Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

[jay_merrill]

Here's one for the "head scratching dept." The photos below are of a motor that a guy is trying to sell on CL, in my area. He thinks its an '82 model, which it isn't, because Johnson didn't make a 6hp in 1982.

I think the powerhead and cowl pieces are from a '77 or '78. What is up for question, is the rest of the motor. The gearcase has a rounded cavitation plate, which suggests a '65, 6hp or even an older 5.5hp. When looked at from the front, the tiller handle suggests a '59, 5.5hp (see the cuff on the tiller).

About a year ago or so, we had a long discussion about the recoil system in the old gearcases and differences in driveshafts, as they apply to putting the old gearboxes on a newer motor.

What I am guessing, is that this entire motor is a '59 5.5, that has had a '77 or '78 powerhead and cowl pieces pasted on it. Am I right? Would the driveshaft fit in the newer powerhead?

What say you, sage experts of "ancient OMC aluminum?"

???

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Well Jay, i just put a 1959 15hp lower unit on an early 70's 25 hp. they like to mass produce parts and use them on everything. kept cost down.

 

[F_R]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Well Jay, i just put a 1959 15hp lower unit on an early 70's 25 hp. they like to mass produce parts and use them on everything. kept cost down.

Yep, I'd say it is a collection of parts. It does look like a 1960 5.5 bottom with a newer 6hp powerhead and cowling. Hey, whatever works.

BTW, sure they made a 6hp all the way up through the 1970s-'80's-'90s. A 1982 would be model number 6RCN or 6BFCN

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

OK, I went with "no '82," because neither shop.evinrude.com or marineengine.com lists an '82 6hp.

When we were discussing this from the persepective of the other end of the driveshaft, we talked about different driveshaft diameters, so that's what got me curious. I just found the thread and we had been discussing the .437 diameter drive shaft in the motors with a shock absorber, v. the .550 diameter driveshafts, in the ones without a shock absorber.

I guess the upper end of the two shafts is the same, though.



???

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

I was just looking at the pics again - the gearshift handle is the same as used on a '59 - '61 Johnson 5.5 hp too, so I'd say this guy definately has a newr powerhead pasted on an old 5.5 motor.



???

 

[F_R]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

I was just looking at the pics again - the gearshift handle is the same as used on a '59 - '61 Johnson 5.5 hp too, so I'd say this guy definately has a newr powerhead pasted on an old 5.5 motor.



???

Yeah, I saw that shift lever too. Looks a little out of place, doesn't it? It was made to clear the old pressure cooker hood.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

This guy must have heard me, when I brought the idea of making a Frankenstien motor. I think it would have been cool to make each part a different color for the years of parts he's using.

1979 is the last year they show a 6hp, but they came back in 1984. My guess they were completely redesigned to look like the 7.5's they had breifly in the early 80's I seem to recall seeing a 6hp that looked identical to my 1983 7.5hp.

That lower unit definately looks 1957 to me. Rounded cavitation plates was the norm back then.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

I know what you mean about blending parts from different motors. I have all the pieces of a '56 Johnson 5.5 hp motor, but I don't want to deal with a pressure tank, so I want a fuel pump on it.

The check valve conversion, with a Mikuni fuel pump, seems simple enough to do, but I'm also considering a 6 hp powerhead for it. The threaded boss for the rear recoil starter mount,is present on the 6hp powerhead, but I would have to swap the 5.5 hp intake manifold for the one that is on the 6 hp. I'm not sure if the swap is do-able, but it lookes like it would be.



???

 

[AzogNewOrleans]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

I just got back with the above motor. Purchased it to take stepson out fishing in my flatboat. I need info, even if it is parted together it was all I could afford. Model number on swivel mount is CD = 16. What other info could I post to get help with what Fuel mixture, prop info, spark plug and gap and getting any manuals and correct parts. Also is the plastic cap on the prop shaft the only thing that holds the shear pin in? I took it off and the pin fell off.

Sorry, my first outboard, couldn't afford a new one.

Thanks, Dan

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

I usually don't look at my PMs, but I have learned a lot about this motor - PM me with a phone number and I will call you.

Long story short, I'm pretty sure you have a 1977 or 1978 powerhead mounted on a 1959 5.5 hp johnson.



PS: Dan and I just got off of the phone. The motor that he bought, is indeed this very motor. He has found the Welsh plug, with serial number, on the powerhead, so he may be posting it to see if anyone can tell him the year.



???

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

This is a very slick specimen to me. I would not have thought the lower cowl to the newer motor would possibly have bolted up to the old midsection. I wonder what mods, if any, were required?
Pretty neat! A sleeper 5.5hp!
Now everyone will be asking the new owner where to get one of those 5.5 "race motors".

Jay, I must know......did you ever get that Chrysler running?:redface:
JBJ

 

[AzogNewOrleans]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Got the welsh plug serials. two rows, don't know which one is needed.

6r78b and below that one 14922167

Hope someone can say for sure by these.

Thanks, Dan

 

[F_R]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Got the welsh plug serials. two rows, don't know which one is needed.

6r78b and below that one 14922167

Hope someone can say for sure by these.

Thanks, Dan

6R78B is the model number. "78" is the year---1978. It is the 1,492,167th motor that Johnson made since day one. Well, approximately. I don't think the first few were counted.

 

[AzogNewOrleans]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Thanks again. Got new rubber drive pin keepers coming, old one was dry-rotted, now searching for a spare prop. Will post back when I finally get it in the water fishing.

Dan

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Jay, I must know......did you ever get that Chrysler running?:redface:
JBJ

LOL, no - its in a Walmart rubber bin in my shop .... along with the nine million other projects that I have.

The pistons in it are pretty ratty and you can't get new ones. I can get new rings to use with used pistons and will probably do that at some point. The first thing that I have to do, though, is to get all of the broken bolts out of it!

Basically, here's the deal. I have the T-Bird boat that I have been fooling with a bit, here and there. I have a 2nd '72 Johnson 65hp that needs a carb rebuild and a few other things, which I might put on the T-Bird with my other '72 J65. I also have the JohnnyRude 85hp motor ('73) that's probably going to need just about everything, but might be a good engine for the T-Bird (especially if gas prices get stupid again), instead of the twin J65s. Then again .... I have enough parts to build up three Johnson 33hp motors, plus I still have the '58 Bigtwins, so I could put all five of them on the T-Bird and make it look sort of like that drug runner RIB with the eight Yammys .....






???

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Dan ... call me when you get a chance .... I found a prop online, a little while ago.



???

 

[AzogNewOrleans]

Re: Calling F_R & The Rest of The Old Motor Guys!

Was still there, I bought it so now I have a spare.

Thanks again for all your help, Dan