Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

[mtboatin]

I'm playing with my new '56 Alumacraft Deep C which now has a '74 Evenrude 50 hp on it. Even at idle we"re moving a little fast for trolling. I'd like to eventually find a 40's-50's 50-60 hp OB. Vintage boating is a new hobby to me and I have a lot to learn. I just ran across a local 1948 Evenrude Zephyr 4404 that I may look at tomorrow which hasn't been run in 30 years. My questions are would this make a good kicker/trolling motor? Would it be too much weight having both mounted on the boat? When not in use do these little guys lift up out of the water so not to create drag?

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

The Zephyr is actually a 4 cylinder believe it or not. The idea was for better trolling and idle.

I have a 4404, havent run it yet though.

I can tell you the 50s 5.5hps are some of the best idling motors out there. They are great little machines.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

+1 on the '50s Johnrude 5.5hp models, c. 1954 on up... Any 1950s motor will need a separate fuel source from your 50hp as the '50s motor run a fatter fuel mix. The '50s Johnrudes up to 1959 use a dual line pressure tank system, which makes it easy to keep your tanks straight as to which tank gets which mix. But, it does mean you're carrying around an extra tank...

 

[lindy46]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

+2 - I just picked up a CD-12 (1955 5.5hp) with a 4 gallon pressure tank for $75. Tuned it up and she purrs like a kitten. Amazing how slow that thing will troll down to and still keep running. A 3hp will troll equally well, but may be a little small for your boat. I'd probably stick with a 5.5hp or 7.5hp.

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Thanks for the input.

Met him this a.m. and was happy with the cosmetics. A couple scratches here and there. No dents! Gas tank is pretty clean. The only thing I see missing is the sticker for the magneto placement. It also looks like it had a gasket under the gas cap which fell apart and a slight stress crack in the plastic cap itself at the edge. He was asking $125 for it which was too high in my book but after some I took it home for $50. Even has a trolling plate on it so she should do wonderfully as a troller. Now to try and make her run and clean her up.

Now I need to find point and spark plug gap specs and see if it has spark.

As far as spark plugs go the sticker on the front is missing bits of verbage but it says to only use a Champion J10 com???? My searches pointed to J6 plugs. It has J8s in it now. Napa couldn't find anything related to a J10 Champion.

I usually run Amsoil Saber 100:1 in everything but mix is closer to75-80:1 and have had good luck. Any recommendations on mix assuming I can bring her back to her glory? Sticker say 3/4 pint of non-detergent 30w to a gallon of gas for the first four hours, then 1/2 pint to a gallon. If trolling they say 1/3 of a pint to a gallon. I'm sure I should mix it a little thick for the first four hours again since it's been roughly 30 years since the last hrs.

I also am interested in finding out what the best modern day grease would be for the lower unit. It says to remove both screws and pump it in through the bottom as norm. Must be a super tiny amount if I'm looking at the correct screws. There can't be much more than an inch in height difference between the two.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Well, I think for your '56 AlumaCraft, you need a 1956 - 57 Javelin or Lark. That 50 might be a bit much for that classic. It likely is not rated for anything bigger than a 35, anyhow. 1956, the largest OMC available was a 30. Merc may have offered something a little bigger, but not much.

+3 on the old 5.5's. I own 5 of the little guys and all are good runners. Even if they look like hell, they often can be made to run nice.

Nice old Zephyr. the one in my avitar looked just like that one, before I restored it. Judging by the serial number, I would say that it's a '46 model. Mine was serial number 00066.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

I would mix the oil as it is recommended on the tag. If it says half pint per gallon, then stick with it. The oil does more than lubricate - it also seals. Those motors generally don't have rubber lip seals, rather they run bronze babbit bearings, which also act as seals. If they're worn, the extra volume of the oil helps seal up the crankcase...

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Holy Cow 80:1!? That little Zephyr wont last a summer at that mix, lol. Stick to what is reccomended, with todays TCW3 oil.

For the gearcase, use either John Deere corn head grease, or Lubriplate 105

Plugs use Champion J6Js gapped to 025 or 030. Point gap is 020

That serial number does place it as a '46. All 4402/4403/4404/4405s up to serial number 25000 were '46's

25001 to 40000 were 1947
40001 and up were 1948

 

[nwcove]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

......what is the purpose of the hinged plate thats behind the prop in the pics?......plz dont say its the brakes!! lol ( would love to get my hands on one of those little motors, but i do read that they can be cranky and unreliable?)

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Here is mine

Havent gotten around to it yet though.

The Zephyrs claim to fame was it quad opposed cylinder build. It was meant to be a deluxe fishing motors. The 4 cylinders did give it a smooth ride. Alot of new owners thought that with the 2 extra cylinders the Zephyr could outrun the 2 cylinder 5hps, but that was not the case. The ones from the late 40s had weedless lower units like you see.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Zephers were far ahead of their time and are a wonderful example of a technological advancement. On the practical side, though, they didn't work very well. I've read stories that they were very commonly deliberately dropped overboard just to get rid of them.

Its a fantastic collector's item, but not to be used as a daily use motor. If you want a classic, any 50's or 60's 2 cylinder Johhnyrude is a better choice. As previously stated, use current TCW-3 at the original blend, not 50 or 100:1.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Here is mine

Alot of new owners thought that with the 2 extra cylinders the Zephyr could outrun the 2 cylinder 5hps, but that was not the case.

