Boy you sure nailed it. It is now a disposable world. In 1958 I purchased a 18 hp. Johnson new from Steckleburg Marine in Lodi Wi. It ran for years with no problem . What memories you brought back you have no idea. Thanks for that.
A pimple faced, long haired 14 year old kid walked down the street the other day pushing a USA made Toro mower crank top built in 1967. He rescued it from his aunt's basement. He rebuilt it and it starts first try. I was amazed that a young man his age had such an appreciation for old USA made stuff but he is a Boy Scout. Did my heart good to spend half an hour talking with hum. Maybe there is a small ray of hope for the next generation. Protect your lower unit. Its critical. God bless.
I appreciate your view on what we buy here in America, some have no idea of the beauty on vintage items. On my spare time I work on outboard motors and fishing reels both vintage, it is such a joy to bring them back to life both mentally and physically. Currently I looking at a Evinrude 4hp folding motor with case, what beautiful motors they are. Thanks for your time and presentation on your Johnson motor.
I have seen and enjoyed this vid many times. I also have just purchased a 1965 Johnson JW-20 3HP outboard for my canoe. Lucky for me, the motor was a "Barn Find/Garage Find" with "5 Hours" run time dating back to 1965 when originally purchased. While inspecting the motor (cylinders, magneto, carburetor, water pump, exhaust tower, etc.) I can say it does have extremely few run hours. Naturally, many of the perishable will have to be replaced. As is, just only new spark plugs, it runs like a scalded dog but also idles down unbelievably low. This is perfect for future trips to Basswood and Jackfish Bay. Thanks Yankee for sharing your views on your 3HP Johnson outboard.
I got a 1953 TN 28 Johnson seahorse, I completely rebuilt the carb, and new leather primer washers I made myself, gaslines, spark plug , shut off valve, changed the lower gear oil and replaced the gaskets, and tuned up everything else. the water pump sprays water out like it should and it starts on the first pull almost every time so I never did anything with the points. I love my little motor ! I'm 17 with no experience with boat motors so I just bought one and figured it out !
Johnson Outboards were the BOMB! I was raised on a 1959 Johnson 18 hp on a wooden runabout!!! They will ALWAYS be my favorite!! I also LOVED their 9.5 hp from 1964 to 1969
great video and commentary nice canoe mount own her brother 3hp 1960-61 that two piston design permits a fine idling and running motor the weedless prop is a bonus on mine all paint intact all decals intact dent free rust free and manual those were the days . . .
I have the identical twin of your motor, also a 59. An outboard tech friend of mine who recently moved to BC from Ontario, says they are still very popular out there. I’m a big fan of the well made older equipment! Also own a 17 ft Clipper Prospector canoe, in Kevlar/Duraflex. 👍🏻
Nice Sea Horse you got. My Dad had a 1956 10hp Sea Horse ran like a top for years. Sold it to his buddy & the thing still runs last I heard. I bought an almost brand new 1976 6hp Sea Horse about 5 years ago for my jon boat & it runs.great. FYI, I pass the lake front OMC plant every day on the train. Such a shame it shut down, my family & I knew alot of people that use to work there. Same thing happened to the Chrysler plant to the north that use to be AMC.
I just pick that one tonight needed prop and front choke plates knobs too looking farward to fix it .Got to shop for prop and front of control plate knobs too ,Thank you for info Awesome work.Have fun,
I just got done restoring my 48 evinrude 3 hp and I tell you what, it runs like a champ. Thanks for sharing and I just hope that when I am long gone, whoever ends up getting motor would feel the satisfaction and delight that I feel every time I fire it up
WOW!!! That brings back memories of my Grandpa. He had the exact motor on a V-bottom. Not a ton of power for his boat but we would go out and catch tons of fish together. Thanks for sharing and bringing back those old memories of my Grandpa.
Awesome little motor! And she fired right back up too, Just like it was put away yesterday!! Nice job taking care of it. I work at a boat store that still sees these old motors come in once in awhile for service. Personally I love working on them rather than the newer outboards. Their simple mechanical elegance makes them a pleasure to work on and a testament to the engineers and builders who worked on them.
I admire your philosophy; unfortunately this kind of thinking is not being taught. That is one of the reasons our land-fills are constantly growing. I myself only have a few outboards I work on, my favorite is, Evinrude's 1969 Lightwing 4hp; so nice to hear it running. Yet , most of my joy is working on vintage fishing reels and the same rule of thumb applies here as well. What a trill it is when I dissemble one of these reels for repair or maintenance, they are surely not build like today's reels. Having said that, there are some good reels made today but boy are they expensive, even so, the quality is far from what they use to be. Thank you for your thoughts and tips on this model of outboard, it all comes handy. Gracias
I have a 1957 10hp Johnson, I replaced some POINTS and COILS with my dad when I was a kid 10 years old, 32 years later I still have that motor, and there is no question if I put some gas in it, it will start. Mine eaven has a real glass float bowl. "They don't make them like that anymore."
I aquired a 1958 Johnson 3 that hadn't been run for years. Those things will run indefinitely if cared for even a little. Parts are readily available, which kinda surprised me, they are simple to work on, I mean you can rebuild that thing in a day with couple hundred bucks and a 6 pack, and thats awesome.
