My Hobby: Outboard Motor Restoration & Preservation

I began my hobby of collecting Outboard Motors in 1993 shortly after using our 1957 FD-11 18hp Johnson motor that has been in our family since it was new. In the first year and the one subsequently following, the motor required some work. In the first year, the motor needed a magneto rebuild and tune-up after it began to run on only one cylinder. The following year and a total lower unit replacement was required. Due to the fact that most of the original lower unit parts were no longer available(NLA), the cost to have rebuilt the original lower unit would have been almost double the cost of purchasing a totally rebuilt  lower unit used on engines from the 1970's. After those repairs were made the motor ran like a watch, but soon I wanted something bigger and in the spring of 1994, I purchased a 14ft Savage American with a 1961 Merc 400 motor. Once again the same phase, "There aren't any parts to fix that motor, and if you did happen to find the parts, finding somebody to work on it is going to be even harder. It was this reoccuring theme that parts were hard to find coupled with the reality that no dealer cared to work on these older motors, that led me on the quest to look elsewhere. Soon thereafter, I began finding old motors like nobody's business and my collection had began to grow in leaps and bounds, and with the help of some mechanics at Mercury Marine, I joined the Antique Outboard Motor Club Inc.(AOMCI) in October of 1995. Since then my collection has grown to well over 200 engines and 16 boats. 

The AOMCI is an excellent source for information, and has local chapters in every state, as well as other countries around the world. In 2003, I decided to give back to the organization that had helped me so much by becoming the Newsletter Editor of the Finger Lakes Chapter. I served in that capacity until mid 2006. In mid-2006, I took my level of volunteering in the AOMCI to a whole new level as I started a local chapter in the AOMCI. The name of the new chapter is known as the Western New York Chapter of the AOMCI. I serve in the current capacity as President and things are off to a very good start. For more info about the Western New York Chapter, CLICK HERE. I also maintain The Wizard Outboard Motor Site and Forum. There is a Q&A board for those who seek advice or information about thier Wizard Outboard motor. To go to the Wizard Outboard Motor Site &  Forum, CLICK HERE

The picture page is for photos of my collection. Also, there are pictures of a Dodge Aspen my brother and I painted to resemble the General Lee. I also painted a 1950 Lone Star boat like the General Lee as well. The car is pictured below. In 2007, plans are for taking a 1998 Hydro-Runner made from plans found in the 1950's Popular Mechanic's books, and making that into a faster more powerful on the water craft. It will be powered by a Mercury Mark 58 45hp outboard motor.

The events section is for local boating and outboard motor events that I support. These events are  within a days drive of Rochester, NY.

E-mail: jbaxter@wizardoutboardforum.com