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View Full Version : Renato Molinari 1981-1982



Guy Hanson
03-08-2006, 07:18 PM
Does anyone have pictures or any information on the F1 boat Renato Molinari was racing in the 1981 and 1982 season?

T2x
03-09-2006, 09:12 AM
There is no way that Renato would have raced only a single hull over a two year period....... You might want to specify which boat...where raced....etc.

T2x

minto
03-09-2006, 09:15 AM
Here's Renato running at the Bristol GP in England during the 1982 season.

Guy Hanson
03-11-2006, 07:57 PM
Thanks minto , that is exactly what i was looking for , I have never seen a picture of the 1982 boat before, it is a great looking machine. In reply to T2x I am sure you are right , he would have a new boat every season, do you have any pictures of the 1981 boat? would this have Martini sponsorship?

minto
03-12-2006, 04:30 PM
Took a bit of time to dig this one out, Technocar sponsorship rather than Martini, but it's definitely the rig Renato used for 1981. I think this was also the first year that V8's were used in the OZ class.

scorpion
03-12-2006, 04:39 PM
Thanks minto , that is exactly what i was looking for , I have never seen a picture of the 1982 boat before, it is a great looking machine. In reply to T2x I am sure you are right , he would have a new boat every season, do you have any pictures of the 1981 boat? would this have Martini sponsorship?

try: http://www.kilpaveneily.com

F1 History

Mark75H
03-12-2006, 07:52 PM
try: http://www.kilpaveneily.com

F1 History That link didn't get me very far, just a spec sheet on the V-8 and a couple of pictures of much newer boats. Got any other suggestions?

25ss
03-12-2006, 09:45 PM
Guy
Dont what year but looks like the same boat.
Dale!

minto
03-13-2006, 08:31 AM
The picture in post 8 does look similar to the 1982 boat from that angle, however it is in fact the outfit Molinari used in 1983. A different view shows the whole shape to have changed considerably compared to the 82 design.

1983 Hull

T2x
03-13-2006, 09:52 AM
Attached boats are two different hulls.

1. Note external wing placement head on photo is recessed into sponson
black and white photo is not.

2. Note length of front of cowl in proportion to leading edge of tunnel.
Head on photo is much longer from tunnel leading edge to nose than black and white photo.

Going back to my original comment.... Renato changed hulls on a constant basis...rough water hulls, sprint hulls, calm course hulls, etc...... there was no such thing as a hull for a year...... rather a hull...or hulls....for a specific race...or month.

T2x

minto
03-13-2006, 01:18 PM
Pictured below is the 2006 Formula 1 Mclaren MP421. During the course of the season this car will undergo more technical development and adjustments than you, I and Molinari have had hot dinners. Despite this constant evolutionary process the car will still be referred to as the 2006 Mclaren MP421.
I'm well aware that Renato would have used different hulls such as marathon, sprint etc to suit each individual event accordingly, along with all the usual boat modifications and refinements as the year progressed. I was simply categorising each boat into a given year without trying to be too pedantic.
The boat shown in the black & white picture is not actually Molinari's boat, it belongs to his 1983 team mate Enrico Vidoli. The venue is Stockholm, Sweden and the event was round 4 of the 1983 World Series. Cees ran out winner with Renato 2nd and Roger Jenkins 3rd.

Guy Hanson
03-14-2006, 09:56 PM
I was really interested to see that 1981 boat, I was unaware that there was another sponsor between Saffa and Martini with the Molinari team,does anyone have any more information on the 1981 boats, and did the sponsorship change during that year of racing, I ask alot i know , but the boat I have seems to be the same as the 1981 boat!!!!! :)

T2x
03-15-2006, 08:12 AM
I was really interested to see that 1981 boat, I was unaware that there was another sponsor between Saffa and Martini with the Molinari team,does anyone have any more information on the 1981 boats, and did the sponsorship change during that year of racing, I ask alot i know , but the boat I have seems to be the same as the 1981 boat!!!!! :)

Please post pictures.

T2x

Guy Hanson
03-15-2006, 09:08 PM
Here is a picture of the Molinari Tunnel which I am in the process of restoring.

Guy Hanson
03-15-2006, 11:46 PM
Here are some more pictures of the Molinari Boat, they are a bit small sorry , not quite sure how to make them the right size to post, but you should get the idea of its shape I hope!

