Mercury Dealership Treasures

[Boat Shopping]

Barron...

First of...Awsome thread with an amazing amount of history!

Secondly...At Augusta, did you know or do you remember a driver named Dave Sjogren. He was from Dallas and drove in Blown Gas Hydro in the late 80's

Thanks,

John

[Dave Wilson]

Could be Lou Harvey. He was the National Sales Manager for Mercury Outboards. I was a sales rep for Mercury in Northern Minnesota at the time.

[warrior74z]

Could be Lou Harvey. He was the National Sales Manager for Mercury Outboards. I was a sales rep for Mercury in Northern Minnesota at the time.

Thanks for the reply Dave. You are talking about the photo in post #45 being Lou Harvey, good memory. Actually gofish 7070 identified him in post #60 but you had not read that far yet. Next time hit the "quote" in the lower right hand corner of the post and it will repeat that post so it will make it easier to relate.
You sould chime in here with some of your memories or experiences as a Mercury sales rep. How long? What years? Did you know Stu Carroll? He was our rep forever it seems. Some of the guys at Merc call him "Pid"...as in Stu-pid. Actually he was a very good sales rep and I always admired him.

[warrior74z]

1969 or there about. Load of new Thunderbirds ready to be unloaded. I have many, many memories of climbing around on these trucks unloading boats. Usually took at least half the day with that one winch set up that we had then. And that was an advancement. You can still see the ropes and pulleys from the two manual winches we had just prior to this. One guy on each side would winch up the boat...had to stay together or the boat would start listing. Seems like it always started raining about the time the truck got under the hoist too. Lots of difference from the later years of package rigs. Had to build the trailers as they were shipped frames and axles only, Cox brand in this case. Install the windshields, rig the engines from scratch, controls, battery, tanks, guages, horrn spotlight. The dealer was part assembly plant in the old days...but...those were the good old days...

[Mark75H]

Baron, you should have seen the looks on the faces of the truck drivers delivering to my dad's shop ... we unloaded them by hand ... maybe 3 or 4 guys just grabbing each side and picking them up off the truck and setting them on tires for a couple days until the trailers arrived and my brother and I assembled the trailers.

I think TeeNee's flatrate charge for preassembling a trailer was about 6 manhours and then it cost more to deliver too; my brother and I usually assembled 4 TeeNee's in an 8 hour day (probably the most work we ever did together without fighting) That was before air wrenches

[warrior74z]

Dad took a photo of this Wing somewhere. No idea where but maybe at a Merc dealer meeting or a boat dealer meeting. I've seen this boat on this site numerous times. He never went to a boat race that I'm aware of. I would never would allow my parents to attend the drags when I raced. Just wouldn't take that chance of something serious happening and Mom being there. Now Dad was a Nascar fan. Attended the first ever Daytona 500 in 1959, and the only one he missed, until he passed away in 2003, was 1998 when he and Mom were on the way to Daytona, and she had to have emergency heart by pass. That's forty three Daytona 500's for Dad. I went to the 2004 race and sat in his seats before I let the tickets go. He worked his way up the ticket trail and no telling how many years he sat in those seats. He would take the Bluebird and he and Mom would spend about two weeks there. Said you had to get there early to get a good motorhome space.

[moparbarn]

a load of thunderbirds in '69? i may have had a hand in one of those. worked at t-bird in n. miami in 68 & 69, as an afterschool job & then full time. went to omc school and never wanted to work with fiberglass again! then went to merc school, and never wanted to work with omc again ! man, barron, this thread just keeps rolling along. great stuff and, once again, THANX!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gofish7070]

Hi Barron,,,,,,,, As usual Great post, In looking at the photo of the wing you posted,,,,, I noticed Lima Marine on the side which would make it Jan Schonovers Boat,A heck of a nice guy,,,who was many times at the different dealer meetings,,,,,,,,,,,,

[warrior74z]

