Mercury Through The Years...

**Mark75H** · 07-15-2016, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

Switzer Bullet racer ... at this time in history "2" meant a High Point Champion in area V ... D was the motor class

Motor looks like it has the shorter H tower. You can't see the clamps above the transom. With the recoil starter, it may be a Mark40H.

D 2 V ... probably a solid 50+ mph boat and the handling of the Bullet is sweet in smooth and rough. Can be run at full throttle up to about 10" chop.

**Mark75H** · 07-15-2016, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

Another Switzer ... not Hi Strung II, just Hi Strung. Notice this boat has rub rails and heavier construction ... either a custom heavy boat or a pleasure version used in racing. The original Q length tower (clamps are well above the transom) on an open flywheel KG9 (KF9's had a different clamp).

**2us70** · 07-15-2016, 08:49 PM

Is that the original D Stock Merc. A while back I got the chance to get a few laps in a Feather Craft D runabout with a motor much like that one. The one I drove had electric start since the owner was unable to pull start his motor.

**Mark75H** · 07-15-2016, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by 2us70

Is that the original D Stock Merc. A while back I got the chance to get a few laps in a Feather Craft D runabout with a motor much like that one. The one I drove had electric start since the owner was unable to pull start his motor.

Yes, the KG9 with the Q tower is the original D Stock Merc, but there weren't that many compared to the Mk40H and Mark55H. The electric start kit on the KG9 hung off the back with an extended cover over the spark plugs.

**2us70** · 07-15-2016, 09:56 PM

That motor also had a gear driven magneto. No timing belt.

**Mark75H** · 07-15-2016, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by 2us70

That motor also had a gear driven magneto. No timing belt.

Yes, the KF9 & KG9 had gear driven mags

**olboatman** · 07-16-2016, 06:42 AM

75H What year was the KG9 released and was the Mk40H built on the same platform(power head) or was it entirely different? Thanks Gary

**John Schubert** · 07-16-2016, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

Switzer Baby Bullet

What a very classic shop with some of the better drivers of the era. 92-V Bod Witzer. 2-S Dean Chenowith. 68-J Ronnie Zubach

**lilabner** · 07-16-2016, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

Yes, the KF9 & KG9 had gear driven mags

When I worked for a Mercury dealer in 1958 we took in a few KF-9's and KG-9's. My boss didn't want them and gave them to me to play with. The only gear drive was a KF-9, also had the chrome rope start flywheel. The KG-9's were belt drive with recoil starters. As I understand it, GEARS WERE USED ON KF9 ENGINES BELOW SERIAL NO. 377323.
I am sure that through the years of yore, things weren't as books say they were. My boss told me KF-9's were gear and KG-9's were belt. They made both in 1950, but no more KF-9's in 1951. The KG-9-QS came out in 1951, and the KG-9-H came out in 1953. The Mark 40 and Mark 40-H came out in 1954. No more KG-9's in 1954. No 40-H in 1956. Interestingly, the QS and H versions were only $25.00 more. The Mark 55-H was only $35.00 more than the Mark 55 in 1955. In 1957 the 55-H was $640.00 and the Mark 55 was $645.00.
Prices are out of the 1960 Blue Book. No info before 1949.

**Bob V** · 07-16-2016, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by lilabner

When I worked for a Mercury dealer in 1958 we took in a few KF-9's and KG-9's. My boss didn't want them and gave them to me to play with. The only gear drive was a KF-9, also had the chrome rope start flywheel. The KG-9's were belt drive with recoil starters. As I understand it, GEARS WERE USED ON KF9 ENGINES BELOW SERIAL NO. 377323.
I am sure that through the years of yore, things weren't as books say they were. My boss told me KF-9's were gear and KG-9's were belt. They made both in 1950, but no more KF-9's in 1951. The KG-9-QS came out in 1951, and the KG-9-H came out in 1953. The Mark 40 and Mark 40-H came out in 1954. No more KG-9's in 1954. No 40-H in 1956. Interestingly, the QS and H versions were only $25.00 more. The Mark 55-H was only $35.00 more than the Mark 55 in 1955. In 1957 the 55-H was $640.00 and the Mark 55 was $645.00.
Prices are out of the 1960 Blue Book. No info before 1949.

Butch - I have to say that your recall of the specifics on those engines is phenomenal considering that it is now 58 years later.

**lilabner** · 07-16-2016, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by Bob V

Butch - I have to say that your recall of the specifics on those engines is phenomenal considering that it is now 58 years later.

Just don't ask me what I had for dinner last night..

**GENE LANHAM** · 07-16-2016, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by 2us70

That motor also had a gear driven magneto. No timing belt.

--And a sand cast 39.9 four cylinder block--The KF9 had the sand cast clamps--the KG9 had the forgeg 'Alcoa' clamps---

**Mark75H** · 07-16-2016, 03:29 PM

$25 was probably 2 weeks pay for the average worker at that time (I know my father made much less than that per week until almost 1960) ... like $2k or so now.

**lilabner** · 07-16-2016, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

$25 was probably 2 weeks pay for the average worker at that time (I know my father made much less than that per week until almost 1960) ... like $2k or so now.

You are right on that. Our labor rate was only about $3.50 an hour..

**lilabner** · 07-16-2016, 03:47 PM

We also had 2 KG-9 QS lower units. I had access to a cut down Javcat that Rodney Thompson cut down, ran in the first Six Hour Race, then Jimmie Sewares ran it. My boss told me to take a couple Mark 58 trade ins, bolt the QS lower units up and put them on the cat. He didn't have to tell me twice. We only ran it a couple times but it was a lot of fun. You could get it to stand up going into the wind but it was too heavy to blow over. Richie Baiz and I had a lot of fun running it.