Mercury 1000 BP ????

[GENE LANHAM]

Gene, this boat came along a couple years later, but, did you help rig any of it? Juan Hernandez four engine Super BP's, then Twister 1's. No real good offshore gearcases could be had. Stock inline gearcases didn't last long & SSM's were out of the question due to weakness & small propellers, etc. What survived the longest, believe it or not, on the Twister 1's on Juan's boat...were BP gearcases...

I did not work on any of Juan's boats---he sure used up a lot of good equipment!!! The Super BP lower unit was perfect for the Offshore Outboards. Legal, full gear-shift, great selection of full size props, choice of gear ratios.

We ran a complete season (10 or 11 races) against boats with twice the displacement, twice the horsepower, even had a first overall--lots of second and third place finishes----

And did it without a single lower unit failure--(Interested in the 'Rest Of The Story'?)

[Bob V]

I did not work on any of Juan's boats---he sure used up a lot of good equipment!!! The Super BP lower unit was perfect for the Offshore Outboards. Legal, full gear-shift, great selection of full size props, choice of gear ratios.

We ran a complete season (10 or 11 races) against boats with twice the displacement, twice the horsepower, even had a first overall--lots of second and third place finishes----

And did it without a single lower unit failure--(Interested in the 'Rest Of The Story'?)

Gene - How long are you going to keep us waiting for the Rest Of The Story????????

[GENE LANHAM]

Gene - How long are you going to keep us waiting for the Rest Of The Story????????

Sorry Bob--Some of us are getting to the age that we are accused of repeating ourselves--

--or being forgetful--

-or being old and boring--

The entire 1970 season was a blur. Old Blue was traveling cross country so many times she was getting balky. The schedule for RedBird continued to grow. The Chief called me into his office and asked me what I was trying to do or if I really intended to be a Firefighter?? (I had to remind him how much work his old JohnRude needed)

The Rest Of The Story:
We ran 10 or 11 races in the 32' Cary---I wish I had kept a log--we completed every race--only had one failure--a broken distributor while leading the Bahamas 500.

NO failures on the SBP lower unit But---I tore down each unit after every race!! Often to replace just the seals and lower driveshaft rollers--most races were less than four hours---After the '500' (8+hours) it was a major overhaul!!

After Parker 1970 (Three Failures SSM's) I started rebuilding the SSM's on the Bird---I was receiving daily UPS shipments and pails of SuperDuty Lube (Thanks, Schwebby)

I've wondered if the modern synthetic lubes, better metallurgy, would have helped the life of these units---I know Fred has done lots of things with the #6---filtration, dry sump--

[Bob V]

Sorry Bob--Some of us are getting to the age that we are accused of repeating ourselves--

--or being forgetful--

-or being old and boring--

The entire 1970 season was a blur. Old Blue was traveling cross country so many times she was getting balky. The schedule for RedBird continued to grow. The Chief called me into his office and asked me what I was trying to do or if I really intended to be a Firefighter?? (I had to remind him how much work his old JohnRude needed)

The Rest Of The Story:
We ran 10 or 11 races in the 32' Cary---I wish I had kept a log--we completed every race--only had one failure--a broken distributor while leading the Bahamas 500.

NO failures on the SBP lower unit But---I tore down each unit after every race!! Often to replace just the seals and lower driveshaft rollers--most races were less than four hours---After the '500' (8+hours) it was a major overhaul!!

After Parker 1970 (Three Failures SSM's) I started rebuilding the SSM's on the Bird---I was receiving daily UPS shipments and pails of SuperDuty Lube (Thanks, Schwebby)

I've wondered if the modern synthetic lubes, better metallurgy, would have helped the life of these units---I know Fred has done lots of things with the #6---filtration, dry sump--

Gene - Always good to hear from you....!! Thanks for sharing your secrets to a longer lower unit life. Additionally thank you for posting the picture of you, Old Blue and Red Bird in the snow. I have been trying to find that picture for some time with no luck, so you just made my day. You posted that one a while back and have never been able to fine it...until now.

As far as the age related issues, I just look at it as a part of the process. It is the hand that we are dealt and how we deal with it makes us who we are. I think of my mind as a hard drive on a computer. When a hard drive is loaded to maximum capacity, it has to shed some information in order to make space for more information. So, yes, we do forget things, but that is only to make space for more information that is yet to come.

Now here is a thought to get your hard drive spinning. The circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles. If you were to straight line every mile that you have raced a boat during your entire racing career, I would be willing to bet that you have raced around the world....

You must have a treasure trove of pictures of racing from the 60's and 70's that you have never posted. Any chance that you might be persuaded in posting more of those pictures?

I think the picture below is Old Blue transporting Schwebby's Super Duty Lube....

[2us70]

The question of lubrication in those old SSMs is a good one. I can recall seeing the guys running Speedmasters going back to check prop backlash as soon as they got their boats out of the water. I know some guys tried several different concoctions without any improvement in longevity. I have been running the synthetic gear lube in my 225 Opti for years. It still checks out at factory specs today.

[GENE LANHAM]

You must have a treasure trove of pictures of racing from the 60's and 70's that you have never posted. Any chance that you

Bob: Ted has been showing pictures on Facebook--doing a fantastic job--Can you access them from here? The Return of Redbird by Gene Lanham and Ted Boyd.

[GENE LANHAM]

[QUOTE=Bob V;2912450
Now here is a thought to get your hard drive spinning. The circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles. If you were to straight line every mile that you have raced a boat during your entire racing career, I would be willing to bet that you have raced around the world....

[/QUOTE]

Hey Bob---I wish I had kept a log!! Coles Phinizy did an article for SI and did an estimate--

Magoon's mechanic, Gene Lanham, has ridden more than 13,000 rough miles with him in the past six years,

[Bob V]

Hey Bob---I wish I had kept a log!! Coles Phinizy did an article for SI and did an estimate--

Magoon's mechanic, Gene Lanham, has ridden more than 13,000 rough miles with him in the past six years,

Gene - I think that you just verified my point. If you logged over 13,000 miles with Dr. Bob over a 6 year period, think about all the races and marathons that you race by yourself or with others during your entire racing career. I am sure that you can easily come up with an additional 11,901 miles. That would give you the distinction of racing the entire distance of the circumference of the earth...

[2us70]

How long do the current speedmasters hold up on the modern v6 motors?

[Bob V]

Bob: Ted has been showing pictures on Facebook--doing a fantastic job--Can you access them from here? The Return of Redbird by Gene Lanham and Ted Boyd.

Here are a few random pictures...

"I don't think that duct tape is going to work on this one"

[Bob V]

Gene- I forgot to post the most important picture of all....A man and his best friend...!!

[starviper10]

Ok so I've got my 1350 powerhead ready to drop onto this mid. Everything looks good to go except for the exhaust. Was there an exhaust tube on the BP's? Or is this a stacker specific mid that doesn't need any exhaust tube? Unlike the stock mids the adapter plate is not removable so I can't just use the plate from my 1350. Thanks for all the help identifying this mid

[Mark75H]

No exhaust tube on the BP ... you don't even use it with a Speedmaster on a regular short mid.

[starviper10]

Well I put it together for a test fit yesterday. Have some studs that are too long but everything else went together well. Am I being dumb or do the lower cowls not fit on these mid sections? They can't fit around the mid and slide up like on regular mids.