Old Town Market

Old, Shiny, Look Like New, Outboard Engines

By Lou Christine

So, there I was last show, that’s the October Autumn Show and I was in the Cole Building. The Cole Building is a place I will probably visit a couple of dozen times during the show. I was curious about a new face in the magazine, one I had yet to meet. Seems B. J. Pawlaczyk – aka, “The Outboard Motor Guy” got wind of Show Daily and liked our sales pitch so decided to buy a full-page ad. Pawlaczyk spent a few years at other venues in the area but the Michigander decided to set up at Cole’s at the recommendation of a friend.

Pawlaczyk advertised, “Turning outboard motors into fine art is our specialty.” Well it seems to be and be indeed. The first thing I notice is the B.J. had not one, but two spaces and the 30 or so of the samples on display had sold tags on them! Now I have seen that move before by dealers to make the public think this stuff is hot and you better get one while they’re still some left. I quickly found out B.J. is the real deal and right off the bat he sold a batch of outboard engines to some California guy. B.J. said, he was waiting for his son to bring in a new batch. Thus I received an education. Something I like about the show, that there is this dude who admits he likes to drink, Tequila & Doctor Pepper, who restores old outboard engines and parlay them into decorator pieces. B.J.’s two boy’s were added muscle and carried as much enthusiasm for the newfound business as their old man.

Seems there’s a group of collectors, nation-wide who are gah-gah over outboard engines even if for decorative purposes. B.J. is the first to tell you, these babies don’t run but they are the closest facsimiles found anywhere that authenticate many of the engines that haven’t been mass produced in over 50 years. Many of the engines have long been out of production or even running them wouldn’t be practical this day and age. Yet there seems to be a lot of nostalgia and if you consider where B.J. stems from, around Lake Saginaw up in Michigan we’re talking lake country and with lakes come boats with engines. There’s a lot more knowledge about these items then one would suspect and B.J. will tell ya. He’ll tell you a lot ‘cause he knows his stuff all about the lakes from wild life to the synthetic which outboard motors are and his are even more so, cause on the most part they don’t work but their shiny and spiffy and are almost the exact replicas of the old outboard motors so many grew up with and don’t forget they make a great conversation piece to have in one’s den. B.J. will be on hand for sure all during the Cole Show and if anything the man is a wealth of information and don’t forget he likes his tequila and Doctor Peper, wink-wink.