TOPIC: 1966 Merc 950SS

I have to say that this 47 year old motor is proof of what is possible when a motor is taken care of. The boat that it is on was my Grandfathers and I inherited the boat a few years ago. Growing up we had custom ski boats, Cracker Box Race Boats, and several other random boats, including this one that Grandpa had custom built in 1966. All of our boats received top notch care. Every Spring when I take "Blew By You" out of a long winters hibernation, I prepare the same way, Tool box-Check, Carb Cleaner-Check, Lower unit Gear oil- Check, New Plugs-check, Grease Gun, and the one thing that I grab, year after year, and never need, Starter Fluid-Check. Ever year, this motor sits for 5 months, and this year we set new records for days in a row under 10 degree's here in Utah!! Yet today I decided it was time to get her out and fire her up, tune her, and get her ready to slay some Trout and Kokanee this year. You would think that at this point I would no longer feel the need to to have starter fluid on hand, but I was once again prepared for the worst.......I have had many people comment on my old girl, and every year I am asked why I dont upgrade to a newer 4 stroke motor, and told how much more dependable they are.... Well, I love my old school Merc, and the fact that once again this year I only used the starter fluid for cleaning, I can again not worry about having to spend $15k on a new motor. This old girl is a rock star, 5 months of being put away in the extreme cold, and I didnt even need to hit the choke button to get her to fire on the first turn of the key!!!

Nothin' like the sound of an Old School Tower of Power!

Ready for another 47 years of faithful service!!

Cheers........ed

It sounds a lot like my '63 Merc 850. Our next door neighbor at our family cottage on the Mississippi just north of La Crosse bought it in about 1970 and I helped him with it every year. It always started right up, even after sitting all winter and was always dependable. He spent a lot of time pulling us skiing. This is 6 of us in 1976. I am the hot dog on the left with the handle of the rope between my knees. I can still hear my sister screaming at me something about if I fall because of my screwing around, she was going to kill me!!!
Bill