Re: Early Johnson Waterbug? Model A? Model AB?

[PM T2]

Its a case of good news/bad news for you.

Sort of bad – The serial numbers don’t match, so that more or less tells you that it’s not made of all original parts.

Good – the serial number you are reporting on the block is lower than what you see on the rope sheave.

Sort of bad – it doesn’t appear to be a model B salt water motor.

Good – its IS a very low serial number A, one of the first 1500 built. IN fact, if the 1844 is correct, it would be the 1338th Johnson ever built.

Good news is you have the hard cast tank and correct flywheel/megneto set up for that motor. Bad news is you have a much alter vintage gas cap on there at the moment.

THe lower unit is an A-25 era foot, so it suggests that either

a) a replacement foot was substituted after the original wore out, or
b) the powerhead was swapped onto a later A-25 tower and foot.

I’d guess "A" based on your motor having a grab bar that appears to be rusted where the plating has peeled away. Check the grab bar and the driveshaft tubing with a magnet. If the magnet is attracted to those tubes, it would indicate those are the early parts that were made of steel, as opposed to the later grab bars and driveshaft tubes that were nickel plated brass.

Hope this helps eh

Best,
PM T2

He's livin' in his own private Idaho..... I hope to go out quietly in my sleep, like my grand-dad did..... and not screaming, like the passengers in his car...