How much is a Vintage Johnson Seahorse 3hp 1960's motor worth?

[aidenatt]

Hey everyone, my step dad just bought a new boat the other day, and it has an auxiliary motor on it which is a Johnson Seahorse 3 HP.

I'm not exactly sure of the model, but I'm pretty sure they were made between 1953 and 1967.

Does anyone have an idea of how much it could be worth? The guy that sold us the boat said that it's worth between $500 and $800.

It's in fairly good condition.

Here's some pictures:


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Also, it IS working perfectly.

Also, sorry if this is in the wrong section, I wasn't sure where to post it.

[F_R]

I certainly wish they were worth that kind of money. I offered one for sale at last week-end's Antique Outboard Club's meet that was attended by hundreds of collectors and other interested people. It is a good running motor, good ignition, clean fuel system, new impeller, new seals, etc. My asking price was $150. I still have it.

[Mas]

Five to eight hundred? No...not even close! I really hate to ask how much the guy sold the boat to you??

Mas

[metriccrescentwrench]

You've got to understand that there were a huge number of all sized outboard engines made in the 50's, 60's and 70's. There are still many of them in use, add that to the fact that not a lot of people are interested in collecting old outboards (relative to something more popular like vintage automobiles), and you can begin to understand why they're not worth all that much.

[kbait]

All tuned, and can demonstrate in a barrel as a runner, about $300 here in Minnesota.. when the water is softer

[Chinewalker]

If someone tells you it's worth that much, by all means ask them to buy it for that much. A agree, it's much more a $100-$200 motor...

[lindy46]

Yup, $100-200 in good working order in my neck of the woods. It would have to be pretty nice cosmetically to get $200.

[ba_50]

I sold a 50's 5hp johnson (green) that ran but the carb leaked for $100 3 months ago. Ebay and paypal fees were about $9-10. Had a hard time selling it. A guy just wanted it to put on the back porch with other fishing equipment for show.

Some of these motor have crude carburetors and among other things are difficult to keep running. I think that 5hp had a float that slid up and down, held by pins. Ethanol might eat those cork floats up. Not the best choice for a kicker motor.

I do have one of the brown/white 3hp motors and usually goes along as a kicker. Only quit once from a dirty carb. Paid $50 for it 4-5 years ago.

[kfa4303]

I agree. $100-$200 max. They are great little motors, but there are also lots of them around, so they aren't particularly rare, or valuable. You might see the folding, 3 hp motors for for a bit more, but not much. I say keep it, enjoy it, and pass it on to another for a couple hundred bucks when/if the time comes. They're great motors for first time owners to learn and work on and very peppy for their size.

[1946Zephyr]

Unfortunately, this economy has really put the hurts on used outboard markets nationwide. Like most here would say $100 to $200. Great little motors though and a lot of guys here love them. Yours looks like a '59 or later.

[HighTrim]

Whenever I go to look at a motor, that I feel is worth $100 bucks, and the seller tells me it is easily worth $700-$800 (after a carb cleaning ), I tell them Ill give them a FANTASTIC deal and sell them another of the same for the low, low price of $400, half off! When they start back talking I smile to myself.

[levi_tsk]

50 bux maybe 100 ill give you 5 for it though.....

isnt there a sticky about this particular subject??- if not there should be

this put it well:
source
AOMCI.org
"What's my old outboard motor worth?
This is the number one question we are asked. Here's the short answer: Less than you thought. Probably not much more, anyway.

Now the long answer. We're not trying to be cruel here, just honest. Grandpa's "old fishin' partner" might bring you warm fuzzy memories, but the guy who's thinking of buying it from you might have leads on several motors just like yours from which to choose. Old outboards were "too useful to just throw away" and small enough that they got stashed in all kinds of places. Thus, folks keep finding them and putting them on the market. The ready supply keeps prices reasonable.