In the Showroom 1979. Hydrostream Vandal and Ventura with an inline six. The reason these are in the showroom is because the Vipers, Vectors, and V-Kings were selling so fast we didn't even have to display them. Notice the Correct Crafts across the way. Hydrostreams and Correct Crafts were my favorite boats for the lake. We all know the atributes of Hydrostreams, but if you have never driven a Correct Craft direct drive inboard, you are missing something. That velvet drive tranny slips in to gear at 650 rpm without a sound and you are moving at a pace that would take an outboard a fast idle and a bow high attitude to keep up. And that 351 V-8 is just blub blub blubing along. It will idle as straight as an arrow for miles and miles without touching the wheel, as you sip adult beverages and relax. You could sit up on the side of the gunwale and steer with your foot, ease your speed up to about 28mph and get that V-8 rumble, that mid engine center of gravity just cushes through the waves, your babe is sitting facing the rear in the observers seat so you have a great view of her, and just sip those beverages until the sun turns to dusk and...oh yeah, they're good for skiing too...

[warrior74z]

Here's the 1976 Mercury 20 hp engine that I have saved all these years. It has never been outside, never been on a boat, never been in the lake or river, never been sold, or the warranty sent in. I'll do the math, that's a 32 year old new engine. The significance of this engine is in 1976 it was the bicentennial of the United States of America, that's 200 years, and of course Merc used to add a "0" to the horsepower of the engines to designate the model number. So this is a Model 200 Merc. Also the theme of that year was everything in site was red white and blue, so Merc followed suit. The decal stayed around for '77 also. I do run it on the flusher ever year or so and fog the snot out of it.

[Scream And Fly]

Oh man, I want it! If you ever decide to part with it, PLEASE let me know!!!!

I love this thread! Thanks again for all you've posted!

Greg

Here's the 1976 Mercury 20 hp engine that I have saved all these years. It has never been outside, never been on a boat, never been in the lake or river, never been sold, or the warranty sent in. I'll do the math, that's a 32 year old new engine. The significance of this engine is in 1976 it was the bicentennial of the United States of America, that's 200 years, and of course Merc used to add a "0" to the horsepower of the engines to designate the model number. So this is a Model 200 Merc. Also the theme of that year was everything in site was red white and blue, so Merc followed suit. The decal stayed around for '77 also. I do run it on the flusher ever year or so and fog the snot out of it.

[velox]

[QUOTE=warrior74z;1279278]Here's the 1976 Mercury 20 hp engine that I have saved all these years. It has never been outside, never been on a boat, never been in the lake or river, never been sold, or the warranty sent in. I'll do the math, that's a 32 year old new engine. The significance of this engine is in 1976 it was the bicentennial of the United States of America, that's 200 years, and of course Merc used to add a "0" to the horsepower of the engines to designate the model number. So this is a Model 200 Merc. Also the theme of that year was everything in site was red white and blue, so Merc followed suit. The decal stayed around for '77 also. I do run it on the flusher ever year or so and fog the snot out of it.

What was the list price back then?
I know in the mid sixties the 110 Merc, was a little over a grand wholesale!

[BUSHWACKER]

I think my 75 150hp w/ power trim and control box was $3,000

[JWTjr.]

Barron, you're right about the Vectors, etc. selling so fast. 'Stream made and sold over 1200 boats in 79, their biggest year. Word was that Howard was making money so fast he didn't know what to do with it. I still have all my Stream brochures, price lists, and dealer materials from back then. I miss those days. You must have had a ball. Your photos bring back such great memories. That Ventura in your showroom shot had the original windshield, which is extremely rare...only a handful ever got sold with it. The Vandals all got sold with windshields, though. I sure miss both of those boats...two of the best 'streams Howard ever designed.

JT

[warrior74z]

I'm not 100% sure but it seems like the '76 Merc 20 list price was $895.
What would be a really neat find is to locate a '76 red white blue boat in new condition. Then it would make a nice display for shows ect. Still never to be dunked.