Restoring a 1971 Johnson outboard motor

A couple of Shed readers start a rebuild project for the Shed Magazine

We got this email from a Shed reader who was sent a project from another Shed reader, the rebuild of a 1971 Johnson 25hp outboard motor.


The challenge, to rebuild this outboard from a box of bits

The idea being that this pile of bits would eventually become a backup motor for his fishing boat. So nice to see our readers are thinking of us. Here at The Shed we are already looking forward to the restored engine article.
Below is the note that came with the engine, the Sheddies names have been deleted. 
“As mentioned earlier, herewith the old Johnson outboard from dad’s shed. Make of it what you will or if you are not inclined or reckon it is not worth the effort or in the too hard basket or whatever, pass it onto someone who may be keen to give it a go, or, simply send it to the tip.
In any event, I reckon it could be a good article for The Shed magazine so if you or someone else wants to give it a go and give it a Lazarus type resurrection or rebirth, maybe take some photos for a Shed article as you go along.
Kind regards and cheers to all.”
Onya fellas.


Lets hope all the parts are here


Even the newspaper wrapping the parts is from the 1970s

 


The jigsaw building begins

The jigsaw building begins

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When it came time to plan a new house on the new section, I thought of a barn-sized shed. In this barn, I would build all the joinery for the house. But first I had to build the barn.
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Like other glimpses I enjoy of by-gone eras, I have always loved those English “oak barns” typically housing Aston Martins in magazines portraying classic cars. The vision I had for my barn was of posts and beams and the roof crouching over long flanks, suggesting back rooms filled with the rare and the useful.

A life in harmony

There is such a thing as serendipity. When Paul Downie was 11 years old a chance meeting at his grandmother’s house was to eventually set him on a course that would define his career.
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When he was 22, Paul embarked on the project, researching how to build a harpsichord, scouring junk shops for old tools, sawing bits of wood, and gluing them up until he had constructed the instrument.
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“I went on to build two more harpsichords. The first one did work but it wasn’t up to the same standard so I ended up pulling it apart and my sister burnt it as fire wood,” he says laughing. “The others have survived and are owned by very good musicians.”