Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club

Just got back from a 3800 mile drive........
Took off up to Smyrna Tenn and picked up a buddy of mine then departed for Tomahawk, Wisconsin to attend a national Antique Outboard meet up there.
Was 52f each morning and one day with rain it never reached 60 degrees! Talk about a shock when I got out of the truck today.........
The meet takes over a closed runway on an old airport that runs next to the lake and river. Amazing amount of old iron up there, both running and for sale. On the way up Dan and I detoured and went to an auction for antique outboards. I bid and bought two.
Got a 1932 Evinrude "Service A" which is an opposed twin developing 5.8hp and has a 6V battery ignition. Runs like a champ and is started with a knob on the top of the flywheel.
Also picked up an engine I have been hunting for for several years. A 1935 Sea King opposed twin developing 8.5hp and is quite a performer for it's diminutive size. Fairly hard to come by so was lucky to win the auction on it. That one took a bit to get it running. Has a magneto ignition and a wasted spark system (single coil with two secondaries) and one side of the secondary had an internal short.
Finding a coil for that engine would be nearly impossible so we adapted two coils produced for modern engines to it. Wired them in series and it took several hours to figure out how to do it and make it fit in the original location on the original core laminates but it works well and the engine runs great.
Found a gorgeous 40hp 1964 Evinrude Lark IV with electric shift down near Chicago and picked that engine up for Lesa's Lyman boat. Wanted a touch more horsepower and a queter engine and this one will do nicely in both regards.
Dropped Dan back off in Smyrna (Nashville) and turned around and went all the way over to Dyersburg in West Tenn and picked up Lesa's Mom! At 86 years old she is quite the truck rider. She made several hours at a time without having to take a break of any kind and was great company on the way home.

That's a lot of riding and still stay East of the Mississippi River.  Sounds like you had good luck.  Glad all went well.

        :cooldude:

So that is where you have been hiding.

Glad things went well for you and that you got to find the engine you had been looking for, how about a pic so we can see.  :cooldude: :cooldude:

I should have went, searching for some parts for my new Lark

Bill, I assume you're not talking about an old Studebaker.  ;)

Nope, 1956 evinrude lark 30 HP

Grumpy - They have the event every year so you are welcome to join in next year!
I will post pics when I settle on a way to do it. That's my current excuse!
Lesa and I went to the warehouse and unloaded them today. She loved the 40hp and the little Service A with the knob on top of the flywheel to start it.

I have a 56 30 hp lark and trying to find the front cover for the cowl.  I have it stripped to the bones, overhauled, and will put it together once the paint gets here. Going to put it on the Orlando clipper when it is done. Have acid washed the hull and it came out real good, probably will polish it. Installing a new transom now. Just having rotten luck finding the cover, even if I could borrow one, make a mold and fab one out of fiberglass.

Bill, what's the model # of the Lark?

Right now would have to dig through the parts to find it.  I will take a look tomorrow.
I believe it is model 25526e   Found it  RDE-18

OK, I'm presently tending to a sore back meaning I'm not bending very well. So, I have time to poke around various sites on the 'puter while using an ice pack. If I find something I'll give you a shout.

 :cooldude: Sounds like a great all round trip! Glad you found some of your motors you've been looking for.  :coolsmiley:

Grumpy....RDE-18 is a johnson. I know where a complete pretty pristine engine cover is for one of those.
25022 and 25023 are the model numbers for the 1956 Evinrude 30hp.

Didn't one company buy out the other....Evinrude & Johnson? Don't know who bought whom but seems that's what happened.

I screwed up on the numbers, it is a 1956 evinrude Lark 30 horse.
like this one.
(http://www.aerocraft-boats.org/boats/0080/c/HPIM1969.jpg)

OMC (Outboard Marine Corporation) became the parent company of both brands. Since Ralph Evinrude was still alive and active all the way up through the 1970s he was CEO. He made sure his Evinrude brand always had a bit better styling, raised emblems, and (opinion only) better marketing.

Oh....so it was a threesome! Veerrry interesting!  I'm talking golf here.......  ;)