Here's the whole story about the drive timeline and all. I was fortunate enough to have a one on one interview with Fred Kiekhaefer a couple of years ago and asked some probing questions...about the outdrive.
I feel that this article was my finest moment as a writer for the deceased Extreme Boats Magazine. I hope you enjoy it.
PS - This article was APPROVED by Mercury Racing prior to it being published. It's 100% accurate.