Hot Singles ! - Pictures

**jackie wilson** · 06-07-2009, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by lilabner

I don't know about the Radice handle, but Mersereau ran Record 2 blade reverse rake cleavers on his cats..I ran them at Blue Ridge, Ga in 1961 or 62 on his Power Cat w/800 stackers..the one everyone has seen the pictures of..I had the fastest boat by far, but it was too slow in the turns..my first cat race..They lifted the back of the boat so it would fly level..worked on the straights really well..The props were steel, not stainless, so you had to keep them oiled..Dave Craig ran Carys and Records..he still has some of them..

Interesting to note the first time Record Props are mentioned in the states is 1967. I had sent for a Cary prop in 1960, and though it looked good, it didn't perform any better than the regular Merc prop. I beat the crap out of it and made it worse. Then tried a Michigan wheel, marginally better, which gave me hope there was something out there better than the Merc prop. Guy called Mike Bellamy told me to get in touch with ROLLA at record props in Switzerland and Rolla told me to see Bill Shakespeare, 'cos he had 50 props on loan, and if i collected them i could try them all. Duly went to Shakey in Tewksbury and got the props, That's when the world of boating changed for me. I did not realise what a difference a prop could make to a rig.
Did a performance graph of each prop and kept 4 of them for myself and gave Rolla back the rest. He told me he would give me first try of any new product if i would be honest and tell him how it performed. Did that for the rest of my boating life. Told GG and Snyder and all and sundry at Mercury they should work with Rolla, but they knew best and consequently never did have a competitive product. Hendrick and Rolla worked closely ,and OMC benefitted from that.
Son Mark went and worked in Switzerland for Rolla for 10 years, before it was taken over by TWIN DISC [Arneson]. He then moved to Florida and 10 years later is still working for TWIN DISC.

**willabee** · 06-07-2009, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by MN4V

..... How much did factory race team drivers get paid?

Figured you might not be too confident in Jackie's response since he is rarely accurate

, so I thought I'd let you know that he hit that one just about right. In that time frame, 67/68/69, the best program any driver received (to my knowledge) was a boat, engines, expenses to attend the races Merc wanted him at and some type of payment for a mechanic to maintain the equipment. I don't think anyone was paid a salary to race until the factorys started hiring those guys to work full time at their respective headquarters. Even then they had other responsibilities besides racing. Example, Tom Stickle was hired by Merc to race. However, he was also in charge of prop sales and getting props built for the prop truck when attending major events.

**Mark75H** · 06-07-2009, 09:54 AM

I think this is a semi-related question ... how much were test drivers paid at Lake X during that time? Weren't some of them the original race team guys?

**Old fiberglass** · 06-07-2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by willabee

Figured you might not be too confident in Jackie's response since he is rarely accurate

, so I thought I'd let you know that he hit that one just about right. In that time frame, 67/68/69, the best program any driver received (to my knowledge) was a boat, engines, expenses to attend the races Merc wanted him at and some type of payment for a mechanic to maintain the equipment. I don't think anyone was paid a salary to race until the factorys started hiring those guys to work full time at their respective headquarters. Even then they had other responsibilities besides racing. Example, Tom Stickle was hired by Merc to race. However, he was also in charge of prop sales and getting props built for the prop truck when attending major events.

I know Kenny had a contract with Mercury in the lates 60's......about the time his Champion Spark plug as came out...Carl wasn't too happy about that.

Which begs the question: what "team boat" did "Uncle Carl" pirate to give Jan Schoonover a pair of Super Speedmasters.... since there was no "team" at the time?

Probably getting into semantics a little.....He wound up with them from Mr.K.

**willabee** · 06-07-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Old fiberglass

I know Kenny had a contract with Mercury in the lates 60's......about the time his Champion Spark plug as came out...Carl wasn't too happy about that.....

Kitson was who I was referring to about having the best program in 1968. Whether or not his contract included cash, I can't say for sure. I was under the impression that it said in exchange for the equipment and support I mentioned, he would only race boats powered by Mercury at events designated by Merc.

