50 & 60hp parts interchangability?

[mfgniagara]

I was given the remains of a blown up 1981 20" shaft 60hp Johnson twin cylinder. The power head is toast, broken rod and busted up block, crank, and head.
I have the chance to buy a 1990 parts motor that runs great but it's a short shaft and needs the tilt ram assembly replaced which is why the motor was deemed parts. ($1500 to fix tilt ram). The motor has very low hours, has 151psi on both cylinders and other than the torch cut tilt assist ram, the rest of the motor could pass for new. Is there any parts on the 1990 that will work on the 1981 60hp mid and lower? I can see that the engine bracket is different, but the rest looks pretty much the same. Will the 1990 power head fit the 1981 mid and lower? Is there any solution to fix the 1990 without spending so much to fix the tilt?
Other than being a 15' shaft and the tilt ram problem, the '90 50hp is perfect.
The tilt ram was removed with a torch or saw, they cut the top ram off and left the round end and shaft, and they removed the rest of the unit. It's a shame because I'd venture to guess that the motor probably never saw any use.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 50 & 60hp parts interchangability?

no. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=359907

 

[mfgniagara]

Re: 50 & 60hp parts interchangability?

How about just changing the newer power head over to the older mid and lower?
The crank, block and mounting points are all the same?
It looks like they changed the cylinder head and the pan mounts but if I use the later pan, will it work? (I got the running 50 short shaft for $50, so if nothing else I'll part it out).
It looks to me like the two power head will interchange if I use all the later parts? The cylinder head, thermostat style, and pan are new part numbers but it looks like they did away with the huge case on ears in favor of steel 'L' brackets and mounts next to the cylinder head. The drive shaft spline is the same, the motor to mid gaskets are the same, and the hood is the same.

I see the different diameter in the lower unit, the bearing housing area is bigger by about 1/4".

 

[Haffiman]

Re: 50 & 60hp parts interchangability?

Did a similar power head swap quite some years back.
Older 50 (first VRO) with a powerhead from the newer leg/gearcase model.
As far as I remember, just some 'minor' modifications to make the shift/throttle linkage work.
Just a bit of cutting and drilling (free-hand).

 

[mfgniagara]

Re: 50 & 60hp parts interchangability?

That's about what it's looking like here, I see right away that the cylinder head end mounts are different, but the motor bolts right to the exhaust housing. The shifter end looks fine too. I'm basically taking the whole pan and power head and planting it atop an mid 80's exhaust housing and lower unit assembly. I'll off the lower unit or just save it in case I run across a later motor that needs one. Either way I'd have to convert it to a long shaft first.

I was just worried about it having been a matter of the exhaust tube not fitting or something. This looks fairly easy to me.