Reply To: 1968 Johnson 5HP

[Don]

Like everyone says, old outboards just are not worth much money. Don’t go by the crazy prices you might see posted on ebay or FB. Just because someone asks a crazy price does not mean they actually end up selling it for that amount.
So, has it been used in fresh or salt water? Fresh water engines are usually in much better condition than comparable engines used in salt water. What kind of cosmetic shape is it in? Does it have an external gas tank, or is that lost? Look inside the tank, make sure it is clean. A tank that is rusted/fouled inside is worthless.
I’m guessing you don’t know if the engine will run or not. It requires a fuel mix of 50:1, 1 pint of tcw3 outboard oil to 6 gallons regular fuel. The engine must be run in the water/test tank, or the water pump impeller will be damaged and the engine will overheat. Running the engine even for a few minutes without the proper oil/fuel mix can damage it permanently as well.
Does the flywheel rotate freely when you operate the recoil starter? Does it feel like the engine has good compression on both cylinders? Post some pictures of the engine here so we can have a better idea of its condition.
Like others have said, this model is kind of unique, and a bit more rare, but that doesn’t mean it is worth more money. $50-200US seems like what you might expect to sell it for, depending on its cosmetic condition and whether or not it runs properly.