Re: Missed out on 56 Johnson Javelin. Not a useful post just ranting.
FOLKS YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE THIS! GET COMFY IT’S A LOOOOOONG ONE…
So my job sends me to notify businesses in the village that we will be replacing water meters in the area and they need to set up an appointment to have their new one installed. So I go to the building next door to the guy who had the boat in his lot. Nobody's home. So I go around to the side...BAMM there's the boat with "my" motor on it. I figured someone in this building bought it from the other and I'm S.O.L. (a sorry old loser), but I still need to find someone who can get me into this building. So I go next door to ask the old owner of the boat if he knows who owns the building. I ask him. He says it's vacant. I say it looks like he sold the boat. He says he hasn't, but the village was getting on him about so much stuff sitting around on his lot. I tell him I'm still interested. He says he knows I'm only interested in the motor and to make him an offer. Before I say anything he says $150. I tell him I have to talk to the boss (my wife) and I'd let him know. I ask the boss for $100. Now remember, I have another motor in Tupperware so I know it will be harder haggling with my wife than a guy with junk for sale. So thanks to a little info from my good friends above I counter junk man with $100. He says he knows he can get twice that if he waits it out. I say mama won't go higher than $100. He says $150 with a gas tank and controls. I say mama's gonna be mad but deal... pending my beautiful, smart, and wonderful wife’s approval naturally. She bit, I bought. I get the cash and pay the gentleman at the boat. Now if you're still with me THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD!!! So we pull the cowl. WASPS!!! About fifteen of them. I'm running, guy is flailing, I know one of us screamed like a little girl. I swatted them with a mulberry branch while he ran for some carb and choke cleaner. We prevailed.. sans stingers. So we are pulling the motor ever aware of the returning few live angry wasps when I notice there is no starter. Huh, I think to myself. Perhaps not all javelins have electric start. You're laughing already aren't you? Just wait... just wait. So I can't get the controls out with the few tools I have so I tell him I'll have to come back for them tomorrow. He says I can take pretty much whatever I want he's donating what's left. Why he couldn't donate it to me I don't know. So I grab the gas tank, an old cool looking ladder and a hefty anchor. I try to get some deck hardware but it’s so pitted I decide against it, and the wasps seem to be back in force. So I get the motor home. I’m looking at it thinking, 56 Javelin what an undimpled face plate you have, and what a long shaft you have 56 Javelin, and what wonderful flaking multicolored paint your cowl is leaving everywhere my 1956 Johnson Javelin. I know what you are thinking… Wow Grant you just made a great deal. You should be proud of yourself. I’m sorry, I use too much sarcasm. What started as too timid a buyer turned into too eager a buyer, and as you Javelin owners have probably figured out I just bought myself an 1958 35 hp Sea Horse with what looks to me like a 58 Golden Javelin cowl and possibly an extension making it a long shaft. I know you’re wondering how in the he… I’ll cut you off there. I’ll post some pics so you can see how I might have let myself think this could’ve been what I thought it was.
I will tell you this my friends, I will love my 1956 Johnson Javelin, long shaft, model number RD-19C with a Custom Golden cowl until the day I die, or till mama finds out… so yeah the day I die!
