degrees down at the back.

See if you can get a picture of what you are trying to buy and I will show you the differences
one of the guy's in evansville In. had one on a100 merc on switzer shooting star with Quncey stacks fast kept burning pistons,no water pump, just hole in frount, they idled to much,

[brichter]

Unlikely. There were only 2 and I'm pretty sure they are both accounted for. Many people do not recognise the differences and pass off one of the hundreds of regular Hubbells as Starflite Hubbells.

The Starflite Hubbells have a heavy gusset above the back of the torpedo (angled compared to the Parker gusset) and the torpedo is tilted 7 degrees down at the back.

See if you can get a picture of what you are trying to buy and I will show you the differences


Here is a picture of one of the Starflite Hubbells along with some of the Starflite crew. There is a story on the Starflite Too at http://www.pfs-ware.com/RacingHistory/page4.htm
I remember seeing the last Starflite motor when it was hanging up on a display stand in the stairwell at OMC Marine Engineering in the 80s. It always reminded me of the tragedy.......The motor was cleaned up very nicely. The long stacks and Hubbell lower were polished to a mirror finish. The motor was removed sometime in the mid 80s and replaced with a service V6. I imagine the Starflite motor must be sitting on display in the Great room of some former OMC exec.

[swamppanther]

Is there a blueprint available for the Hubble used on the Starflite boats,
Or at least some outer measurements? Better yet who are the current
owner(s) of the the engines? I'm interested in details and specifications
as well as photos.(up close)

[Mark75H]

Are you thinking of counterfeiting a Starflite record motor?

Such a motor becomes a very confusing piece years down the road.

Link to post about location of one of the motors (http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showpost.php?p=231301&postcount=21)

A friend of mine is trying to host the video of all 3 Starflite record runs, along with a run with the Starflite III motor on a runabout. He is having trouble getting it to upload correctly. I'll let everyone know when we get it working right.

[brichter]

Is there a blueprint available for the Hubble used on the Starflite boats,
Or at least some outer measurements? Better yet who are the current
owner(s) of the the engines? I'm interested in details and specifications
as well as photos.(up close)
Here is the original stack and adaptor for the starflite Too. The adaptor has been drilled to route the water so a production pre 1969 powerhead can be run without mods. Same for the stack, it exits out the bottom of the plate and doesn't use filler blocks. Seems they went to lengths (at the time) to run a basically stock powerhead.