"New Mercury Gearcases"

[dancrabt]

I don't know whom it was but someone posted a letter about what it would take to get Mercury to build new gearcases.Here is what my brother found out from Mercury.At a cost of $100,000,00 Mercury will build a minimum of 100 new gearcases. And no they won't split them up like 50 A-B and 50 D-E.It has to be 100 of each.So if any of you want to talk about this lets see what we can do because myself I like the mercury gearcases over all the others.


Dan Crabtree,Quincy Illinois

[dancrabt]

No thats $1000.00 per unit not $10,000 c'mon Mercury is good but not that good

[David Mason]

I am out, much better gearboxes for less now-a-days.

What gearbox is it they will reproduce if they get enough orders ? I know many folks around have had gears made for them, so gears should not be an issue.

If you need Pistons, ask Mark Wheeler, he bought enough after market to last 40 years a short time ago.........

[Skoontz]

So for an A boat, you really don't save a dime is what yer saying....

[dancrabt]

I've just started back in Mod racing after a 27 year absence and seen a question posted last week on here about what it would take to get Mercury to start building there gearcases again and just by luck my brother had already contacted Mercury on this issue so I replied.No apparently you don't save a dime is what I'm getting.But thats odd because I've seen several units going for $1200 plus on here and other racing sites and they were used.So I don't know,like I said I'm just getting back into it and what I've seen everything is terribly high priced.
And I grew up running around Quincy Welding and Marine(O.F.Christners) shop so I'm dedicated Mercury.I still remember when you could buy a new gearcase for $400.

[Roy Hodges]

I've just started back in Mod racing after a 27 year absence and seen a question posted last week on here about what it would take to get Mercury to start building there gearcases again and just by luck my brother had already contacted Mercury on this issue so I replied.No apparently you don't save a dime is what I'm getting.But thats odd because I've seen several units going for $1200 plus on here and other racing sites and they were used.So I don't know,like I said I'm just getting back into it and what I've seen everything is terribly high priced.
And I grew up running around Quincy Welding and Marine(O.F.Christners) shop so I'm dedicated Mercury.I still remember when you could buy a new gearcase for $400.............................................. ...............I remember a whole Mk55h complete new race motor for $652 ! (1957) same price as a manual start Mk55 fish motor

[David Mason]

Ya, the good old days... sure wish those prices would come back !! Kind of like the price of gas back then as well... sure would be nice to be able to travel more to boat race.

[Skoontz]

I remember sleeping in dads room at my grandmothers house over a spring break. She never got rid of anything unlike her grandson....So I'm looking through dad's old roll top desk and in the little dividers I find his bank book that was started in 1947. He saved $1,200.00 and change...Then, his first Switzer Baby Bullet purchase.... $295.00 from Maypole Marine, a joint which he would work at later in life. Then a Merc MK 10 Hurricane, $325.00 and change...Then, a quicksilver gearcase for a Mk-20 fishing motor....$175.00. Props, brass, went for $35.00 and work on them was $5.00 here, $10.00 there....

How times have changed!

[Neil_M50D2]

I don't know whom it was but someone posted a letter about what it would take to get Mercury to build new gearcases.Here is what my brother found out from Mercury.At a cost of $100,000,00 Mercury will build a minimum of 100 new gearcases. And no they won't split them up like 50 A-B and 50 D-E.It has to be 100 of each.So if any of you want to talk about this lets see what we can do because myself I like the mercury gearcases over all the others.


Dan Crabtree,Quincy Illinois

Sid builds gear cases, shafts, bearing blocks, towers, and engines a few at a time, all by hand. If we had an order for 100 cases and $100,000 up front, we could manufacture at a much better price, but boat racing is such a small market having any on hand is too many. Lack of production quantity is the problem with manufacturing classic boat racing equipment. Someone wealthy needs to step up and buy 100 new engines, 100 lower units, 100 sets of gears, 100 tower housings, 100 new powerheads, 100 sets of pistons, and excreta, and sell them one at a time for a profit. Probably not going to happen.

The alternative for classic outboard hydro racing is to change the way we run boat racing and make it acceptable, maybe even profitable to multiple manufacturers. Probably not going to happen.

I believe the sport is dying from internal decay.

[Skoontz]

Nei:

While driving loads to the dump today I had this thought. Based off my experiences on obtaing an A motor, I would love someday when I get where I will and deserve to be to buy motors, from anyone who had them for sale, and sell them on a sliding sclae based off what a person could afford, and how bad they had boat fever.

So if I paid $3K and sold them for say $1,000, that is a dream of mine. The buyer would have to sign an agreement that they would give me first right to buy back at the sale price, or find a fist time driver and sell for the same.

