55-H on Ebay

[Hunt Leavitt]

Check out this 55-H for sale on Ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181124674392

[dcrummett]

Note outer cowling says Super Thunderbolt, which would indicate Mark 58.
Dan

[jeff55v]

Note outer cowling says Super Thunderbolt, which would indicate Mark 58.
Dan

Those tags are easy to change out. I have a drawer full of 'em. Thunderbolt, Super Thunderbolt, Marathon, Super Marathon.
The important part is that the block is a 40ci. It has the 40ci lettering on the block.

[dcrummett]

OK didnt see that

[bh/]

He got his reserve of $2500 with only two bids.
Surprising, IMHO.
It is a mixed bag of parts, M55H, Merc 300/350, Merc 400/500.
So not 'original' as the vendor states.
Still, good looking, fun as a lake racer/Classic racer,
and still legal as a APBA DS,
if you enjoy getting passed by Tohatsus

[John Schubert]

Mk55h

He got his reserve of $2500 with only two bids.
Surprising, IMHO.
It is a mixed bag of parts, M55H, Merc 300/350, Merc 400/500.
So not 'original' as the vendor states.
Still, good looking, fun as a lake racer/Classic racer,
and still legal as a APBA DS,
if you enjoy getting passed by Tohatsus

Even though he showed a picture of a carb that said KA7A, if you looked close at the frontal picture, the choke assembly was internal in the carb throat not external like a KA7A choke assemly & you don't see the KA7A levers & the clips that attach to the choke rod. Either the carb s were converted to the KA2A choke style, or the picture showing the KA7A is of a different carb. The buyer will be surprised when this is pointed out to him

[krazy karl]

Actually it looks like it has external chokes but they are not like the ones on an early 55H. On the early H's the choke shutters were aluminum. He says this is a '59 model and they may have gone to a brass shutter at this point. The carbs look right as far as I can see, he doesn't have a picture that shows them very well. Also the serial number is not correct for a '59 model. It is a fairly nice looking motor but I also was surprised that this motor brought as much as it did considering it is such a hodge podge.
kk

[John Schubert]

Actually it looks like it has external chokes but they are not like the ones on an early 55H. On the early H's the choke shutters were aluminum. He says this is a '59 model and they may have gone to a brass shutter at this point. The carbs look right as far as I can see, he doesn't have a picture that shows them very well. Also the serial number is not correct for a '59 model. It is a fairly nice looking motor but I also was surprised that this motor brought as much as it did considering it is such a hodge podge.
kk

No offense, but you are incorrect Karl. You need to look at the pictures in the actual auction & you will see the side of the choke shutter in the mouth of the carb & the brass shaft extending through the side of the carb & the KA2A connector to the choke shaft. Even the 59 model had the 7A's with levers as the hole for the choke shutter shaft was never drilled by Tillotson or Mercury. THat's not to say that someone cobbled up a pair of 7A's but the carb efficiency is reduced considerably with internal shutters & shafts, but I doubt that. Addaitionally, the MK55H's never did have aluminum choke shutters, not the Carter nor the Tillotson. Mercury original shutters were always brass.
Another issue now that we are beoing so technical, it even isn't a 59 block as you'll note it does have 4 port covers rather then the 2 that the 59 55H block did, As Brian said earlier it might be a 350 block.

[krazy karl]

Choke Shutters

John, we must be looking at different pictures or something. I have attached pictures of the 55H I am looking at on ebay, my 55H with what I believe to be original shutters and a KA2A with the internal choke blades. The ebay motor has choke shutters mounted the same way as mine only brass not aluminum but with a screw instead of a stud. My aluminum ones have a part number but I haven't researched it to determine if they are original but I believe them be as the motor
was built by a long time Mercury mechanic. The connecting rod on mine is not correct however. The choke setup on the ebay motor looks similar to what was used on a Mark 28. Interesting anyway.
kk

[trident]

Chokes

The die cast aluminum shutters with stud to mount are from later service KA's... like 19's and others, if memory serves.

