Droll's post showing Super Speedmaster cutaway

[Raceman]

This is Arne's post from another thread, but I think it deserves placement at the top of the board because it shows how the early R rotation SSM is constructed, and is also very similar to today's VI gearcases.

More information on Speedmasters in this thread started by Mark75H:
http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24317


http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_021.jpg

http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_009.jpg

http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_008.jpg

http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_012.jpg

http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_015.jpg

http://drolsum.net/speedmaster/images/ssm_018.jpg


No usable SSM case was damaged in this photoshoote, some parts are going to be used in a fully functional SSM later thou.

Lower drive shaft bearings are just brass sleeves here, in the real life they are special needle bearings .

Arne Kjetil

[Mark75H]

Dave S's BP cutaway deserves the same attention. It was posted in the days of dial up and the scan is lo res and small. I'll look for the original chemical print and rescan it ... it also occured to me, that it shows a double sided SSM prop gear being driven by 2 drive shafts, very similar to a regular left inline SSM for visual understanding.


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/mark75h/stuff/BPcutaway.jpg

[1BadAction]

That is awesome. What year was that first produced?

[Mark75H]

Its in the thread ... the Merc versions with thinned down driveshafts 1965


Earlier versions from other inventors with shafts one behind the other go back to 1932, as mentioned in the thread.

[Mark75H]

Well, actually its in an image in the original thread. In the first post there is an image I named SSM announce.

On the image you can see the date, April 1965. I guess I should put that in the text.

I am leaning toward a complete overhaul of that thread any way.

[velox]

That is awesome. What year was that first produced?

We heard about the what is called the SSM in late 1964.
They were at Lake X. George Grilley was in good standing with Carl, but we could not get them for the 6 hour held in the last week of 1964.
Then one week later ,the Lake Xers showed up at the 9 hour with them.
They went on to get 1-2-3 the unlimited overall and we were 4th with our stock lower units. At the 9 hour we were told we could have some and a couple of weeks later George and I drove up to the Lake and picked ours up. They were the very first to be given to non-factory racers! We used them for years and never had a problem with them. So the very first SSM's to hit the streets was the middle of January 1965

[Mark75H]

That agrees with the way Pete DeLackner relates it ... they were available to a few "friends of the factory" before they were widely available and that lead to some hard feelings until everyone could buy them.

[AirRide]

We heard about the what is called the SSM in late 1964.
They were at Lake X. George Grilley was in good standing with Carl, but we could not get them for the 6 hour held in the last week of 1964.
Then one week later ,the Lake Xers showed up at the 9 hour with them.
They went on to get 1-2-3 the unlimited overall and we were 4th with our stock lower units. At the 9 hour we were told we could have some and a couple of weeks later George and I drove up to the Lake and picked ours up. They were the very first to be given to non-factory racers! We used them for years and never had a problem with them. So the very first SSM's to hit the streets was the middle of January 1965
You can't nail it down any more accurately than that Velox! :thumbsup:

[afr]

wow i dont know how i missed that one thanks guys that makes the wheels turn in more ways then one wow

[1BadAction]

You can't nail it down any more accurately than that Velox! :thumbsup:
No kidding, thanks Velox. I think SSM's are one of those things that are ingenious in their simplicity, a complicated problem solved by a simple solution. I love it when that happens. :D

[velox]

No kidding, thanks Velox. I think SSM's are one of those things that are ingenious in their simplicity, a complicated problem solved by a simple solution. I love it when that happens. :D

Believe it or not, until I saw this thread, I had never seen inside a SSM!
I was told back when we picked them up that there were two shafts, so I kinda knew what they were like.
Very few understand how important the SSM's were to racing. The older speedmasters were pretty good for the 70 HP engines , but had a limited life with the 80 hp engines. With the 100's they would not hold up for more than an hour or so. For a couple of years you had a choice. Run the 800 mercs with speedmasters and take a chance on finishing or run the stock lower unit on the 100's at a slower speed and finish. Back then the Powercats with 800s and SM would go close to 80 and with 100 stock LU would go about 70.
By todays standards that sounds pretty slow, but strap yourself to a 13 foot long Bubblecat with twin engines and it was a little scary and a handfull to drive. If anyone is interested I will write a post about it.

