Mercury Through The Years...

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[Baker343]

Parker Arizona Spring 2017 Races...

James Perry built 2.0
two four lap races on Sat and Sun

[bernie]

I owned 6 Merc 500s over the years. They were all short shaft manual start motors. They just kept getting better. Mercury addressed most of the problems over time. My 74 motor ran an honest 62mph on my McCall in SD class compared with maybe 55mph from my Raveau and my Curtis Craft in 1965.

Back in the day I tried to convince Merc Marketing to look at doing a 30 hp version of the 50, kinda like the MK 30 MK 55 scenario. Would have been the most gas sippin' strongest running 30 out there, and could have got rid of the 2 cylinder 402 slug. "Oh no we can't do that it would cost so much more with the extra rods/pistons." My counter was we would produce more rods/pistons/blocks/ etc. and the piece part cost would be less, less changeover because you could run them down one line, no more 402 hassles - smootest running 30, power trim option, etc. Needless to say never happend.

[FUJIMO]

[2us70]

By 1974 the 500s had a lower unit that allowed them to run the stainless props from the 49in 3cyl motors. These bigger slower turning props worked very well in the reclassified D class. The only problems these motors had by then were fuel pressure and delivery with the Tillotson carbs and timing belt slop on the Thunderbolt ignition drive. Further development changed the carbs and the ignition to a flywheel system but I never got a chance to try one of those motors

Back in the day I tried to convince Merc Marketing to look at doing a 30 hp version of the 50, kinda like the MK 30 MK 55 scenario. Would have been the most gas sippin' strongest running 30 out there, and could have got rid of the 2 cylinder 402 slug. "Oh no we can't do that it would cost so much more with the extra rods/pistons." My counter was we would produce more rods/pistons/blocks/ etc. and the piece part cost would be less, less changeover because you could run them down one line, no more 402 hassles - smootest running 30, power trim option, etc. Needless to say never happend.

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

... PeterMillerFishing.com ...

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

[GENE LANHAM]

450 came out in '62. I bought one & installed tuner before taking it home.


Bernie, the wall of water deal came out in 1965

1961---First 500 (first 'tuner'?)

1962----First 500 with Jet Prop exhaust

We called the tuner a 'horn'

[2us70]

That tune horn actually worked. My Dad and I adapted one to a Merc 450. The boat picked about 3 mph. No other changes.

[GENE LANHAM]

That tune horn actually worked. My Dad and I adapted one to a Merc 450. The boat picked about 3 mph. No other changes.

The 450 came with the block drilled and tapped (1/4-20) to attach the horn--