Home › Forum › Ask A Member › 1958 Johnson Seahorse 35 non painted bits
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Tubs.
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September 3, 2026 at 9:36 am #327749
Hello, Im restoring a ’58 Seahorse 35 and I’m wondering if theres a source that can tell me what external parts on the engine was painted when new and what parts were natural or zinc coated only? Im hoping to get it as close to new out of the box as possible.
Thank you for any help,
Matt
September 3, 2026 at 8:57 pm #327784Hello Matt, it has been my experience that OMC used a zinc chromate primer under their top coat. The entire hood got painted white then the red was added. Under the hood was all red or Holiday Bronze as the company called it. Johnson had three years of red/white motors all were called Holiday Bronze and all were different shades. I was looking for a good picture of a ’58. I don’t have a 35 but I have a couple 18’s.
dale
September 3, 2026 at 11:55 pm #327790Matt – here’s a couple pics of a 1958 Johnson 10hp I restored a few years ago. Your 35hp would have the same paint scheme. All of the exterior pieces of the mid-section and lower unit are painted with the 1958 Holiday Bronze and the cowl, as Dale noted, are Holiday Bronze and white (the white was actually called Cream). The powerhead was all Holiday Bronze and only the flywheel, magneto plate and carburetor were bare aluminum as shown in my attached pic. For a little extra pop, I’ve started painting the flywheels and carbs on my latest resto jobs with an aluminum colored paint which make them look cleaner.
Edit – prop was also originally painted Cream.
Bob
1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
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1982 Evinrude 25hp“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."September 4, 2026 at 11:09 am #327795 -
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