When someone presses an old outboard into regular use, sooner or later something's going to need fixing. These days, most repair shops won't even look at anything over 20 years old. They probably already have a few old motors stashed in the back, motors that were left by their owners when it turned out it would take hundreds of dollars in parts to get them running again. These abandoned motors hit the market, too. People who understand this difficulty in getting old motors fixed shy away from purchasing such relics for regular use, especially if prices try to be on par with merchandise that's more recent.

So then who's buying the old outboards? Among others, collectors. Collectors will restore old motors, often to running condition, fashioning some replacement parts by hand. They'll touch up the paint to restore them to showroom condition. It's a process that no sane person would undertake just to have a motor that runs, when modern motors are readily available for that use. It's a labor of love. The painstaking work can take months, which would be quite expensive in today's world of "time is money". Nobody is getting rich restoring old motors.

So again the question, what's it worth? We now direct you to the price guide in the 2nd edition of The Old Outboard Book. When you look through the guide, you might be pleasantly surprised at how certain models (maybe like yours) have held their value. Some rare models go for seemingly next to nothing because nobody's interested in them. Some more plentiful models nevertheless get the better prices because they generate more interest. These are in fact the prices at which folks are able to regularly obtain these motors, as the price guide was assembled by panels of experts. When people hope to get more than these prices, they may hold on to their hope for a very long time indeed. Few individuals can say that they really need any particular motor at any particular time. It's not at all uncommon for good merchandise to sell at prices well below those in the price guide. The guide will nevertheless give you piece of mind that you haven't been ripped off.

It may cross your mind that "at that price, I might as well keep it." This is quite reasonable, but consider the following: if it's just sitting in storage, it's not doing anyone any good. Better it be where it can be appreciated. If you just want a motor for regular use, you may be better off with something newer and more easily servicable. A cost/benefit analysis would point this out right away. If you decide to undertake the refurbishing yourself, that's great! There's a club for folks who like to do just that, you've found it, and you won't be sorry you joined! If on the other hand, you think it's not your cup of tea, you won't be sorry should you pass the motor along to a collector. The collector will give that old motor a good home and put some coin in your pocket for the privledge. That motor will run forever under a collector's care, you can bet on it. Whether or not you are that collector yourself, a return to glory is the best tribute you can give that motor.

So, other than the guide, what's the best way to find out the worth of your old outboard? If you're holding on to the motor, join the Antique Outboard Motor Club and get to know other folks who have your same outboard. Members of AOMCI have a pretty good idea of what sells for how much, and they can point you in the direction of an expert in whatever motors spark your interest. If you're selling the motor, then just put it up for sale and the market will tell you its worth. We have provided classified ads for your benefit. "end source

[levi_tsk]

someone sticky this thread please

[jay_merrill]

Your guy reminds of the ones I see selling boats and trailers on Craigslist that have no paperwork. They always say "no problem."

Surrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rre!

[Mas]

Hey Guys...Where are our manners? Welcome to iBoats Aidenatt!

Also, I'm not saying your motor isn't cool. I would like to own one like it...just not for 500-800 if I could get a good runner for $75...which is a very realistic.

Mas

[nwcove]

i just offered a seller......advertising a 1950 (ish) 5hp, non runner ( "but with fresh gas it will run") $80. asking price was dropped from $300 to $220 for this "antique" outboard. the response to my email was direct and to the point. NO! lol.
id be happy to sell one restored and break even on just the cost involved, not counting the time. i have a few keepers that i wont sell because of that.

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard!!

That is a swingin' little motor. We've got an Evinrude of the same vintage (late 50's) and it's one of my favorite little outboards. They can push a small rowboat like a charm ... I'm a little surprised to see one as a kicker though. The hitch with vintage outboards is that they're only value is nostalgia. There's no real market for buying and selling 'em except for a small (relatively) group who keep them running and lookin' purty.

For $500 - $800 you can buy an entire 14' open rowboat with a 5HP or 9HP outboard on it, so that's a bit high for a 3HP outboard. I would think somewhere around $100 is reasonable if it really is running near perfectly. But if it's running perfectly ... why sell it?