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Alterscale
Mercury Mark 75H Replica
Article and
Photos by
Greg Terzian
 Outboard engines are
a fascination to many of us. They are more to us than just the
propulsion systems of our boats. Like automobiles, they have evolved
throughout the decades, representing the style and technology of their
respective eras. They are elegant, yet powerful machines that make up
a large part of the character of our boats. Many people still remember
the glory days of outboard models - the 1950s; when these replicas were
designed and made to please the true outboard enthusiast, not just the
casual boat modeler. Have these days finally returned?
Alterscale founder Karl Beisel first conceived of creating model outboard
motors when he realized that no company was currently making quality scale
outboard models. The model motors he remembered from the 1950s and 1960s
were created by K&O, a company long since out of business. Finding no one
willing to produce contemporary models, Beisel decided to do it himself.
Just as K&O produced then-contemporary models, Alterscale began production
of 1990s OMC Evinrude and Johnson V-8's. The exceptionally accurate and
high quality models that resulted were the products of a painstaking process
with multiple quality checks at every step.
Alterscale begins with 120 detailed photographs of the real motor, which are
sent along with some actual parts to the tooling manufacturer. The double
sized master is carefully examined for errors and inconsistencies, and only
then is the 1:9 size sample model created. The final model is a
masterpiece, even prompting OMC executives to remark that parts of the
models were actually of higher quality than the real outboards -- real
chromed metal is used on the models but not on the real outboards.
After the success of the OMC models, Alterscale began producing Mercury Pro
Max and Mariner Super Magnum series models. At this point, there were still
no vintage models planned. This changed when the Beisel decided to pursue
other interests and sold the company to long time dealers and collectors of
antique toy outboards, Terry and Paula Topjun. The Topjuns began by
producing another set of modern Mercury and Mariner outboard models. They
also produced a detailed V8 powerhead kit for the OMC models, which were
originally produced without powerheads under the cowl. With the experience
gained from these products, the Topjuns turned to the first vintage
Alterscale model -- a late 1950s Mercury Mark 75H.
The Mercury Mark 75H proved to be a little more difficult than the other
models because there is so much disagreement about what was "original" on
rare racing outboards. But the Topjuns used Mercury's archives and
researched carefully, creating a beautifully detailed model that had
pre-orders coming in months before the models were actually ready.
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Article Information |
| Alterscale's
Mercury Mark 75H is a highly detailed replica that is sure to
please the most discriminating outboard engine enthusiast. |
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Created: |
| April 28, 2003 |
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By: |
| Greg Terzian |
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Category: |
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Product Evaluations |
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Manufacturer Website |
www.alterscale.com
Phone:
865-397-1002 |
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