Mercury Through The Years...

**FUJIMO** · 07-09-2020, 03:13 PM

**Tom Smyth** · 07-09-2020, 04:06 PM

i swear that 1500XS looks like a long shaft in that pic compared to the 850 XS

**Robby321** · 07-09-2020, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by largecar91

looks like MX15 with 650XS

..that needed a hot foot...!

**bernie** · 07-09-2020, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

i swear that 1500XS looks like a long shaft in that pic compared to the 850 XS

Photo shoot - put XS wrap and jock strap on current engine and go take pixs! Many the night I was redecaling cowls in a motel room for the next days shoot - mostly hp changes on Optimax, and turning one year motor into the next if there was a decal change.

**Old boy** · 07-09-2020, 09:47 PM

Hi, The most reliable and accurate way I manage to determine weather short, long or more recent XL (in photos or real life) is look carefully at the relative distance between the bottom mount of the damper and the anti-cavitation plate. This works for me, every time.

I'm so glad you referred to that motor as a 1500XS, so many ill informed people refer to them as 150XS.

Cheers!

**Capt.Insane-o** · 07-10-2020, 09:40 PM

The red Vector was a 20 inch with XS cowls. The Viper showed it's true colors

**FUJIMO** · 07-11-2020, 06:52 PM

**FUJIMO** · 07-11-2020, 06:53 PM

**FUJIMO** · 07-11-2020, 06:54 PM

**FUJIMO** · 07-11-2020, 06:54 PM

**WaterZebra** · 07-12-2020, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

I thought that all of the XS models were only available as short shaft. True? Can't believe that Merc people would "photo shop" long shaft engines for a catalog shoot? I was also told that the centerfold girls in PlayBoy didn't look like that in real life (head-to-toe airbrush work).

**FUJIMO** · 07-12-2020, 10:28 AM

**Old boy** · 07-12-2020, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Old boy

Hi, The most reliable and accurate way I manage to determine weather short, long or more recent XL (in photos or real life) is look carefully at the relative distance between the bottom mount of the damper and the anti-cavitation plate. This works for me, every time.

I'm so glad you referred to that motor as a 1500XS, so many ill informed people refer to them as 150XS.

Cheers!

Whoops, sorry guys! I thought you were referring to the free standing 1500XS. I didn't look at the 1500XS clamped to the runabout. That's what I get for looking at the website on a small screen.
Best regards to all.

**GENE LANHAM** · 07-12-2020, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by waterzebra

i thought that all of the xs models were only available as short shaft. True? Can't believe that merc people would "photo shop" long shaft engines for a catalog shoot? I was also told that the centerfold girls in playboy didn't look like that in real life (head-to-toe airbrush work).

no airbrush---