Re: 1959 Evinrude 5.5 Golden Jubilee

[fisherman6]

The oil ratio debate is indeed an ongoing and never ending one. These 5.5hp and their 7.5hp cousins are recommended to run on 16:1 as has already been stated. The synthetics and even the conventional TCW3 oils are much better than the SAE30 non detergent oil was when these motors were new. I like to use Synthetics because most of them are biodegradeable and better for the fish and the environment. I still typically run these on 16:1 mix, though I have run them in 24:1 full synthetic without issue. There are some folks that run all their classics and antiques on around a 32:1 mix and have for many years again without issue. I guess I’m not quite that brave yet. I will not personally recommend straying from the original specs for mix ratio, but I have done it on occasion with fully synthetic oil.

If you have had your motor for several years and never changed the impeller since you have owned it, it’s time.

As for value, this is going to sound like a cop-out, but it’s worth what someone will pay. It is subject to geographic location, availability, and someone’s desire to have a particular motor. I own 6 Evinrude Golden Jubilee motors. Three of them are very nice, one is very nice on the outside, but got moused on the inside so it needs some attention under the hood. One is slightly above average, and one is average or slightly below. So far I have never paid over $200 for any of them, but have or will put that or more into most of them after purchase. I see nice old motors sell for much more than that quite often, but I’m cheap and selective… in that order. As my collection grows I seem to become more of both… in the opposite order.

Ones that are in super nice original cosmetic condition can and often do command considerably more money as condition improves. I saw a superb example of a 1959 Evinrude Golden Jubilee 10hp Sportwin sell for $400 at a meet this year. I considered buying it myself and I already had 2 others at the time. That one looked almost like it just came out of the crate.

-Ben

OldJohnnyRude on YouTube