Re: Neutral on '68 3hp?
The lack of a neutral is not such a big deal on a small outboard like a 3 or 4. It helps keep it simple and light (and a little cheaper when new).
There was a time when no outboards had a neutral or reverse (until the 1949 Johnson 10 & the 1949 Scott-Atwater line). Yes, even through 1950 the Evinrude 33.4 horse 4-cylinder had no reverse and was started in gear (big outboards were not for the faint of heart back then!).
I have a 1950 Johnson 5 with a 180 degree swivel for reverse; the big thing that year was the addition of a neutral clutch.
If you want a full-featured little motor, look for a 4? horse Johnson from about 1980-onward. They had an F-N-R shift & a twistgrip throttle. Of course they weigh more than the old 3 & 4-horse motors (which are great motors BTW.)