What do you mean by that? This Zephyr will outrun ANY 2-cylinder 5hp!!

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Well, I think for your '56 AlumaCraft, you need a 1956 - 57 Javelin or Lark. That 50 might be a bit much for that classic. It likely is not rated for anything bigger than a 35, anyhow. 1956, the largest OMC available was a 30. Merc may have offered something a little bigger, but not much.

+3 on the old 5.5's. I own 5 of the little guys and all are good runners. Even if they look like hell, they often can be made to run nice.

Nice old Zephyr. the one in my avitar looked just like that one, before I restored it. Judging by the serial number, I would say that it's a '46 model. Mine was serial number 00066.

Aluma Craft literature states up to 60 hp. I've even seen pics of twin 30s on them which looks supper cool but finding the controller for a dual set up with two matching engines would be a challenge. Plus having to 30s would probably eliminate the possibility of enough room for a little trolling engine mounted as well. It is a short, wide transom boat with the first ever "aquaduct" system which was a tray that caught any water over the transom and directed back out of the boat. This helped make the transom stronger as well. My 50 hp Evenrude does nicely on it right now (35-37 mph gps) just has the wrong look. Later they offered the Deep C with the tall transom as an option and in this later literature it recommends this taller transom option for engines over 35 hp.

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Thanks for all the info. I will be on the hunt for some Lubriplate 105 and Tcw3 oil (is this a straight 30w?).

Well I'm happier than a kid in a candy factory!! When looking at it to purchase it I couldn't get it to produce any spark and this is partly how I got the price down. I was worried it may need coils and such. Last night I played a little. Added about a 1/3 of a can of SeaFoam to the tank a 1/4 oz of Stabil and let it sit for about 15 min with the fuel knob on run. Then I shut off the fuel and pulled the drain plug and screen from the carb float bowl and even though it was fairly clean spiffed it up. Turn fuel back on and crack the line at the carb to verify fuel. Tapped on the bowl a few times and worked the primer and on/off valve several times. After working the on/off valve manually I had some fuel come out of the top of the carb so I knew she was full. Pull the front cover and all four plugs. Found spark to lower two plugs only. Pulled fly wheel and verified points were doing there dance so cleaned them with some emery cloth. Walla!! I had spark at all four. Reinstalled it all. Poured about two cups of 80:1 in that I had and then add two more oz of Amsoil to it. Pulled and pulled with no love. Spritzed the carb very lightly with starting fluid and after two pulls had a few burbles. Repeated and readjusted the mag lever which had gone left in my excitement and she started right up. Had to run for the first 30 sec or so with the choke then all was good. Shut her off and let it sit for 10 min to watch for fuel leaks etc. First pull fired up and idles nicely! Today lower unit lube and a barrel of water for my daily fix. I am so stoked I can't wait for the snow to disappear!

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Here is mine

Havent gotten around to it yet though.

The Zephyrs claim to fame was it quad opposed cylinder build. It was meant to be a deluxe fishing motors. The 4 cylinders did give it a smooth ride. Alot of new owners thought that with the 2 extra cylinders the Zephyr could outrun the 2 cylinder 5hps, but that was not the case. The ones from the late 40s had weedless lower units like you see.

What makes a lower unit "weedless"? I noticed on you Zephyr it looks like some one added a fuel shut off or is that a wing nut for something?

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

......what is the purpose of the hinged plate thats behind the prop in the pics?......plz dont say its the brakes!! lol ( would love to get my hands on one of those little motors, but i do read that they can be cranky and unreliable?)

I'm not 100% sure either. I've seen mid 60s-mid 80s bigger engines with them and always thought it was called a trolling plate. I am under the impression that it was a poor man's means of getting a larger engine to give slower speeds at idle. I can't imagine that it would reverse the direction of the boat. I think the later ones I've seen were cable operated up and down. This one on my engine is held in the down position by two springs so I'm guessing at idle you would have very little to no forward movement and as you increased the prop speed the force from the prop and forward movement of the boat would push the plate up. The greater the prop force/speed and forward motion the further up the plate would rise until it was straight out. I'm sure it will cause some minor unwanted drag at full speed operation but for my purpose of trolling it should work out great. I'm sure someone can probably give use the correct background on them.

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

What do you mean by that? This Zephyr will outrun ANY 2-cylinder 5hp!!

That thing has to sound amazing! Have you run it? I read another thread where someone posted that a guy had taken two Zephyr blocks and joined the crankshafts and somehow added an automotive type distributor to it for a 11 hp V8!

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

It has been run, but I've never run it. It belongs to an AOMCI member from the Midwest...
Here is a video of several modified Zephyrs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxA1iPqpKBQ

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Neat little sport. But wow the video. Almost got sea sick! Wonder what kind of speed they were getting? That has got to be one lite little set up.

 

[mtboatin]

Re: Vintage Outboard Opinions Needed

Can anyone tell me which screws are used for filling, venting, etc. on the lower unit and does it get filled from bottom up? I see a screw on both sides of by the prop on the housing and also a similar screw 1/2 the way up the shaft on the front. (you can see them in my pictures in previous post) The higher one would be located above the impeller. Also any idea how much fluid it holds?

Is there a correct way to have this Zephyr held up out of the water when not in use so it's not just dragging in the water?