Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

Hell ya that would be hillarious:D:D:D
 
J

Jeep Man

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

Anything is possible, and some are practical. Then again, some aren't. A friend built a walk behind snowblower using a 350 Chevy motor to power it. It's the only blower I've seen that can throw snow 200ft.
 
Mas

Mas

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

When I was a kid, I went to an air show where there was a display of radio controlled airplanes that were demonstrated. Pretty cool for a kid, but the most memorable was this RC lawnmower...that actually flew. The "handle" was engineered to act as a tail section and had an airfoil cross-section. Of course, it no longer cut grass and the motor was used to drive a propeller. Certainly, all the metal decking was traded for wood-worked balsa deck to create lift etc. Where am I going with all this, I do not know, but this post conjured up a long lost memory.

If you can make the 85 HP Johnson "fly" with the mower engine, then I think you have something. Especially if you like all the second glances and envious snickers at the boat ramp.

Otherwise, put an add on craigslist for trading your 85 hp 'son for decent 10ish hp kicker. If you're bent on the mower engine, than maybe you could specify in your add "Trade for an Eska."

I admire your imagination and willingness to innovate. But if you're asking if you'll be money and time ahead...then no is the answer. A simple trade will solve your need. There are plenty out there that would make such a trade.

Mas
 
UGLandrum

UGLandrum

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

Jeep Man said:
Anything is possible, and some are practical. Then again, some aren't. A friend built a walk behind snowblower using a 350 Chevy motor to power it. It's the only blower I've seen that can throw snow 200ft.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of that movie with Randy Quaid, can't remember the name, where he had a small block on a super lawn mower I think, lol!

Well you guys are certainly entertaining, I have looked at all the angles here. I will just find a small outboard, if it runs good, I will keep that motor on it and if it doesn't and is not ethical to repair and the LU looks good I will slap my 12 hp Briggs on it. Also use that small OB to power a 8'-12' aluminum Jon boat. I really want to build a 20' Pacific Power Dory and put a 350 in it.

But on to my main point, I got all six bolts out of the LU of my Johnny 85 and it will part up to about a half inch on the rear and none on the front, I tried shifting the motor into F, R, and N, also while spinning the motor with the starter. (with the heads pulled off) I think this model might be a seahorse, I thought that all seahorses had that geometrically shaped horse decal or is that just Johnson's logo?
 
UGLandrum

UGLandrum

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

I almost forgot, I have an old 6 speed trans-axle lawn mower. I thought of getting a Jonboat and mounting it in there, the speed lever is an infinite type not a clicker. I ran the mower on blocks and held one wheel still with no effort and the other when full speed, if I could immobilize one shaft, and put a "gear reduction" setup on the other it could work. Just 3 levers to control it, F-N-R, throttle, and speed selection. But after all that ciphering, I thought, I don't need all that crap taking up space in the boat, it would be easy enough to build a custom shaft, shaft housing, with flange mounts on each end, and have that housing slide into a "cuff" so I could turn it backwards for reverse. I could find an angle drive with a built in case for oil and mount it on the other end of the drive shaft housing. With a welding machine, cutting torch, grinder and small drill press it would be a simple build for me, and I would get great satisfaction and gratification out of the build. Yea I think I will do that, I will post simple designs soon.
 
1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

Well UGLandrum your inventiveness I believe will add lots of lustre to this forum. I hope that nobody has said or done anything to give you a bad impression of the forum. I like hearing about the wild imaginations that people have and the things they create with it. Whatever it is you come up with, keep us posted. And yes...post pics. Sometimes seeing something different, other than the usual may be what it takes to make things interesting. Truthfully, I think Junk Yard Wars can give one some cool ideas in their inventiveness:D:D:D
 
UGLandrum

UGLandrum

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

1946Zephyr said:
Well UGLandrum your inventiveness I believe will add lots of luster to this forum. I hope that nobody has said or done anything to give you a bad impression of the forum. I like hearing about the wild imaginations that people have and the things they create with it. Whatever it is you come up with, keep us posted. And yes...post pics. Sometimes seeing something different, other than the usual may be what it takes to make things interesting. Truthfully, I think Junk Yard Wars can give one some cool ideas in their inventiveness:D:D:D
Click to expand...


Thank you very much for the compliment, and no one has said anything to give me any negative thought about them or the forum. I realize lots of folks don't think like me, and most of my ideas have been ridiculed and negatively criticized for years on other forums, YouTube, by colleagues and family. I am used to it and do not get angry anymore about it. But don't get me wrong, I do not expect that here, and if I do get it here, oh well, the world will keep spinning, lol. Live and let live, A?

You all that have read through this thread, check out this one...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2502572#post2502572
 
1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

I have an old lawn edger sitting under my deck. I'm going to take the old 2hp Briggs and Stratton off of it and throw the rest away. I'll take the engine and built me a 12 volt generator with it to use for charging car batteries. All I need is a small alternator and wire it up. It'll charge a battery in about 20 minutes, instead of waiting all night with an electrical battery charger.:D:D
 
Mas

Mas

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

Be careful not to boil your battery and warp the plates...trickle charge is the best!

Mas
 
1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

well, I plan on setting it up to where it'll be like a car charging it up. I'll have the voltage regulator too.:cool:
 
R

rjezuit

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Re: Crazy idea... lawn mower motor in a Johnny OB?

I built a charger out of an AC Delco 12SI and a 5HP Briggs. Can change the field excitation with a pot and vary the amperage put into the batteries. Works much better than a trickle charger running off of an Ac generator like I used to do. Rick
 
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