V8 Johnson Limited Edition "Second Effort"

**bigboy** · 02-11-2007, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Mastercraft241

its a great motor once ya get it tuned in. Until then.... ull be making weekly stops to your mechanic. Everyweekend i used my boat, i was in the shop the following monday. I swear to god i only saw this boat on the weekend. Rest of the week it was at the shop. If im not mistaken though, all the limited editions have the metallic color which is no longer made. I just replaced my lowerunit/housing myself and had to special order the paint. Its a great engine, ya just have to have the money to invest in it.

Is it the same color as this one? If so do you have the color code of it? My motor is repainted by the previous owner. I think it is the color of the limited edition but i'm not sure. I realy like it. Nicest color for omc if you ask me

**staylor** · 02-11-2007, 12:21 PM

...it's not dated, but states that "performance perfected V-6s and V-8s are available in Limited Edition Engines available only from Second Effort". The V-8 motors are listed as having lightweight louvered motor cover, external exhaust, special graphics, special cylinder heads, full factory warranty, and stainless steel steering and tie bar brackets. Also states that power steering is standard on standard rotation models. Color listed is dark blue for Evinrudes, charcoal for Johnson with 20 inch shaft and white for 25 inch. If you bought the V-6, it listed the same stuff as the V-8, but added a modified air intake system and listed power steering as optional. A 1990 price sheet was also in my pile of stuff, which may or may not have come with the flyer. The price sheet states that all motors include a Mach Magnum prop. Price for the 20 inch 300 hp V-8 was $9624. I used to have a complete second effort catalog but I can't find it. These were stuffed in with my Mach prop catalogs. In 1992 I bought a 225XP Evinrude and when I ordered it the facory called my dealer and asked if I'd like a Limited Edition 225 instead. They stated it was slightly more powerful than the standard XP. I assume this was probably a left over, but since they wanted an extra $1000. or so for it, I passed.
Doug

**neveredge** · 02-11-2007, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by staylor

...it's not dated, but states that "performance perfected V-6s and V-8s are available in Limited Edition Engines available only from Second Effort". The V-8 motors are listed as having lightweight louvered motor cover, external exhaust, special graphics, special cylinder heads, full factory warranty, and stainless steel steering and tie bar brackets. Also states that power steering is standard on standard rotation models. Color listed is dark blue for Evinrudes, charcoal for Johnson with 20 inch shaft and white for 25 inch. If you bought the V-6, it listed the same stuff as the V-8, but added a modified air intake system and listed power steering as optional. A 1990 price sheet was also in my pile of stuff, which may or may not have come with the flyer. The price sheet states that all motors include a Mach Magnum prop. Price for the 20 inch 300 hp V-8 was $9624. I used to have a complete second effort catalog but I can't find it. These were stuffed in with my Mach prop catalogs. In 1992 I bought a 225XP Evinrude and when I ordered it the facory called my dealer and asked if I'd like a Limited Edition 225 instead. They stated it was slightly more powerful than the standard XP. I assume this was probably a left over, but since they wanted an extra $1000. or so for it, I passed.
Doug

Some of this is true. However the Limited editions were available for a number of years and were offered in different colors and hp ranges. There are light blue evinrudes and all white Johnsons, both in 20 and 25" shafts.

Evinrude never made a 225XP. It was a 200 xp. The 200 limited edition (in 94) was just a 225. It had bigger carbs and a nice grafics package. Some of the earlier LE200s did have different porting but that was because they were Second Effort motors.

Basically OMC threw the Limited Editiom name around trying to sell motors. They used it even after Second Effort shut down.

Land and Sea did a lot of dyno testing on these motors, a stock 3.6 and a stock 300GT both made about 320 at the crank, take out the 10% for drivetrain loss and you are in the 280's.

The 4.7 big bore kit was a joke, they didn't live. It was a very large amount of machine work to make a 4.7 just to watch it blow up. BTW, I know of one 4.7 that is still running but it sure doesn't make the power L&S claimed.

400 HP out a properly modified V8 is possible on pump gas. A lot of the old modified motors made HP though compression instead of good porting. (only a handful of people knew how to port one correctly back then) So the HP numbers were lower and the compression higher.

Anyway, the limited editions are cool motors. I would love to have one.

**staylor** · 02-11-2007, 03:35 PM

I just sold the darned thing in 2002 and I think I ought to know what I ordered and what graphic was written on the dark blue cowling from the factory. The motor was factory ordered in 1992- in January 1992 to be exact, so it could either be a 1992 or 1993 model. The offer from the factory to offer me a 225 Limited Edition was communicated to me verbally by the dealer, so he could have mixed it up with a 200. I asked him to ask the factory if it would be measurably faster than the 225XP- they said "probably not" according to the dealer's reply to me from an additional phone call to them. I'd go take a photo of the motor if I could, but the next owner scattered the motor, probably by running it on 87 octane cut with water from the local Indian reservation. When 2 rods exited the block they took the cowling with them. By the way, I'm LOL on your comments that "some of this is true" about the Second Effort Flyer. I'm just quoting directly what was written in print by Second Effort- so I guess you're SOL unless you want to complain to whomever at the late company wrote up their own catalog. If you don't like what they wrote, then it sucks to be you....
Doug

**neveredge** · 02-11-2007, 03:53 PM

Doug, don't get your panties in a wad. Show me the model number off the motor and I may believe you about the 225XP. OMC did some strange things back in the day. The model number will begin with "E225STL" if it doesn't have the S it isn't an XP. Regardless what the sticker says.