Way less complex and less parts to wear out than the brass with spring and clips to tie together, as used on original KA7's. On some originals, the spring is worn almost through and the hole and slots in the brass gets all gnarly from vibration...

I used those aluminum ones on my Mods and on my D Stock Mk 55's for DSH and for my Merc Challenge motor, with a home made rod threaded for the original choke knob. Simple, effective, reliable.

Jerry

[John Schubert]

55H carbs

John, we must be looking at different pictures or something. I have attached pictures of the 55H I am looking at on ebay, my 55H with what I believe to be original shutters and a KA2A with the internal choke blades. The ebay motor has choke shutters mounted the same way as mine only brass not aluminum but with a screw instead of a stud. My aluminum ones have a part number but I haven't researched it to determine if they are original but I believe them be as the motor
was built by a long time Mercury mechanic. The connecting rod on mine is not correct however. The choke setup on the ebay motor looks similar to what was used on a Mark 28. Interesting anyway.
kk

Karl,
My humblest apology. There were 2 55H's on eBay, so I never thought to check. The one with the incorrect carbs although he says they are 7A's is this one. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...TQ:MOTORS:1123
Check it out so you don't think that I was day dreaming yet I kind of was. Am\nd as Jerry said the aluminum shutters were on later motoros but never came on 55H's. Adaptable yes.

Sorry for the confusion Karl.

[BmJuby]

Even though he showed a picture of a carb that said KA7A, if you looked close at the frontal picture, the choke assembly was internal in the carb throat not external like a KA7A choke assemly & you don't see the KA7A levers & the clips that attach to the choke rod. Either the carb s were converted to the KA2A choke style, or the picture showing the KA7A is of a different carb. The buyer will be surprised when this is pointed out to him

I pointed it out to him and he posted a picture of the KA-7As. I also thought the carbs looked wrong.

[Guest]

John's 55-H

Looking at the green 55-H with the KA-2A's I believe that the mag is also incorrect. It looks like a FM with the non kinked spark advance plate. Some early 55-H engines had the FM mag as listed in the 1956 parts cataloger. It also shows the 30-H-1 had a Kiekhaefer 4D-1 mag. It appears that the engine might have been put together from Mark 55 and 55-H parts and although it looks great it most likely is a clone. The tower and foot are worth some money but I don't think the asking price is correct for the engine.

Alan

[krazy karl]

Hey John, no problem. I figured we had to be looking at two different motors as I know you know more about old Mercs than a lot of the rest of us put together. On the one you were looking at, if it does in fact have KA7A's on it I would guess that someone went to a lot of trouble to machine them for the internal choke blades. Mine at least aren't machined to accept them and why would anyone do that to a racing carb only to restrict flow.

By the way I appreciate the info on the aluminum shutters. This explains why the shutters hit the mag at full retard. I have to advance the throttle to engage the chokes otherwise they hang up on the mag. I couldn't see Mercury letting something like that out of the factory. My 55H was built by a racer, who is a regular on this site, so a lot has been explained.
kk

[trident]

55H Tip

On my own 55H type motors, with the Mercury Mag, I make an aluminum full advance timing stop with a screw adjuster and jam nut, as trying to adjust the stock timing stop clamp thingie precisely will drive you nuts... I want just a tick more, turn the screw a 1/4 turn, whatever, then tighten the nut.

Then I repurpose the original advance stop clamp thingie to the other end of the slot, to be a full retard stop. Eyeball setting is good. Set and forget.

Gives clearance for the alumininum choke shutters, and no more cracked caps from slamming hard into the larger KA carbs (remember, fishing motors had smaller AJ's).

I also make sure, on full throttle closure, that I have a business card thickness of daylight clearance between the 'spoon' and the throttle actuator, to ensure full throttle closure.

Hope this helps.

Jerry