Mark75H
03-16-2006, 07:05 AM
I am wondering if this may have been a boat Molinari made for a race or 2 on Guy's side of the world. Didn't the F1 circuit include a couple stops in Asia ... maybe Maylaysia, Singapore etc?

For a boat builder like Molinari it would probably have been cheaper to build a boat, ship it to the race and sell it there rather than shipping it back hope.

Can anyone find us a picture of Renato's boat from one of those race sites?

T2x
03-16-2006, 08:29 AM
Guy:

Your boat is considerably older....note the rear detail, height of the sponson sides, and tremendous down force..... plus the absence of a forward wing. I ran a couple of hulls that were very similar to yours in approximately 1976....... Your hull is probably an old Mercury team, Paris T-3 boat. circa 1975-76.

T2x

Guy Hanson
03-16-2006, 05:28 PM
Thanks for your thoughts, I believe this boat was brought to Australia in about 1980 and was fitted with a 3.4 Ltr CCC , which I had not heard of before, and this motor was then demanded to be sent back to the factory, as in OMC USA,and the poor bloke left with no good options for a power plant as it is 19 ft and a normal V6 of the day a bit low on power, he went and grafted a V8 327 chev Alloy block to an outboard leg and ran it!!!! it was apparently very fast in straight lines , but I am not to sure about cornering!!!
I have been unable to locate this man , his name is Bert Hines and was very well known in Australian tunnel boat racing.

minto
03-18-2006, 09:00 AM
Those first Singapore and Malaysia venues appeared after the mid 80's. It was the Formula Grand Prix series, 2 Litre Merc powered boats with drivers like Werner, Hill, and Jones that ran those events.
For the period that Guy's boat was built (late 70's, very early 80's) the various formula 1 series that Renato raced would have been almost entire
ly in Europe. No doubt Renato may have raced at odd events in the States around this time or perhaps even S.Africa, but he would have been racing Class 1 offshore by the time the Asian events came round.

Cast your eyes over these pics from the late 70's, hope they help.

1 Bob Spalding driving 1976 Molinari hull.
2 Renato winning Bristol in 1977 hull.
3 Renato 1978.

T2x
03-18-2006, 01:02 PM
Those first Singapore and Malaysia venues appeared after the mid 80's. It was the Formula Grand Prix series, 2 Litre Merc powered boats with drivers like Werner, Hill, and Jones that ran those events.
For the period that Guy's boat was built (late 70's, very early 80's) the various formula 1 series that Renato raced would have been almost entire
ly in Europe. No doubt Renato may have raced at odd events in the States around this time or perhaps even S.Africa, but he would have been racing Class 1 offshore by the time the Asian events came round.

Cast your eyes over these pics from the late 70's, hope they help.

1 Bob Spalding driving 1976 Molinari hull.
2 Renato winning Bristol in 1977 hull.
3 Renato 1978.

My guess is the '77 hull........ or an older Merc boat like Spalding's

T2x

minto
03-18-2006, 04:49 PM
Funnily enough I was thinking 1977, although it would be nice to see a few more shots of Guy's boat in detail. Would still be interesting to find out where the boat raced previously.
In Europe the Saffa shape Molinari's were popular but as the 70's turned into the 80's Velden and Seebold hulls became a lot more common. Was this a similar situation in the States too, or did Molinari hulls already begin to disappear after the factory Mercury team and Renato went their separate ways. Many of the posts I've read on this forum suggest there were plenty of these hulls around (particularly in the early 70's) and nobody doubts the craftmanship. Can anyone put into percentage terms how many were racing over there in 1972 compared with 1980?

Guy Hanson
03-19-2006, 07:19 PM
Thanks Minto those pictures are great , I think we are honing in on this boat , and as to what it is, I love these old tunnel boats, and unfortunately there are not too many left here in Australia, I wonder what is around in the States or Europe, it is much more interesting when you know what it is, I must say you and T2x have given some great insight. It does look a lot like the 1977 boat! which is like a dream to me. When I was 12 years old in 1978! I had an electric model tunnel boat about 2ft long which was a replica Saffa racing Molinari! It appears now that I may have the real thing! here is another picture of the boat run in the early 1990s with a production V8 on a CCC mid, this was being used as a ski race boat and was very fast and won a major race here outright against many very powerful inboard boats.

