Opinion: Restore or leave alone?

[mas]

I think a motor that looks like crap and restored brings great joy and admiration, but a great original restored brings doubt (what did I do?) and scorn. One of our club mottos is "preservation"…as in preservation of an original!

Keep it original! There are plenty of crappy motors out there!

Mas

[mas]

Members cannot tell the difference between a crappy motor restored to nice and a nice original restored to nice…there is no difference, but it is easy to tell the difference between a restored motor and a nice original. The nice original can never be replaced. But one can restore a crappy motor a million times!

[PugetSoundBoater]

quote david bartlett:

If you paint it you will be afraid to use it.

That is a very good point.

"Some people want to know how a watch works, others just want to know what time it is"
Robbie Robertson

[fleetwin]

That engine is in beautiful cosmetic shape, leave it alone….

[richg]

Adding my 2 cents. Yes, leave it original. I think the only thing better would have been if you found it in an unopened crate!
It’s really sweet! Bottom line its yours, do what you want. But you asked for input!

[hdted]

My friend likes to paint everything. He has a Harley he paints about twice per year just to change the colors. I guess when he saw the Johnson he thought he could make it look so much better and the offer of a free paint job was tempting. But after reading these comments about it being original only once and if it were painted it would only be another restored paint job it will remain as is. I guess after 61 years it has earned it’s scars and scratches.

[mas]

Have him paint one for you…just not that one. Find one that needs a lot of cosmetic attention but runs great. There a many out there!
Then you’ll have a nicely restored motor and an original.

Great fun!

Mas

[nali]

As above.
I had a Johnson 1932 and just cleaned it.
Also had a Vespa 1957 and just polished the original paint 🙂

[weedlessdrive]

I would clean it really good and hit it with clearcoat as is. Looks nice as is!

[PugetSoundBoater]

Patina is ok. I’m not going to paint a couple motors or my 1960 Lund. That boats got character and soul.My sister said" you should paint it" .I rolled my eyes. She dosn’t get it.

"Some people want to know how a watch works, others just want to know what time it is"
Robbie Robertson

[Author]

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