Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

[jbjennings]

My top ten picks:

1. 1957 johnson 10, 18 or 35hp
2. 1956 johnson 10 or15hp
3. 1969,70, 71, or 72 mercury 9.8 or 20hp
4. 1955 johnson 10 or 25 hp
5. 3hp evinrude ducktwin
6. 1953 johnson 10hp
7. 1949 johnson 25hp
8. 1958 evinrude 18hp
9. 1953 evinrude 25hp
10. 1955 evinrude 7.5, 10 or 25hp

I like a couple of the older mercurys too, but don't know enough about 'em to name 'em and have never ran one.

Now, since everyone is wondering, my favorite motor of all time for reliability, overall utility, power/weight ratio, good looks, easiness to repair, smoothness in running WOT or idle..................the 1957 johnson 18hp.

Yes, I'm bored......

Any thoughts,
JBJ

 

[wbeaton]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

Nice list. I more or less agree with your choices, however, I would have put the 1954 Johnson at the top and stuck the 1956 Evinrude up there too. Also, the 1956 Johnson Javelin belongs on the list. Maybe even a 50's Mercury too. I don't know the models, but they did make some beautiful machines (even the pink ones).

 

[cc67]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

58 Evinrude 18 for shure. I might have a chance to buy a 59 Saturday. Not near as good looking, but still kinda cool.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

The 1954 Mercury Mark 20H (my Avatar). Without a doubt the most beautiful motor ever created...
Funny how it evolved, though. The Mark 20H, as a racing motor, started to get beaten on the course by 1956 by the Champion Hot Rod so Mercury worked with Quincy Welding Works to create a tuned exhaust housing that gave it considerably more power - but in process created one of the ugliest motors ever. Often referred to as the Cornpopper or Toilet Bowl. Ugly motor, but ALL business. Had the meanest exhaust note ever to come from an outboard motor, too. You haven't lived until you've driven into turn one with eleven other bouncing, buzzing 'Bs' surrounding you...
- Scott

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

Chinewalker, that motor of yours is sharp (those are the ones I like form pictures but don't know anything about). How about an ACTUAL photo of one up close and personal?
JBJ

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

58 Evinrude 18 for shure. I might have a chance to buy a 59 Saturday. Not near as good looking, but still kinda cool.

to be honest, for a while i have thought of those '59's as one of the ugliest ever built but they are neat and have been growing on me-----a little. Just as tough as any of 'em, though.
JBJ

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

Nice list. I more or less agree with your choices, however, I would have put the 1954 Johnson at the top and stuck the 1956 Evinrude up there too. Also, the 1956 Johnson Javelin belongs on the list. Maybe even a 50's Mercury too. I don't know the models, but they did make some beautiful machines (even the pink ones).

WB, is the '56 javelin the gold or the red javelin? I wasn't sure so I didn't put in on there---I do like the red ones but don't care for the gold. The red ones are nice, though! I wonder why they didn't make 'em in smaller hp's?
JBJ

 

[cc67]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

to be honest, for a while i have thought of those '59's as one of the ugliest ever built but they are neat and have been growing on me-----a little. Just as tough as any of 'em, though.
JBJ[/QUOTI'll post what I find out tomorrow. Supposedly it's a 59 or 60 in perfect shape(we'll see) with 2 tanks. I'm with you JB, not my first choice, but what the heck, who want's to be mainstream. Got to go out and kill a deer in the morn first.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

I'm glad you like the '58 18. I have one I'm repainting/already fixed mechanicals.
It's got few hours I believe judging by the driveshaft and sound of the powerhead. Either way, it is a sweet motor--probably the nicest I own in 18hp, but I do have 2 '57 johnsons that I use regularly and run/idle nice and smooth. I saw a '59 evinrude I really liked yesterday, might make an offer but probably won't offer much since I'm low on cash at the moment. I think those older 18's are the best buys in used outboards. You can replace all the ignition system, rebuild the carb, and reseal the lower unit for about 125 bucks and have a like-new motor. If you buy a newer, more modern one they'll probably need the exact same things but the newer ignition parts are a lot more expensive. The 18's are also light and make quite a bit of power but aren't that thirsty for gas. I have a '99 30hp johnson that I rarely run 'cause it's such a gas guzzler and because I like my oldies so much. It adds a little something to every fishing and hunting trip to get to drive it back to the bank. Where I'm from, the weather and stumps and year-round boating season have long since devoured the older motors, so I get a lot of fun conversation with my oldies as well. I'd definitely look at a nice '59 model, any good running evinrude is a pleasure to own.
BTW-- is that a hi-power in your avatar? I want one of those, too!
Give ya' 50 bucks if ya throw in a box of cartridges..
good luck with your '59,
JBJ

