Reply To: 1958 evinrude should I buy please help

[Don]

Needless to say, I have a soft spot in my heart for 58Evinrudes.  And yes, many of the common service parts are still available.  Cosmetic stuff is tougher to find, but can probably be found used.   Is this an electric start model?  If so, you will need the original wiring harness and junction box.  These engines can be pretty tough to start with a recoil, even with the compression relief feature.

Recommending this engine hinges of a few conditions.  Do you have much/any experience working on older outboards?  I only ask because you will want to be able to do basic service/repairs yourself.  Finding a shop that is willing is tough enough.  Finding a shop that is experienced with older OMCs and can provide good service is even tougher.   I am always hearing of terrible/expensive experiences with shops that charge a fortune and do sub par work these days.  Paying big money is tough enough, but getting a poor job is enough to sour you on old outboards and boating.

So, I too would recommend looking at the repair invoice for the work that was done recently.  Has this shop been around a long time?  Do they still have techs that are familiar with these engines?   Trust me, I’m not trying to turn you away from older engines.  Just being as honest as I can.  Generally speaking this model is pretty rugged and fairly easy to service, provided the technician has some experience working on older OMCs.  A young technician probably doesn’t even know what a set of ignition points is, much less experience with servicing magnetos.