A little outboard history?

[GatorMike]

I pretty much know about the growth of the outboard in the 60s & 70s since I was in my teen age years in the 60s. I know in the mid 60s we had a ski boat with a 105 chrysler and it was just about the fastest thing on the byou except for the guy with the 312 CI Tbird engine he put in a 14 foot wooden boat. I think Mercury and Evenrude made a 115 at the time but nobody in our town could afford one. Then the 70s brought the 150s and 200hp models and of course things just grew from there.

What I am curious about is the 50s. When I was a kid in the early 50s Dad bought a 21 ft cabin cruiser with twin Evinrude 35s. I remember how proud he was of those motors. I always wondered was 35hp the biggest thing of that era? When did outboards break the 50 to 70 hp barrier?

 

[seahorse5]

Re: A little outboard history?

Johnson and Evinrude came out with the 50hp in 1958, it was the first V-4.

Their 75hp came out in 1960, but the first 70 (3 cylinder) was in 1974.

Merc had a 50 and a 75 a few years earlier than OMC did if I remember correctly.

For the best info and history of the outboard, buy Peter Hunn's "Old Outboard Book".

http://www.amazon.com/Old-Outboard-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268484959&sr=8-1

 

[GatorMike]

Re: A little outboard history?

I seem to remember the 75 & 105 chrysler of the late 60s were also 3 cylinders. What a piece of crap motor those were. Also I think the 115 Merc I believe was a 3.

 

[aganser]

Re: A little outboard history?

I pretty much know about the growth of the outboard in the 60s & 70s since I was in my teen age years in the 60s. I know in the mid 60s we had a ski boat with a 105 chrysler and it was just about the fastest thing on the byou except for the guy with the 312 CI Tbird engine he put in a 14 foot wooden boat. I think Mercury and Evenrude made a 115 at the time but nobody in our town could afford one. Then the 70s brought the 150s and 200hp models and of course things just grew from there.

What I am curious about is the 50s. When I was a kid in the early 50s Dad bought a 21 ft cabin cruiser with twin Evinrude 35s. I remember how proud he was of those motors. I always wondered was 35hp the biggest thing of that era? When did outboards break the 50 to 70 hp barrier?

The hottest motor of that era was IMHO the Mercury Mark 75 60 HP 6 Cylinder motor. Mercury's first "Tower of Power". This motor was introduced in I believe 1957 (a little before my time). It clearly trumped the other major outboard motors of the time. Unfortunately it's founder, E.C. Carl Kiekhaefer insisted on using a system Mercury coined "Direct Reverse". The motor was direct drive only, no neutral. To go in reverse you actually shut off the motor, started and ran it backwards. This system was not well accepted by the market and was later dumped for a more traditional gearshift. In spite of that the motor clearly had an imposing look and sound. As Carl Kiekhaefer said it "spoke with authority".

By the way GatorMike, Mercury's first 115 hp motor was also a 6 cylinder Tower of Power.

Bob

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: A little outboard history?

I seem to remember the 75 & 105 chrysler of the late 60s were also 3 cylinders. What a piece of crap motor those were. Also I think the 115 Merc I believe was a 3.

The Chrysler 105 was a four cylinder and a decent engine, (had one). Dunno about the 75.

The only issue was their CD ignitions which were not as reliable as the Mercs were from 1967 on. The first Merc CDI was 1966 and was fired by points, (not a good first stage design).

Mercury dominated the horsepower race from the 1950s on.

The first production made 100 HP at the crank outboard was an inline6 in 1962 with 89.x cubic inches, also the first black engine of what became Merc's trade mark color). This was a full gear shift model and ran away from the other engines of that era. It was also a very good looking engine with very nice lines.

In 1966 Merc expanded the cubic inch displacement of the same inline6 to 94.x and to 110 HP.

Then the inline6 was expanded to the 99.x cubic inch block that remained the same displacement to 1988 in 1968 with a 125 HP.

In 1970 the "direct charge" 99.x cubic inch block was introduced, (the 1969 1250BP used this then proto type block). The 1970 model year had both the 115, (the first production 115 for Merc), and the 135. In 1972 the HP went to 140, and in 1973 150 from the same basic block with different porting.

The v-6 Merc came in the mid 1970s.

In 1982 Merc rated the old school inline6 at the crank and the 140 HP at the crank bcame the 115 at the prop, (under rated as Merc tended to do).

Hope that helps with the Merc part of high horsepower outboard background. JR

 

[GatorMike]

Re: A little outboard history?

Thanks guys, I was just curious about the early to mid 50s. I remember that old boat of dads with the twin 35s. Looking back I am surprised those motors had the HP to get that old mahogany boat on plane. It was only a 21 ft Trojan but had a full cabin including head, shower, sink, cook stove and 2 bunks. It had to weigh a bunch. Mahogany deck & doors gotta weigh a ton.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: A little outboard history?

The 35's your Dad had were only built for 3 years, '57-'59. The block was bumped to 40hp in 1960 and lasted until about 1968 or so.

The 35 was the biggest motor in OMC's lineup only in its first year, 1957

 

[Texasmark]

Re: A little outboard history?

Johnson and Evinrude came out with the 50hp in 1958, it was the first V-4.

Their 75hp came out in 1960, but the first 70 (3 cylinder) was in 1974.

Merc had a 50 and a 75 a few years earlier than OMC did if I remember correctly.

For the best info and history of the outboard, buy Peter Hunn's "Old Outboard Book".

http://www.amazon.com/Old-Outboard-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268484959&sr=8-1

www.oldomc.de. has a ton of neat stuff. To the best of my recollection, in 1968 OMC came out with the 55 hp Triump, 3 cyl loop charged and nothing has been the same since. Apparently Johnson aired theirs too, but I don't recollect what Johnny did. Maybe a trip to oldomc will tell you..if he has a sales brochure for Johnny that year.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: A little outboard history?

The Chrysler 105 was a four cylinder and a decent engine, (had one). Dunno about the 75.

The only issue was their CD ignitions which were not as reliable as the Mercs were from 1967 on. The first Merc CDI was 1966 and was fired by points, (not a good first stage design).

Mercury dominated the horsepower race from the 1950s on.

The first production made 100 HP at the crank outboard was an inline6 in 1962 with 89.x cubic inches, also the first black engine of what became Merc's trade mark color). This was a full gear shift model and ran away from the other engines of that era. It was also a very good looking engine with very nice lines.

In 1966 Merc expanded the cubic inch displacement of the same inline6 to 94.x and to 110 HP.

Then the inline6 was expanded to the 99.x cubic inch block that remained the same displacement to 1988 in 1968 with a 125 HP.

In 1970 the "direct charge" 99.x cubic inch block was introduced, (the 1969 1250BP used this then proto type block). The 1970 model year had both the 115, (the first production 115 for Merc), and the 135. In 1972 the HP went to 140, and in 1973 150 from the same basic block with different porting.

The v-6 Merc came in the mid 1970s.

In 1982 Merc rated the old school inline6 at the crank and the 140 HP at the crank bcame the 115 at the prop, (under rated as Merc tended to do).

Hope that helps with the Merc part of high horsepower outboard background. JR

I had a 45 hp on a 16' Chrysler sport fury I bought new in '71. The 45 was a nice, simple, reliable engine, but was way under powered for my family outings. So I traded it back to the dealer for a 3 cyl 85. The engine was nice and simple and all, had the necessary power, but my buddies with their OMC loopers could go twice as far as I could on the same gas....that did it in with me for Chrysler. The next year I traded it in on a Caravelle and an OMC powerplant.

Mark