Painting Questions

[Sputter]

Just about every post I’ve seen on repainting outboards shows sanding or chemical stripping down to bare metal.  On my ’50s Johnsons, most of the paint is intact, though faded.  There are chips and frequently touched/rubbed zones where the paint is worn off.

Has anyone tried using etching sandable primer/filler paint or autobody putty/glaze to fill low spots instead of completely stripping the original paint?

 

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[Chris Koure]

I can’t respond to specifically about outboards but looking at my parts motors that have been resprayed. They seem to delaminate and chip away leaving the original coating. Adhesion is a vital part of any coating. The outboards I have are 50-55 years old and were soaked in oil their entire life. In addition Evinrude and Johnson had identical parts that were coated with different colors and that may be one reason. Salt exposure to uncoated material (parts) is a place you’d want to get under all of the oxidation and aluminum oxidation is not apparent.

Just my 2 cents, hopefully someone with more direct experience will chime in.

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Sputter

[Bob Wight]

I suppose part of the answer would be just how many chips, nicks, dings, bare spots you have to deal with.  If only a few, you might be able to touch them up with body filler then sand to feather it in with the adjoining faded paint areas.  Then you would need to sand or steel wool all the faded paint areas to give them enough tooth for the new paint to adhere properly.   On my projects, I’ve always thought if I was going to the effort of totally repainting a motor, then it would actually be less effort and provide better end results by just stripping down to bare metal, applying a proper primer, then paint away.   On my last few projects, I used a chemical stripper and had it completely down to bare metal with far less time and effort than trying to patch with filler, sanding, etc.    However, I’m sure lots of motors have been repainted, even at professional shops, by filling and sanding the existing paint.   You might browse some YouTube videos – there are lots of outboard repainting projects there with different processes, some by DIY’ers and some by professional paint shops.

Bob

1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1955 Johnson QD-16
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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Sputter

[Sputter]

When I made some welding repairs to a transom clamp and an exhaust port, I used a citrus-based paint stripper.  At first it didn’t seem like it was doing anything, so I covered the area with cling wrap and left it overnight.  I couldn’t believe what an awesome job it did at lifting the paint.

I have a chronic illness that saps my energy, so I’m looking for an easy way to spruce up my motors.  I just got my 1st motor running after doing just about every “regular maintenance” operation I could think of.  I’m eager to go for a boat ride, but eventually I’d like to repaint the cover and replace the decals.

You can see my FD-10 is scratched and paint worn off on the corners, etc.

Thanks for your insights!

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[David Bartlett]

I think that one has great patina and would leave it as is!

David Bartlett
Pine Tree Boating Club Chapter

"I don't fully understand everything I know!"

[Sputter]

Thanks David.  It certainly matches the 1961 aluminum boat it’s going on.  Portland, OR is sunny from about July-Sept so this motor can probably go another 50 yrs without much color change!

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[Author]

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