TOPIC: Here's a feel good story!

So I made a trip out to the country a few months ago in response to a craigslist ad for old outboard hoods, as I was looking for something retro to graft over the top of my Honda to match my vintage houseboat. The guy had dozens, laying in the weeds, and told me his insurance was making him get rid of all the clutter because it would be a hazard in a hurricane... he said I could have all I wanted for 20 bucks apiece... the remaining ones that didn't sell were going to the landfill in a couple of weeks...
So I got me a nice Scott hood that fit nicely over my Honda, then I grabbed a '58 and a '59 starflite hood, just because they were cool looking, and I couldn't bear to let them go to a landfill
As it turned out, a couple weeks later I bought a '59 American Marc Stardust, with a Golden Jubilee Evinrude medallion on the dash... a perfect match for the hood I bought! Which will graft onto the top of the Honda 45 I planned to mount. Coincidence? I think NOT!! DESTINY!!! So then I put the '58 hood on eBay and this guy Bert bought it for his Starflite and excellent restored boat!
Here is what it looks like now:

[img]http://www.fiberglassics.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/imagejpeg_0_4.jpg[/img And his boat: [img]http://www.fiberglassics.com/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/imagejpeg_0_3.jpg
Here is a before pic:


So alls well that ends well. Bert is happy with his hood and I am happy that I saved something someone would love from destruction after surviving for 58 years

Way to go and that '58 hood looks awesome!

Bob

Cool, I think I have the same hood

Man those hoods look really nice and the boat also!!!! Funny how things used to have so much style back in the day. What has become of our sense of style???

I agree! That is a beautiful cowling and an amazing restoration! Wow!

I think that some of the more recent outboard cowlings are actually pretty cool and futuristic looking. The big E-TEC and the Merc Verado are pretty mean looking.

I read an article in a boating magazine in the mid 80's that was about Mercury going out to some sort of Art Student body (cannot remember where) for contest from higher education. The challenge was for them to look over their outboard evolution and then come up with a new art rendering of what their interpretation of a "future" Mercury might look like. They showed 2 finalists renderings. I believe one was a yellow and white, the other I believe was black and white. They both had smooth/swoopy lines from bottom to top. Ironically, that newer Varado looks a lot like what I remember one rendering looks like. I do like some style. I much prefer any attempt at "interesting" over just 4 sides and a top. The whole boat/motor package should capture the eye... and I need to also remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder...yet we do still need a little "something" of interest to behold - lol.

I just love the styling from the 50's 60's and 70's!! Everything just went so sterile (read cheap) after that. That's why I've always been a big fan of the OMC's in particular. I mean, Mercury made some great motors, I know. But the diversity and originality of the OMC styling during that period was just so incredibly special... and different every year!! I didn't even notice on that 58 hood until I started the (quite extensive) packing process, that it actually had little doors on the back so you could change the spark plugs without removing it!

Agree. Chrome, colors, badges, shapes, stripes, functional features...and as you say...changes each year, yet each is quite cool. I too like the Johnson, Evenrude, Scott, Gale, Homelites, and more...hoods with style and flair. Maybe they should do like cars and just charge more for the "special package" badging and styling so you could get somewhat of an upgrade to style. I lived through the "make everything with one less part every year...one less step in manufacturing, cheaper materials...etc. era" anything to improve the profit bottom line and even survive the recessions was on the table in those mundane years.