GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

[MikDee]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

thank you for making my point agian jb
ok take away the all the other sb chevs and the 350 still has to be on of the most prolific power plants of all time

the first sb chev i rember came out in "54" maybe? it was a 265

lets see wasnt that about the time ford came with the 292 Y block to replace the flat heads?

The 265 Small block Chevy 1955! And the first Ford V8 beside the flathead, was a 272 V8. The 292 Ford, & 312 Mercury engines came a bit later I believe, and they couldn't keep the top end lubricated well enough, people had to put copper tubing from the oil galleries into the top of the valve covers, and talk about floating the lifters, it was easy on these engines.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

i knew it had to be some time around there MD
my dad had a 55 ford pu and i was thinking it was a 292. it could have been a 272 but i forgot all about the 272
i had a little 55 ford pu that had the 318 thunder bird speical in it with the old style double stack 4v carb and the down swept dual exhaust instead of the crossover pipe. once i got rid of the carb i was styling.
well i thought i was anyway

my buddy and i stuck a 265 out of must have been a 55 chev in a "40" style military jeep. we threw away the 4 banger and got a bell housing adapter from jc whitnys(rember those days) this was just one of the senoir shop projects we did. it lasted about 2 weeks after we sold it to another kid and he blew up the transfer case or transmision. he wanted us to fix it for him but we had just graduated and the school wouldnt let us use the shop any mor and didnt have any where else to work
but alas i digress that was over 35 years ago

 

[IES99]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

Hasn't anyone (other than me) wondered as to the fate of the Mercruiser line?
Given that Washington is now calling the 'shots' at GM...and pleasure boating is not considered a 'green' hobby...I have to assume that the Mercruiser line will get the axe.
Anyone heard anything...?

If there is a demand for blocks for marine use, somehow they will get built. 3 liters and 5.7 will probably be in the market for years.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

If there is a demand for blocks for marine use, somehow they will get built. 3 liters and 5.7 will probably be in the market for years.

The market for new boats hasn't just 'burped'...it has upchucked!

"The fourth quarter of 2008 finished with an increased rate of decline on sales volume. The total fiberglass market for all lengths was down 40.2 percent on 9,421 units for the quarter.

These statistics are based on registration data from all 50 states. This is the second consecutive year with the entire country reporting.

In the fiberglass 14-foot-and-up segment, sales decreased by 41.9 percent in the fourth quarter on 8,528 units. Sales fell 47.6 percent in the 30-foot-and-up segment on 1,127 units.

Aluminum sales fell by 27.1 percent in the quarter. Unit volume was 7,766 units.

Ski/wakeboard-boat sales dropped 23.8 percent on sales of 683 units. Deckboat sales were down 48.4 percent on sales of 495 units. This was the hardest-hit category for the period, similar to last quarter. Jetboat sales dropped in the quarter 20.6 percent on 286 units."

GM is being forced to go on a crash diet...do you really think that Washington, is going to overlook these numbers? Why would they close car and truck plants (and the necessary powerplant facilities), and ignore the non-essential boating market? This would defy logic....

Here is the next generation of bow riders...and it is 100% green!

 

[smclear]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

what is going to happen to http://www.frigidaire.com/

I thought GM sold Frigidaire quite some time ago.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

I thought GM sold Frigidaire quite some time ago.

They did...almost 30 years ago.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

It looks like GENMAR is filing for bankruptcy.

Do the numerous GENMAR boat lines use Mercruisers?

If so...what will this do to the demand for Mercruiser engines. And how will GM justify building the remaining units needed...given their stated goal of dropping their least selling products?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

Bankruptcy and going out of business are two different things. Its not like these brands are completely going away.

And the title of this thread is also ridiculous. GM is not about gone...they will be around a lot longer after all of this.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

GM's theme song used to be about "the American flag, hot dogs, and apple pie".

Now it is going to be about..."the UN flag, sushi, and tofu"!

First time I was glad to be 'over the hill'...!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

I do agree that they will need to change the name from General Motors to Government Motors...at least for awhile.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

It looks like GENMAR is filing for bankruptcy.

Do the numerous GENMAR boat lines use Mercruisers?

If so...what will this do to the demand for Mercruiser engines. And how will GM justify building the remaining units needed...given their stated goal of dropping their least selling products?

almost sound like you want them to go out of business rocky

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: GM's about gone...what about Mercruiser???

almost sound like you want them to go out of business rocky

GENMAR? Or GM....

Not sure how you reach that conclusion. There is a Chevy 454SS pickup, Corvette ZR-1, and the bride's Cadillac in the driveway. The only non-GM car that I have ever owned, was a Plymouth Barracuda (wish I still had that one)!

The original post...and subsequent remarks...are searching for some insight as to where GM's future will leave the Mercruiser line. Genmar isn't selling any boats...Bayliner is cutting back...etc...and there lies your Mercruiser market. Europe uses diesels, almost exclusively. It is hard to rationalize that the small volume of marine engines will not be considered...in the scale back for GM. To ignore this possibility...is simply 'whistling past the graveyard'.

And to tag my curiosity as 'wishful thinking'...is to ignore my boat, and automobile, preferences.

P.S. News is reporting that the Hummer line is being 'sold' to a Chinese concern.