Outboard motors are tough to show here on Barn Finds. We have a horizontal format, since, you know, 99% of vehicles are horizontal. This 1961 Mercury 700 Direct-Reversing outboard is posted here on Facebook Marketplace in one of the last places I would ever think of as having an outboard motor: Chino Valley, Arizona. They’re asking $200 for this 70-hp, six-cylinder outboard project and here is the original listing. Thanks to Howard A. for the great tip!
We don’t show too many rockets or pogo sticks here, and this is the first outboard motor shown here that I know of. I apologize for the weird composite photos in order to get the vertical photos to show up. For once, I can’t fault a seller for having vertical photos! Long-time reader, commenter, and truck expert Howard A. knows his outboards. There were three 70-hp Mercs made in 1960, 1961, and 1962 and I think he nailed this one out of the chute by referring to it as a “dockbuster.”
I believe this is a 700E short shaft, made in 1960 and 1961. There was also a 700EL long shaft model. I sent a message to the seller to see if they could provide serial numbers to further nail down the confusing models Mercury offered in this era. There were three 70-hp models in the early-1960s and some were full-gear-shift (FGS) outboards, as in they had an actual lower unit shifter to go from forward to reverse while the outboard was running. The “direct-reverse” outboards were known as dockbusters because to reverse direction, you turned the outboard off, switched gears, and started it again. Sometimes, it would be in the wrong gear or direction, so when it started you’d crash into the dock, hence the name dockbuster. The FGS models put an end to the Dockbuster outboards as you can imagine.
You can see that this one is a daunting project, but these are rare outboards and to see one in restored condition is a three-kleenex affair, as in they’re so beautiful it’s like seeing the Mona Lisa. Or for some of us, much better than that. This model should have an electric start with an alternator, as well as the pull-start that you see in the photo above.
An inline-six outboard? Yes, but I wish we had a photo with the cover off so we could see it. The 70-hp, 66-cu.in. Kiekhaefer Mercury “Tower of Power” inline-six is a thing of beauty, I wouldn’t know whether to leave the cover off or on when it’s displayed in my living room… Or better yet, on the back of a 1950s or ’60s boat that could handle the 200-pound weight and power of this big engine. The seller says it isn’t running, as you can tell from looking at the photos, but it turns over and the lower end turns so that’s good news. It would be a herculean task to restore this outboard to its former “Cloud White” glory with its black and white wraparound cowl, but it’s doable. Are any of you vintage outboard fans or collectors?
Wow Scotty. You are seriously breaking the vehicular barriers here on Barnfinds. I remember those Mercury outboards. I don’t ever remember the “Dock buster” name for them. But that sounds about right. It will be interesting to see what Howard says….
If if he says….. ” The stick is going to kill it……” I hope he knows I’m kidding here.
I would love to see this restored and hanging on the transom of a vintage boat like you said. This is great Scotty, thank you. I enjoyed it.
Love it. Kiekhaefer was gold. Pull start one of those straight six beauties, 💪 then rip up the lake.
I’m telling you folks, be careful around this guy on what you post. :) At this time, I’d like to thank the author(s), staff, and BFs community for plodding along with me down my memory lane. It is I that should apologize for the lack of good pics, I looked for a long time to find one of these for sale.
Okay, when I was a kid, we had a lake cottage in S.Central Wis. Initially, the old man had a small wood runabout, 18 HP. Johnny, but we needed more. In the early 60s, he bought a 16ft. Silverline fiberglass that the 18 didn’t cut it, so he goes nuts, and buys a late 50s 60 hp. 60 c.i. Mark 75 Mercury just like this. It was a beast, to say the least, took 3 stout men to move it, it did. Scotty didn’t go into the details of the motor, but was considered Carls dream, even though many say he had nothing to do with the design. Since his NASCAR exploits came to a screeching halt in 1957, he poured his attention into racing boats, and THIS was his crowning achievement. He really stuck it to old Ole( Evinrude) as the closest they had was the V4 “ant-head” motors. Believe it or not, I read, This motors closest competition was the Scott-Atwater 3 cylinder. This had dual ignition, 3 carbs, and the reason for no neutral, at the time there wasn’t a lower end that could handle the power. Coming in to the shore too fast, by the time you restarted the motor in reverse, WHAM! Dockbuster. I’m sure the old mans was used as I read these weren’t cheap, almost $1,000 new, the cost of a Rambler American. I don’t remember it being a particularly fast boat, certainly better than the Johnny, but a constant chore to keep running, and many memories of running the battery down, and the old man pulling that forsaken rope, with a new expletive every time. Then the gas, I remember it literally pouring gas into the lake, and once running, it would go through 2-3, 5 gallon tanks in an afternoon easy. He then replaced that monster with a smaller, 4 cylinder Mark 58a, Mercury, about 45 HP ( Mercury always rated the motors more) and was a much better motor.