[seeroy]

Somewhere in the "Life at Lake X in the 60's" thread, I told a story about running endurance with twin Super Speedmasters on an S22. I nearly drove into the trees in the middle of the night and spun the boat out. Nearly busted my ass that night! Anyway...Mr Kiekhaefer came into the dining room the next morning and asked me how his Super Speedmasters had done during the prior night. I just grinned and said "Great". Also...I wrote a story about running endurance on a Switzer Wing in preperation for a Miami 9 hour. I think we were also running SSM's during that test to see how long they would last. Now that was a real kick.....Imagine flying a Switzer Wing for many hours....AND getting paid to do it!!! DAMN...Those were great days! - Steve Sirois

Switzer Wing Endurance Testing At Lake X

http://i49.tinypic.com/182p94.jpg

[albypine]

please tell. i love the info.:thumbsup:

[GENE LANHAM]

[QUOTE=Raceman;1833990]This is Arne's post from another thread, but I think it deserves placement at the top of the board because it shows how the early R rotation SSM is constructed, and is also very similar to today's VI gearcases.

Raceman:
Pictures of 'Today's Gearcases'---including 'exploded view'---similar to the two shaft SSM, only 40+ years later----1800 hp per side----a little much?

[AirRide]

Pictures of 'Today's Gearcases'---including 'exploded view'---similar to the two shaft SSM, only 40+ years later----1800 hp per side----a little much?[/QUOTE] A little much? You could say so. Merc rated the #6 at 1000 H.P. & 1000 Ft. Lbs. Torque, when initially introduced. This was a bit on the conservative side for durability purposes. Later improvements & upgrades, such as dry sumping them, bearings, oils, etc., they could easily handle 1300+H.P. What kills them over the years of their evolution, is the superior prop technology, props with 4, 5 & 6 blades, and the larger diameter propellers. Nowadays, they are used with double, or more, their original H.P. rating. Great drives.

[BC Black Max]

They look soooo German to me. kinda like a Porsche Carrera Shaft Driven Valve train...from the early 60s...of course.

[lilabner]

They look soooo German to me. kinda like a Porsche Carrera Shaft Driven Valve train...from the early 60s...of course.

I think you meant to say mid 50's..and...:iagree:
I still have a degree wheel for timing them..

[Mike Davis]

Love the cutaways ! Thx for sharing . I have heard about the ones on the bp's but way before my time .

[baja200merk]

Cool info :cheers:

[YELLOWSS]

SWEET!!!!! awesome cutaway

roy

[buddie]

Great topics! Love the dr frankenstein thread as well! Cutaways are awesome, sharing the knowledge is priceless.

#6 cutaway

[FUJIMO]

Pictures of 'Today's Gearcases'---including 'exploded view'---similar to the two shaft SSM, only 40+ years later----1800 hp per side----a little much? A little much? You could say so. Merc rated the #6 at 1000 H.P. & 1000 Ft. Lbs. Torque, when initially introduced. This was a bit on the conservative side for durability purposes. Later improvements & upgrades, such as dry sumping them, bearings, oils, etc., they could easily handle 1300+H.P. What kills them over the years of their evolution, is the superior prop technology, props with 4, 5 & 6 blades, and the larger diameter propellers. Nowadays, they are used with double, or more, their original H.P. rating. Great drives.[/QUOTE]So true. Thanks AirRide.

[Mark75H]

Only the first one is sort of related, and its more related to DaveS's BP than this SSM.

The correct patent directly related to the SSM shows a sterndrive. The first multiple pinion patent is from around 1930. Sorry I don't have the numbers ready to post.

[Madpoodle]

Great topics! Love the dr frankenstein thread as well! Cutaways are awesome, sharing the knowledge is priceless.

#6 cutaway

Is that a dry or wet sump # 6?

[Droll]

http://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=296414&d=1397832512

http://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=296415&d=1397832530



Arne Kjetil

[T2x]

Is that a dry or wet sump # 6?

That is a wet sump #6...

[bernie]

Check out this vid at about 6:15 - overgrown SSM under the 7 Marine motors. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA3FBBwJt1w

[FUJIMO]

patents were up years ago Bernie. besides, what do you expect, coming from ex-mercury design engineers? ...what da want for noth'n? a rubber biscuit?:o