T2x
03-20-2006, 08:06 AM
Thanks Minto those pictures are great , I think we are honing in on this boat , and as to what it is, I love these old tunnel boats, and unfortunately there are not too many left here in Australia, I wonder what is around in the States or Europe, it is much more interesting when you know what it is, I must say you and T2x have given some great insight. It does look a lot like the 1977 boat! which is like a dream to me. When I was 12 years old in 1978! I had an electric model tunnel boat about 2ft long which was a replica Saffa racing Molinari! It appears now that I may have the real thing! here is another picture of the boat run in the early 1990s with a production V8 on a CCC mid, this was being used as a ski race boat and was very fast and won a major race here outright against many very powerful inboard boats.

In the early 90's picture it appears to have a Velden aft cowl......

However the hull is definitely a Molinari.

Molinari's were completely replaced by Seebold's and others on the Mercury side as soon as the contract expired........... late 1976-77.

I saw a handful of OMC Molinari's...but not many in the following year or so.....until the Formula 1 boats appeared.

T2x

minto
03-20-2006, 09:06 AM
Thanks for that info T2x. I agree the aft cowl does resemble that of a Velden, although it must be heavily modified to accommodate the 2nd seating position. It certainly would have been an experience to ski behind an outfit like that. Guy, any idea what kind of speeds were reached with that sort of set up?

Here's a couple more pictures I found,

1 Cees in a Velden hull with the cowl we mentioned. He's running with Drakkar colours and using a Merc which makes this 1977/78

2 This is a better shot of the 1977 Saffa boat. It's actually Bob Hering (Molinari's team mate during that year) but it shows a bit more detail than the previous pictures, should be more useful to compare with your own boat.

willabee
03-20-2006, 01:04 PM
Went looking for Renato in the 80's and came up with this, don't know if it will help........

#165 - July,1978 - Canon Series - Casale Monferrato, Italy - OZ - Saffa
#1 - 1980 - Canon Series - Bristol, England - OZ ( in a turn )
#1 - 1980 - Canon Series - Barcelona, Spain - OZ ( same boat as Bristol, on the straightaway ) - can't see sponsor

Mark75H/ T2x - in the Bristol article it said that Merc chose Bristol for " the world debut " of their new T4 in 1979 ( think big engine list )......it also said that this race in 1980 was the " final public appearance of their works racing team before disbandment "

willabee
03-20-2006, 01:21 PM
Also found this.........

#165 - the colored photo was on the cover of Powerboat, June, 1981 ( it is an OMC PR photo ).....it said that OMC's new V8 was scheduled to make it's appearance later that year on the European circuit

#165 - Brodenbach, West Germany - June, 1981 - you can see the " bow aerofoil " - the article said this race was the first appearance of that device

If you'd like, when I get some time I'll see what I can find from the 1976/1977 time frame.

T2x
03-20-2006, 05:02 PM
Went looking for Renato in the 80's and came up with this, don't know if it will help........


Mark75H/ T2x - in the Bristol article it said that Merc chose Bristol for " the world debut " of their new T4 in 1979 ( think big engine list )......it also said that this race in 1980 was the " final public appearance of their works racing team before disbandment "

Previously posted by yours truly:


M75H:

Chuck Mercereau was running stacked 1000's on his Powercat hydro out west in '63 or '64.

I'd like to add to the big engine list.....first T-3......1974

First T2x 1975

First 1750XS.......1977?

First T-4....... 1979/80

T2x

This was refuted by Mark 75H who upon consulting with his "notes", stated that the T-4 was clearly a '78 motor...... I can't consult my notes as I don't have any, but I did run 2 factory T-4's offshore....... in the fall of '81 and they were two year old motors at that time. They also could not have the engine cowls removed in public.

Mark 75H is correct, however, about the T2x being a 74 and not 75 as I stated...... production motor ( Well, there goes my one mistake for 2006 and it's only March............:) ) which paralleled the T-3 introduction.......and resultant center section.

