best year for a big twin

[andy]

I’m a big fan of the 50’s OMC products and as my kids are getting bigger, I need more power than my ’54 Superfastwin can provide. What was the best year for the 50’s bigtwin? It’s going on a light 14′ aluminum boat so weight is a concern as well as reliability and parts availability.

Thanks,
Andy

'48 Zephyr, restored '06, runs great
'54 Fastwin, restored '09, runs great
'57 Fastwin, unrestored, locked up in 2018

[chris-p]

Well, that is really a matter of preference.

I like them all. But for parts, ’55 to ’58 are likely what you would want. ’59 went to the fibreglass hood, and you said you liked the 50s look.

Of those years, the ’58 Super Sea Horse is my favourite. Followed by ’57 Javelin.

[wbeaton]

For me, it’s either the 1956 Javelin or 1957 Big Twin electric. As Chris said, 1955-1958 are kind of all the same. I think technically the 35 hp’s are slightly better than the 25-30 hp.

Wayne
Upper Canada Chapter

uccaomci.com

[raglover]

Thhe 58 super quiet models are nice and I have two. They have a fuel pump, which is nice if you do not have a pressure tank. They also have a one piece aluminum hood that is quieter than the split hoods of earlier years.

The power head is different than the 57 35 hp in the block has a rounded base instead of square so the do not swap to/from the earlier models. Also the lower unit is different than the earlier models as it is made for two water lines for the thermostat.

All that said. My all time favorite is the 57 Johnson 35 in holiday bronze and cream trim. I lik the cowl design better on the Johnson over the Evinrude because it comes off without needing to remove screws, choke knob, scratching on the gear shift knob and the perpetual fear I am about to lose a finger if the hood flips back down on them.

Love them all though and have each

[1946zephyr]

Well, if you want more power, without gaining more than a couple pounds, get a 1972 Evinrude Sportster 25
As far as favorites go, I like the 1955 – 57 Big Twin class motors. Manual start models aren’t too horribly heavy either. I would say, under 100 pounds

[Author]

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