How about an opc classic division?

[KG4]

It would be awesome to see the old stranglers,twisters,and all the good ole bullets that used to go head to head.The stock outboard catagory has a classic division i think opc should to.The boats would have to comply with opc rules but the motor would have to be classic.Kind of like reserecting the old sport j class.What do you think ? Have a good one. Bob

[Mark75H]

That would be interesting. It would help save a lot of old boats from the scrap heap too. I'd have an excuse to buy another boat! I don't know how the rules would be arranged, as the hp for various motor sizes varies quite a bit. For example 99 cubers would run from 125 hp 1250 Mercs with SuperSpeedmasters to TwisterII-X's closer to 200 hp. I just got done watching a video transcribed from a friend's 8mm home movies...OPC action in Minnesota and Arizona. Switzer Shooting Stars, Switzer Wings, DeSilva Wings, Jones pickleforks, the Jones hydro, Molinari's, Scotti's, SuperCats, the goofy shoe box looking McCall tunnel hulls, twin engine rigs, triples too! Lots of old Mercs with open stacks!

[Raceman]

For those that don't know, Sam (Mark 75H) is one of the most knowledgeable people in the country on the old Merc race stuff. His literature archives are second to none and he's got some real neat old race stuff too. He still campaigns an F hydro in APBA racing and is working on a book on the history of Mercury Racing. Hope you'll spend more time around here Sam.

[us1]

That would be an awesome class.

[Mark75H]

Actually I'm working on a book about the history of all OUTBOARD racing from 1925 to present. The Merc thing is just a small part of that ... one segment was being converted to a series of magazine articles exclusively about the Merc racing motors, which I have fallen behind on completing. Some things get reshuffled when you are doing the single parent thing with a 5 year old (yes, I have full custody, she stays with her mom less than 10 days a year) AND try to race in one of the most technically challenging classes of boat racing (Mod FEH).

With the release of the English version of Kevin Desmond's "Century of Outboard Racing" and its various mistakes and errors, R.C. Hawie has become more fired up to collaborate with me on a more comprehensive, more techincal and more ACCURATE book on outboard racing. Ahead of us will be another book by Peter Hunn something like "Outboard racing 1920 to 1970". Peter is an outsider to racing and has to rely on others for his information and gets lost in a lot of old folklore and oldwives tales that are less than accurate.

Just the same I do recommend buying both "Century of Outboard Racing" and "The Golden Age of Outboard Racing" (Peter Hunn) as well as the re-released "Iron Fist: the Lives of Carl Kiekhaefer" (Jeffery Rodengen).