Topic: Elgin 57-58401 2.5hp – Antique Outboard Motor Club,Inc

This topic has 21 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 11 months ago by kirkp.

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April 12, 2020 at 9:24 pm #199857
kirkp
Participant
Have a nice original version of the subject motor that someone begged me to take off his hands for $25. Not what I really wanted but couldn’t pass it up. FEELS to have very good compression and has had fairly low use. Even has what appears to have the original sparkplug as it has green paint on it. When I got it home I squirted some fuel in the head and it popped when I turned it over. Been trying to find info on it, particularly a “operating instructions and parts list manual”. Been able to find one for a 57-58301 and 57-58501. Just wondering if anyone would have one for this motor?
Thanks
Kirk
April 13, 2020 at 3:59 am #199877
frankr
Participant
US Member
That’s a nice looking motor. I used to have one, but not that nice. I might have the literature –will try to find it. Meanwhile, here is some good reading:

http://www.yankeeaomci.org/feature_outboard-2.htm

EDIT: Sorry, I guess my parts book went poof along with my old computer when it died.
- This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by frankr.
April 13, 2020 at 12:28 pm #199916
leeinnh
Participant
You might check this site– and I could copy a set and send them if it isn’t enough

https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Sleeping_2.5hp_Elgin.htm
April 13, 2020 at 5:33 pm #199932
kirkp
Participant
Frank, appreciate you looking for the manual. Also thanks for the link. I’d seen it before and it’s a interesting read.

Lee, thanks for the link. Is this your website? I have copied it and got part way through the read. Lot of information there for sure. The pictures are a help and using them in conjunction with the other two manuals I have will let me figure out the component names and other pertinent information. Don’t know what it is but I have this weird need to have manuals to go with my engines. Don’t ask me why. As I said I can get by with what I have and I appreciate the offer to make me a copy. Hate to ask you to go to this effort so we’ll see, maybe someone already has a scanned copy.

Here’s the kind of document if found for the smaller engine.

Kirk

571-58301
April 13, 2020 at 6:59 pm #199937
jim-moffatt
Participant
US Member
Club member Art Dekalb probably has manuals. I own two of these and can answer any questions on it. I have been collecting Elgins for over 10 years.
April 15, 2020 at 11:57 am #200062
leeinnh
Participant
hello– no, not my site. that is leeroy—i am just lee– but i used that also–
I have 3 of the 401’s— a 47, a 49, and a 50. At the end, they switched out the
plastic blade impeller for the standard multiblade rubber one, but I don’t
have that —yet. I have several of the 301’s which are just the neatest
motors.

leeinnh
April 15, 2020 at 12:18 pm #200063
20mercman
Participant
US Member
I have one that I picked up at a swap meet much like you said, someone was begging me to take it. I paid $13 for it plus another parts motor. I also have the 3.5hp twin that was built only in 47, Mine is not nearly as nice as yours, but I have to say that they are probably the most under respected motors out there. Back then, Sears stood for quality and value. These are very simple high quality motors. They start and run great and have simple magnetos that still work as well today as they did back then. (Try to find a Mercury or Johnson from 1950 that can still run on it’s original coils!) I often use mine as a “Just in case” motor. When testing a new build or other motor, I can lay the Elgin on a matt on the floor of the boat and it is only a few pounds. It comes in very handy if you would rather not row back to the dock if something was not quite what you were thinking……(Like lost a prop…) I really don’t need any more of them, but I am going to keep the two of them I have for sure!

Steve
April 15, 2020 at 4:32 pm #200087
jerry-ahrens
Participant
I have the 2 1/2 water cooled model, a 7 1/2 and the baby (1 1/4 hp I think it is). Elgin’s are very under appreciated. They are easy to get running and well built. Great for a ”first”old outboard.
April 15, 2020 at 10:50 pm #200130
kirkp
Participant
Jim, thanks for the offer of support. As SIG leader I was hoping you’d jump in. I’m sure I’ll be talking as I move forward with this engine.

Lee, curious how you tied down the years on your engines. From what I’ve found there is not much info out there on serial numbers.

Thanks everyone
Kirk
April 15, 2020 at 11:39 pm #200131
bobw
Participant
US Member
If you haven’t already found them, here’s a couple Elgin sites you might want to look at.

http://elginoutboard.com/technical-data/elgin-ob-motor-model-data/

https://web.archive.org/web/20160421032152/http://www.elginoutboards.org/elgin1946to54.htm

Bob

1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1957 Evinrude Fastwin 18
1958 Johnson QD-19
1958 Johnson FD-12
1959 Johnson QD-20

“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."
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