Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

[P51D]

I've read some things about a "Force L-Drive" (didn't see many positive comments). I'm really curious as to what it is, what it looks like, and why it was an apparently bad design. I used the search feature here, but with little luck; it doesn't like "L" since it wants at least three letters, and when I used "L-Drive" it didn't do much better. Anyway, if anyone has any pictures or diagrams they can post, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Not to change subject P51D but that's where the phrase "the whole nine yards" came from. Ammo belts in the Mustang and most other WWII fighters were 27 feet long. When a pilot got into a hot dogfight and used all his ammo he "went the whole nine yards."

I'm just a fountain of useless knowledge. Sometimes I even amaze myself. LOL

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

try doing an advanced search and select force/ chrysler forum and search titles only and do force drive

 

[roscoe]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Its a cheap version of an i/o.

Used a 2 cycle outboard powerhead, mounted inside the boat like an inboard, but with a vertical crankshaft.

Used an outboard lower unit.

Had a linkage that connected the powerhead to the lower unit.

Might not have been such a bad idea, but was designed poorly, and was based on a troublesome powerhead - prone to ignition and overheating problems.

Also was usually under powered, not enough hp for the size boat they put them in.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

I would have to disagree with the underpowered statement.

Bayliner/Maxum built quite a number of 18 and 19 ft runabouts, both cuddy and open bow models using the 120hp Force L-drive.

The power to weight ratio of these craft made them run pretty smart.

The early Force ignition was problematic, I've wondered 'what if' they had waited to bring that unit out with the later merc ignitions?

 

[P51D]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Frank - that's not useless knowledge, that's interesting history. With six .50 cal, I guess they could go through 54 yds., eh?

Euro - thanks for the search tip.

Roscoe & CharlieB - with the vertical crank, did the drive shaft go vertically through the hull, then straight to a lower unit, sort of like an azipod? Or were there yet another two bends in the drive train?

Put another way, from the outside, did it look pretty much like any other I/O, or was the lower unit located under the keel, vice coming out of the transom? I'll try Euro's search tip to find a diagram.

Thanks to all.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Looked like an i/o.

Edited: Vertical crank, drive shaft thru a horizontal section of the transom, connected to a lower unit.

Photo:

http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/marine_classifieds/view_photos.cgi?ad_id=285554&img=3&count=1

 

[P51D]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Thanks for the pix and clearing it up, Roscoe. P51D

 

[contractorguy]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Close.... but the shaft goes through the hull vertically. When it's trimmed all the way down, it's basically an outboard that the lower unit swivels to turn. The power head is the same as the force outboard (no difference), as is the lower unit (they will interchange). The difference is the stuff in between. (U-joint shaft for tilting, transom housing, etc.)

I'll try to get some pics of mine to post....

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Have one sitting at my shop for over a year. He crushed/kinked the water hose when he hit a log, kept running it til it heated and seized, toasted a rod and crank journal. I've know a crank guy in the NW so it's not a problem to rebuild, the kid just can't afford me (yet), I may own the boat pretty soon.
18' Maxum bowrider 120 Force L-drive, not worth much more than the 'neat' factor. But it'll smoke any 120/140 merc/OMC built!

What do I need with another boat?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Looked like an i/o.

Vertical crank, horizontal shaft thru the transom, connected to a lower unit.

Photo:

http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/marine_classifieds/view_photos.cgi?ad_id=285554&img=3&count=1

Thus "L-drive"

 

[steelespike]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Close.... but the shaft goes through the hull vertically. When it's trimmed all the way down, it's basically an outboard that the lower unit swivels to turn. The power head is the same as the force outboard (no difference), as is the lower unit (they will interchange). The difference is the stuff in between. (U-joint shaft for tilting, transom housing, etc.)

I'll try to get some pics of mine to post....

If it went through the hull vertically wouldn't it come through the deck or bottom not the transom?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

I'm still not sure about this.
Back in the day, when I saw the l-drives in person, I didn't pay much attention.

The ones That I saw, had a weird stepped hull/transom design.
I know they didn't come thru the very bottom of the hull, but I guess they did actually go vertically thru the step in the transom.

 

[contractorguy]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

If it went through the hull vertically wouldn't it come through the deck or bottom not the transom?

Yup... It's a recessed flat area.

It's a one of kind hull for that drive. I'll get a pic up

 

[contractorguy]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Here's some pics of the elusive and rare L-Drive... I captured this subject in their natural habitat...the shop! Crikey!

 

[uaw9fan]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

I have heard them being referred to as the "duck billed platypus" of the marine industry.

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

Well, the notorious L-Drive, early in the summer, I had one, it lasted about a week, here's the thread on it http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=209894

 

[steelespike]

Re: Any Pictures of a Force L-Drive?

OMC did a pretty well designed I/O using a 88 hp power head in the 60s.
Available as an Evinrude or Johnson in an Evinrude or Johnson hull.
Also available in an outboard.I wonder who did the hulls for them?
There is a web site with a pretty good following.