How true is this?

[SeaNymph Man]

Okay guys,here goes,...tell me if the dealer is telling the truth or lying just to
get me to buy a newer motor. Most of you may know that I traded up in motors from a 9.5 HP Johnson to an 18 HP Evinrude. I have been told that the Fastwin
18 motors from the mid to late 1960's are still easy to get parts for on this site,but a dealer tells me that parts are very limited to becoming no longer
available for these motors. I am starting to get a little concerned that my
choice in motor upgrade may not have been the best from a model year
standpoint. Maybe I should have hung tight and tried to find a newer
motor,...but I love my old Fastwin Evinrude and really refuse to give her up.

 

[McGR]

Re: How true is this?

Basic components like tune up components, carb kits, impellers & gaskets are still readily available. Many of the hard components are no longer available. However, there is a healthy population of old motors and used and new old stock components out there. It may take a little looking, but they aren't that hard to find. I wouldn't think twice about trying to keep an old 18hp going - should be no problem.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: How true is this?

my local dealer told me yamaha didnt make 2 strokes anymore!who,s he trying to kid!what a loser!there,s enough parts available to keep your fastwin going for a long time yet.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: How true is this?

As far as the dealer is concerned he is probably correct. Like anything old, the older it is the more parts become unavailable from the manufacturer. However there should be plenty of aftermarket and used parts to keep that motor running for a long time. And if prooperly maintained how often do they need parts?

 

[jbjennings]

Re: How true is this?

Okay guys,here goes,...tell me if the dealer is telling the truth or lying just to
get me to buy a newer motor. Most of you may know that I traded up in motors from a 9.5 HP Johnson to an 18 HP Evinrude. I have been told that the Fastwin
18 motors from the mid to late 1960's are still easy to get parts for on this site,but a dealer tells me that parts are very limited to becoming no longer
available for these motors. I am starting to get a little concerned that my
choice in motor upgrade may not have been the best from a model year
standpoint. Maybe I should have hung tight and tried to find a newer
motor,...but I love my old Fastwin Evinrude and really refuse to give her up.

This is just my point of view on the topic:

The only parts that could be hard to find that you might need are a propshaft, clutchdog, forward and reverse gear. I would not want to pay the price of these parts NOS, even if they WERE avialable. (they are, BTW, if you look in the right place.) I wouldn't want to put a $400 gear set in a $300 motor. Plenty of places have anything you might need, used, for a more reasonable price. New motors are nice, but they also are a big investment. For someone that uses a motor many hours a week, it's a good idea to buy a new motor. I think that an older OMC is a super deal if it's in good shape, especially for the person that only gets to fish every other weekend or so. It will last for no telling how many years at that rate and you won't have $3000 tied up in it. I've got a newer 30hp motor but I rarely use it--I'd rather run my '57 18hp outboard. BTW, I've run about 10 6-gallon tanks through it over the past year since I've repaired it just after I bought it and have had 0 problems. I've got complete confidence in it. You sound like you have complete confidence in yours, too. Run it and enjoy it. When it finally craters and you're so old you don't go fishing much, you can treat yourself to a new electric start motor.
Anyone that says that parts for a 60's evinrude are hard to find definitely has an alterior motive. It could be he wants to sell you a new motor, or it could be he just thinks old outboards are unreliable since most folks do, and wants you to have something he thinks is more trustworthy.
I think the fastwin is a keeper!

 

[cougar1985]

Re: How true is this?

right on jb!my 58 18 seahorse is totally, absolutally, 100 percent reliable and parts can be had either through brp or aftermarket.im with you ,keep the 18 and use it .it will proably outlast its owner or owners.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How true is this?

hate to say it but i would not deal with that guy again. he see's you as a bag of groceries (commission).

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: How true is this?

but a dealer tells me that parts are very limited to becoming no longer
available for these motors. .

I was was basing my comments on the above statement. Now if he would have added that I needed to chuck my motor and buy one of his new ones I would have a different opinion.

 

[SeaNymph Man]

Re: How true is this?

hate to say it but i would not deal with that guy again. he see's you as a bag of groceries (commission).

Never thought of it that way,but yeah,...you're right! I am keeping the old 18
Fastwin no matter what anybody says. My buddy gets parts for his '78 Evinrude
85 at Napa and he says that he has no problems getting parts for his motor
when it comes to water pump impeller,ignition parts,etc. Something else that I
will not give up is my Sea Nymph 14R boat. Those are good,solid,and very sturdy boats,...and I love the wider beam they have.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How true is this?

that's a great motor and with the internet, no problem finding parts.

I had to let mine go after 35 years due to salt locking up all the bolts so I couldn't repair a shifter and some other stuff. Shame.

 

[SeaNymph Man]

Re: How true is this?

that's a great motor and with the internet, no problem finding parts.

I had to let mine go after 35 years due to salt locking up all the bolts so I couldn't repair a shifter and some other stuff. Shame.

Well,I have decided that if I should ever have to part with my Fastwin,it will
be on the day it quits for good and have to replace her with a newer 25 HP
Evinrude. Come to think of it,guys,I wonder if BRP is ever going to get the
E-TEC down to at least 15 HP. I hope that they do. They could go down to a 15 and then 20(for those who do not need the full 25 HP that boats like mine
are rated for). But if I can't get the E-TEC,I will take as new a 25 HP carbed two stroke Evinrude as I can find and afford should the old 18 kill over unexpectedly.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: How true is this?

Its hard for me to repair these engines for customers any more due to pricing as OEM wants to phase out the older models. A clutch dog is around $60 and foward gear w/bushing is $500, so repairing a motor that jumps out of gear for someone is pricy.There are plenty of good used parts still out there but they are starting to slowly deplete themselfs of good parts.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: How true is this?

From my "cold dead hands" will they pry my old OMC's!
Finding parts is half the fun!
Enjoy your motors, whatever they might be! None of them last forever, old OMC's just come pretty close........
JBJ