1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

[jbailey]

I'm in the process of restoring my dad's 1959 3 HP Evinrude Lightwin. Can anybody tell me what paints will closely match the original blue and white that the engine was painted. Thanks.<br /><br />www.faculty.mcneese.edu/jbailey/lightwin.htm

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Welcome to Iboats, John Bailey!<br /><br />The 3hp engines were great. You can get paint and such here:<br /> http://www.nymarine.ca/

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Hi John,<br /> Looks like you've got a nice little project going there! Make sure you mark the rod caps so that the right cap goes back on the right rod in the right direction. A little LocTite on the rod cap screws in addition to the lock tabs is a good idea,too.<br /> If you feel the need, a brake cylinder hone can be used to clean up those tiny bores and break the glaze.<br /> A new waterpump might be in order, too. They're cheap insurance and readily available (even through iBoats).<br /> Be sure to feed it a steady diet of 24:1 fuel mix using good quality TC-W3 rated oil and mid-grade gas (87 or 89 is fine). <br /> Make sure she pumps a good strong mist of water out of the small grate in the front of the motor leg, just below the clamp brackets. If not, it may have a blockage in the powerhead, which is not uncommon. It looks like your replacement powerhead got hot at some point due to the discolored cylinder head. It may have been caused by the stripped splines. The operator may have lost "drive" and continued to run the motor. With the crankshaft slipping on the driveshaft, it won't pump water, as the pump is on the driveshaft...<br /> Have fun! We look forward to your project updates on your site!<br />- Scott

 

[jbailey]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Thanks Scott.<br /><br />I plan on using Loctite on the rod cap bolts. Unfortunately, I broke a couple of the locking tabs so I'm wondering if the Loctite will be enough. I completely disassembled the powerhead and sandblasted it and all of the water chambers. I also made sure that none of the feed thru passages were blocked. I was careful not to sandblast any of the machined surfaces including the cylinders. I did like you suggested and lightly honed them with a brake cylinder hone. I need a complete powerhead gasket set and plan on stopping by NAPA on the way home from work today and seeing if they can get me one. Again, thanks for the advise.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

John - I think Loctite would hold them fine, but following the principal that better safe than sorry with rod screws, I belive those little tabs are still available from your local Johnson/Evinrude dealer. The P/N is 307578 and they're about $3 each. <br />Also, although NAPA carries the head-gasket, they don't carry any others. I also think that all the gaskets are available individually from the dealer, but not as a set. None are very pricey.<br /><br />FYI - NAPA carries Sierra aftermarket parts. They have their catalog online: J/E section of catalog, click here.<br /><br />Nice start on your restoration! I take it you've found the filter in the gas tank already.

 

[jbailey]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Haven't gotten to the gas tank yet....

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

With the exception of the head gasket, I generally just get out the hole punch and fine-tip sewing scissors and cut my own gaskets. By the time you get down to the marina, talk the parts guy into looking up and finding the 40-year old gaskets - IF they have them, you could have made ten sets... Of course, it helps if your originals are more or less intact to act as templates, particularly on anything that routes water. Some of them can be a little tricky to sort out from the castings alone...<br /> I've assembled some without the washer and never had a problem, but in general I like to put them back together like they were from the factory...<br />- Scott

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

I usually make my own gaskets as well, unless it's just as easy to get factory ones. While making up an order for a bunch of parts for example. <br />But one caveat - it's on your shoulders to make them correctly. I think the worst mistake I ever made making one was for a temporary head gasket for a lighttwin as a matter of fact. I forgot to cut the holes for the coolant and naturally it's head got really hot! It wasn't until I got the proper one that I finally found the problem.<br />I could be mistaken but something tells me Scott is also familiar with that sort of happening. <br />The hollow hole punches they use for leather are handy for large holes or ones that are hard to get at with the regular punch.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Who, me?? Did I ever tell the story about how I practically pulled my arm out of the socket trying to start a little 4hp Johnrude? It would ALMOST start, but wouldn't quite fire off. I had good spark, good fuel, and plenty of compression, but it wouldn't go. It did make an almost audible "squeak" every now and then. I finally tracked it down to the gasket at the base of the exhaust tuner. I had forgotten to cut the center out of it. DOH!! I cut the center out and the motor started on the first pull...<br />- Scott

 

[jbailey]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Getting back to the original topic, I checked with www.nymarine.ca and found that their original color aerosols, by the time you added shipping and handling, cost much more than I would like to spend. So, does anybody know of any Rustoleum, Krylon, Dupli-Color... paints that would closely match the original blue and white of the 1959 Lightwin. Someone suggested Champion blue from NAPA, but apparently that color is no longer available. Thanks.<br /><br />John

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

Hi John,<br /> For most purposes, you can usually take your tank to the auto parts store and find a decent enough match in Duplicolor. As far as an "exact" match, there is no such thing. It's highly unlikely that the colors used on the motors in 1959 all matched,. Say you took a motor off the line from February and compared it to one from August. You'd more than likely see a shade or three of difference. Ever tried to exactly match the paint in your living room, even using the correct swatches? It never seems to be perfect, and the same was the case on the assembly line. As long as you're close, you'll be good to go. I've been a judge at many boat shows, and unless the restorer has obviously painted a blue motor green or something, who am I to say that the color is incorrect. I would find a Duplicolor that is close and go for it... The colors inside the tank rim and in the inner surface of the cowlings and powerhead are likely closer to original and less faded by time and elements. Good luck!<br />- Scott

 

[Xcusme]

Re: 1959 3 HP Lightwin paint colors

John,<br />When I did the restore of a 84' Johnson 6HP, I went to Nappa/CarQuest auto paint department. The fella used his hand scanner to scan for the paint color. I brought him a part of my motor that had the least sun fade. I even brightened up the section to be scanned with buffing compound to get the best match. From the scan info, he mixed a pint of OMNI AE Acrylic Enamel paint to match. I used paint, reducer and paint hardener. A HVLP gun was used to apply the color. <br />Cleaning the parts to be painted is everything. I sprayed the parts with an etching primer before the color. Be careful with the brand of etching primer you get, most brands have a zero sanding window. With those types, you have to sand before you can spray the color. The etching primer I used had a 36 hour painting window (bought it at the same time as the color) and it worked out beautifully.<br /><br />BTW, I too, make my own gaskets.