T2x

Watermark
03-20-2006, 07:20 PM
This is my 1980/81 Molinari ... shipped to North America in 1981 after Renato tried it with a 3 litre CCC.. It has an off-set cockpit - in other words, one side is wider than the other which helped it turn incredibly tight.. but I also stuffed it twice in the corners.. Note the front wing (likely needed to hold the sponsons together)

scorpion
03-21-2006, 05:43 PM
[/IMG]
Does anyone have pictures or any information on the F1 boat Renato Molinari was racing in the 1981 and 1982 season?oz.jpg

Renato Molinari Racing in Oslo 1980 Evinrude V6

Karl J Holmström

Guy Hanson
03-21-2006, 06:05 PM
Thanks everyone for your contributions, yes the rear cowl on the boat is not the original,nor do I have the original. I am in the process of making a new one!!!! Thanks Watermark for your pic. your boat looks very similar , but I dont think this one is offset, nor has it got the front wing, but i think that would add a lot of strength to the front of the sponsons in tight turns! Do you know of any others that survive today? Also Scorpion I would llike to see the picture you posted but it did not appear! Do you have the V8 F1 motor?

scorpion
03-22-2006, 02:25 PM
ok.. Renato Molinari OZ Evinrude V6 racing in Oslo 1980


I restore a Velden F1 Tunnel

and I also hawe engines F1 OMC 3,5 Ltr redy to race..

c j Holmström

www.kilpaveneily.com (http://www.kilpaveneily.com)

Guy Hanson
03-22-2006, 07:07 PM
Hi Karl, thanks for that picture , that boat looks very familiar, in fact the boat I have , was red originally! I also have an F1 V8 3.5 ltr. with the 12" mid section, I am in the process of assembling it to run again,what is the availability of parts for powerhead and gear box like, there is nothing here in Australia! I would love to get a spare powerhead and gearbox!

T2x
03-22-2006, 08:34 PM
This is my 1980/81 Molinari ... shipped to North America in 1981 after Renato tried it with a 3 litre CCC.. It has an off-set cockpit - in other words, one side is wider than the other which helped it turn incredibly tight.. but I also stuffed it twice in the corners.. Note the front wing (likely needed to hold the sponsons together)

Mark:

I always thought you looked better in Black..........

Basic Black........

with Pearls.:p :p :p

T2x

rouen76
09-16-2009, 02:52 PM
hello, not photos of 24h of rouen of molinari 1979 saffa r3 fiat abarth?

jackie wilson
09-17-2009, 03:03 AM
Hey Willa--------This site was posted long before my time with S&F, but there 's one or two comments i'd like to chuck at you for caustic comment.

The '77 Molinari run by Bob Spalding was the short lived "camel back" first thought out by James beard at Cougar, then copied by Both Velden and Molinari. It also has rear fins running along the back of the sponsons. These were first introduced by Hodges on my boat. [didn't do a damn thing one way or the other]. Spaldings boat looks more like an early Velden, [after he broke with Molinari].

Tony Williams did an article in AUTOCAR magazine in which he claimed he had a T5 on the back of his Velden--------as Fred Hauenstien said at the time!!!!!! WONDER WHERE HE GOT THAT FROM.???????

WILL ASK ROLLA WHAT RENATO IS DOING NOW !!!!!

jackie wilson
09-17-2009, 03:09 AM
MY SON MARK BOUGHT ALL THE OUTBOARD RACE ENGINES FROM THE DUBAI BASED VICTORY TEAM WHEN THEY SWITCHED TO INBOARDS.
There were 8 complete V8's, spare blocks by the dozen and umpteen gearcases, along with a multitude of spares.
He sold the lot----en bloc---to Sugihara from Japan, and that's the last i heard of them.

Mark Poole ModVP
09-17-2009, 06:37 PM
The reason the aero on Molinaris boat changed so much from one year to the next on the V-8 boat is that Ferrari did some work for him in the wind tunnel. If you notice also, Veldens yellow Benson and Hedges boat looks striking similar.

Mini Max
09-17-2009, 07:12 PM
Where is Renato Molinari now? I will be in the Lake Como district this Sunday.
Googling got me nowhere.

lars strom
11-07-2009, 10:53 PM
Renato Molinaris Martini F1 V8 Race boat in 1982, was made out of titanium. Renato had a few problems with the new design.
At the first race in Leon Spain 1982 the aluminum boat came apart and sunk..

AirRide
11-08-2009, 12:45 PM
Where is Renato Molinari now? I will be in the Lake Como district this Sunday.
Googling got me nowhere.
Renato was World F1 Champ in '81, '83 & '84. Now: www.RenatoMolinari.it/