I've Just acquired a boat with period 1961 Mercury Merc200.I'd love to keep the package complete and restore both.It runs but being a novice I'm unsure how well! It is also looking sad, the remote control is especially needing both mechanical and cosmetic work. Its well outside of my comfort zone and Rapier mentioned in another post that I'll have difficulty getting a dealer to touch it due to its age and complexity. I've seen a couple of companies in the US that restore old Mercs but wonder if there is anyone in the UK?
Thanks

It can be done, however,if you are paying for a quality restoration, the cost of doing it will be a lot more then the engine is worth, because its only a 20hp engine, does not mean it will be that much cheaper to rebuild than a big motor, old engines, regardless of size can still be little buggers to get apart, most parts are available, if you search hard enough, it all depends on how much money you want to throw at it...!!

Thanks
Do you know who can do them?

Too true se7en the little 18 hp evinrude I'm doing at the moment is up to about €1000 and I haven't started to put it back together yet The parts can be cheep but when you have to get every gasket, o ring, rubber mount, electrics and so on it soon adds up plus the time that can be takes up by broken bolts and seized nuts I would say it's near impossible to put a price on doing one up you may have to just hand over your credit card
Might be best to give it a good service a lick of paint new decals and run it till it dies then fix the problem.

Hi don't be put off, they can be fixed it just depends on what state it's in to start with, I think you might have an engine with the gearbox in the leg rather than in the normal place by the prop...these are great little engines, I've been intimate with their insides many times when I ran one... post a picture if you can, whereabouts are you? I agree with the guys a dealer won't want to touch an outboard engine which is now over 50 years old. I've recently stripped a 1950's Mercury and not a single bolt broke or jammed...it just depends on where and how it's been used.

If the engine in Ok condition - ie turns over, at least starts or tries to & its not badly corroded, then it could worth restoring - but check current values first! Beware - it has been used extensively in salt water, it will almost certainly be too corroded internally after 50 years use. As previous posts stated, most service parts are still available & other parts can be found from US suppliers. The cost of parts can soon add up & labour costs will be significant, even if you can find a good marine engineer to take on the project. You could try these guys who specialise in older 2 stroke outboards, who are very helpfull & have parts going back to 1950s & give helpful advise. Outboard & Marine Services, Sutton Coldfield email: ob.marine@gmail.com Tel :07010 708648

Hi there. I had the same problem with an old 1963 15 hp Gale outboard. Got ripped off left right and centre until I met a lovely chap from Cardiff at the Beaulieu Boat Jumble. He is based in Cardiff but well worth it. My impeller had disintegrated into the cooling tubes and everybody advised me to dump it. Instead Keith Jones fixed it for £120 - runs likes a dream now. Can provide you number is you wish. Chris

Hi - is your contact in Cardiff still restoring outboards? Need a Mercury 500 revived

JamesB wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:58 pm

Hi - is your contact in Cardiff still restoring outboards? Need a Mercury 500 revived

Hi & welcome here..it's been awhile since that post and since zappahead was last on the site, so you may get no response. So few people do that work now, so might be worthwhile posting pics of the motor, & what you need doing and I'll ask a guy I know.