1963 Mercury 110.9.8 hp shift handle positions.

[Scott53]

I'm a little confused about the positions of the shift handle on my 63 merc.110. 9.8 hp.I know that on modern motors it's left for reverse,middle for neutral,right for forward.This motor's shift handle is different having a 12:00-1:00 position.1:00 to 3:00 for neutral,3:00 to 4:00 position.Is the 12:00 position reverse?1:00 to 3:00 neutral?3:00 to 4:00 position forward?This might help me with my lower end problem and re-installing everything back together.Thanks.

Scott53

 

[racerone]

Yes the early motors ( white ) were different from later models.----The shift motion is backwards.

 

[Scott53]

Thanks Racerone

scott53

 

[Chinewalker]

The handles on the early side shift models were USUALLY set up so that it was horizontal, rather than vertical, so that the handle moved DOWN for reverse, horizontal for neutral and UP for forward... In the intervening 50+years, many handles got put back on incorrectly with neutral as vertical (12:00), resulting in pushing handle back for forward and pulling handle front for reverse.