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Mercury Thunderbolt 500 50hp YEAR OF MFTR? serial# A130682 MANY PHOTOS

T

tadpool

New member
I have a outboard with an odd serial number that I got with a recent boat purchase.
Using online sources for year of manufacture I cant seem to find a match.
Wanted to know if this outboard was a good investment to get it running.

Mercury 500 thunderbolt 50hp serial # A130682 4 cylinder, 2-stroke. Engine turns over, previous owner said 'carbs need attention.'

The lower unit decal is a different color than the covering of the powerhead. The lower is orange & white, while the upper is blue & white. Could a different year lower be mounted to to a different year upper? This engine has a rope starter, cable operated steering. Provisions for a starter but flywheel is lacking the ring gear. the starter has round mount on top, but the bottom has two threaded holes. I posted photos in a different thread ...

PHOTOS HERE (scroll down to the bottom)
http://www.marineengine.com/boat-forum/showthread.php?435200-Year-of-50-hp-Mercury-outboard

Thank you.
 
I see you live near Lake Oroville, CA... Your town sure has made a place on the news map lately.:eek: With all that water, boating should be a bit funner this year.:cool:
 
That's why I bought a bigger boat, and while the price of boats is still low. Lake Oroville (reservoir) has a lot of history buried under the water. It was originally the Feather River, and was dammed up in 1968, Ronald Reagan was governor of CA at that time. I'm two miles from the free boat launch. Much thanks for your help. Especially when I buy correct parts. I want to convert to electric start and I need the correct flywheel with ring gear.
 
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BTW: the news media "spun" it that Lake Oroville Dam was failing, but in fact only the Flood Control Spillway failed*. The dam was never in any danger. The powers-that-be allowed the excess water to flow uncontrolled over an Auxiliary Emergency Spillway (which it has never done in 48 years) and created a huge problem with cutting back the soil to the Auxiliary Emergency Spillway, they sent out an evacuation order. *$200,000,000.00 to rebuild just the Spillway and they want to pass a State-wide tax to pay for everything forever. Current Gov. Jerry Brown's father, Edmund Brown set off the first dynamite charge at the inaugural Oroville Dam in 1961 I think. Karma.
 
tadpool said:
The news media "spun" it that Lake Oroville Dam was failing, but in fact only the Flood Control Spillway failed*. The dam was never in any danger.
Click to expand...
Gotcha with the "Spun" now known as Fake News with the new president onboard plus with the Jerry Brown's father, Edmund Brown and Karma thing also thanks for the history report from up there in the Norcal area as I'm just down below you in the Socal area.;).. Take care.:)
 
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