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OSCO Motors Co. is one of the oldest names in the marine
industry, having started building marine engines in 1932.
The name “OSCO” is derived from the OSCAR SMITH COMPANY. Oscar Smith was
the grandfather of Robertson F. Smith who actually started the company.
History has it that Oscar loaned the seed money to Robertson, so Robertson
named the company after him. The current owner, Tom Cooper, has worked for
OSCO since 1965, and purchased the company in 1995.
In addition to the original marine engines, which were based on Model A
Ford 4 and 8 cylinder engines, OSCO sold conversion kits, which provided
the marine parts for a customer to convert his own engine obtained from
a car or truck. During the 1970’s a full range of conversion kits was offered,
covering every commonly available American car block, and several industrial
diesels.
During their developing years, OSCO was called upon to make production
marine parts for many familiar marine engine companies such as Glastron,
Johnson and Towers, Holman & Moody, American Diesel, Nor’east Ford,
Commander Marine, KAAMA, Universal Motors, ONAN, Kohler, KEM Equipment,
GM Overseas Operations, and others. At the same time OSCO produced and offered
for sale a marine engine line, gas and diesel, from 14 to 180 HP. OSCO Marine
engines were used by Pacemaker, US Coast Guard, Wayfarer, Newporter, Pearson,
Columbia, Chris Craft, in addition to thousands of individual re-power installations
by boat owners.
While busy enough with the above production, OSCO also manufactured
an extensive line of hydraulic powered fishing deck machinery such as
crab and lobster trap haulers, net takers, capstans and almost anything
fishing related that could be turned hydraulically.
In the late 1960’s, OSCO purchased the SEAMASTER Marine Engine Co.
and added to their existing product line a Seamaster "300" six cylinder
gasoline engine, and two V8 gasoline models based on the 534 cu. In.
Ford industrial engine. The most powerful Seamaster model boasted twin
turbo chargers and inter-cooling way back in the early 1970’s.
Due to difficulties in obtaining base engines, OSCO discontinued their
engine product line in 1983 and began the production of after-market
manifolds in earnest.
Switching from earlier conversion type manifolds to after-market style
manifolds required virtually all-new tooling. From the mid 1980’s OSCO’s
in-house pattern shop facility has built the required patterns, and
working with only the best American foundries continues to produce large
volumes of marine manifolds and risers that have become the quality
standard of the industry for the broadest range of Original Equipment
Engines.
In 1990, OSCO began marketing their product to the large volume marine
distributors, and today is recognized as the leader in quality, 100%
built in the USA, manifolds, risers and accessory parts. OSCO manifolds
and parts are available throughout the boating world through distributors,
local marinas, marine engine repair shops, and the Internet.
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