TOPIC: Please educate me!

As I mentioned before, I know little about outboard motors so please bear with me.

I have been looking for a 1958 Mercury MK78 for my newly-acquired Glasspar del Mar but today I was told that those engines are direct drive. In other words, they are always in gear, even when they start? What do you do when you come in to a dock, shut it off, pull some kind of lever or push a button, crank it in reverse and hope it restarts in time to keep from crunching the boat?

If this is true, what was the first year and model of Mercury that could be shifted in and out of gear? I love the looks of the old Mercs but the whole direct drive thing doesn't sound like it's for me. Thanks

jan,that is correct and also why they are known as dockbusters.

Great motors

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If you set it up properly, keep it in tune it should always start up in reverse.

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The other approach is to go slow when you come near the dock.

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More people will ask you questions about it than any " new fangled " 4 stroke made offshore.

I have three of them and they work fine, but you have to put your time in getting them tuned properly.

The first gearshift 6 would be a 700 or 800 in 1961 Both white motors. Then in 1962 the big 1000 came out in black.

I bet there is a way to make a 700 Full Gear Shift (FGS) look like a MK 78 just by putting an older top on it and painting it a color from 1958.

AND BOAT BUSTERS!!! Never was for me!!!

New plan! 50 HP is plenty of juice for a 16' boat. I have a running 1962 Merc 500 short shaft. I now intend to mix/match parts from a white Merc 350, using as much chrome/stainless as I can, switch the center section to a long shaft and paint it 1955 Lincoln Premier high gloss lavendar! This will be the Mystery Merc for my (soon to be restored) del Mar. It's all about having fun, right? By the time I get it all finished, I just might have learned a few things. Thanks for your help! (As you can see, my wife isn't all that happy about the idea but she'll get over it.)