Sst 90

[Racer BOB]

Hi All, I'm looking for as much information as you may have on the Mercury Race engine SST 90. You can PM me and I will send you my email address. Also if you know of anyone that may have any parts for this engine. Regards Racer BOB.

[850cc racer]

Hey Bob are you an aussie by any chance?

[Racer BOB]

Yes I am. LOL

[850cc racer]

throwing this wayyyy out there. sst90 did u just purchase this off ebay by any chance? on a white tunnel from tas?

[Racer BOB]

Engine only, yes. A mate of mine did.

[850cc racer]

ahhhhhh! okay cool!

[Racer BOB]

Trying to get some information on this engine for him.
Bob

[hydroplay]

The Merc SST-90 motors were boat anchors disguised to fit under a V-6 cowl. Mercury did sell the initial motors at a really decent price but it didn't take long to see that the OMC SST-60 was generally superior. We got together with Mike Butler at Merc and told him we would organize the SST-90 drivers to change the class to SST-120 if Mercury would do some dealing to the guys who bought a 90. The OPC commission wouldn't approve the SST-120 class because it would have conflicted too much with the OMC SST-100. Mercury made the committment and the SST-90 drivers voted their class out of existance and established the SST-120 class. But in one of the very few petition drives (the only one?) we bypassed the OPC commission and got the SST-120 class going. Interesting to note that APBA changed the rules for petitions after that to make things like that more difficult.

I would suggest that you contact Jerry Wienandt for anything he may still have relating to 90s.

[Trident]

The Merc SST-90 motors were boat anchors disguised to fit under a V-6 cowl. Mercury did sell the initial motors at a really decent price but it didn't take long to see that the OMC SST-60 was generally superior. We got together with Mike Butler at Merc and told him we would organize the SST-90 drivers to change the class to SST-120 if Mercury would do some dealing to the guys who bought a 90. The OPC commission wouldn't approve the SST-120 class because it would have conflicted too much with the OMC SST-100. Mercury made the committment and the SST-90 drivers voted their class out of existance and established the SST-120 class. But in one of the very few petition drives (the only one?) we bypassed the OPC commission and got the SST-120 class going. Interesting to note that APBA changed the rules for petitions after that to make things like that more difficult.

I would suggest that you contact Jerry Wienandt for anything he may still have relating to 90s.

Yup, I still have a few odd parts, plus two complete powerheads, reverse rotation flywheels, starters and all. Also have one powerhead to driveshaft housing adapter plate.

Sam remembers these things as being slow, but they went alright. Running in a mixed local class with no minimum weight, they were competitive and often won against SST-60's, old Mod 50's, etc. They were not, however, a high revving motor, and they were fairly heavy with that big 3 cyl powerhead and a V-6 housing and gearcase. The hot setup was to run the SSM6 as a single pinion unit. The other thing was not to run too big a boat. We had a Mod 50 Burgess, and with my large self, it was too big. A good, stable SE boat would have worked better... The National Champion, Jim Meyer, ran his on an ex- Chris Bush SE and kicked our butts. Sam, who is way lighter than me, drove mine to 2nd. place after being passed by Jim on the last lap (or was it next to last? I forget. Anyway, he passed us for the win)

Then we went 120 racing, as Sam described. I liked the V-6...

[MN1]

An original brochure on the Merc SST-90 motor.
Mark N