OPINION: Montgomery Ward Clinton Sea King 7.5hp Motor

[peryton62]

Hello all. I have the opportunity to purchase a 1980 Montgomery Ward Clinton Sea King 7.5hp Motor for $150. The motor is purported to run well. I would like to know anyone's opinion on the quality of this motor as an air cooled motor, whether parts are easy to come by for this thing and if $150 is a good price. Thanks!

 

[jkust]

Hello all. I have the opportunity to purchase a 1980 Montgomery Ward Clinton Sea King 7.5hp Motor for $150. The motor is purported to run well. I would like to know anyone's opinion on the quality of this motor as an air cooled motor, whether parts are easy to come by for this thing and if $150 is a good price. Thanks!

For many years, many years ago, we had the 9.5 hp version as a kicker...it was bullet proof. It was water cooled however. I can't imagine parts are easy to get.

 

[F_R]

Actually, the 9.5 would not have been a Clinton. As to the question at hand, you asked for an opinion, so that's what you will get. The Clinton is noisy, vibrates and hot & stinky. But they do run reasonably well. Yes, the powerhead is air cooled, but the exhaust is water cooled by a very chintzy water pump that fails often. If that happens, it will continue to run, but the heat travels upward to the powerhead and that overheats also. Being air cooled, of course air is fan-forced down over the powerhead, just like a lawn mower. Nothing wrong with that, except if you plan to run it in salt water, that is salt air being blown over it. Last I heard, parts were still available from the old Clinton employees.

Summing up, the Clinton is a cheaply built motor, built to sell at a cheap price. And they did sell a lot of them. And they usually ran.

 

[brim_buster]

I agree with FR, the one I had was noisy and I usually let my buddy use it in saying he never complained because his motor was tore up. He got used to the 360 spin and I eventually sold it to him and its still running today. Pushed him and his wife in a 14 alum flat bottom faster than a trolling motor lol

 

[peryton62]

Thank y'all very much! The opinions and information provided help. Let's take this a step further, if you don't mind. What is your recommendation for an affordable, used, reliable 7.5hp motor? It will be run in salt water and the preference would be a built-in fuel tank. It would also help if replacement parts are easy to come by. Thanks again all!

 

[F_R]

Are you interested in restoring an old classic? Can't beat the 7.5hp Evinrudes and Johnsons of the 1950's

 

[naturelover]

I have a 1972 7.5hp Sea King (Clinton) that came with the boat and a 1962 5hp Gale (Johnson) I picked up for $150. Both do a good job with my 12' aluminum V bottom, but when I go to pick one of them to run, it's always the Johnson. It's just such a better outboard than the Clinton; smoother, quieter, easy to start, feels more powerful than the Clinton, and overall just a better quality motor. Parts are widely available also, but they are a tad more complicated than the Clintons (and a little heavier).

As say, the Clinton does a good job, and has performed well for me after a water pump replacement. Did put a bit more into the Johnson to get it in tip top shape, but well worth it imo.