TOPIC: Will this work?

Howdy folks - been a long time. I hope folks are staying home if they don't have to be on the job. Stay safe.

I have a question about the internal wiring harness. The earlier engines had a squared ledge molded into the connector at the motor pan - this had an aluminum receiver that backed it up and held it in place with 4 screws around each corner of the connector. The later engines used a notch case into the pan and a circular ledge molded into the connector elbow. This was locked into the pan with a little bracket on the inside.

Does anyone know for sure - if the newer type ( with the circular rubber ledge ) can be successfully installed in an older engine that used the square bracket? My hope is that this would work - and that the bracket would engage enough of the circular rubber ledge to lock it into position.

I want to use a newer harness design because the late ones were made using vinyl covered wire. I plan to use this on my '63FGS 700 model. That engine has a rotted harness - and the harness uses the odball pin arangement from those years. I have the control side harness for a 150 and it is like new. The pinout on that is the same on my '64 650 model. I will just mix and match what works. But mainly wanting to know if anyone has put a later harness on an earlier motor as I describe above. Thanks and stay well.

I have cut the bracket and modified it to work.
Make sure you get the wiring correct with your new combo of harnesses. and key setup.

Dave - thanks for the fast reply. What had to be cut? can you give specifics on if the old aluminum retainer worked still = etc. The electrical connections are me least problems at this point, as I do Electronics for my living. But thanks for the heads up. Any mounting details you have will help me. Thanks

If I remember right, the newer ones have a couple more pins in the connecter . When I first installed the 1977 Merc 1150 on my Thompson I used the controls from the 1963 Merc 850 that was on it originally. I used the old connector from the motor end to make it work. I drilled holes to match 2 of the holes on the old plug for the screws and if worked fine. I think the wires that weren't in the connector were for the power trim/tilt. that was wired separately anyway.
Bill

Bruce give me a call
1 914 310 7086
Dave