850 XS Restoration

[Tom Smyth]

Starting on the second project. 1976 850 XS. Here are a few " before " pics.

Note the mud dobber nest for that real " buzzing" sound.....

Smytty

[Richard]

How much different were the XS motors from the standard editions? I rmember seeing them in the MERc brochure back them and almost bought one to power a Glastron GT-150 I had. Wish I had!

[Tom Smyth]

Same motor. Only difference was 15 inch midesction and low water pick up gear case from the factory.

The 1500 XS was slightly different from the standard 1500 by 5 HP.

[Tom Smyth]

couple more before pics.. one box of parts that someday will be turned into something recognizeable..

[Tom Smyth]

woulda been nice if i attached the pics huh ??

[Tom Smyth]

a few pics of the progress. got all the innards done and together. New rings, bearings, seals, block throroughly cleaned and cleaned and cleaned after bead blasting. all bores still in spec, pistons too. must not have had many hours on it. All exhaust and water jacket holes helicoiled. everthing assembled, torques to spec with loctite. New bolts as well. kind naked looking still.........

[Tom Smyth]

two more....

[AirRide]

Looks good...What paint are you going with...on the powerhead? AirRide:)

[Tom Smyth]

acyrlic enamel....

[2us70]

It's fun to look at the insides of an old Merc inline again.

[hwyrnr]

very nice job

[Tom Smyth]

Time for a few new pics. Finally got it painted the right colornad started to dress it out..

Pardon themugly bright green tie wraps... waitin gon the right ones to show up.. note the date on the starter...period correct..

[2us70]

I hope you hang this motor on a "period correct" G class boat.

[Tom Smyth]

If i like th eway it turns out and keep it, i will. If i dont like it, it will be for sale.

was thinkin an MX -13......

SMytty

[2us70]

That would be a good choice. All of my races in G class were in Action Marine boats based on the MX-13. I ran a couple of seasons in E Production as well. Those MX 13s were easer to drive with the 850 than with the 650.

[Tom Smyth]

So where do i find one ?? a bsaket case woul dbe best.. i like to know how things are redone.... by doing it myself..

Smytty

[2us70]

I saw one rigged as a G production boat at Mt. Dora either last year or year before. Thirty something year old race boats are kind of scarce and time and the elements are not kind to fiberglass boats so good luck. The molds for the 13 Action were stretched to 14' in 1975 but the resulting boat was very difficult to drive. I drove one in 76 for a friend of mine and it was the most challenging ride I ever had.

[Tom Smyth]

Well i figure it will take a while to find something that is from the same era as the motor. but that is what the restoration is all about... Otherwise it aint no fun ..

Will you be at Mount Dora this year?? i plan to be there saturday.

Tom

[2us70]

Take a look in the "boats under 20'" in the buy and sell forums. There is a MX-13 for sale which looks pretty good and seems reasonable. I don't know about Mt. Dora this year. I usually bring my 21 Triton fish and ski boat up there and come to the event by water but this year water levels in the area are way down and experience tells me that is no fun. Also I just returned from Eustis this week so I may not be up for another road trip so soon.

[Tom Smyth]

Yeah i have traded a few email with the guy who has the MX-13 fo rsale...

[2us70]

A Delta or an Allison would be neat also. I can tell you frrom experience that with a decent prop and setup on any of those boats you will wind up with a rig capable of running in the mid to high 60s easy. It seems to me that the 850s ran a big reduction gear in the lower unit so they could use the same props as the 150 J motors (2.5:1 I think). Olegator would know about that for sure.

[Tom Smyth]

2.3 to 1 ratio...........

Smytyy

[Tom Smyth]

Getting back on topic... got the mid section together.. not looking too bad... trying to decide whether to trim or not to trim....

smytty

[2us70]

Production Class boat no trim. Sport class boat trim.

[MagicFloat]

That engine should be FG,no trim,my 2 cents:)

[Tom Smyth]

Couple of quick pics. Got the power head on the mid and wired up. Sorry for the poor quality. Taking detailed pics of black aint easy. Will wheel it outside next week and post a few better pics.
Lower in process now.

[Tom Smyth]

front door done.. wrap around decals go on this weekend.

[PARKER RABE]

wow nice tom !

[CALVIN]

Is any one making the repo 850xs decals?

[Tom Smyth]

there is a guy on ebay selling repro vinly 1500 XS decals and occasionally 850XS.I gues they are as good as you would expect but thy are not factory replacements.

