can someone identify this gearcase

[russhill]

The gearcase on the engine in the top (first) picture is a positively a PR65. It may have been a "factory" (Johnson), or a Homer Price, or in later years,(1949 or so) a Hubbell. I assembled several dozen when I worked for Pep.

Homer Price had his made by prisoners in the Ohio State prison in the late '30s. I don't know which functions or what parts were made by the prisoners. They were not considered as good as "factory".

There may have been other manufacturers of the PR65 units that I don't know.

Some of the cases on the pictures further down may have been PR55s. The primary ddifferences were that the 55 was a two piece unit. i. e., the pinion shaft, gears were in the upper piece and the propellor shaft, gear, and bearings were in the lover half. The gear adjustment was through the front of the foot and there was a separate nose piece.

The PR65 was a single piece. Same was true for the SR65. There was a SR55 and a KR55. Due to the depression and all there was never a KR65 unit made, just PR and SR.*

The 65s were a single piece and were assembled thruough the bottom. That took some trickery and cussing to perform. The skeg had a flat top and three screws that closed up the foot and held the skeg.

The SR and PR 55s had a 12-21 gear ratio. The SR and PR 65s had a 13-19

I hope that more information than any of you ever wanted to know

Russ Hill

*Models above:
KR = A
SR = B
PR = C. If you don't know that, I'm really casting pearls before swine.

[Matts]

Great info I almost had enough, truly enjoyable! Those aftermarket gearcases from Hubbel (and others) where they of superior design like extended usage of ball bearings/sleeker body or was it more of a cost/availability issue? Sorry if I got too held up on this but I really do think the Rotary Valve Johnsons are such a beautiful & great running outboard. Thank you.

[Mark75H]

Availability ... OMC stopped making racers and parts in 1941

[russhill]

No, the early (Price, Hubbell, et al) aftermarket parts were not improvements. In some cases the weaker spots were "beefed up" but not changed--emulating "factory" was where the aftermaket tried to go.

Later, mid-50s, the new lower units started being improved. Not so much with bearings, but shapes and gear ratios. HH Starnes produced a 13-16 gear ratio which became sort of the standard. The Racing Commission changed the allowable minimum "R" measurement (R = cross sectional measurement of the foot)

Back yarders, notable Marshall Edridge, were building a few new more streamlined units beginning about 1950.

I believe the real motivation of the manufacturers was the advent of the Mercury QuickSilver. We ultimately just put our PR onto a Quicky, but there was a lot of early reluctance to "join the Mercury camp."

Russ Hill

PS your picture is a P-50, not a racing engine--note the muffler.

[Ron Hill]

As I recall, the external rotary valve make people think is was a "RACE" motor. Hans Monk had a "MAY TAG MOTHER" with a "Mixer Boxer" (External Rotary valve)....with lots of POLISHED METAL...But is was a P-50...

[Matts]

Thanks again for great info about the later gearcases!! Re the P50/PR55, i have always looked upon this motor as an early, racing enginge because the rope plate says "PR55 / serial 154931" and it runs way too good to be a stock C motor. But of course it could consist of parts from several motors, perhaps I should consider it as a "garage-built racer", not a true PR? Did the factory always delivery the racer PR/SR55's without the muffler, and what are the other distinctions between the PR55 and P50?
Oops now I got too help up again...

[russhill]

No, Ron , external (i. e., gear driven) rotary valves were on all S, P, V and X engines from 1929 through 1936. That's 20, 30, 40, and 50 ci.

And, Matts, there was really no difference in the power heads (to my knowledge) between the P45 through P80 and the PR55. The Ps had a muffler. They both had a one inch upper journal on the crank and bronze bushings.

The PR55 had a short tower housing and a PR55 foot. They both were 12:21 gear ratios and they both had essentially the same parts. The upper half of the unit of the PR55 was more streamlined and had no exhaust inlet place.

Now, the PR65 had almost no interchangeable parts with the "fishin" motors.

[Jeff Lytle]

Now, the PR65 had almost no interchangeable parts with the "fishin" motors.

Except for the rope plate!! It could be a PR65 rope plate!!

[Ron Hill]

My brother is too tough on us!!!


When I raced our DAd's Evinrude 6042....we knew, because Russ told us, to 'ROCK It' 17 times, pull it up to compression, turn the switch on and crank it..." (Make sure the fuel was on)....She always started....I won't argue with Russ on these "MAYTAG MOTHERS WITH MIXER BOXES".....If Russ says it is an XR 87...probably is an XR 87...new in 1932...he was there!!!

I do know that Hubbell's KR "A" lower unit was made from a wood pattern that my dad made. He traded Pep Hubbell a bicycle (My first bike) for this pattern...Orlando Torganti's "A" lower unit was made from this pattern, and he won five APBA and NOA Nationals in a row before he retired...So, SOME after market gearcases were faster than "FAFTORY" gearcases...

I know KG-4's, KG-7...20-H's....30-H's and 55-H's....After that...I'm lost...