Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

[mddubya]

My Dad built a wooden ski boat the year before I was born, 1959. This engine isn't the original one he put on her, this one came a couple of years later. Sadly, the boat is history, completely falling apart. The transom rotted so bad the engine is literally half laying on the ground.

Anyway, the engine has the old short shaft lower unit, I'd love to get this old engine back up and running. It was running perfect when the boat gave up the ghost, but I honestly don't have any idea how many years its been since it was cranked. My Dad says it would take far more work and money to bring her back to life than it would be worth, if the parts are even still available. But after reading all the posts on here, I now know the parts are available. So my question is, what all would most likely have to be replaced?

Where do I need to look to find the model and serial numbers? My Dad can't get around very well anymore, and could never get down to where the boat was parked years ago.

 

[gloveral]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I have a Merc 700 from the same era. Is your motor a Merc 800 "dockbuster" that starts in forward or reverse or is it a Full Gear shift model? Either way it will need to have the ignition and wiring checked, the carburetors cleaned--possibly new foam floats if the old ones are cork, a new water pump and gear lube. Fuel lines and fuel pumps will also probably have to be replaced/rebuilt.


Great motors with lots of cool looks and parts still out there. Oldmercs.com or vinatageoutboard.com are good parts sources and the aomci is a good place to get more information.

 

[mddubya]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I have a Merc 700 from the same era. Is your motor a Merc 800 "dockbuster" that starts in forward or reverse or is it a Full Gear shift model? Either way it will need to have the ignition and wiring checked, the carburetors cleaned--possibly new foam floats if the old ones are cork, a new water pump and gear lube. Fuel lines and fuel pumps will also probably have to be replaced/rebuilt.


Great motors with lots of cool looks and parts still out there. Oldmercs.com or vinatageoutboard.com are good parts sources and the aomci is a good place to get more information.

Thanks gloveral, I'll check out those sites. It's a beautiful motor, and ran like a scalded dog. I'm not sure about the name, I'll have to check it out closer.

 

[mddubya]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I have a Merc 700 from the same era. Is your motor a Merc 800 "dockbuster" that starts in forward or reverse or is it a Full Gear shift model? Either way it will need to have the ignition and wiring checked, the carburetors cleaned--possibly new foam floats if the old ones are cork, a new water pump and gear lube. Fuel lines and fuel pumps will also probably have to be replaced/rebuilt.


Great motors with lots of cool looks and parts still out there. Oldmercs.com or vinatageoutboard.com are good parts sources and the aomci is a good place to get more information.

Thats the one, a Merc 800E, with the short shaft, cranks in gear.

I was named after the Mark 78 my dad couldn't afford when he found out I was coming along. He put a smaller used Mercury on it, then bought the Merc 800 a couple of years later.

 

[emckelvy]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

The old Dockbusters are Cool! Nothing like a well-tuned Direct Reversing motor coming to life and ripping right on down the lake at a push of the button! I have lotsa happy memories of skiing with a 700E on a 13.5' Sea-King runabout back in the 80's.

Here's a site with loads of useful info for your motor:

http://www.maxrules.com/fixoldmercindex.html

And as long as she turns over and has decent compression, she's definitely worth fixing! There are a lot less 800-6 D.R. motors out there than the smaller versions, and a short-shaft motor lends itself to being hung on all sorts of classic/hi-performance hulls.

Go thru the carbs as suggested; service the ignition and set up the dwell as per the manual; replace the impeller/gear oil. Throw a set of new Champion J4C's in there and find a boat worthy of its presence!

HTH & Have Fun...........ed

 

[mddubya]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

The old Dockbusters are Cool! Nothing like a well-tuned Direct Reversing motor coming to life and ripping right on down the lake at a push of the button! I have lotsa happy memories of skiing with a 700E on a 13.5' Sea-King runabout back in the 80's.



Throw a set of new Champion J4C's in there and find a boat worthy of its presence!

HTH & Have Fun...........ed

No doubt Ed, I know exactly what you mean. This motor is a real looker, or was, and will be again. I literally grew up on the boat it was on. I have so many awesome memories of me and my Dad blasting up and down the Mississippi river in her. If worse comes to worse and its not worth fixing, I'm going to mount it on a stand, clean and polish her back up, mount the old gauges that came off the boat and just look at it. But hopefully I can bring it back to life, and like you said, find a boat worthy of it.

 

[mddubya]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

What are some boats I could look for? I'd like for it to be a period correct boat, early 60's, and it will have to have the low transom because its a short shaft engine.

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I've got a 1961 800 FGS, its on a 1964 Areoliner. It's a very good mating.

 

[mddubya]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I've got a 1961 800 FGS, its on a 1964 Areoliner. It's a very good mating.

I'd love to see a picture of yours Fuzzy. Right now I'm leaning towards a Aristo-Craft Avalon new production if I can't find an original to restore.

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: Mercury 80, white with a black cowling

I'll get a pic and post it. The boats still a work in progress, it needs a tach, mast light, a paint job, real bad!!!, new windshield too.