1941 Mercury KB3 “Paint Scheme” ?
- This topic has 29 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 1 week ago by
.
Currently, there are 0 users and 1 guest visiting this topic.
-
If convenient , could you take and post photos of front area of lower half of fuel tan and also of area where cowl (carburetor cover) fastens to cylinder, That could give some more information about your KB-3 Thanks Louis
Louis, I’ll try to remember to take a better photo of the front, lower gas tank area.
Here’s the powerhead though, and what I presume to be a cowl mount on
one side.On a side note, I was gifted a KB1A Mercury today, and in looking at the model list,
it looks like it’s also a 1941, but it the Tillotson carb, and no rewind…… no cowls either,
but at this point, not sure it’s suppose to have them.
Confused at this point what the differences are suppose to be in the 3.2 hp Models in 1941.
Prepare to be boarded!
KB-1A was the Standard model,,, no frills
KB-3 was the Deluxe model rewind, cowl, spark plug cover and the rubber wedge between tank and spark plug cover,
Early in 1941 production there was a KB-1 single with poppet valve, KB-1A had carburetor with cam on magneto plate linking spark advance to throttle opening. KB-1, KB-1A were intended to have the PreWar pattern cast aluminum fuel tanks. By mid summer 1941, restrictions on use of aluminum led to KB-1 model being dropped and KB-A to change to a new pattern stamped steel fuel tank,
KB-2 Streamline model has steel sheet metal cowling is uncommon and even more so if all the sheet metal is present.
Your KB-3 has the correct 4 stud fuel tanl and has the hex mounting studs SO I believe it had the extras when it left the factory. A possible explanation for the RED paint is to make it stand our…LOTS outboards were stolen and Mercury provided stolen motors lists to its dealers in hopes that all motors brought in for service would have its serial numbers would be checked, It is not uncommon to see a deep scratch on an ID plate obscuring the serial numbers. Boat livery might also give their outboards a stand out color to keep the customer honest. It appears that front mounting studs have non original spacers or fasteners. The standard of workmanship outside factory varied…missing, butchered or wrong fasteners indicate low level of skill by mechanic .
What would I do with your KB-1A and KB-3? My usual method is to tear down, clean, evaluate condition of parts, prime, paint and assemble what you have and keep looking for cown, spark plug cover and the rubber wedge. Correct fasteners may not be available, but, there is not much easier than replacing fasteners. I do things this way, because there is not much more depressing that a grungy down on its luck Little Merc. Likewise, a freshly painted and assembled Little Merc is a very compelling reason to find the parts and finish the job. About 80% of job is tear down and cleaning, prime and paint. The rest is FUN. Louis
Louis, thanks for your “in depth” synopsis of these little Mercs.
I’m saving it to my Merc files for reference.I’m not sure what the “rubber wedge” is that you refer to.
Will see if any such thing appears in parts manuals.I do have a plug cover that fits. Whether or not it’s correct
as it came off of a stripped down parts motor, no ID tag,
but it had the reed valve block as opposed to my poppet valve
motor with no reeds.I’ll be on the look-out for cowls, but presume they’re
not many around.
Thanks!Prepare to be boarded!
The rubber wedge fills the space between bottom of tank and top of spark plug cover. I believe they are being reproduced.
KB-1 was entry level Special, KB-1A was Standard and KB-3 Was top of line Deluxe. KB-3 had two screw transom clamp while the Special and Standard models had the single screw fabricated steel transom clamp.
Photos show 1940 and a 1941 single powerhead
Front view of KB-3
Top and front view of a KB-1A with a mixed tan… top of rewind KB-3 and bottom from a KB-1A which does not have the chin because it las a rope start without cowl. Possibly factory mix, but, I picked it up as parts.
Trying to figure out what model one has, if the two halves of the gas tank are
from different models, could cause one to start drinking!Interesting from the Mercury chart above, that my KB-3 is shown just as “Single”
and the KB-1A is shown as “Deluxe Single”.
The later has a single transom clamp, no rewind, no cowls.
the prior should have all of those amenities.Bob Grubb’s web site seems to suggest that the later model was a “deluxe”
because it had the conventional carburetor, and the prior only had
the poppet valve carb. Not sure if I buy that, but I know zilch on the subject!Prepare to be boarded!
Sometimes my honestly held opinions do now hold water when confronted by the facts.
That said, it seems to me the bare bones KB-1 is the Special, the carburetor equipped KB-1A is likely the Standard and the fully dressed up KB-3 would be the Deluxe. That may or may not be how Kiekhaefer saw things.
Louis
Sometimes my honestly held opinions do now hold water when confronted by the facts.
That said, it seems to me the bare bones KB-1 is the Special, the carburetor equipped KB-1A is likely the Standard and the fully dressed up KB-3 would be the Deluxe. That may or may not be how Kiekhaefer saw things.
Louis
Louis, your opinions on the model designations make sense to me!
Prepare to be boarded!
Louis, is this the rubber wedge you refer to that goes between the gas tank and spark plug cover?
The diagram is for a KD3 model, and I can’t find the corresponding parts ID sheet for it’s part number.
Prepare to be boarded!
The most useful tool in my tool box… a digital camera.
Note the plumbing fitting have been removed from water jacket Both spark plug covers are for the lower cylinder of a twin cylinder model. The spark plug cover for the upper cylinder of a twin and for single cylinder models is cut away to provide room tor the plumbing fitting. It may be possible to convert by careful work with a Dremel tool. Perhaps , s subject for a future project as Slipshod Engineering & Maching.
Louis, a “Picture is worth 999 words”. Thanks, rubber block is
now visualized!Prepare to be boarded!
Thanks for the ad Scott…… wish I had those cowlings!
Prepare to be boarded!
Cowls for single cylinder models are fragile castings. I believe a club member was making semi finished replacements at one time and perhaps still available. I hav
Cowls for twins are very durable and not that hard to find id n9nuaveot with motor.
I have 5 or 6 singles and one broken cowl. I also have 5 or 6 twins all wit6h cowls, undamaged except for a few extra holes. May indicate relative scarcity and reason for it.
Louis
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.