I just picked up what I believe is a 1979 Merc 70(serial #starts with 5353) and have a few questions. First off I was very suprised at how small physically this motor is. I would've bet that it was a 50 at most by it's appearance. Did they make a short shaft in this yrs model? It fits my application perfectly so I'm pleased with this. I have a friend who is very capable that works on all my outboards and I'll be bringing it to him Tuesday, but am curious if there are any common problems or issues this model is known for. I bought it from an older gentleman who told me it ran great and had low hours. By physical appearance it seemed like the case, & price made me think it was definitely worth a shot. It came with tilt & trim which I haven't had time to really look over, I assume this wasn't standard on any of the 70s then? Back to the physical size, is it just an optical illusion to me because the shaft is so short that the whole motor seems small? I've showed it to a few people & they were shocked to find out it was a 70 & not a 50. Just curious. Any info, help, advice is greatly appreciated. I'm on my phone right now so can't post pics, but will ASAP.