Miscellaneous unanswered from previous posts:
1. Are the 1100 and 1250 the same block ..... no
2. Phenolic reeds.....to resolve the chipping problem.....
3. The Cosworth KT was a merc project ( Garbrecht & Duckworth to be specific). Petty had nothing to do with it except Gary asked if he could put Petty's company name on it to try to make it look like it wasn't a Merc project.....that idea didn't work.

4. Why would a crew make changes on a boat like a Wing at a kilo run and not tell the driver.....
5. Parker 1969 is the race the 199 Wing (weekend warrior) finished 3rd.....
6. Garbrecht made numerous trips to see (Phil) Rolla, held him in high regard.....

**GENE LANHAM** · 06-07-2009, 01:13 PM

[QUOTE=willabee;1683559]
2. Phenolic reeds.....to resolve the chipping problem.....
4. How could the OMC crew make changes on a boat like a Wing at a kilo run that the driver didn't know about.....
5. Parker 1969 is the race the 199 Wing (weekend warrior) finished 3rd.....

---and I think some of us are mixing up the results of three Parker races, 1968, 1969, 1970. Willabee, don't you have the official top ten finishers for each of those years?

**willabee** · 06-07-2009, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM

---and I think some of us are mixing up the results of three Parker races, 1968, 1969, 1970. Willabee, don't you have the official top ten finishers for each of those years?

Can't find 1968 at the moment, but can tell you for sure that Lou Brummett (inboard) won it in Rawhide.....second win in a row for him. Seems like only one outboard cracked the top ten in 1968, don't remember for sure.

1969 was:
1. Dick Freek - Howard/Chrysler
2. Jim Merten - Switzer/Mercury
3. Ed Stewert - Switzer/ Mercury
4. Ken Kitson - Switzer/Mercury
5. Ted May - McDonald/OMC
6. Chuck Tuttle - AquaCraft/Ford
7. J.D. Braswell - AquaCraft/Chevy
8. Marion Beaver - Hallett/Ford
9. Don Clark - Molinari/Merc (1)
10. Bill Wiles - Sea Jay/Merc (1)

1970 was:
1. Alan Stinson - DeSilva/OMC
2. Ron Hill - Hallett/OMC
3. Bob Witt - Glastrom/Molinari/OMC
4. Johnny Sanders - Molinari/OMC
5. Jimbo McConnell - DeSilva/OMC
6. Bob Hammond - Glastron/Molinari/Mercury
7. Ted May - McDonald/OMC
8. Bill Petty - Jones/Merc
9. Mike Wallace - AquaCraft/Ford

1970 was also the race Bob Massey blew over the triple Jones.....severe fracture to upper left leg, two broken vertebrae and broken left wrist!

**jackie wilson** · 06-07-2009, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by willabee

Kitson was who I was referring to about having the best program in 1968. Whether or not his contract included cash, I can't say for sure. I was under the impression that it said in exchange for the equipment and support I mentioned, he would only race boats powered by Mercury at events designated by Merc.

Miscellaneous unanswered from previous posts:
1. Are the 1100 and 1250 the same block.....
2. Phenolic reeds.....to resolve the chipping problem.....
3. The cosworth KT was a merc project ( Garbrecht & Duckworth to be specific). Petty had nothing to do with it except Gary asked if he could put Petty's company name on it to try to make it look like it wasn't a Merc project.....that idea didn't work.

4. Why would a crew make changes on a boat like a Wing at a kilo run and not tell the driver.....
5. Parker 1969 is the race the 199 Wing (weekend warrior) finished 3rd.....
6. Garbrecht made numerous trips to see (Phil) Rolla, held him in high regard.....

Have to disagree with you on the no.6 item Willa. GG and Phil were NEVER bosom buddies, GG would never listen, he always knew best, and the Mach project was a disaster.

**Old fiberglass** · 06-08-2009, 09:42 AM

Miscellaneous unanswered from previous posts:
1. Are the 1100 and 1250 the same block.....
2. Phenolic reeds.....to resolve the chipping problem.....

