My father told me about Renato blowing that boat over. He said it was early in the morning and everyone was watching. It looked like Renato was climbing out of the cockpit and over the bow as it went over.
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My father told me about Renato blowing that boat over. He said it was early in the morning and everyone was watching. It looked like Renato was climbing out of the cockpit and over the bow as it went over.
Mercury had boats that could have won. But---- by March, 1970, the Dreaded Lower Unit Virus had spread to the Speedmasters. And a lot of boats were running the BP adapter/Speedmaster. I went through 2 lefts and a right that day---- and had never failed a Speedmaster before-----Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
I think the dreaded lower unit virus was ... Horsepower!
True. But in early 1970 Mercury had a vendor/quality control issue. The seals were leaking. By Havasu 1970 the inherent weakness of the left unit was addressed by Mercury by counterrotating the powerhead. After Parker, I rebuilt all my Speedmasters (left and right), all the BP's on the Offshore boat, learned a few tricks, and never failed another unit. (No, it wasn't STP)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark75H
I want to know your tricks.. :thumbsup: JP
I remember all the guys running Speedmasters back then checking gear lash and propshaft end play just about every time they pulled the boats out o the water. It also seemed that all those guys were keeping pretty close track of how many hours they had on those units.
Everyone was watching.....people had heard of him and the Molinari boats, but few had ever seen him in action. Consequently, he drew a crowd anytime he was near his twin. How did he put a prop on, adjust his steering, etc., everything he did was watched closely, especially when he went out to test.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronster43
From the collection of Molly Ballou, here are some shots of "The Maestro", Renato Molinari. I think the helmet shot is the one the PR group used around 1971. The other two are from the Long Beach Invitational. Another race where Renato showed his talent.....he had lapped everyone except Mike Wallace just 30 minutes into this event on a 1 1/8 mile course. He got into a bumping and banging match with Art Kennedy (then driving for OMC) and Art ultimately ran him over breaking Renato's hand. That took him out of the race and Wallace ended up getting his first outboard victory.
Also from Molly's collection are a couple of shots of Dick Sherrer. I think Dick started driving for the Race Team in 1972, receiving the boat Renato and Jackie Wilson drove to a second place finish in the 1970 Paris 6 Hour (1st place if you listen to Jackie tell the "neverending story" :D ). He ran his own twin Glastron/Molinari at Havasu in 71, campaigned the Paris boat for a year or so and then started running Crusaders that I think were built at the Carlson shop in California. Here's the PR mug shot and one of Dick in a Crusader. I don't recall the year that Dick won the Parker 7 Hour with a wire to wire run in a picklefork Crusader and a Merc V6.
You just can't help twisting the knife when you have it in either hand, in spite of all the promises, the hand on heart and turning to religion, the temptation for just one more twist is too much for you to pass on [never ending story]---------there must be SOMETHING about you i like, but i'm damned if i can remember what it was. !!!!!!!!
Dick Sherrer and Bill Petty were the only guys on the Merc squad older than me,------even Pruett, Garbrecht and Merton were kids when i came along.
It worked!!!!! I figured if anything was going to get you back to the keyboard, it would take a shot about 1970 Paris. :reddevil:Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
Been missin' your babble Jackie, it's good to know you're still breathing. :D
Glad to know i was missed------even just a little. Summers gone and its back to spending more time on the old puter again.
Like to stir the "old farts" up a bit-but they've dropped into the remembrance mode and gone all nostalgic on me, so it's just you and me kid. -you with the arrows and me with the grenades.
Bit of news may interest you,------Son Mark is trying to get "THE COSWORTH" over to Florida to do a complete makeover on her and is in deep consultations with the powers that be at COSWORTH ENGINEERING, to squeeze a DFV out of them on a lease lend and you can have the boat on a promo basis. Hodges was the original builder and could be coaxed over from ROOLAND to work the project. Would love to run that thing just once more down at Cadillac's place, alongside a wing-----with the "WHEELMAN" on the outside in the double Allison. Keeps you alive and well ---just dreaming of even the possibility, bet that would bring in a few more old timers--even some young timers.
Would be a privelege and an honour to run with you Jim.If it don't happen next year, then maybe we can do it in 2012---- then i should have reached maturity. You think we could get "CRANKY WILLA" to crew for us.?????
I'll supply the wing....... You'll be interested to know that we got the lope out of her over this past weekend....and she was cruising around at 100+ like a limousine.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
Lope: Crowhop: Gallop: 40+ years ago we said: "Not enough power". What is the magic, Rich?Quote:
Originally Posted by T2x
Man oh man we are entering exclusive territory-----Willa will beg to be crew chief !!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by T2x
Gene:Quote:
Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM
There is no doubt that the 20 footer wants to lope more than the 18 and it is funny how sensitive it is in the 65-90 mph range to small changes in wave height which trigger exagerated rebounds. Both Kitson and I have experienced that (in different decades!). We did three things in the past fewweeks and all generated marked improvement. 1st we moved the CG forward (was at 60....now at 72 inches from the transom) and we will move it further for higher speed running. 2nd we lowered the engines first 1 1/4" and then 3/4" in that order(she really liked 3/4.....so we will move in 1/8 inch incremants around that height to find dead nuts perfect. At that point we will lock the up/down hydraulic shafts with collars and remove the extra trim system needed to control those cylinders. Finally we removed the manual hydraulic controls for the flap and replaced it with electric actuators. This increased the range of motion on the flap and coincidentally provided a lighted indicator which shows precise angle of deployment.
I am also having two 12 gallon tanks custom made with internal catch cans to solve the power loss in turns. Port engine continues to have some issues around fuel starvation and I will be checking the fuel pump , etc, this winter. She also seems to be getting a little excess play in the top main. Before we go for speeds over 120 I want to be sure we have steady power on both sides................ I didn't get to be this old by taking unneccessary chances... :D
Next year we will take her to the Switzer Regatta and then she gets more glass work to fully french in the seam between the hull and the deck. I hope to have her and the Powercat at OFF next October looking really spiffy.
Thanks to all of the wing drivers , yourself included, for the advice and hours of historical insights.