Evinrude 1963 Outboards Sales Catalog

Push-button controls was the big feature set for 1963, and with the space-age gaining momentum and everything taking on a futuristic theme, the name of the game was electronic features. This trend was in full swing in nearly every aspect of consumer goods, most notably, the cars of the era. These styling ques were never lost on the designers of the aesthetics of all outboards, and very often were inspired by automobile styling. "The push-button age is here", said the brochure.

The new push-button controls offered one-touch activation of gear shifts through three buttons on the throttle control box. The actual shifting was performed by an electromagnetic switch. It was actually a clever design that would surely have been seen as a benefit as compared to twin-lever, cable-operated affair. The new system was touted as being "simple and foolproof", but in practice the system was problematic and eventually dropped by the 1970s.

The star of the show for 1963 was quite literally the 75-horsepower Starflite V4. This engine was the basis for many top-speed record runs in race form during the 1960s, and the basic design remained for many years. Color choices were listed as Seal Gray or Evinrude Blue and White.