Re: old evinrude lightning
I'm sorry if I came across wrong. Actually, I hold the old OMC's in high regard. I do believe they are the best outboards ever built, and they really DO last almost forever. In fact I own dozens of them!
The OP was leaning toward keeping it as a collectable, and my thought was that he really should do that becasue its worth more as a keepsake than anything else.
The truth is that OB prices are quite variable and depend on location, location, location, and of course supply / demand.
The motor we are talking about, if a fresh water motor, would go for several hundred in coastal FL or TX. In MN, it would go for half that, but only if it was demonstrated as running. In my area, just lots of them around and not a great demand.
My father-in-law used to search them out all year and then pile them in the car on his annual fishing vacation to Ontario, Canada. He usually got 10x his investement and it paid for his vacation.
I spend my weekends on the water, but if its a rainy day I go to garage sales looking for motors. I rarely pay more than 20 bucks. The big twin on the boat in the picture cost $200 and it was totally reconditioned and runs like new. The Model A Rowboat Motor cost $100 at an estate sale. The rest varied from $1, $5 to $20. I just picked up the twin Scotts last winter. Now I realize they aren't Ole's motors, but they both run and I couldn't pass up $25 for BOTH of them.
Also, this winter I went to an auction of the estate of an OB collector. There were 65 motors sold that day. Reserve bid was $35. Only 5 motors sold above reserve, the rest went to a single collector for $35 apiece.
PS - if you talk to most members of the AOMCI they will say that prices are too inflated and we are actually trying to keep them down so we can still afford to buy them and enjoy them for many years to come. If you want a true gem at a reasonable price, go to an AOMCI swap meet.