Very well said my grandparents had the same dang near everything for 30+ yrs and most of it still works and wouldn't you know vintage is coming back in the main stream as the new " in style". I was in a meeting today when a woman said she needed new tires and brakes on her car so she traded it in for a new one. She said she didnt care to ever pay a car off and that she upgraded and called it a deal. WOW when credit is more common then sense what next. I think we know. God Bless
Very cool. I have some of my grandfathers USA made tools from when he use to do auto body repair back in the 50's and 60's and I use them now. Some of the companies have moved to Germany.
Wonderful old engines. I had one for many years and am currently working on the slightly newer 4 HPs. Both the 3s and 4s will push surprisingly big boats adequately.
Nice motor and video. I have a 1963 just like yours. I have owned it since about 1995. Mine does not have a high speed carb adjustment. Maybe it's behind the cowl?
I got one like yours but a 1964 (JH19A). It's also in mint condition besides the dreaded coil problem. They're porous in the Bakelite or resin (whatever the stuff is). I'll resurrect that baby and have her as a backup motor on my boat. :)
Hello: Yankee it's a good one. You are right it was made right, made by hand by craftsman. The only thing I wonder does it take lube in the lower unit. America has changed, someone gave my friend a 18' pontoon he restored it. He called me and ask where to get a new motor. Well I told him and he said no they are all closed, gone out of business. We live in Va. he got his new motor in Ocala, Fl. he found a deal. Have a Nice Day
55? Don't make me and the motor older than we are! I was born in 1959 also, and I am 53, turning 54 later this year. The motor looks in great shape. Meanwhile, I am reminded of the old joke, "if I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'da taken better care of myself ... "
I've got a 1961 5 hp Johnson that I rebuilt. I just got a 1949 Montgomery Wards Sea King 5 hp that I'm gonna sell after I get the points cleaned off. I'm 14 years old.
1959 was still a good year for US manufacturing, as evidenced by the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar. A new one is about $2000-, but a 59 is $250,000-400,000-. It was a different era, and quality ruled the roost!
Hi my friend...I don't usually reply to my youtube viewings, but yours grabbed me by the ball bearings, so I must weigh in. I have a beauty-queen '62 JW-17 and four others. The storage/refurbishment procedures you mention and the venues you pursued in operation made me smile. Libbs Lake as hostile territory, LOL maybe you shoulda been running a 4-stroke, or a three thousand dollar Torqeedo electric. Makes me wonder why I have stockpiled so many NOS parts for 'em. What's gonna break anyway?
I'm in the process of restoring a Johnson 1966 JW21E. She's gonna look as beautiful as she runs! I agree, they just don't make outboards like the use to. It's plastic vs. metal. Who's gonna last longer???
Not sure how many got, "It's a Cinderella story." lolololol love the conball humour you have. It's honestly the main reason I subbed! All your knowledge it's just bonus.
the entire time I lived there.....My father still has it, and it still burns the toast on the one side. I believe it to be a Sunbeam(which I believe was made in America)? Well at least while something was made in America other than Debt and more Fiat currency!
YP- If youd like to replace the copper fuel line with SS 'lab-grade' tubing and fittings, give me a shout, and I can hook you up, just need a couple measurments. JBR
....Too bad no one prepped the manufacturing industry.... I'm a small American composites manufacturer, and if the damn laws weren't so unscientifically, irrationally ridiculous, and unaccountable bureaucrats and politicians didn't have mindless thugs enforcing their special-interest-driven laws, I'd be a BIG manufacturer, long time now.... rant over. - Your Yank'-ness, I wish I could part that motor out and run a coordinate-measuring machine all over every part. We can still save it. - Mike
Yank, that is why I go to farm auctions in my area,, My wife and I buy older, American made products to use, keep and also to pass on to my kids. All my tools are second-hand, American made only. Do auctions when you can,, "Obama" will get to that too probably. lol Take care, Todd
Are you kidding me? A toaster not important? Its the principle behind the toaster. My mom has a deep freezer made in America thats older than I am . It was a hand me down from her grandmother that passed away. Even the power indicator light on the bottom corner of the door still works. It has to be at least 48 years old. No school like the old school. Saw a $7 toaster at a discount store. Same price our parents probably paid but it won't toast bagels for 20 years, I gare on tee ya that.
We as Americans to go back to the old ways and you wonder why people don’t have money to spend money on things over and over and over they don’t build them like they used to
it's the same for Blighty. We used to make everything in the UK and now we import alot of crap. Companies realised they could make alot more money by making things disposable. Greed is the name of the game and it's destroying the planet.
All those rugged individuals that got something done way back when weren't taxed, licensed and regulated by unaccountable bureaucracies. They could also get loans without having a bank tell them they needed an MBA to talk out his ass at them. The only time you can make money in American Manufacturing is if you are breaking the law, or above it. I was there. I saw. I did. This isn't a RU-vidr talking out his ass from the well-worn couch. I did it. Make one? Sure. But try producing it. - Mike
Oh sheesh....LOL. That's a shame about the thermoforming biz, that's one of my favorite things. Sorry about that. Oh well, the family's fed, the ingrate children are healthy and wild, etc. I count my blessings. If the 'crats want to be morons and stop progress, I'll just tell my sons and daughters to steer clear of the military ('saddens me) while I teach them to make boats, trains and airplanes in between homeschool classes on the Bible, Languages, Math and Physics. But no Mercy lessons .
