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The rotary was a stop gap measure for Strang. How do we beat Mercury till the V-6 is ready? Until the V-6 went to a looper, the rotary had more HP, particularly at lower RPM. The V-6 ran for the first time in Paris '74. Barry Woods/Jimbo in a rotary had a 15 minute lead on both Merc & OMC V-6's. The rotary ran for the last time in June '75.Attachment 517187
You keep asking an 80 year old man to remember darn near 50 yrs. ago. Here goes. there were 8 drivers of the rotary Jimbo, Barry Woods Tommy Posey, James Beard, Mike Downard, Bobby Witt, Johnnie Sanders & Rick McKinley. The engine ran in 8 races in order. Parker; March '73, Galveston, Lake Carrol, Provo, Windemere, Paris So. Africa and Pewaukee; June '75.
I forgot one. Billy Seabolt's St. Louis race. Summer of '74 I think.
Seems I forgot another. It appears Scotti ran a rotary at Windemere in '73. I honestly don't recall him driving one, but media says he did.
#15 Cesare Scotti in his Scotti-Craft with Evinrude Rotary power.
Windermere, UK 1973
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...7&d=1634914362
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...8&d=1680391720
Cathy McConnell
This is the Big Goat Boat before it got the Zebra paint job. It is the only boat that Jimbo’s knows off that ran the Strangler V4, the Super Strangler V4, the Rotary, the 2L V6, and the CCC V6.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...9&d=1680391731
The Cougar boat that Beard ran at Windemere was a factory owned picklefork outfit that same boat also ran a 2.0 litre v6 crossflow engine in the 1975 Paris 6hr race and ran a 2.0 litre OMC V6 LOOPER in the 1976 Paris 6 hr race.If the Scotti boats were well overpowered we would have seen the drivers back off and Beard would have been way out in front i think the boats at Windemere were running around 110 mph.Just my opinion on a very interesting topic.I would agree to your try a couple of props before a race but that applied at all times even in many later years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
RJ - Thankyou for the insights on the rotary's racing history. Who was Rick McKinley? I haven't seen that name before? Do you have any historical memories on who and why these races were chosen? I get the feeling most of this info has faded into the past now that Jack Leek and Charlie Strang are no longer living. Aside from this thread and one other on S&F website, no one has gone to the trouble of documenting the entire story of OMC like Jeff Ettinger did with Mercury (Iron Fist). Maybe I've missed a couple of books out there, but if they are published, they sure didn't cover OMC's demise or global operations, or even how the sales catalogs were created and published (graphics, photo shoots, text, etc)? Or how about the "bring home a motor for the weekend" OMC employee event? Surely an event that Mercury didn't do?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
OMC let engineering employees borrow an engine for the entire boating season, We could even bring it in and get help rigging it. Nice perk. The only person that is left to wright a book is Jim Newstrom, but he doesn't want to. I understand Ron Hill has put out a book and Jimbo is working on one. Rick McKinley was a engineering tech at OMC he drove race boat with McCune if I remember right. He drove a rotary at Galveston and barrel rolled it after the race waiting for the trailer. I guess he really got sideways on a big roller. He and Bobby Witt never dove a rotary again. Leek and Strang chose what races we took the rotary too. I believe choices were based on how to best humiliate Mercury. Mercury refused to show up at Galveston and put out the word any Merc driver that did would cease getting any factory support. Provo was a test for Merc to see how really fast the rotaries were. They brought all the factory drivers with single, twins and triples along with their new KT with the 6+l V-8. After Provo, it was apparent Merc didn't have anything at the time that could beat the rotary and succeeded in getting it banned just about anywhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
Beautiful picture of Jimbo in his #191 Molinari powered by a 3 liter Evinrude CCC looper V6 with fuel injection.
Thanks Troy Boettle.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1680468976
There is one perfect person to write a book of OMC Racing history..Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
No one know and remember more than Cathy McConnell. On top of that she has access to thousands of pictures and race program.
I love her..:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Check her answer below..
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1680470938
RJ - You and Jim (and maybe Jimbo & Cathy) should go on a lecture tour, I'd buy a ticket! (And no, the Havasu reunion thing is not quite right). I learned something today. The rotary program was: R&D (somewhat) and a shot at Mercury (big one).Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
THX
Ken Stevenson in his #201 Velden racing powered by Johnson V6 RS
Thanks Troy Boettle.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...8&d=1680483843
#112 Wilfried Weiland of Austria in his UIM SE class Schulze/Johnson 60 in Berlin 6 Hours 1971.
