Adapting later trim/tilt to earlier mercury?

So, I have an aversion to running old parts on this motor for trim and tilt and wondered if anyone had ever successfully adapted a later trim/tilt setup onto a mid 60s mercury inline 6. I have a garage full of tools and a welder. I am sure this can be done, but never having had the parts in hand I am not totally sure how.

Thanks for the forum.

Evan

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

Power trim on an old Stack

Evan,
I am currently dabbling with this notion with a gent that has an early 1000 on a Thompson.
We've been checking measurements and feel that it 'might' just be possible without much alterations.
Granted,...It is a slam-dunk to install the mid-seventies (4) hose power trim with a pump in the boat onto an early 60s Stack, but if I'm following you correctly you are wanting to use the late 80s integral trim with the entire power trim unit on the aft side of the transom.
From what we have played with so far,...The only glitch appears to be that the 80s steering arm will not allow the engine pan to rest down properly.
It is VERY close and might just be okay with a couple base gaskets stacked to shim up the pan and powerhead a smidge.
An option is to cut off the 80's steering arm and continue steering the 60s Stack off the front of the lower pan.
Beware,...There are several versions of the integral trim and only a limited version from the mid-80s Inline-6 and some early v6s have the correct measurements between the upper and lower mounts, etc so don't jump on eBay and buy a late '80s Inline-4 114, etc as those will not work.
Properly confused?
Thom

How did I know you would be the guy to attempt this! Please keep me updated. Ill gladly help in any way that I can. Just seems to make sense to attempt to use newer technology when the older rams could fail etc... and obviously parts are a bit more easily aquired for the newer stuff.

Thanks for the information Thom!

Evan

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/boa/1424993635.html

This looks like it might have the right stuff on it? Whaddya think? I can lowball the guy.

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

Yes,...That is the correct one to snag for your project and the price is already real good. Shipping will be costly if you're not nearby.
Remember,...I have NOT done this project yet, but based on some parts swapping I've already done (putting a mid-70s swivel housing & transom clamps assembly onto an early 1000 DSH - and - since the mid '70s DSH is identical to the late '80s DSH in the Inline-6,...I'm quite confident it will work to put a late '80s power trim (like the one you found on CL) onto your early '60s 900 DSH.
LOTS of dis-assembly and re-assembly, but minimal parts required. (a powerhead to pan gasket & a pan to DSH gasket, two solenoids to activate the PT 'UP' & 'DOWN', some wire, & a 3 way toggle switch with temp 'ON" both ways & 'OFF' in the middle.
I'd be snagging that CL PT before anyone else does if your bank roll will tolerate it.
Time to head for the shop - Holiday means no Day Job,...WAHOO!
Thom

That tilt/trim unit is about 2 hours away so it is local enough to just go pick it up if the price is right. Ill have to check my bank account out first! haha.

Have fun out in the shop.

Evan

BTW, I hate to sound like an idiot but what is DSH? Driveshaft housing?

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

Yes,...DSH = Drive Shaft Housing.
Always ask,...Questions are not dumb,...Answering them when someone doesn't really know the truth is when 'DUMB' enters the picture.
I've had to pull my foot out of my mouth a few times, but really try hard to avoid it.
Thom

Just shot him a brutally lowball offer of $200 for it. It will be worth the almost 4 hour round trip for that price.

Thanks Thom, Ill keep this thread updated as I get around to working on the boat.

Done deal, $200. I am picking it up saturday.

Evan

Thom, I picked the unit up on saturday. It is in GREAT shape, very clean. Seller was very nice. I have had so many good experiences with nice folks from craigslist..

I guess I didn't realize the DSH was part of the newer power trim/tilt units. If I take a bunch of detailed photos of what I have do you think you could take a peek at what I am working with and see if its recognizeable as something that will work?

Should be a fun project, which I will document well enough for anyone to accomplish if I can make it work.

Evan

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

Yes,...Take some pictures and I'll respond with what you'll need to do.
As far as I know (reminding you that I have not completed this process yet but I am 'convinced' it will work) the '86 Mariner 115 donor motor on the CL ad has the right stuff.

Thom

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

RATS,...Well,...NOW I'm not so confident that this little bit of Frankenmerc'g will work.
I dis-assembled a mid'80s Integral Power Trim swivel housing from its DSH and attempted to marry it all up to an early'60s 1000 DSH this evening.
It didn't fit.

The distance between the upper and lower motor mounts appears to be about 3/16" different.
This really doesn't make much sense since I WAS able to marry up a mid'70s swivel housing to the early'60s 1000 DSH and I've been told (by sources that claimed to know) that the late'80s IPT& swivel will retro-fit to the mid'70s DSH.
I've got to study the apparent differences and see what I can do to remedy this, but for now I can't encourage anyone to invest in the pieces required to accomplish this modification.
Grumbling,...The old doctor returned to his Operating Room to try again.
T

[Dr_Frankenmerc]

And,...Not to confuse,...
It is a slam-dunk to install power trim onto the early 1000 IF you are using the mid'70s power trim that has a pump in the hull and (4) hoses going back to the motor where there is a set of hydraulic rams in place of the stock shock absorbers.
The power trim I'm trying to make work on early Mercs is the Integral Power Trim, which has the pump, pump motor, hydraulic rams and everything tucked in between the transom clamps on the aft side of the transom.
Grumble-grumble-grumble,...

Thom

Thom, worst case scenario I flip this setup on ebay this spring and make some money. Keep us updated! Ill go to the dual ram setup worst case scenario!

Evan