Rootes Marine Outboard Models + Manuals

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Chris Craft / Oliver / Perkins / Rootes Marine Outboard Identification

Outboard brand names through ownership and production changes:

• Chris Craft Marine (Challenger and Commander) 1949-1953
  • 1954 Rootes Marine agrees to sell outboards sector to Oliver
• Oliver (J-Challenger, K-Commander, B-Olympus) 1955-1960
  • 1959 Oliver agrees to sell outboard sector to Perkins
• Perkins (1959-1961 = 6, 16, 35, 40 hp) (1962-1964 = 4.5, 6.5, 18, 30, 40 hp)
• 1962 Perkins agrees to sell outboard sector to Rootes Marine
• Rootes Marine (1962-1964 = 4.5, 6.5, 18, 30, 40 hp)
  • 1964 Rootes agrees to sell outboard sector to British Anzani
• Bitish Anzani 1964-1967

Rootes Marine Outboards 1962-1964: 4.5hp, 6.5hp, 18hp 30hp, 40hp

The Rootes Group is a well established company that owned several businesses. In the early 1960's, Rootes ventured into the outboard market by sourcing motors which were originally U.S Oliver outboard designs that were now produced in the U.K by Perkins. Many parts for Rootes outboard motors can be sourced from Perkins outboards - since British Anzani - "the last owner of these Oliver designs and production" ended outboard motor manufacturing in 1967. More info here fiberglassics.com/library/

Oliver outboards were dependable motors, but to compete with the higher horsepower models from Mercury, Johnson and Evinrude, they formed an agreement with Perkins LTD of England in 1959 to manufacture their range of outboards in the UK. Perkins soon after purchased the American designs which were technically more advanced than their British counterparts, and at the time US supplied engines carried a heavy UK import duty so the British-made versions could be sold up to 40% cheaper than the American-made originals. Both Oliver and Perkins outboards were produced for a few years with the Oliver brand being discontinued in the U.S. as of May 1960.

Variations of the Perkins/Oliver motors show up in Europe under a host of different brand names (i.e. Perkins, Franchi, Rootes) as Perkins continued manufacturing outboards thru the early 1960's. In 1962 Perkins began supplying these outboards to the Rootes car making group of companies (Sunbeam, Humber, Hillman etc.) who began selling them through their car dealerships with the Rootes nameplate. However, marketing confusion with car salesmen and their service department who were unfamiliar with outboards brought about another short term tenure.

In 1964 British Anzani bought the parts, jigs, tools and Oliver/Perkins design rights including the remnants of the original Chris-Craft/Oliver marquee from the Rootes Group. From there outboard production dwindled until in 1967 British Anzani ceased all outboard production.

Rootes outboards were original Oliver designs, modified and produced by Perkins in the UK.

Rootes Marine Outboard Boat Motor Resources

• Chris Craft/Oliver/Perkins/Rootes Marine Outboard Parts - on ebay
• Chris Craft/Oliver/Perkins/Rootes Outboard History
• Perkins Outboard Group on Facebook

Rootes Marine Outboard Manual Directory

Rootes Marine Outboard Motor Manual Listings

Unlinked manuals unavailable - submit a copy for credit: contact us

Owner Operating Instructions / Parts Lists

"Sorted by Year" | HP = Horsepower | Model # | Manual ID | Manual Type

Year	HP	Model #	$ USD	Manual ID	Notes	Manual Type
	4.5			rootes4.5ogoi		Owner Guide
1962 1963	6.5			rootes6.5pq1	Short Shaft	Parts List
					Long Shaft
1962 thru 1964	6.5		$5.98	6.5, 18, 30, 40hp rootes6.5-40og	incomplete - missing some pages	Operator Owner Guide 57 pages pdf
	18
	30
	40
1962 1963	18			rootes18pr1	Manual Start Short Shaft	Parts List
					Electric Start Short Shaft
					Manual Start Long Shaft
					Electric Start Long Shaft
1963	30			rootes30pt1	Manual Start Short Shaft	Parts List
					Electric Start Short Shaft
					Manual Start Long Shaft
					Electric Start Long Shaft
1963	30			De Luxe rootes30pt1	Manual Start Short Shaft	Parts List
					Electric Start Short Shaft
					Manual Start Long Shaft
					Electric Start Long Shaft
1962	40			rootes40	Manual Start Short Shaft	Parts List
					Electric Start Short Shaft
					Manual Start Long Shaft
					Electric Start Long Shaft
1963	30		$	rootes40pl	De Luxe E.	Parts List
1962	40				Manual and Electric Start
1963	40
1954 Oliver Purchases Chris Craft Outboard Business - Oliver page 1960 Perkins Purchases Oliver Outboard Business - Perkins page 1962 Rootes Purchases Perkins Outboard Business - Rootes page 1964 British Anzani Purchases Rootes Outboard Business