59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

[Erik.C.]

I'm new here so please forgive my ignorance, but I'm trying. lol. I just bought a fiberglass fishing boat with a 1959 Evinrude Starflite 50. (Model 50518) The guy I bought it from was replacing the throttle and shift cables between the motor and the "Simplex" control. The control has the gear type sliders inside and first of all he broke one of those. The other issue is that he seems to have lost the parts that connect the cables to the motor. I don't even know what I'm looking for, let alone where to look. I've been searching online and thru message boards for a couple days with no luck. It seems that anything this old is hard to find info on. Does anyone have pictures of what parts I might be missing or any info on where I might look for these parts if they are even available? I really appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Hi Eric, welcome to the forum.
Look at the first site below, does that look like your control box? If so you can flag it for future reference.
Look at the second site, it is the only on-line site you will find for your age engine, flag it also for future reference.
If that is not the correct control box, come back and let us know.
:: iShopMarine.com ::
1959 Evinrude 50518 50 hp Outboard Motor Parts

 

[Erik.C.]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Thank you very much for responding. Unfortunately, I think the control I have is one model earlier. It has a long geared piece that attaches to the cable end and the handles on the control have a short curved geared section instead of a pivot pin or clevis. And thank you for the link to the site. I actually had found that one and searched for hours through their pages and couldn't find any brackets that would be what I need, but I have definitely kept that site in my favorites. I think I will be calling on them at some point. I think I will try to get a manual this week and see if there are any pictures of what I need. I may be able to make some of the parts.

 

[James R]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

The older types of controls are frequently on Ebay and at reasonable prices.

 

[Erik.C.]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Thanks. I checked e-bay and I did find a couple controls that have most of what I need. Still a couple parts missing but at least I was able to get some picture of the parts so I at least know what I'm looking for. Hopefully with a little patience i'll be able to find all of the parts to get this back on the water. I really appreciate all of your help. I'll be back with more questions because this boat needs a few things. If anyone knows a place where I can buy individual shift components, that would help too. Or if anyone knows if I can adapt any newer controls to this motor without too many problems.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

The site Daviet gave should help you with the motor ends of the control cables. When installing the plastic ends, loosen both screws in the clamp. Insert the cable and tighten one side. When she is tight, turn it a bit more to bend the very end a bit. Now tighten the other screw. That will kep them on real well.

 

[Erik.C.]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Thank you to everyone. All of your input has helped me find the parts. The website gave me ideas of what I was looking for. On E-bay I found pictures of what I needed. I took that info to "Precision Marine" in Rancho Cordova, Ca. and they actually had one control that matched and the guys there even thru in the brackets and ends that were missing, all for $100. I'll be back because I have a few more things I'll need help with. One is ignition wiring. Should I start a new thread for that?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

That motor should be a magneto. You need a DPDT switch and two push buttons, plus wires for ground, +12+VDC, starter solenoid, ign killer and choke solenoid. Put the ground and the ign killer wire from the distributor, so they connect when switch is in the down position. Put +12VDC and power to the solenoids to the other throw of the switch to provide power for the elec choke and solenoid.

So to start motor, prime fuel, advance throttle to stop, flip switch up, push ckoke and starter buttons. To stop motor, flip switch down to ground points.

 

[Erik.C.]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Thank you Chris1956. I'm not sure I understand all of that, but I'll try to apply it to what I see on this cable. It had keyed ignition but the kid who had it before cut it out when he lost the key. The cable runs straight to the hole where the ignition switch was. It has 5 wires. 2-black, 1-red, 1-white and 1-brown. He gave me a switch that has three terminals so I'm pretty sure it's wrong. It looks like, from the schematic I could find, that it is supposed to have a 5 terminal switch. Are those all the same? It looks like I can get a 5 terminal boat switch pretty easy, but I don't know if they all wire in the same.

++++By the way, I got the control all cleaned up, re-built with replacement parts, re-greased and installed with the new cables. I'm not totally sure I have the cables routed right, but it seems to work correctly. It took me 2 tried to get it all put together though. lol. But thanks to you guys, I'm making progress. :joyous:

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Yes, 3 terminal ign key is probably for battery ign, and wrong for your motor. If you use a 5 wire ign switch, the terminals will be marked M, M B, I, S. One M goes to ground, the other goes to black ign killer wire. B is for battery, I goes to choke solenoid switch and gauges, and S goes to starter solenoid.

 

[Erik.C.]

Re: 59' Evinrude 50 hp shifter and throttle.

Thank you again Chris1956. That makes more sense now. With your help and a couple of links I found in other posts, I think I'll have the ignition hooked up this week. Keeping my fingers crossed that things keep going relatively well.

This site and all the helpful replies have been a life saver!