So, I have always wanted a cool old outboard to just display in my man cave. Only problem is, I dont have and probably never will have a man cave. We do, however, have a cabin in Big Bear Lake, CA. At a garage sale, a gentleman was thinning out his collection of old outboards, and I was able to buy a 1950, 3 hp Johnson, model JW-10. It is in reasonably good cosmetic shape, and I welded up a stand for it, and just want to keep on a corner of a deck. I dont want to repaint it, but would rather just preserve the original finish, while protecting it from the elements, sun, rain, snow. Kind of want the “patina” look you see in vintage cars. Question is, will I damage the existing stickers, if I spray something like a 2K clear with hardener, or is there something better? I plan on taking it apart, clean it with say simple green, and spraying the individual pieces, and reassembling. Any words of wisdom? Suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
On another note, it turns free, its complete, and feels like it might have good compression. I might like to get it running just for fun, but thats for a later date. I do have a love for old outboards, my first one was a Gamefisher 7.5 hp, I think really an Eska. Next I had a 1963, 40 evinrude on a 1955 11 1/2 foot glasspar, that I and many friends learned to ski on. Also a 1961 Johnson 75 hp, V4 . A , I think late 70’s Chrysler 70 hp, and last 2 stroke was a Evinrude 150 V6. I currently have a 2014, 60 hp fuel injected yamaha, on a 15 foot Calibogie (pretty much a Hobie Power skiff).
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