What Year This Merc?

[Mumbles]

I picked up the Merc 200 parts motor today but it doesn’t have the wrap to help identify it, only the serial number. Does anyone have a Merc list?

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[jpatti75]

I’ll do some digging, Mumbles, but given it is branded Mercury Marine vice Kiekhaefer Mercury, you’re looking at a 1973 or later. Has the Thunderbolt ignition, too.

[billw]

Canadian 1976

Long live American manufacturing!

[dave-bernard]

I have the rare electric starter for it.

[Mumbles]

‘Thanks guys. 76 eh? That was the year we had the Olympics in Montreal. So I might get lucky with the gears for the ’69 200 I want to get going?

I think I know why this motor can’t find a forever home. All the nuts and bolts holding the gearcase on had been removed but the garcase will only drop about 1/8". There’s a piece of metal missing where it’s been pried on so I’m thinking the driveshaft is rusted to the crankshaft. There’s also a big hole where the lower mount was and I can see the driveshaft inside is rusty. If I can’t get it loose, I might have to coax it with the plasma cutter. On the bright side, the shift lever is broken and it’s stuck in gear but I can turn the prop shaft one way with a pair of Vice Grips. Couldn’t do that on the other motor.

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[billw]

Interesting that it comes up as a Canadian built 1976 but it has a plain steel drive shaft. US motors had all gone to stainless shafts by 1976. They must have been using up old stock up there. That’s a shame. As Maxwell Smart used to say, "Missed it by THAT much….."

Long live American manufacturing!

[Author]

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