Spoke with 25SS who makes the 1500XS repros here . Not enough demand for the 850XS decals. A shame.. the 1500Xs decals he makes you can not tell from the factory stuff. They are perfect...

smytty

[Tom Smyth]

finally had a few beers, grew a set and got up the courage to open the NOS decals for the 850. Man was i sweating. Tak e a look..
Still havent dont the lower cowl pan yet. got to reshoot the paint on it first.

[2us70]

Back in the day if you ran G class that motor was just part of the hardware needed to compete. Once you got it home you couldn't wait to bolt it on and go racing. Now that thing is a classic and almost to pretty to crank up and run. I can't imagine that motor with the tie down rope marks on the housing that were always on race motors back then. Nice Job

[Tom Smyth]

yeah i know what you mean. Hope this doesnt become a wall hanger though. Wife already nixed the idea of trashing the sofa in the living room and moving this is.....

she just doesnt understand......

[Tom Smyth]

Okay... finally got the decals completed.. before and after side by side......

[Tom Smyth]

two more....

[Tom Smyth]

At last its DONE.
Lower on. Compression check is 150 lb each hole and it aint broke in yet.

Got enough spark to kick start an elephant.


Plan to run next weekend .

Now to design a hose adapter for the XS lower....HMMMM.

Smytty

DAMN pics are too big...

[Tom Smyth]

try these....

[PARKER RABE]

man what a job tom !!!!!!!!! congrats! looks awsome:)

[fountain1fan]

one sweet motor love it .

[eagle-lake]

Tom,

Fantastic job - looks like a new 31 year old motor!!!

What prop do you have on the motor?

I have a 85 Merc (not XS) on an MX 14 Checkmate and it runs quite nice. I have been looking for a XS at a reasonable price to restore and mount on my boat. Anything in Florida as I will be down (to Ocala) about the last week of October - where are you located?

Anyway great restoration on the motor.

David.

[CALVIN]

Great job Tom loved to watch the checkmates and allisons battle it out in fg class in southern maryland...I had a 850 on a sabre ti hull for ten years...no problems at all..lots of skiing tons of hours..alwats started and ran great!

[Tom Smyth]

Fired this one up yesterday along with the 1350.. This one started immediatley, as if it had just been warmed up.. idled GREAT... no leaks.. Have to come up with a better flush attachment though for the XS lower...

Stamp #2 done


RACMEMAN - wanna make a deal on resto duties for one of your dust collectors??

[mragu]

Tom, That is sharp. That motor is my all time favorite motor. I remember riding my bike to the marina around the block from me and just staring at it thru thw window:D

[fountain1fan]

any up dates on this sweet 850 xs . you ever wan't to get ride of it .please let me know . thanks robbie .

[Bob V]

RACMEMAN - wanna make a deal on resto duties for one of your dust collectors??

Tom...I would love to see you do your magic on Raceman's twin stackers on the Kitson hull. Then I could trade him out of it for my vintage go karts (dogs not included).:eek:

[willabee]

... my vintage go karts ...

Tom, great work on the 850xs, really does look showroom fresh.....must be nice to have talent and patience :).

Bob V, those things look awesome :cool:. Here's my guess..... the farthest from camera may be an Exterminator with a pair of Mc 7's .....in the middle a McCulloch with a pair of Mc10's and a Dart kart with a pair of fuel burning Mc 30's for the last one ( don't remember a snap-on seat).....whatever they are, that's a great collection!

If I ran one of those today, it would have to be in a marathon because once I got all the way down into that seat, it would probably take me more than an hour to get back up out of it :D.

[Tom Smyth]

thanks for the good words... th epatience part really gets stressed looking for NOS stuff.. but it is there is youlook long enough.. Have established a series of contacts at some of the oldest MErc dealers around th ecountry that have been immeasureable help too.....

would love the opportunity to work a stacker or T1 / T2...... probably not even for $$$$$.....

[Raceman]

Tom...I would love to see you do your magic on Raceman's twin stackers on the Kitson hull. Then I could trade him out of it for my vintage go karts (dogs not included).:eek:

I'll take the black one off your hands.

[nelsoncat]

Wow, I had one of these when they were new! Now I really am starting to feel middle aged!!!! I ended up swapping the powerhead and lower unit onto a 20" mid and selling it to a guy for a bass boat back in 79. I have my 1400 on that mid and just bought a 1500xs to restore. They are sitting side by side in my old hotrod shop and it is amazing what a difference there isbetween one that has been cared for and one that wasn't. My 1400 still looks showroom fresh under the cowl, all the wiring is still perfect, paint is squeaky clean etc, the 1500xs, not the case, it needs a full resto, then it's probably going on a stand in my office!

Craig