1) I have a bare 1100 block and 1250 factory water injected stacks. I will check tonight to see if they fit. I believe I tried it before and they didn't. Still would like to see a good picture of 1100 stacks.

2) How can we get any info on that one ??

In 1970 it appears like the Switzer wings weren't even in the game. What was the Ted May McDonald boat in 70 ???

Kitson was who I was referring to about having the best program in 1968. Whether or not his contract included cash, I can't say for sure. I was under the impression that it said in exchange for the equipment and support I mentioned, he would only race boats powered by Mercury at events designated by Merc.

When I talked to Kenny I believe he indicated Mercury had him under contract. He told a story about how they had to buy him out at the end when Mercury tried to cancel it.

**GENE LANHAM** · 06-08-2009, 01:15 PM

[QUOTE=Old fiberglass;1684138]1) I have a bare 1100 block and 1250 factory water injected stacks.
In 1970 it appears like the Switzer wings weren't even in the game. What was the Ted May McDonald boat in 70 ???

The 1100 was a bored out 1000; the 1250/1350 was a taller/bigger block.
1970 was definitely an OMC race. Every Mercury entry was handicapped with the lower unit problems. The BP units would not endure nine hours, and the super speedmasters were filling up with water, I think Willabee had mentioned this earlier. I always had good luck with the speedmasters, but that day I blew three units, and always at the far end of the river! and finished--eleventh or twelth---

**willabee** · 06-08-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM

The 1100 was a bored out 1000; the 1250/1350 was a taller/bigger block.
1970 was definitely an OMC race. Every Mercury entry was handicapped with the lower unit problems. The BP units would not endure nine hours, and the super speedmasters were filling up with water, I think Willabee had mentioned this earlier. I always had good luck with the speedmasters, but that day I blew three units, and always at the far end of the river! and finished--eleventh or twelth---

I thought the 1250 was all new, that's why there was so much stuff failing on it testing and racing. Initially it was seizing bearings and/or breaking rods. That's the reason the polished I-beam rods came into play. When all the internal stuff finally got sorted out, the bolt-on components started failing (remember the starter motor problems

). It was a mess for a while, turned out to be one of the most dependable ever built.

We had pulled most of the BP's in favor of the speedmasters for Parker. The few we ran had some internal mods that were supposed to allow them to go the distance.....didn't happen. Billy Don Pruett ran them with some powerheads that had different porting and a few other experimental mods, he was towed back to the pits at least three times!

There was a water problem with some of the SSM's. I remember Merten was running the yellow triple Jones and it just went sour. We changed a bunch of stuff but to no avail. Although they looked okay, I thought, well, lets change the lower units and see what happens.....in this case it was no help. We discovered water in the fuel filters after the race.

**Mark75H** · 06-08-2009, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by Old fiberglass

What was the Ted May McDonald boat in 70 ???

It was a tunnel hull built by Wilbur McDonald for OMC to their specs

**Old fiberglass** · 06-09-2009, 09:49 AM

1250 stacker no "workie" in a 1100.

**Old fiberglass** · 06-09-2009, 09:53 AM

A few pics of 850, 125 & 135 block on the transfer port side. I believe the 850 and 1000 block are just about the same.

**willabee** · 06-09-2009, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Old fiberglass

1)..... What was the Ted May McDonald boat in 70 ???

From Powerboat, here is a picture of the twin at Parker and one of his singles in Paris.

During that time, all of the Molinari's had a rectangular metal name plate attached to the cowl support just behind the cockpit of each boat which was inscribed Scafo Angelo Molinari. I guess someone at OMC thought that was a bit much and decided to mimmick the plate. At Miami Marine Stadium, I was walking past a McDonald that Ted was about to put in the water and had to do a double take. They had placed a piece of gray duck tape in that same location and, in magic marker, had written Scafo Wilber McDonald! They enjoyed a big laugh when they saw my reaction to their handywork.