Gimme a day to confer with the Cods and I'll report back.

-W (taking a side trip to Mt. Jonnyrude)


"Mad Dog" wrote in message
...
we are buying a older model 16 ft. thundercraft runabout with a johnson
45/50 outboard motor.
the motor is labeled a nifty fifty.
i know nothing about boats as this is our first purchase, can anyone tell
me
about this motor
such as type...2 or 4 cycle,carb or injected, pros and cons what prop
should
it have.
is their a website that has info this motor?
thanx n advance for any info u may provide.
--
george & lynn

"Mad Dog" wrote in message
...
thank you kindly, we will be looking forward to your reply



Are you sure George?

The first responce I got back was *pure* sarcasm........

Tom said
"The "Fat Fifty" was a phenomenal work of art. Fine craftsmanship, sleek
design and way ahead of it's time regarding fuel economy. The weight to
horsepower ratio and ease of operation put it way ahead of the competition.
These facts explain why they are such a common sight today; whether pulling
several beautiful women on waterskiis, skillfully navigating the hazardous
inlets of Puget Sound, or simply plying the backwaters of a hidden cove on
Lake Superior, the OMC "Fat Fifty" is here to stay."

So.......Early data indicates it's also known as the "Fat Fifty". Known back
then for a relatively high fuel consuption and poor power to weight ratio
when compared to that "other" 45-50hp motor on the market. (that i was just
discussing earlier)

Assuming I can verify that it's the "Fat Fifty" you own, It's 2 stroke and
you can pre-mix the gas at 40/1 on todays TCW-3 oils, 50/1 if you're brave.
It was a fairly common motor back in it's day. I'd never heard of the "Nifty
Fifty" but I was aware of the lore of the "Fat Fifty - even before Tom's
sarcastic post. They were a known clam. Ok - for trolling though.

Wish I had better news.

-W

OK,

A couple more replies trickled in - it's confirmed to be "that motor" I'm
afraid.

On the upside you *do* have a classic motor. It seems to be about the right
match for the boat.
Painted up it's cool to look at. Many of them are displayed on collectors
stands. But if you're not looking for performance or fuel economy it'll be
fit for the purpose intended. Since this is your first boat, you want to
stress safety over performance anyway..

On the downside it's one of the most notorious clams in classic outboard
history. Direct comparisons between the OMC "Fat Fifty" and the Mercury
"Super Thunderbolt" directly fueled the ongoing feud between OMC and Merc.
In true outboard darwinism, the "Fat Fifty" went away quietly, while the
Super Thunderbolt was made till 1999. The Fat Fifty is no Edsel though, it
primarily looks "so bad" because it's direct competion was "so good". It
wound up marketed against what would prove to be the most successfull
outboard of all history. It had a lose, lose, proposition from the get go.

-W








"Mad Dog" wrote in message
...
thank you kindly, we will be looking forward to your reply
--
george & lynn
"Clams Canino" wrote in message
news:bqnhb.724492$uu5.120671@sccrnsc04...
Gimme a day to confer with the Cods and I'll report back.

-W (taking a side trip to Mt. Jonnyrude)


"Mad Dog" wrote in message
...
we are buying a older model 16 ft. thundercraft runabout with a
johnson
45/50 outboard motor.
the motor is labeled a nifty fifty.
i know nothing about boats as this is our first purchase, can anyone
tell
me
about this motor
such as type...2 or 4 cycle,carb or injected, pros and cons what prop
should
it have.
is their a website that has info this motor?
thanx n advance for any info u may provide.
--
george & lynn

we are buying a older model 16 ft. thundercraft runabout with a johnson
45/50 outboard motor.
the motor is labeled a nifty fifty.
i know nothing about boats as this is our first purchase, can anyone tell me
about this motor
such as type...2 or 4 cycle,carb or injected, pros and cons what prop should
it have.
is their a website that has info this motor?
thanx n advance for any info u may provide.
--
george & lynn

thank you kindly, we will be looking forward to your reply
--
george & lynn
"Clams Canino" wrote in message
news:bqnhb.724492$uu5.120671@sccrnsc04...
Gimme a day to confer with the Cods and I'll report back.

-W (taking a side trip to Mt. Jonnyrude)


"Mad Dog" wrote in message
...
we are buying a older model 16 ft. thundercraft runabout with a johnson
45/50 outboard motor.
the motor is labeled a nifty fifty.
i know nothing about boats as this is our first purchase, can anyone
tell
me
about this motor
such as type...2 or 4 cycle,carb or injected, pros and cons what prop
should
it have.
is their a website that has info this motor?
thanx n advance for any info u may provide.
--
george & lynn