As I've said before, on one hand, we have a shrinking sport begging for new blood. On the other, we have engines going by the wayside, people who have them charging ridiculous prices, manipulating how they will sell, like taking gear cases off because the old ones are faster than the new and etc.

I would love to give blank check and do something as you mention someday if for anything to make it more affordable for new drivers and particularly kids to get hooked. Jeff Conant and I had talked about a saftey gear exchange program for kids...Man that crap is seriously expensive! Anyhow, that's the dream...Someday....

[JohnsonM50]

From what Ive seen on sites or auctions 1000.oo isnt bad, Merc needs to turn some profit right? If you did a value comparison of 400 & change back then and a thou now... The thousand might be cheaper.
Id like to know about things like 16 to 21s - availability as well as other parts, cone bearing lube issues and better water-proofing. These are of course good fast units but improvements would be even better.

[dancrabt]

That is just excatly what I intend to do for the sport of outboard racing.I hope to get further along in the next year to start casting and machining pistons and all that is needed to put one into a race.Your right Knootz for whatever the reason being the prices on racing equipment is just to outrageous to where someone new looking at the sport doesn't even take a second glance.
My younger brother and I have just started back into "Mod" racing from a 25 year absense and he alone has already spent $10,000 plus on just 2 rigs.I know inflation has to happen but not to this extreme.And thats all I keep hearing is how we need new blood to keep the sport going but the prices keep climbing.
I have new design hydros and runabouts that our yet to be built and we build our own engines and there is know doubt in my mind I can produce a good quality racing engine and boat to get someone looking at racing to stop and take that second glance.Alot of you may think I'm cracked but your wrong.
I'm not going into it to make a million dollars,I'm going into it to make our sport grow and be noticed and that is what makes the difference.And I know there are alot of you out there that feels the same way I do.

[David Mason]

If you are somewhat adept at tinkering on things, you can race Mod for a fraction of the cost of Stock. Dad and I build all our own engines, and I build the boats. Keeps the costs down a lot. If you have to farm out a lot of stuff, the costs can add up.

All in all though, Mod outborad is probably the cheapest way to go for outboard racing. Lots of stockers out there to tinker on.

It would be nice to see someone have packages available for sale of all the Mod classes. Turn Key ready to go. I bet if someone was willing to put the effort into it, and not expect to get rich off it, you could offer them for less than 5K, add gas and go. You have about $1500 into a boat if you build it, not counting time of course. Engines, well now-a-days you can buy a Yamato for 2K add a pipe and go for CMH. FEH, powerhead at junkyard dang near nothing, port it, make an exhaust, new pistons are dirt cheap if you don't buy OMC, you will have less than $500.00 into the powerhead. Buy it all new it is very expensive from OMC. Blocks you can't buy new, but everything else you can. Exhaust should not cost $700......

Well, enough from me, y'all get the idea. Just takes someone with some time and willingness to do it for the satisfaction and not the money.

[Neil_M50D2]

We can sell you a brand new Bass-Tohatsu for $5,500 until the end of August, after that it is $5,750. No used parts, nothing but all the best. Legal in many stock and mod classes depending on the association you wish to belong to. It would make a great FE/SE for very little additional investment.

Call Sid Bass at the shop. Will probably have to leave a message, but Sid will call back. 360-692-2046

Neil Bass

[jeff55vDSH]

No used parts, nothing but all the best.

I'll second that! I'm very happy with my Bass/Tohasu engine combination.
And in my opinion, the Bass lower unit is engineered MUCH better than any Quicksilver lower unit ever was.

:)

[Mark75H]

From what Ive seen on sites or auctions 1000.oo isnt bad, Merc needs to turn some profit right? If you did a value comparison of 400 & change back then and a thou now... The thousand might be cheaper.
Id like to know about things like 16 to 21s - availability as well as other parts, cone bearing lube issues and better water-proofing. These are of course good fast units but improvements would be even better.

Merc will not release the 16:21 tooling until the current stock of NOS 16:21's is depleted from the vendor it sold them to. I think there are something like 6 sets left.

Better water proofing? Are you having trouble with water getting in/oil coming out?

[JohnsonM50]

Yes, not severe tho -a little will exit when I top off the grease on my 1/1, probly due for an overhaul. I top it off and remove the cone every time.
I also just aquired enough parts to put together a 16/21, A highly reccomended pro was kind enough to do it for me. He said it might leak, some do.

[mercguy]

I'll second that! I'm very happy with my Bass/Tohasu engine combination.
And in my opinion, the Bass lower unit is engineered MUCH better than any Quicksilver lower unit ever was.

:)

I second that notion!!!!!!;) ;) ;)

the Bass unit is also SO MUCH easier to work on, etc........