Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

As an owner of 2 evinrudes and 1 johnson ( 3 hp, 9.5 hp & 25 hp), could someone give me a resource for the history of Johnson and Evinrude motors? I also am interested in why the same motors have different names. I have become fascinated with these motors. Thanks for your help on this great forum!

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

There is some basic info on Wikipedia......google Outboard Marine Corporation or Evinrude.....that will get you started.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Lots of good books out there if you like hard copies.

I like Evinrude Johnson and the Legend of OMC by Rodengen

The Four Men From Terre Hautte by Van Fleet

to name two.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

+1 on the search on OMC, i have the Evinrude V4 so when my dad who i know has decades of experience with boats tells me,"thats an OMC round motor, reliable but a gas hog" i had to find out so i searched OMC and found all kinds of interesting info.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Why is the Johnson & Evinrude name such a mystery? They were simply two nearly identical motors except for color, sold by OMC (Outboard Marine Corporation). This is no different then Ford Motor Company selling Ford, Mercury and Lincoln. Yes, there's some sheet metal differences but lots of other identical stuff under that skin. Then there is GM and Chrysler who also sell multiple models with very similar underpinnings. All you need to do for information is key in "History of Outboard Marine Corporation" in your browser search box and you will have enough reading to make your eyes bleed.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

+1. OMC has also now become BRP Evinrude. OMC and Mercury been the Ford and Chevy of outboards for years. Most folks tend to favor one brand over the other. While old OMCs are famed for their simplicity, ruggedness, low-end torque and reliability, old Mercs are know for their top end speed, unique/stylish looks and unique/quirky innovations. Now days OMC make the Evinrude 2-stroke, E-tech motors while Mercury manufactures a wide range of outboards as well. The good thing about old OMCs is that replacement parts are still readily available and many consumable parts (carb kits, points & condensers, etc...) can be found at NAPA and O'Reilly auto stores under the Sierra brand.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Evinrude was one of the very first practical outboards. C: 1909.
Ole Evinrude sold his outboard company with the understanding he wouldn't manufacture an outboard under
his name.
So he called his new motor the "ELTO" (Evinrude Light Twin Outboard).
Mean while Evinrude Co. started buying up competitors; Johnson was one of the strongest. They built motors seperately for a time
And gradually the true Johnsons were fazed out and replaced with the Evinrude motor.It ran pretty much like that till BRP took over
and eventually fazed out the Johnson name.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Not only could Ole not not manufacture an outboard under his name, he had to refrain from activity in the outboard business altogether for 5 years.

Ole actually went to Chris Meyer (who he sold his shares to) with his new revolutionary design in 1919 after his non compete cause expired. Chris figured he was making enough money and told Ole he didnt want to join up with him, threatening that Ole could never compete. Well, Ole thought he could and that is when he started ELTO. The ELtos were light years ahead of the Evinrudes, being made of aluminum, twin cylinder that only weighed 48lbs making 3hp while the Evinrudes were still as they were when Ole left, being single cylinders, weighing 72 lbs and only developed 2hp.

The Johnson brother improved upon this even more, by bringing die cast aluminum castings into the picture. This was unheard of. especially the extemely thin 7/64" castings that the foundries told them couldnt be done, but they got it done.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Thank you!! I now have some winter reading I can occupy my time with,

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Johnson & Evinrude still offered independent designs through the 1940s and into the early 1950s. The revolutionary 10-horse Johnson of 1949 loaned its lower unit & gearcase to Evinrude, to which Evinrude used together with the Elto 12-horse wedge head block to produce the Fastwin 14. For 1950 Evinrude phased out their small 4-cylinders (5.4 Zephyr & 9.7) in favor of a new Fleetwin 7.5. By 1954 the 7.5 Fleetwin was using the lower unit developed jointly for the new Johnson 5.5. For 1951 there was the first true joint venture motor, the 25. The following year the next joint venture was the 3. OMC universal points were being added to existing designs after already being utilized in the joint venture motors. 1953 saw the combined development of remote controls. 1954 saw the joint development of the new rubber isolation, intake silencing and powerhead sealing of the Johnson 5.5 & Evinrude 7.5. For 1955 models that technology was expanded to all motors except the 3s. Somewhere around 1953 OMC bought Buccaneer, who soon began offering obsolete or economy versions of Johnson & Evinrude motors. Never mind that quietly Buccaneer developed the fuel pump & single line hose, non-pressurized fuel tank, to which they corralled into service under the department store brands of Sea King (Montgomery Ward in U.S.A) & Viking (Eatons in Canada). After sufficient field testing on the backs of anonymous department store brands, Johnson & Evinrude began using the single line non-pressurized tanks on selected models for 1958, phasing out the double line pressure tanks after 1959. 1956 saw Johnson & Evinrude completely merge their offerings. After that the only difference was paint, cowls & tiller handles.

I wrote this myself I swear.

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

Some good info here, too...
Antique Outboard Wiki: "Preservation - Restoration" - The AOMCI moto

Re: Help on history of Johnson Evinrude motors

This is great. Thanks.