Got The Itch Again....
03-16-2019, 12:26 PM
#161
Registered
Thread Starter
Lil bit like Christmas.
And why I love O/Bs.
A guy built and blew up a hot rod OMC, very common.
He got fed up and switched to Merc. Also very common.
He had an OMC garage sale and I bought everything.
Got a complete ‘2000 250hp that needs a piston due to carbs and tuning.
I have a piston and proper carbs in my shop.
He just had the mid totally rebuilt and painted too so that will replace one of the ones that came from Fla.
Also got two sets of lower pans and one cowling that is perfect.
And a complete 3.3 short block.
So I now have enough junk to build two complete 3.3 hot rod p.heads.
This is getting to be fun.
03-16-2019, 07:18 PM
#162
Registered
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Collierville, TN and Pickwick Lake
Posts: 2,291
Received 395 Likes
on
165 Posts
Lil bit like Christmas.
And why I love O/Bs.
A guy built and blew up a hot rod OMC, very common.
He got fed up and switched to Merc. Also very common.
He had an OMC garage sale and I bought everything.
Got a complete ‘2000 250hp that needs a piston due to carbs and tuning.
I have a piston and proper carbs in my shop.
He just had the mid totally rebuilt and painted too so that will replace one of the ones that came from Fla.
Also got two sets of lower pans and one cowling that is perfect.
And a complete 3.3 short block.
So I now have enough junk to build two complete 3.3 hot rod p.heads.
This is getting to be fun.
03-16-2019, 09:23 PM
#163
Gold Member
Gold Member
I hope we don't see you one day on that reality show "Hoarders". 
Nah, looks like you just won a small jackpot.
Great project, enjoy following.
RR
.
Nah, looks like you just won a small jackpot.Great project, enjoy following.
RR
.
03-16-2019, 09:50 PM
#164
Registered
Thread Starter
One of the really strong positives (to me) for O/Bs is, it’s easy and cheap to keep and change spares.
When I had both my twin O/B Sonics I had a spare, complete drop on powerhead, lower unit, all powerhead internals and a complete ignition system.
I can swap p.heads in an hr.
BTW, paid $750 for all the pts above.
When we moved from Fla back to Ohio, I sold everything.
So I am restocking.
When I had both my twin O/B Sonics I had a spare, complete drop on powerhead, lower unit, all powerhead internals and a complete ignition system.
I can swap p.heads in an hr.
BTW, paid $750 for all the pts above.
When we moved from Fla back to Ohio, I sold everything.
So I am restocking.
Last edited by Twin O/B Sonic; 03-16-2019 at 09:52 PM.
03-17-2019, 06:55 PM
#165
Registered
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Collierville, TN and Pickwick Lake
Posts: 2,291
Received 395 Likes
on
165 Posts
Gary, just curious as to why you prefer the JohnRudes over the Mercs of the same era.
I have a 225 EFI on my CC that has been a good motor. IIRC I paid $3250 for it back in the day and it was a low hour unit.
I have a 225 EFI on my CC that has been a good motor. IIRC I paid $3250 for it back in the day and it was a low hour unit.
03-18-2019, 08:19 AM
#166
Registered
Thread Starter
Long story Kelly but basically I like being the underdog and doing it on the cheap.
I raced kneel down boats for 9 yrs and mostly Mercs cuz they controlled the rule book and wouldnt allow anything to compete against them and I hated that.
Quit racing and started playing w/fast O/B's and retained that mentality.
At that point I had friends/heros that were racing home brewed OMC's against factory supported Mercs and beating them.
Thats when I came up w/my saying ..., "Id rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought".
I built a couple of motors to prove (to myself) that it was possible and am now satisfied on that end.
For real world boating the answer is simple.
Theyre dirt cheap and way easy to work on.
The EFI on your Merc is waaaaayyyy more advanced than the basic carburetors on my motors of choice.
But drawbacks (to me) is, when they give you problems they are expensive and difficult to diagnose/repair.
On top of that, their Hi Perf motors are alum blocks w/either chrome or Nikasil plated bores.
So when you stick one (if you run them hard, you will), you send the block to someone w/a $1500 check to replate that hole.
My junk has removable steel sleeves.
So if its a minor blow up, I use muratic acid ($15 @ Home Depot) to clean the nuked piston off the bore, run a hone through it, slap in a piston and Im back on the water in a day for $200.
If a major blow up, I bore that hole.
If a really major blow up, I put the block in the wifes oven and pull/replace that sleeve.
