The "mid" if you want to call it that , is a "one off" that was machined from a solid block. And the "pan" is just a sheet metal wrap . It was only a test ... LOL


I think a reliable 400 hp Mercury two stroke is a very doable thing ... ya just gotta hang out with the right OMC guy ... :

[QUOTE=TubeCarz;4258878]I think a reliable 400 hp Mercury two stroke is a very doable thing ... ya just gotta hang out with the right OMC guy ... :

Ouch, that hurt!

Sometimes the truth hurts ...
The 3.0/3.2 looks more like a 235 omc than a 2.5 ... don't it ?
Then it only makes sense to do what they do , ya ain't never gonna get your opti to spin 9500 ..

I was not talking about the motor in Dubai but the mid section for the teaser ad from Mercury. It looks exactly like my 300x.
There are guys out there with modified 300x motors making close to 400hp already. Definitely doable.
OMC V8's are heavy and their clamp brackets are weak. May work for tunnel boats but not for an offshore cat.
I'll take my chances with my x motors any day LOL

we need a manufacture other than merc to step up and compete in offshore racing but there just is not enough $$$ to be made doing it I suppose, other wise we'd have what we all want and that's some light high horsepower outboards. the money is in the fishing industry. that's the bulk of the sale's for Outboards I'd bet...from flats, bass boats to big offshore CC's.

Just hang in there brother

You are right my friend!!!
Saw a 400hp today. Nothing special pretty much as I said. Reworked 350hp motor. New lower unit like a sportmaster on steriods. Definitely 700lbs. Did not see the cowling as it was covered up.
Better get ready to add a 3rd 300xs!!!!!!

It would be cool is someone like ilmor would take the yamaha SHO fourstroke and do a few upgrades and put a good low water pickup lower unit on it. The yamaha is a 4.2 liter 4 stroke v6 and can make 300 hp with just a tune and the best part is it weighs in right at 500 lbs. I would think ilmor could do some work to the heads, cams and get 350 hp out of the motor. Using what they learned from building the indy drive I would also think they could come up with a great lower unit. Yes it is a pipe dream and would cost a lot but it would really take offshore outboard cats to the next level.

I have one on the bay boat. runs great... but I didn't realize it was that light. so what's why are they so light?

My bad , I skipped completely over the Mercury add stuff ... I didn't need to look to see that there is nothing there for me. However I did just go back and looked . Yes , looks like an X mid , maybe a little skinnier at the bottom and and fatter at the top . Dark , doctored up pictures .. who knows

My reference to needing a good OMC guy to make a 3.0/3.2 liter Mercury make any significant strides in seeing an honest 400 hp is based on :

Most Merc hot rod guys are 2.5 based and look at the 3.0 the way everyone looks at the 4 strokes.

3.0 Merc's have a cast in closed ex log. Same thing the OMC guys been fightin for years.

For their size , both have poor transfer ports .

To mask those deficits , the OMC guys have went extremely large on the bore size . The piston and rod in the picture I posted is out of a 300x The sleeve it's resting in ... well it has kinship to OMC and 300x