Re: 73 Evinrude 65hp
I have just spent some time looking through parts diagrams for the 1972 and 1973 65hp ERudes, and have been comparing the photos of your potential "buy" with two 1972 Johnson 65hp motors that I own. At this point, I think what you have is a 1972 20" shaft length ERude.
I see what Reelfishin means in regard to the wood adapter, but the midsection (exhaust housing) dimension looks like the 20" part to me. One tipoff in this regard is that a size comparison between the lower mounting bracket height v. the height of the portion of the midsection that lies below where the lower mounting bracket fits, suggests a 20" midsection. Also, if you look at the height of the gearbox v. the midsection height, the ratio is about right for a 20" motor. Another factor in my assumption is that I do believe that you have a 1972 motor and the 15" shaft length wasn't available in the 1972, while it was in 1973.
I still think Reelfishin's point is well taken though and you should keep it in mind - If I am wrong and he is right, you are looking at a motor that isn't going to work with most boats made to take an engine of this size/hp rating.
The one question mark, however, is that the swivel bracket and transom bracket on this motor is definately not from a 1972 motor. I think what is going on, is that those parts were swapped for what you have now, in order to have the torque tube that the 1972 motor didn't have. Swapping these parts may have also been done because the owner wanted T&T, and found an assemby that had one.
I also took another look at the powerpack in your photo. I was probably wrong about it being painted. What confused me is that the shape is not like the original powerpack in the J65hp that I now have on my boat. I replaced it, but still have the old one and just double-checked. But - on my other motor (in the shop), there is a powerpack that looks just like "yours." It has a metallic cover over and a white body. I'm not sure if either of these powerpacks (yours or the one on my 2nd motor) are originals, but both are probably very old. That suggests the possibility of replacement in the not too distant future.
I also believe that the timer base in the motor you are considering is an original or older part. If you look at the photo of the powerhead, you will see a metallic arm underneath the flywheel. That arm is part of the timer base and is connected to the top of the motor's spark advance lever. The original timer bases look essentially like a tin cup, with the arm that I just described. They are all metallic, with visible sensor coils that could be replaced and adjusted. Currently available replacement parts are sealed units that are all plastic on the outside. The ones that I have seen are blue in color. Once again, I think you have an older part that might be a candidate for replacement.
On the issue of hydro-electric shift, in addition to having a throttle cable only, you can look for the shift wires in the engine cowl. Although they will possibly be inside of a black casing, the wire colors are blue and green. They will run from the plug, around the back side of the engine, to a point just in front of the powerhead's exhaust cover, on the port side. There will be a pair of blade connectors at that point, and the wiring will pass down into the midsection. If you see this, I would say that there isn't any doubt that you have a hydro-electric shift unit, which is further indication of a 1972 motor. Also, the standard plug connector color for the 1972 model is yellow.
If the motor does turn out to be hydro-electric shift, the biggest issue concerning the "buy-no buy" decision is condition of the shift switch in the control unit. These parts are no longer available from BRP, so if the one for this motor doesn't work, the motor isn't worth much. Even if you find a NOS part somewhere, expect to pay about $300 - $400 for it. The same is true for the wiring that runs from the blade connectors in the cowl, to the solenoids in the gearbox. Ditto for the solenoids themselves. Just to give you a "for instance," I bought my second J65hp for $150 just because the shift switch in the guy's control unit was bad.
Reelfishin also gave you info on engine model numbers. That is good info but I just discovered something that I would not have noticed if he hadn't brought the issue up - there is a model number "65273S" (there were 20" & 25" models only, so the "S" is the 20" motor), which is a 1972 motor. The 73S would easily cause confusion as to year, and that may be why the seller thinks he has a 1973 motor. When I compare your photos with the parts diagrams for the 1972 motor, however, everything except the swivel & transom brackets look like the 1972 motor, including the badging on the hood.
In retrospect, my opinion is that if your 8hp motor is in good condition, it is worth more than this 65hp Erude. I would modify that opinion if I thought that the ERude was in exceptional condition, and had been recently refurbished (rebuilt carbs, water pump, fuel pump, ignition system, etc.), but this does not appear to be the case. I recommend that you approach this deal with caution because you could be getting an ERude that is worth a few hundred dollars at best, and needs hundreds of dollars worth of upgrades.
