How did they do that?

[Bruster]

Before the days of low water pickups, how did they run the short shaft side pick up lower units at 21 to 24" propshaft heights? Were there any "tricks"

[us1]

The 150XS came with a clubfoot lower unit with low water pickup that fed through the bearing carrier. I have one lying around the shop here. If you are looking for one I might even sell it. The 150XS was a favorite motor for your boat back in the days when it was new.

[Bruster]

I know about the XS, in fact that is what is under the 1250 B.P. wrap in the pic. But before that. Got a set of 1500XS decals on that shelf?

[Raceman]

Bruce, my first 15 Allison had a '74 1500 (short) with a conventional gearcase. Nobody had run low water pickups or nosecones then (except the SSM's of course had the LWP's) but they'd run amazingly high, even with the Ally's non notched pad. I finally plugged the top two holes on each side, but it was just from seeing another one at the races done that way. Looking at those boats on the trailer, it's almost impossible to figure how they got any water at all. They might not have gotten much either, because we didn't run pressure guages, or temp buzzers and it's kinda hard to turn and look at the indicator hole at WOT in a V bottom. The old powerheads did live though. (still looking for Bob ???? in Washington State's phone # for the XS decals I e mailed you about)

[Racemore]

My first OB surface setup was a Rabco Streaker with a 2.5 235OMC on it.A local racer,Gene McCormick had a V4 140 case which is smaller in diameter and shorter than the v6 case.It was the case he raced before he went to Mercury.He had made the nosecone with marine tex,it had the top two holes plugged and another added below the bottom holes.He also added a little M-tex to the case before he drilled so he could chamfer it so it would catch the water as it came by the case.Also thenose was cut so it would lift a little more water toward the pickup area.It was a much faster case than my v6,it was a 2:1 and had a v6 propshaft.I turned a 34 Hoss with it.:cool:

We also made our on low water pickups with M-tex and copper tubing.:)

[crazy horse]

When, I had my viper rigged with the 1974 1500 I was running it as high as 23" I think, I tried differant things to get the water pressure up. I had a set up that worked for me but took some screwing with. It was two small AL. plates that were beveled and mounted right behind the inlets I made several differant types so I could cover the top holes and have plates of different thickness and different angles and that would change the pressure. You couldn't go more than 3/16 thick or you would bleed off speed.At one time I saw the same thing for sale at Chaparral marine products made from 3/16 plastic I think I still have the add from them. Also some of the guys I raced with had transom mounted pickups. Never did like them. Dave W.