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Just wondering if that or something like that might be profitable. Maybe another kind of mechanical part on something else, a scooter or car or whatever.
like any other service/supply business ... it's all about "supply and demand"
If you can buy the "old boat motors" cheaply enough that you can turn your inventory over after all expenses, parts, labor, and machining are covered and there's a profit at the end of the journey, so be it.
Check out the ads in the back of boating magazines, and you'll see that there are several companies that do specialize in such work now for the classic boating industry where, like collectible cars, having the original correct engines in those boats is important for judging at the shows.
First off, I assume you mean outboard "boat motors" as opposed to inboard (or I/O) engines which are converted gas or diesel engines which one can source as they would automotive or truck engines.
Fixing up outboards to sell might be a plan, but parts are expensive and there are brands that aren't worth fixing...they were trouble new out of the box. Plus, most buyers would want to see them run under real life conditions, not in a test tank or on a flush fitting. That could be a PITA, especially with the big ones.
A guy near me on the Eastern Shore of Maryland had a great idea....an outboard motor junkyard. He has thousands of outboards on his property and he sells parts off them just like an automotive junk yard does. Say you knock your lower unit off on a rock....lower units are seriously expensive to buy new, you just go see this guy and get a used one for a fraction of the cost. People drive from near and far to buy used outboard parts and he does a land office business. The problem is, where do you get used outboards in large quantities? I asked him and he wouldn't say...LOL.
Some guys search CL and Ebay for beater outboards and fix them in their garage for resell. Some guys can actually make decent bank if they know what they are doing. Most yards charge 100 an hour so it would be cheaper in many cases to just re-power.
Old boat engines are so unreliable to begin with, I cant see a profit that is worth it. Who knows though.
Id rather get my hands on power tools, lawnmowers, snow blowers... things like that, that are 4 stroke engines.
Its amazing how many people toss their lawnmowers away because they hit a rock and it wont start anymore....Not even realizing that there is a $0.10 timing key on the flywheel that will shear to prevent internal damage upon hitting a rock. Carb rebuild kits are super cheap and practically all the same since they're usually 5 hp Briggs and Stratton. There's just a few techniques to getting the engines apart that you need to know to make it easier.
They're easier and quicker to fix than boat engines. Parts availability is great, you can buy bulk parts on ebay even.
Just a thought.
Even though you'll only get like $50 per mower, you only invest maybe $15 and about an hour of your time.
Boat engines need more space and special tools etc.
Invest in a parts washer tub with hard bristle brushes, along with an air compressor.
Mower tune ups... Clean carb, replace gaskets, new plug, check coil for proper gap, sharpen blade, replace throttle springs(if needed), lube cables, add on repairs. Thats a $75 job right there.
Old boat engines are so unreliable to begin with, I cant see a profit that is worth it. Who knows though.
Id rather get my hands on power tools, lawnmowers, snow blowers... things like that, that are 4 stroke engines.
Its amazing how many people toss their lawnmowers away because they hit a rock and it wont start anymore....Not even realizing that there is a $0.10 timing key on the flywheel that will shear to prevent internal damage upon hitting a rock. Carb rebuild kits are super cheap and practically all the same since they're usually 5 hp Briggs and Stratton. There's just a few techniques to getting the engines apart that you need to know to make it easier.
They're easier and quicker to fix than boat engines. Parts availability is great, you can buy bulk parts on ebay even.
Just a thought.
Even though you'll only get like $50 per mower, you only invest maybe $15 and about an hour of your time.
Boat engines need more space and special tools etc.
Invest in a parts washer tub with hard bristle brushes, along with an air compressor.
Mower tune ups... Clean carb, replace gaskets, new plug, check coil for proper gap, sharpen blade, replace throttle springs(if needed), lube cables, add on repairs. Thats a $75 job right there.
Excellent idea.
People abuse outdoor power equipment and then wonder why they won't start. The number one thing is leaving gas in small engines for long periods of storage. Hello...gasoline goes bad after a while...even with Sta-Bil added.
I fix small engines for my neighbors and when they say, "I don't understand, it ran great three years ago!", I know immediately to tear the carb off it...
No. No one wants them. It will cost so much worth of your time that you could just buy new or newer motors that do not need repair and have important technological advances. If you get very old ones, some are collectible, but you may have to make the parts yourself. I have a couple 1950s motors in my yard that need repair. Do you want them?
Most people I see driving around with boats behind their car/truck look to be pretty well off financially. I should think they could easily afford new motors? And a matching color to boot!
If you decide to start this enterprise, I have an antique Evinrude Zephyr outboard I would really like to get rid of..
As for Outdoor Power Equipment, don't believe for a minnit that you don't need "special" tools for Briggs & Stratton engines. Or for any other brand of engine, for that matter. I spent several years as an OPE repair person, and I had to buy some special tools that the shop did not provide. Back then I was factory certified for four stroke Kohler, B&S, and Tecumseh engines; and Peerless transmissions.
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