Need recommendation for 7.5hp project

[frankr]

Speaking about small HP models, 1960. But the 7-1/2hp was last made in 1958. Gale division of OMC had fuel pumps on select models in 1955 (they never did have the pressure tank). Nor did they ever have a 7.5hp.

[frankr]

Are you locked into OMC? Here is a 7.5hp with fuel pump. 1953 Gold Pennant.

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[1946zephyr]

1959 – 1960 However, the Fleetwin was discontinued, after 1958. There are the 5.5’s and 6’s the ran from 1954 on. Styling in the 50’s was very similar to the Fleetwins too. Here is my ’58 Fisherman

[1946zephyr]

Now these motors went to a fuel pump about 1960.

[fleetwin]

The big changeover to fuel pumps came in 1960. So, all the fleetwins/AD models had pressurized fuel tank systems because 1958 was the last for the Fleetwin/AD models. It is not too tough to convert these engines to fuel pumps, you just have to find an intake bypass cover with a fuel pump port/mount, then plug the pressure port on the intake manifold.
The author of this thread talks of having only single line fuel tanks and wanting to use them on Fleetwins/AD models. I understand this concern but feel there is one problem with this plan. Fleetwins/AD models absolutely MUST be mixed at 16:1 due to the plain bushing rods, regardless of modern oil claims. I am "asssssuming" his current single line tanks are mixed at a lighter oil to fuel ratio, so using single line tanks from other OMCs would make it very easy to inadvertently use the lighter mix on his future Fleetwin/AD model.

[westwind]

There also are Mercury 7.5 HP models you could consider, including electric start models.

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[ronboonville]

Frank, I have a 1-16 and like it, maybe go with a gold pennant. I also saw a corsair on a junk pile 2 years ago, probably still there.
fleetwin, the mix is no problem.
westwind, I have one mercury, isn’t that enough? lol
Thanks all for the help!

[jerry-ahrens]

Personally, I have never bothered converting any of these motors to a pulse fuel pump. I actually like the 2 line pressure tanks just fine. I have a 6 gallon Mile Master tank that I rebuilt 20 + years ago, and have been using it trouble free ever since. I would get one or two pressure tanks and throw in a new diaphragm and a new cork gasket and go with it. That way, you will have both style tanks ready to go.

[20mercman]

Just my opinion, but I think that the 58 Fleetwin was the best looking of all of them. I did convert ours to a fuel pump as at the time, I didn’t have a pressure tank. I now have one for our FD-10 and Fastwin, so no big deal. The pressure tanks work just fine. I feel that they work well enough that I may consider putting ours back to pressure tank system. ( I didn’t do anything that could not be undone.) As for the 7.5 hp. range, there are a ton of motors to choose from in that horsepower range. As was mentioned, the Mercury 7.5’s are very powerful motors for their size, troll all day, smooth, great motors. They all have their issues with each make. The Mercury will certainly out power the Evinrude. I have a Corsair Navigator that was built by Scott Atwater, and this is a very nice classic motor with full gear shift and good performance. They were built under the Firestone and Corsair names for private label and do not have the bail-O-matic pumps. It will also easily outrun our Fleetwin. The pre-1954 Fleewins’s were neutral clutch, so no full gear shift, but were faster.

[Mumbles]

Here’s a ’56 Scott-Atwater Gold Top Bailer 7.5. It runs, pumps, and does everything it should now after receiving it in pieces but I still haven’t tried it out on a boat yet. It should push the tin boat good as it blows water all over the place when it’s in the test drum.

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