Thanks to the site, and if the comment goes to moderation, so be it, but Hemmings did a great article on these motors, called, “The Other Mercury” you can check for yourself.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/the-other-mercury/
That was a great article Howard. I learned a lot about Mercury outboards. Thanks for posting it.
And once again thanks for putting this on here Here Scotty. Restored, these engines are beautiful. I really do hope it gets restored.
I just want to add. The article Howard posted show TWO of these on a beautiful mahogany boat. Can you imagine trying to reverse TWO of these things????
Yikes!!!!! But still its a work of art, to me anyhow.
The really scary Mark 75 are the modifieds with headers and performance prop…lots of power and a great light show from the headers at dusk.
It’s odd that there isn’t a photo with the cowling off. From my recollections, these old Mercury’s spent more time with the cowling OFF, than with it on!
I owned two 1962 Merc 700s until fairly recently , well , 2005 or so.
They were the first “ full gear shift “ models.
Works of art , and great engines. They had battery driven ignition, three carburetors , vertically stacked feeding those six cylinders. Nothing else sounded like them , like driving a Ferrari on water.
The story goes the Carl Kiekhaefer resisted going to full gear shift but was convinced to do so over a business lunch.
OK, he said , and proceeded to draw a shift mechanism on a napkin , completely different from the OMC yoke type shifter.
That shift assembly is the same one used on Mercs today.
Sheer Genius.
I loved those engines, thanks for the memories.
In 1970 I traded a1969 Suzuki 250 for a 14 ft Glastron ( Looked like the old ” Bat Boat ” ) with a Mercury 70 hp ( Short Shaft ‘) the motor was dependable and fast ( got clocked by a city cop at 55 mph in the river ) the boats transom was cut so low, you had to slow down then speed up quick before the wake flooded the boat. We put a ski pole on it and could easily pull 4 skiers. My brother sold the boat while I was in the military . But that was one fast and powerful motor!
From the boys that brought you the King of the Hill Corvette.
Those big old Merc towers. Something about them. Like Caddys from the same era.
About 1990,we had an invasion of Cuban lifeboats come ashore in our small Fl. coastal town,north of Daytona.No Cubans running the streets,but a dozen rafts along the shore.I ran around at daybreak with a pair of vicegrips,unbolting old outboards,none newer than 1959.I had them hanging in my antique shop for a long time.All gone now.
I had a Mark 75 that came with my first boat, a plywood mahogany runabout that 17 year old me was going to restore. That project went south due to extreme wood rot. But I rebuilt the carbs on the engine and it ran great. Ended up selling it to a doctor out of state. Probably should have kept it.
This appears to be a merc 700, I had a “dock buster” MK78 that had 1 gear in the lower unit , a dual winding starter that would actually crank the engine backwards for reverse. A pistol grip shifter that had a button on top, push down to start and all the way down to choke and for reverse you would pull it back, the engine would stop and in the back position would crank backwards. Hence the “dock buster name” No neutral . Mine came with a Glasspar G3 13’6” that I still have along with a 55 johnson short shaft hydro-electric shift (dont get me started on that) I’m pretty sure this 700 has a full gear shift from the pictures. I also got a merc 800 (full gear shift) that ran surprisingly smooth and had a pull start that was as easy as my 5 1/2 evinrude to pull. The lower unit of the MK78 was very thin and streamlined (only 1 gear direct drive) that was the tip off. You may want to check the facts on this one
I have two 100 Merc towers from the ’80’s sitting in my shed! Black Beauties with the chrome trim. Back then these engines were amazing and made a beautiful smooth sound. My friends boat was made for a 50, but he put one of these 100 hp beauties on it. It was awfully heavy and sat tail low in the water. But boy, did it wake up the wooden Dunphy. At full throttle the boat was twisted way over due to torque. You couldn’t have a center pull ski pylon though ( well you could, but it was really tall) so you still attached the rope to the transom.
I think the brass props are worth more in scrap than the engines as I have never been able to find a buyer. But I can’t bear to scrap them.
Fun write up Scotty, keep them coming.