Hi All,
I am in the process of bringing a 1972 Merc Model 200 back to life. Now what I have to say may not apply to every type of personality, but I suspect that it applies to most of you, as you must have respect for mother nature while out on the water. When I refurbish anything, I take the time, and spend the money to do it right for the most part, as I dont want to get stranded in the middle of the bay with a storm brewing. With respect to an outboard motor this means rebuilding the water pump, changing out the plugs and points, replacing aged wiring, bad bearings, seals etc. The problem is that the cost of replacement parts for outboard motors is simply beyond comprehension, and it is very easy to find yourself spending much more than you wanted to just to feel confident on the water. Lets look at a case in point. My 20 hp Merc takes two sets of points. I just paid just over $50 dollars for these, and I think that I got a very good deal, as I have seen them for over $75 for one set from several sources. The Gasket from the powerhead to the mounting Plate? $11.36 Two plug wires, $17.50 ( These are about 6 and 9 inches long, repectively)
I personally think that it should be mandatory for retailers of marine parts that they wear masks like the lone ranger because they should be ashamed of what they charge for parts. My purpose here is to try to warn the Labor of Love type people like myself to watch their asses before buying an outboard motor that needs work, because the parts thieves can dampen your enthusiasm real fast, and that outboard you picked up for a song can easily end up costing you a concert.
I am in the process of bringing a 1972 Merc Model 200 back to life. Now what I have to say may not apply to every type of personality, but I suspect that it applies to most of you, as you must have respect for mother nature while out on the water. When I refurbish anything, I take the time, and spend the money to do it right for the most part, as I dont want to get stranded in the middle of the bay with a storm brewing. With respect to an outboard motor this means rebuilding the water pump, changing out the plugs and points, replacing aged wiring, bad bearings, seals etc. The problem is that the cost of replacement parts for outboard motors is simply beyond comprehension, and it is very easy to find yourself spending much more than you wanted to just to feel confident on the water. Lets look at a case in point. My 20 hp Merc takes two sets of points. I just paid just over $50 dollars for these, and I think that I got a very good deal, as I have seen them for over $75 for one set from several sources. The Gasket from the powerhead to the mounting Plate? $11.36 Two plug wires, $17.50 ( These are about 6 and 9 inches long, repectively)
I personally think that it should be mandatory for retailers of marine parts that they wear masks like the lone ranger because they should be ashamed of what they charge for parts. My purpose here is to try to warn the Labor of Love type people like myself to watch their asses before buying an outboard motor that needs work, because the parts thieves can dampen your enthusiasm real fast, and that outboard you picked up for a song can easily end up costing you a concert.
