There's was/is nothing about the pushbutton switches/wiring build-quality that causes them to be inherently less reliable than the single-lever version. I was simply pointing out "ergonomic or human factors" issues with how people prefer to use them. I have no proof, but I wouldn't be surprised if OMC felt pressured from potential liability from prop injury/death lawsuits, to consider dropping the push-button style shifter?
I believe that over the life span of the 'pure' electric shift lower units including both sterndrives and outboards OMC preferred the single-lever over the push-button style. They offered the "binnacle" style mount shifter only in the single lever, for example. I'm not sure if and when Evinrude outboards dropped the push-buttons, but it was probably in the mid-seventies, perhaps later.
On the subject of the 64-65 90hp Starflite's lower unit; in 66-67-the upped the rating to 100 hp and began using the more robust lower unit "borrowed" from the 120-210hp stern drive. These came with an unusual 12-inch diameter with 16-inch pitch or they could run the more typical 14-inch diameter props. Then in 1969 they switched the big outboards over to the thru-hub exhaust lower unit on the outboards which used the hydro-electric shifter that would default to forward gear. These became the basis for the 400/800 stringers sterndrives made from 1978-1985, which all used the single-lever shifter.
Lee
----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn Halweg
To: omc-boats@...
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 9:35 PM
Subject: [omc-boats] shifting
For what it's worth and correct me if I'm wrong push button became obsolete 30 yrs ago.
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Received on Friday, 28 October 2005
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