The ever-returning question.. When and when not to restore?

[shoestringmariner]

What you have done is exactly what I’d do myself. Your Johnson is absolutely perfect IMO. I’d restore only if badly beat up or tired looking

[melugin]

I would rather do a good cleaning and detail with a little clear coat to preserve the decals. Of course, I will have the motor up to snuff mechanically.
Recently tried a little rattle can painting on a cowl some one else primered. What a MESS! Nothing but paint runs and pulls from masking tape. Just trying to make it look okay.
I used to think some old guys messed up their motors by painting them. I’m there now.

[wedgie]

Petrolist,

I would leave that particular one alone.

Those decals really look nice faded, but not too tattered. it exudes happy vibes from the best of good times 😎 .

I would find another motor that someone else has already done a bad re paint, then you have no qualms about doing a full cosmetic on it.

There was a member here that destroyed a really nice original Motorgo decal a few years back, and boy did he get flack. Sure, it was his motor to do what he wanted with, but still… 😈

[jeff-register]

Makes me feel good to have an easy starting motor knowing the owner has done the work correctly & completly & will get me back too.

[Mumbles]

Na, you don’t want to restore them. Too much wasted time, effort and money. Just run them the way they are. Better yet, if you have a bunch of parts under the work bench, put them all together to make a good running unique motor. I did and nobody else on the lake has anything like it!

On a more serious note, here’s a ’79 Johnson I did a few years ago. I had no access to the internet and wasn’t aware that decals could be bought online so I had to do the paint and graphics by hand after my dealer said the decals weren’t available so I had no choice. It’s a labor of love done with masking tape, spray bombs and a razor knife. I wish I had pics of my old ’75 seventy horse and matching six horse kicker done the same way but with three shades of color instead of two. The easy part was the gold pin striping which I bought at my auto supply.

Whether it’s a cosmetic or a full mechanical rebuild/restoration is entirely up to the owner. If you are tooled up and capable of it, why not? At the end of all your hard work, I can guarantee you will feel satisfaction.

[Buccaneer]

That first photo reminds me of Johnny Cash’s Caddilac

Prepare to be boarded!

[phil]

I agree with the general sentiments expressed, except that we need to realize at some point our custodianship of them will end, for me probably this year. If we sell them to club members or collectors, generally speaking they will go cheap, and the most desireable to us are unrestored, most of us are in this hobby because we are poor and or cheap, with some exceptions.
Therefore to have the best chance of survival for the motors as well as the best price will come from neophytes to the hobby or the general under informed boater. Both will be more attracted to a restored and cosmetically nice motor and will be willing to pay the kind of bucks needed to at least get your money out or make a bit.
Therefore when I buy I will estimate what it will cost to have it cosmetically and mechanically excellent and base my offer on that. I think I will be fortunate to get my initial cost out of my motors because I have not restored and repainted many. One way to go is with a motor made up of mostly salvaged and close to free parts, another thing that some do is to take it to polished aluminum but that takes a lot of time and labor.

Well that is my opinion for what it’s worth.

http://www.omc-boats.org
http://www.aerocraft-boats.org

[stanley]

What is the best"clear coat" for old decals?

[Goman]

Except for the truly mint originals, why not return them to their formal glory by shining and painting them up as they first appeared so many years ago.

[Author]

Posts