 

[jspringator]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

I've got one of the last 22CID's in my 1975 Evinrude 25. I really kind of lucked into getting this model; I didn't know it was so much lighter than the same HP (albeit more powerful) model 2 years newer. I originally bought it for the free jon boat my father gave me, but I may use it on a inflatable boat when I go RVing in place of my portabote. Tooling around at 12 MPH in the Portabote wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be. The 25 weighs around 85 lbs, and the 6 weighs 52. More, but not that much more.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

yeah, I'd like to have one of those lightweight 25's, too!
By the prices I've seen on the few that come up for sale---so does everyone else.
I guess I can't have 'em all....:
JBj

 

[cc67]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

BTW-- is that a hi-power in your avatar? I want one of those, too!
Give ya' 50 bucks if ya throw in a box of cartridges..
good luck with your '59,

No, it's mil spec 1911.RIA. Had a Browning HI -Power when I was in high school. Bought it brand new for a buck and a half. I think they are up in that $600 range now. I sure have seen a bunch of mid 50s 10hp Johnsons lately in my travels, didn't anyone buy 18s and 25s back then?

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

I asked my dad that same question.....He said back then a 7.5hp was a big motor---a 10 was huge, an 18 was for "ski rigs". Where I'm from, the lakes are small and an 18 just wasn't needed, especially since my dad liked to fish by himself--in the cypress woods where he fished it was tough for 2 people to cast.
Also, the cheaper aluminum johnboats made back then which most people had couldn't handle a motor as big as an 18hp. At least that was what he told me.
I sure wish he had bought one and kept it, but then again, Dad isn't much on maintenance.
I like the 1911's,too, but way out of my price range for a good one!
Maybe my crazy brother-in-law will buy one and trade me for it!
JBJ

 

[cc67]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

I live on the Grand River about two miles up from the mouth of the Missouri. So I do a lot of river fishing (trot lines,jugs nets) so a 10 hp is kinda small for my needs. But I do have a few small lakes that I fish so a 10 would be fun to own. I'm going to inquire on a few of them so we'll see what I come up with.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

The 1956 Javelin is the red one. I too prefer it to the Golden Javelin of 1957.

 

[pecheux]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

Coolest looking outboard motor I owned was a 9 hp McCullogh (not sure about the typo) somewhere around the late 60's or early 70's. It also had a bildge pump connected to it via a rubber hose that allow fishing on a rainy day without water accumulation in the boat. This OB was especialy short and compact, ran good ... but was not an easy starter. G

Second in line would be an odd looking one called 5 hp Clinton Jet .. Had no prop, but a small turbine ... performed like a 1.5 hp ... LOL

Actualy I m a succer for OB's owned all kinds and love em all ... LOL

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

Nuff said...

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

All I can say is WWWWWOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!
That is more than words can say. THat must be like the one in Chinewalkers's avatar, right? If you restored that Scaaty you are THE MAN!!!
I've never seen one of those--pictures or otherwise. It is incredible.
Thanks for the pic,
JBJ

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

You will see one once in a while on ebay.I wonder how mine would look if I painted it gold?
My lower unit would give it away though.Ron G

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Top 10 best looking small outboards ever..

All I can say is WWWWWOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!
That is more than words can say. THat must be like the one in Chinewalkers's avatar, right? If you restored that Scaaty you are THE MAN!!!
I've never seen one of those--pictures or otherwise. It is incredible.
Thanks for the pic,
JBJ

Not mine..it was just up for auction on ebay. My brother had one on a Hydro back later 50's.