Before and after..!!..Yes he was OK.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...6&d=1680535018
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...7&d=1680535037
A UIM SE class Clerici/Johnson is running the Pavia to Venice race in Italy 1986.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1680622341
A UIM SE class Burgess/Johnson is running the Pavia to Venice race in Italy 1987.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...5&d=1680633522
80 years old and still going strong...Ride On Rotary John....:thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
This is me in the #1 UIM OE-F3 class Sjoberg/Evinrude CC with pressed in steel sleeves 1980
Very powerful engine and we used Methanol. Later 1980 Sture & me drove this boat to victory in world famous Paris 6 hours.
My first Paris victory out of three.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...5&d=1680658551
RJ - How did OMC manage machining and assembly of the V4 and V6 race engine programs? Were they done in a separate facility and site? Mercury would dedicate one 5 day work week for production of the original Twister inline. I don't know what they did with their V6 program.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
I don't have the correct answer but all my race engines and parts OMC shipped directly to me in Europe was built at Engineering.
A separate building if I remember correct.
My first visit to OMC, Waukegan was in the late seventies.
#5 Bob Nordskog..not sure about the boat (Cougar..??) but powered by a Johnson Stinger GP V4
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...8&d=1680716071
What ever happened to Nordskog and his extended business holdings? Is the family still around and involved by chance?
It's a SchultzQuote:
Originally Posted by Greg G
The Super Strangler & Johnson Stinger GP engines when made available to dealers were assembled in Kenosha, WI. Most of the machining of powerhead parts was done in Waukegan.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
Bob died some time ago. Not sure if his wife Ellie is still with us nor what became of his business interests. His major business was making the compact kitchens for airplanesQuote:
Originally Posted by Greg G
Nordskog galleys was the only name in town for airplane makers for decades. In the 80's Nordskog started to lose their market dominance. I'm not sure if the business exists today? Nordskog was the financier / publisher for PowerBoat magazine which also died years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Schubert
I can only speak thru 1976, when I left ONC. OMC Engineering was a separate facility attached to the back end of the Johnson assemble plant In Waukegan. All of engineering personal were in that building, including the race group. The race group was located in the upstairs of the boat house. Engineering also included a fully staffed machine shop and pattern shop. Prototype sand casings were made by an outside vendor from patterns made in house and machined in house. The hand work, assembly and dyno of factory race engines was done by race group personal in house. I can't speak to dealer engines, but Schubert says they were assembled in Kenosha Wis.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
I bought his gauges for a project 20 yrs ago and was trying to set up as a distributor.
From what I saw, when he passed, his businesses stopped then and there.
I believe he sold his interests in PB magazine yrs before.
He was a bad ass and a hero of mine!
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Schubert
Wow......that's something you don't see these days. HANDS ON engineering! You mention "patterns" to a college grad these days and their mental image would be paper patterns for making clothes!? Can you imagine what this staff could have turned out with 3D designs and 3D printing? I've heard that sculptors develop mini 5 inch sculptures, scan em and then do full scale 3D printed patterns for the bronze foundry and eliminate all that handwork and labor. I don't think automakers even bother with clay anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
This is how I also remember it when I was there the first time I think 1979.
I do not know where and how the racing V8 was developed and built but my guess is the same way as everything else racing.
1956 Johnson advertisement. No racing picture today (yet) !!
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1680799331
François Salabert #3 Velden/Cool/Johnson V8 1985
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1680888787
I wonder why "KOOL" is blocked out on the cowl? WIP by the paint shop?
@WaterZebra
My guess: Its the London GP..You could not have tobacco as a sponsor in UK.
This is a fantastic picture / info I just got from a friend of mine.
Thanks a lot my anonymous friend..https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/e...5/16/1f603.png
“This was the first 45SS prototype/mock-up.
Ziggy was the technician on the project, and fabricated this mock-up.
The gearcase was made from wood, by the OMC Engineering pattern shop”
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1681001303
Ziggy on the front page of Powerboat Magazine holding his hand on top of Jimbo McConnells 191 Molinari Evinrude V6 CCC.
Goat is next to Ziggy.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...5&d=1681056573
AMRA............St. Louis 1980. Docks were stored in semi trailers at George Winter Park for years. AMRA "hosted" both OMC and Merc until it ceased operations. AMRA was replaced by IOGP in the late 80s and was a total Merc show except Mod VP (lone Stoker entry). Thats Bebe Crum in the red shirt in lower LH corner (probably holding Seebold). Who is in the #522 boat? Velden? As I remember, Molinari never came over from Italy for AMRA races? Also, I don't think Molinari ever ran in the V8 USA tour either? Only Europe?Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
One more OMC picture from my friend. Thanks.
Starting from the left..
Cees Van Der Velden, (not sure about the next person) Ziggy's wife Janet (Troy's mom), Ziggy and Zoe in yellow.
I believe its from 1987.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1681065661
Captain Ziggy,
Here's a photo of Ziggy, doing some weekend exploring of the waters of the St. Lucie River north fork.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1681067194