White or Black ????

North Beach

Commander
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Sep 29, 2008
Messages
2,022
Got the restoration going on my 66 Starcraft Sunchief. We pulled the outdrive off today and it looks like we're gonna blast and paint. It's currently black but my 66 Starcraft brochure and the 66 Mercruiser pamplet I have shows the outdrive being white. Can someone here explain this? I seem to remember someone on another thread saying that Mercruiser has a recommended paint proceedure but that just covers black. I'd like to get this right if I'm gonna go to all the trouble to prep and paint
 

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: White or Black ????

Howdy,


My dad bought a 1966 Marktwain new. I remember when we picked it up.

The drive was white.

A couple years later Mercury Marine decided that all drives would be black from them on and dad repainted it black a couple years later.


If you're wanting to restore it to "original", paint it white.


Regards,


Rick
 

jaxnjil

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Messages
1,368
Re: White or Black ????

back in the late "80" searay used mercruiser drives and painted them white and badged them as searay.
the paint they used is called oyster white and i got a can from a searay dealer.
the painting porcess for the white is the same as black.
sand any scratches smooth and if you sand the whole drive prime all raw surfaces with zinc-chromate primer. then the cover coat
the only thing i cant tell you is whether or not the oyster white was a searay product or a mercruiser because i have gotten both there and just dont rember now.
here is a pic of part of the white searay drive


 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: White or Black ????

what drive do you have?
in a quick glanze at s/m #1. looks like the model 0 drive was white.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: White or Black ????

Looks like it has flat top cover on the top box... That would make it R, MR, or Alpha One. Definitely not a Model I or earlier.
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
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Nov 5, 2008
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4,603
Re: White or Black ????

he didn't post a picture - that's a reply from another poster guys

A pic of the drive would confirm if it's original to the '66 Starcraft
 

North Beach

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Sep 29, 2008
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2,022
Re: White or Black ????

Sorry Folks! I should have posted pics. Here's what's on the boat
Sterndrive1.jpg


Here's what's on the floor:D
Sterndrive2.jpg

The serial # that's under the missing decal is A1955865. I was lead to beleive it was a type 1. Don't know if it's an A, B, or C or if it's an EZ shift. The outdrives are a tad confusing for a newbie. I do know the motor is a 110 HP.

Thanks for the help.
 

North Beach

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Sep 29, 2008
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Re: White or Black ????

Thought I'd bump this back to the top in case it got lost in the shuffle. If anyone knows by sight what I've got and what color it's supposed to be.
Thanks!
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
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Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: White or Black ????

That's the original drive - definitely "pre-pre-apha", or perhaps "0"...

I say black.

Although many were white, I can't believe that one ever was. 66 might've been the transition year.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: White or Black ????

That serial number tells us it is definitely a model-I E-Z shift, but can't see anything that would tell if it's A, B or C. That said, the original colour was BLACK.

Cheers,

Chris............
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,469
Re: White or Black ????

It's currently black but my 66 Starcraft brochure and the 66 Mercruiser pamplet I have shows the outdrive being white. Can someone here explain this?

Ayuh,... I'd think the folks printing the brochures took Artistic Licence,+ used White,....

I've seen Alot of old Starcrafts,+ None of them had a White drive,...
Your's is No Doubt originally Black...
And,...
As Good a shape as it's in,... No Way I'd strip it to bare metal,...
Just scuff it up,+ use the Good finish that's there for the base...
 

North Beach

Commander
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Sep 29, 2008
Messages
2,022
Re: White or Black ????

Thanks a bunch folks! I'm brand new to all this and to be honest, there's been a lot of readin done just to get where I am now. The drive definetly doesn't have anything white showing up under the black and it was black when my father in law bought it in 72. I'll take your advice and scuff and paint.
 

captk

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
252
Re: White or Black ????

Some of the early Mercs were white. If you get to see an episode of Flipper some of under water shots of the T-Bird show a white merc. Yours is most probably a 1 A B C e-z. The a b c designated gear ration in the upper unit. The mounting gasket on those is smaller than that common to the #1s. Also that does not have a flow through gear case. the upper and lower units must be drained and filled seperatly. The prop shaft is also different from the newer ones the shaft has a square step not the taper, and uses a special thrust hub. Good luck with the restoration looks good. Make sure you get parts and info from someone who knows what ya got. Bill K
 

oldmanboat

Cadet
Joined
Mar 7, 2009
Messages
6
Re: White or Black ????

I am restoring a similiar boat. I have a 1966 Shell Lake 120 HP. My outdrive is painted white. I have scraped some of the paint off and see no black paint. I am assuming that white it is the original color.
 
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