As far as the Second Effort catalog goes the information in it is only valid for the year it was made for. The limited editions were offered in many forms for many years.

I have pics of both Evinrude and Johnson 275 and 300 Limited editions. All are 20" shafts and colors are light silver blue on the 275 rude, dark blue on the 300 rude and white on both Johnsons. These are all standard colors.
I have a limited edition 225 cowling in my garage that is Blue with gold and red stripes. Instigator has an LE200 Johnson that is gunmetal with gold and silver stripes and gold lettereing. His was made by OMC, not Second Effort.

Check out this Second Effort brochure from the mid 80s. It is from LiquidNirvanas site. http://rides.webshots.com/album/555211955sZYxhw

Just checked, OMC made a 225STL XP/GT version in 93. It was the only year they made it. The next year the STL became the Vindicator and Venom respectivly.

**Action Dave** · 02-11-2007, 04:04 PM

Just on a similar note, my uncle has two 4.0L v8's pushing over 400hp at the prop shaft. They do run on pump gas, however the carbs are jetted so rich to keep the motors running, it leaves an oil/gas slick behind the boat.

**STV_Keith** · 02-11-2007, 04:21 PM

That happen to be a 25' Action?

**Airboater** · 02-11-2007, 05:21 PM

So who had the better build up back in the day Second Effort or Evolution

**Instigator** · 02-11-2007, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Airboater

So who had the better build up back in the day Second Effort or Evolution

w/a limited edition 4.0 V-8 that is only stickers.
He put L/S dual plug heads on it and is unmollested other than that.
It's on a Hydrostream and has I think 800hrs on it.
Never been opened up. Not bad for junk huh?

Most of the "Limited Editions" you see are stickers only from the OMC factory.
If it was a real one of the very few from Second Effort you can be sure that almost all if not ALL of those are dead and gone by now.

As far as Evolution goes.. I have heard nothing but good about Marvins work.

Gary Garbrecht (sp?) on the other hand took control of S/E and promptly drove it in the ground.

On the 400HP #s remember the Offshore 3.5 race V-8's only made 390 and similar for the F-1 motors.
Most of the 400HP fish motor V-8s I have seen were making 300 HP when they were new and are now so far out of tune that they're maybe making 250or so.

Keith, Bobby Pazos Sr has a 25' Action w/twin fire breathing 8's on it.
Has been through several versions of HP's but was running close to 100 in its prime.

Gary

**Mark75H** · 02-11-2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Instigator

Gary Garbrecht (sp?) on the other hand took control of S/E and promptly drove it in the ground.

Who started Second Effort?

**Instigator** · 02-11-2007, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

Who started Second Effort?

didn't mean to imply that he didn't start S/E.

Only quoting what I have been told by friends that knew/dealt w/him and his company.
Keep forgetting that you wait for any chance to be able to correct anything I write.
Correct/educate away.
I'll start sending everything through you first.
And BTW, from what I hear OMC built it.

**Mark75H** · 02-11-2007, 06:36 PM

I do not "wait for any chance to be able to correct anything you write"

You took my question wrong ... I thougth maybe I didn't recall it correctly and the wording of your statement was 100% correct, since I do make quite a few mistakes in my old age - I admit I am not always correct. If I leave my mistakes uncorrected and ignored, all my words are worthless

**Instigator** · 02-11-2007, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

I do not "wait for any chance to be able to correct anything you write"

You took my question wrong ... I thougth maybe I didn't recall it correctly and the wording of your statement was 100% correct, since I do make quite a few mistakes in my old age - I admit I am not always correct. If I leave my mistakes uncorrected and ignored, all my words are worthless

reacted based on prior experiences.

Of "ALL" of the people that I know that dealt with him at S/E they all tell me the exact same stories.
My "understanding" was/is that he inherited the business from OMC, doubled the prices on everything and drove the company and the business into the ground.
Of all the people that I knew that dealt with him in the F-1 days and before "ALL" tell the exact same stories.
Lots of people in positions that would know/see.

**Mark75H** · 02-11-2007, 07:47 PM

Tell me if this version is right from what you have heard ...

Garbrecht was setting up Second Effort and got lucky that OMC heard about it early on and OMC pumped a lot of money into Second Effort and made it the official factory subcontractor making all the racing stuff.

When Second Effort lost the factory as their main customer, Second Effort stayed in business on the backs of their remaining customers and prices were "harsh", to put it mildly.

**jimbo1** · 02-11-2007, 08:39 PM

Is there any way you could email me a copy of those pages about the HP ratings of the various JohnnyRudes from your Land and Sea? It would help me a lot. Thanks, Jimbo1(jamescrush@aol.com)