Johnsons made in Australia

[bozza_boatie]

My 4hp Johnson has a sticker on the side that states made in Australia. Is this normal? How long did Johnson make motors in Australia? Any information on the topic would be of great interest for me.<br /><br />Bozza

 

[JB]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

Model number?

 

[Scali]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

Bomberdier im sure must have had factories there long before they aquired OMC

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

I've seen Australian OMC serial numbers going back into the late 60s. Outboards from around that time were Jxxxxxxx for American Johnsons, Exxxxxxx for American Evinrudes, Cxxxxxxx for Canadian Johnsons/Evinrudes (Plant in Peterborough, Ontario), and Axxxxxxx for Australian ones.<br />I'm not sure where in Australia the plant was located. It may say on the name-plate.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

Never heard of an Aussie assembly plant (past or present) but I'd like to find out.

 

[noelm]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

HI<br /> OMC sure did have a plant in Australia, it was in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown, they made most parts there including alloy castings and machining, I have been there lots of times, at one time they were manufacturing motors for worldwide distribution but pnly in a few HP ranges, it was a very big place ,lots of employees and machinery.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

Is it still in operation?

 

[noelm]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

No, it closed when BRP took over from OMC , it was in Canterbury Road, not too sure how long ago the take over took place but I'm sure someone will know for sure, the buildings are still there, but have been rented out as bits and pieces.

 

[noelm]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

OMC had a big foundry where blocks and pistons and lower leg bits and pieces were cast, a really big assembly and testing facility and a big paint line, they would "run off" white Johnsons then change to the Evinrude paint and do a run of Evinrude motors, I have been to the assebly line and testing setup many time, the testing was great to see, that was in the 80's that i wa involved with them.

 

[bozza_boatie]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

JB<br /><br />The MODEL No:AJ4BRLC0B<br /> SERIAL No:601145<br /><br />CAn someone tell me the year of the motor aswell?

 

[ross patti]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

Yeah,guys, I live a few miles from the old plant. It closed down about 2-3 yrs ago.Hope that helps

 

[bozza_boatie]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

If they closed down that recently wouldnt their be alot of spare parts around SYdney which is what I need?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

CO in the model number says it's a 1985.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

??? OMC/BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) are still based at Canterbury Road, Bankstown. It's purely a distribution company run by David and Sam Heyes. There is no manufacturing, and to the best that I know, never has been any manufacturing - at least not for the last five years. I live in Picnic Point which is 3km south of the OMC facility. Take a look at the website:<br /> http://www.brp.com/en-CA/ <br />I've tried to find some Australian content however the search engines in Google suck!

 

[noelm]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

HI<br /> they did indeed manufacture in Sydney, as I said in previous post, I have been there and know they did, but they may still distribute from there as it sort of makes sense to continue, but some of the buildings have been leased out to other companies.

 

[orca]

Re: Johnsons made in Australia

G,Day,<br />I was under the impression that the manafacturing plant in Bankstown was shut down in the early 90s, but the buildings were kept for warehousing and offices until the OMC collapse.<br /><br />Mercury had a factory at their current site in Dandenong, however this was just an assembly plant, I dont think that they were casting blocks there.<br /><br />I think that the Mitsubishi Plant in Lonsdale SA that is due to close soon would be an ideal factoty for building outboard motors, they have a stste of the art foundry and a workforce that are experianced in building engines. It will be a shame to see the plant fold.