The 1940 Mercury outboard boat motor was a very good looking streamlined motor compared to other brands at the time. The drive shaft was put inside a casing that also served to cover the water pickup line and a leak proof under water exhaust system. The water pump was also a huge leap forward in design using a Rotex rubber pump that did not need any plungers or springs like Mercury’s competitors had at the time. Better designed Mercury boat propellers improved speed. Kiefhaefer asked the Ford Motor Company for permission to use the Mercury name for his engines. They said it would be OK just so long as he put his last name before the word Mercury.
The first year engine choices were a 2 1/2 horsepower single cylinder economy model that sold for $42.95, a 3 horsepower single cylinder with a streamlined powerhead and gas tank cover that went for $52.95 and the top of the line twin cylinder 6 horsepower motor with a price tag of a whopping $89.95. The motors were introduced to the public at a New York city boat show and brought in over 16,000 orders. Kiekhaefer’s Mercury outboard motors became an instant success. With improvements, sales for 1941 greatly increased but would soon come to a halt in 1942 with world war II underway. Supplies to produce engines were used for the war effort only.
During the war Kiefhaefer became extremely busy with government contracts to make military chainsaws along with other items like generators, compressors, pumps and even aircraft that were used for target practice. During the war years Mercury engineers and designers also kept busy with coming up with ways to improve their outboard motor line so when the war ended they could get right back into making and selling Mercury engines again. many improvement evolved including better boat props that would make them the fastest outboard engines on the water.
Dan’s Discount Props sells the best Mercury outboard propellers and all other boat engine types at discount prices.
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