IMO, the Mercs were/are designed to be maintained by your friendly, neighborhood dealer and their thousands of dollars of special tools.
The OMC's were designed to be kept alive by its owner.
The one motor in picture has a Merc Sportmaster gear case on it so I could play w/gear ratios. I had to buy $500 worth of tools to do it.
The OMC case, I can rebuild on my kitchen table w/a crescent wrench.
For replacement pts, (cranks, rods etc) I buy complete, blown up motors for $500 - $1000 per, keep what I want and sell the rest.
So my parts end up being free.
Also, the OMCs have way more torque than most of the Mercs.
Everyone gets geeked about HP's when its torque that pushes our heavy toys.
I raced kneel down boats for 9 yrs and mostly Mercs cuz they controlled the rule book and wouldnt allow anything to compete against them and I hated that.
Quit racing and started playing w/fast O/B's and retained that mentality.
At that point I had friends/heros that were racing home brewed OMC's against factory supported Mercs and beating them.
Thats when I came up w/my saying ..., "Id rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought".
I built a couple of motors to prove (to myself) that it was possible and am now satisfied on that end.
For real world boating the answer is simple.
Theyre dirt cheap and way easy to work on.
The EFI on your Merc is waaaaayyyy more advanced than the basic carburetors on my motors of choice.
But drawbacks (to me) is, when they give you problems they are expensive and difficult to diagnose/repair.
On top of that, their Hi Perf motors are alum blocks w/either chrome or Nikasil plated bores.
So when you stick one (if you run them hard, you will), you send the block to someone w/a $1500 check to replate that hole.
My junk has removable steel sleeves.
So if its a minor blow up, I use muratic acid ($15 @ Home Depot) to clean the nuked piston off the bore, run a hone through it, slap in a piston and Im back on the water in a day for $200.
If a major blow up, I bore that hole.
If a really major blow up, I put the block in the wifes oven and pull/replace that sleeve.
IMO, the Mercs were/are designed to be maintained by your friendly, neighborhood dealer and their thousands of dollars of special tools.
The OMC's were designed to be kept alive by its owner.
The one motor in picture has a Merc Sportmaster gear case on it so I could play w/gear ratios. I had to buy $500 worth of tools to do it.
The OMC case, I can rebuild on my kitchen table w/a crescent wrench.
For replacement pts, (cranks, rods etc) I buy complete, blown up motors for $500 - $1000 per, keep what I want and sell the rest.
So my parts end up being free.
Also, the OMCs have way more torque than most of the Mercs.
Everyone gets geeked about HP's when its torque that pushes our heavy toys.
03-18-2019, 08:23 AM
#167
Registered
Thread Starter
You're welcome at my place too.
Im tardy in replying to this post as Ive been viewing from my cell phone which does not show your home country/town like my lap top does.
I thought you were in Australia
Im tardy in replying to this post as Ive been viewing from my cell phone which does not show your home country/town like my lap top does.
I thought you were in Australia
03-18-2019, 08:32 AM
#168
Gold Member
Gold Member
I am an Aussie, I moved to Thailand in 2007 but I still like meat pies, beer, boxing with kangaroos and wresting crocodiles.
Jon.
P.S. I like Daniel Ricciardo too but Renault will have to lift their game if he's gonna get a championship in the next few years!
03-18-2019, 08:45 AM
#169
Registered
Thread Starter
Interesting.
Im a huge fan of Australia.
Their Bridge to Bridge ski race is on my shrinking bucket list.
Yestedays F-1 race broke my heart for Daniel.
A huge fan of his too.
One of few F-1 drivers that is not a corporate robot.
Mark Webber was another stud.
I am friends of Australian Ken Warby who lives 2 hrs from me.
A self made bad ass!
Set the water speed record of 317 mph 3 decades ago in a boat he built himself.
Record has never been broken, everyone that has tried, died trying!
Heres a picture of one of my visits.
Thank you, hope one day to get there.
I am an Aussie, I moved to Thailand in 2007 but I still like meat pies, beer, boxing with kangaroos and wresting crocodiles.
Jon.
P.S. I like Daniel Ricciardo too but Renault will have to lift their game if he's gonna get a championship in the next few years!
03-18-2019, 08:57 AM
#170
Gold Member
Gold Member
Ken Warby, Aussie legend and all round nice guy who achieved the impossible on a ridiculously small budget, an old engine but mountains of courage and determination. Great photos!
(Small typo above........ KW's record was 4 decades ago)
RR
(Small typo above........ KW's record was 4 decades ago)
RR
