Some Friendly Important Advice
"I'm needing a set of gears for my 1967 Chrysler 50 horsepower motor?"
"Do you have a new carburetor for a 1958 Johnson 75 horsepower motor?"
"I need an exhaust manifold for my Yamaha stern drive. How much?"
We get questions like these on a daily basis, and to tell the truth, it's getting rather aggravating to have to keep repeating the same answer over and over again....."NO LONGER AVAILABLE". Well, unless by a freak happening, it's sitting on a dust-covered shelf who knows where.
We may step on some toes or offend a few with the following, but if that's the case, well, sorry. This is our website and our honest opinion from years of experience dealing with this line of work. Keeping in mind that the novice or beginner boater has no knowledge of the point we're trying to get across, reading on can be educating.
Do Your Homework: Basically what we are saying here is the fact that boat motors and parts can be a real nightmare if you don't do your homework before you buy. Take your time and check things out before you just jump into a situation you may end up regretting. The following information and/or suggestions might help you prevent major migraines in your future.
Brands to Avoid: These are the brand names you would likely want to avoid: Elgin, Scott-Atwater, Sears, JC Penny, Gamefisher, McCulloch, Montgomery Ward, and any other motor that hasn't been produced in decades. "But hey, I can get one of these from my neighbor pretty darn cheap." Maybe so, and with your neighbor being relieved of what the heck to do with a boat anchor (gee what a great neighbor), odds are it will spend the rest of its life rotting behind the garage or barn cause no parts are available to fix it when it breaks down.
The 20-Year Rule: Another important thought besides whether or not motors are still in production, is age. Manufacturers of transportation products usually do not stock parts for more than about 20 years max. This doesn't mean that all parts are nonexistent, but it does mean that parts may be VERY difficult to locate for any motor 20 years or older. We would much rather pay a few more bucks for something newer with parts readily available than stare at a breakdown in the driveway with no parts available to fix it (not to mention the wife hounding you to haul it off to the junk yard).
The "Magic Wand": I just can't figure though, when a person calls up and asks if we have a set of gears for a 1968 Chrysler 20 horse, and you tell them they are no longer available, why they would even ask, "well, where would you suggest I find some?". What? "Did we not just tell you they are NO LONGER AVAILABLE?!?!?!?" Our magic wand is in the shop, and I doubt it will be repaired any time soon!
Stay Away From These: We recommend staying away from Chrysler, older Force (pre-Mercury), all Yamaha stern drives (no longer made!), OMC stringer mount (especially electric shift), Johnson/Evinrude electric shift, and Merc outboards with the red stripe on the cowling. Even newer OMC Cobra drives are becoming questionable. Bottom line: if there are no dealers for that specific brand within 500 miles of you, DON'T buy one!
Taking this important advice should save you a multitude of headaches. It seems that many people forget that owning and operating a boat is a luxury, not a common household necessity. "If you wanna play, you gotta be able to pay."
"A boat is a hole in the water surrounded by fiberglass which one pours money into."
If you have questions about these topics, feel free to send us an email.