Evinrude Speedifour Possible Year

[viking66]

Hi all.

I have this Speedifour that I recently acquired. It has a horn in the front cover and I have not seen one like it in pics when I do a search.

It also does not have the additional linkage on the choke handle and there are no bolt holes on the head where that part would attach.

I looked on the freeze plug lower right when looking from the front and it appears to be changed, so no model or serial number, just some circles that get smaller towards the center.

Pics below. Just trying to get an idea, not majorly important I guess….LOL

[r-c]

Based on the gear case it is a pre-1949 to 1950 model, when the gear case was changed. The gear case is the basic ‘storm boat’ model with side fins that have been cut off either by the factory or a dealer. So it looks like a 1946 to 48 model.
The air horn looks like someone adabated a Vactuir carb to it an just drilled a hole through the front cover to make it fit. They would have to remove the compression release linkage to make this work. This is why there are plugs in the cylinders.

[garry-in-michigan]

I would say 1947 or ’48. At the end of the war Evinrude was working on a contract for over 10,000 Storm Boat Motors for the invasion of Japan. When Truman authorized the dropping of the two Atomic bombs we had, Japan quickly surrendered. The contract was canceled leaving Evinrude with a vast supply of heavy duty gear cases. Those wanting more speed cut off the "wings" to reduce drag. On the next production run (’47 or 8) the "wings" were elimanated. Dad had modified a heavy duty casting Clyde Weisman supplied for his Big Four. The factory liked it and modified it some more, rounding the knife edge dad had put on the front of the gear case. They put it on all the 1949 Speeditwin, Speedifour and Big Four models.

[viking66]

Cool info, thanks guys!!

I will take a closer look and see if the wings are cut off. I do know it has the tab thing at the bottom of the Skeg which appears in the pic for the 1946.

Any ideas on the Horn on the front cover, and why no choke linkage?

[Author]

Posts