Mercury marine history.

[Steve A W]

My daughter is doing a report on Mercury marine from the beginning
thru the future.
Go figure, I don’t even own a Mercury yet!
Anyway, can you folks suggest books about Mercury and Carl K?
Thanks for the help.

Steve A W and Jenny

Member of the MOB chapter.
I live in Northwest Indiana

[raglover]

iron Fist: the Lives of Carl Kiekhaefer. Great read and covers it all

The legend of mercury is by the same author, is a coffee table type book and has lots of pictures. Also excellent, read them both many times.

There are also some mercury sanctioned historical videos on you tube and the like.

[20mercman]

Iron Fist is a great read. I have read it twice, and may soon do it again. It is the real history of the Kiekhaefer company and the man so integral to it all. It also covers in depth others who were vital to the growth and success of the company.

Steve

[jw-in-dixie]

Carl docking direct-reverse motors with great finesse. Particular to certain 1960-61 motors which had no neutral – the motor actually ran backwards to reverse and many people had difficulties docking boats thus equipped without "crashing" into the dock, thus the moniker "Dock Crashers" or Dock Busters".. 😮

Actually, with a little practice, maneuvering wasn’t all that difficult, IMHO. 😉 JW in Dixie

[r-c]

Iron Fist is probibly the epitome on Mercury and Elmer Carl. There have been a lot of magizine articles through the years and maybe she can find some on the net now. Boat Sport, Speed and Spray, Outboarding, Popular Mechanix, Popular Science and some of the car magazines because of his NASCAR days. Good luck kid.

[r-c]

I forgot Speed Age, which covered cars and outboards. By the way how old is you daughter? Because Iron Fist has some "adult" language and events in it.

[outbdnut2]

Chapter 4 of Peter Hunn’s: The Old Outboard Handbook has a good 12 page history of Mercury.

Here’s a link to buy it on Amazon if you don’t already have it. You will want this book when she’s done with it!
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Outboard-Boo … er+Hunn%27
Dave

[billw]

Carl had a bit of a dark side. This is all too evident in Iron Fist. After reading it, my image of him was so turned upside down that I almost sold off all my Mercurys. The Legend Of Mercury is a more sugar-coated version of Mercury’s history and focuses more on the company, than the man. I would suggest The Legend of Mercury, ONLY, if one of my kids was going to read either of those books.

Long live American manufacturing!

[49hiawatha]

I brought this up over a year ago but Carl K. also ran Chrysler stock cars emblazoned with Mercury on them. The early 1950s ran on speed and gas. Carl smartly figured out that outboards could be popularized by stock car racing. His cars had a captive advertising audience running around the tracks pushing their Mercury product. WI was a hotbed for NASCAR,and the Upper Midwest. Carl’s hard charging style was well played out in NASCAR and he was always feuding with his car drivers. The Chryslers were the famous "hemis" and speed was king!

[Pondrocket]

Jenny,

Great choice!!! Your dad might get the Mercury fever after all 😀 😀 . Iron Fist is a great read but harch on younger ears. Does tell the full story on Carl very well. I posted a few pics from he book, hopefully all works out and please post the completed report here. On this board in the members only section send Bob Grubb an email he will respond. Good luck.

Travis

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