I am looking at buying a Powermatic 12 Wizard. What year would it be to use the old pressurized tank (with the three prong fitting)? I am waiting to hear back on model #. Thanks for any info.

Wizard tech info (on this site) shows Powermatic 12 to be a 1956...(Mr. Hunn's book shows a Powermatic 15
but that is a 1957 model from Oliver
You will need to clear things up with the model
number on id plate...advertising copy featured
model name not model number as that sold motors
better I guess.
Not sure if this is a two line pressurized tank or a single line with pump...line fittings probably unique to Wizard...
hoses and primer bulbs easily found...not so end fittings.
Perhaps the picture section could be helpful...the
tanks shown there all seem to be single line.
1956/57 pretty late in game as far as Kiekhaefer
Western Auto relationship so it is likely a single
line set up.

It's a 54 with the special fitting, model WK7. As Louis states the fittings are hard to come by if it doesn't have one. However you can probably change it to a fuel pump and replace the fitting with the newer style - this is what they do to some of the old Mercurys Mark 15 & 20. Powerhead is similar to a Mark 20.

Yep- I think Louis is right ... by about '55 I think the Mercs were all full-pump equipped, if I am not mistaken. If for some reason it is a pressure set-up, they use a odd looking fitting that is really hard to find and pricey when you do. I use it on my Mark 20, although I disconnected the air line since I converted to motor over to fuel pump. My Merc pressure tank angers me ...

JP

In reviewing the information I see there were several
Powermatic 12 on the listing I did not look at...shame on me. However I notice first Kiekhaefer
made Wizards were 1941 models...I don't know if
that is correct...I had "assumed" that 1940 was first
year...Mr. Hunn (page 155 3rd ed) implies Wizard-Kiekhaefer relationship began in 1946 which is an
obviously error.
Book "Iron Fist" indicates Kiekhaefer had
orders for a total of 32,000 outboards from Montgomery Ward and Western Auto in January 1940
and was introducing the Mercury brand that month
at New York boat show...it would seem probable that
Kiekhaefer made all three brands in 1940.
Point of all this is even well researched reliable
sources may contain errors...and yours truly has
muddied the waters at times.
Louis
Bendix site has a letter from Distributor to a dealer
inviting him to become a Mercury Dealer due to demise
of Bendix brand...dated early 1940...worth looking at
series of letters to get taste of what it was like
to be a small outboard dealer.