Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

I have a great memory when I met Ziggy Boettle at the OMC racing center in Brugge, Belgium 1975. Back then the Swedish Evinrude distributor Huzells made white wooden clogs with the Evinrude logo in blue..see picture.. I did have the right size for Ziggy with me and gave him a pair..
I was laughing so hard when Ziggy tried to walk in his new Evinrude clogs..he just could not walk in them.
I think he took the´m back home and did some practice to walk by himself..:)
— with Troy Boettle.

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Rouen 24 Hours 1991

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Originally Posted by Rotary John

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.

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I don't know of any Kenosha operation but I was told KR15Ms were built at Plant 3 which is still standing at 701 Pershing Rd. Waukegan, about a mile from the main headquarters (which no longer exists). Now the former plant 3 is occupied by AL Hansen co. Manufacturing truck hardware. Tom Busse and Clarence Blanchard ran the operation. I got this information from Tom and Clarence when I worked with them.

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Originally Posted by John Schubert

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.

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I'm confused about the term "dealer race engines". Are you saying that OMC had their own stock of specially built race engines with TLC but the dealer units were built somewhere else without the extra TLC (labor and machining)? In other words the "dealer" units were never going to be "equal" to the "factory" pieces? This is the one thing that bothered me about OPC racing. Unless you were willing to "tinker" ($$$$) with your set up, don't expect to beat the factory efforts.

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Originally Posted by vintage v4

I don't know of any Kenosha operation but I was told KR15Ms were built at Plant 3 which is still standing at 701 Pershing Rd. Waukegan, about a mile from the main headquarters (which no longer exists). Now the former plant 3 is occupied by AL Hansen co. Manufacturing truck hardware. Tom Busse and Clarence Blanchard ran the operation. I got this information from Tom and Clarence when I worked with them.

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I guarantee there was the factory in Kenosha. I can’t recall the address but I actually visited the facility. The

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Originally Posted by WaterZebra

I'm confused about the term "dealer race engines". Are you saying that OMC had their own stock of specially built race engines with TLC but the dealer units were built somewhere else without the extra TLC (labor and machining)? In other words the "dealer" units were never going to be "equal" to the "factory" pieces? This is the one thing that bothered me about OPC racing. Unless you were willing to "tinker" ($$$$) with your set up, don't expect to beat the factory efforts.

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When the Super Strangler & Stinger GP were introduced with the 8 barrel carbs, the facility in Kenosha was like an assembly line operation for dealers to purchase these motors. Our T*A*R*t, semi factory, used these for routine races successfully. When we competed at the races where factory teams competed, our engines came from the race group who essentially had built all the engines used by us & the rest of the factory drivers. The conclusion being handbuilltvs assembly line certainly could be translated as more HP

After the 1976 season I was trying to figure out what I was going to race going forward. In the process of this I came to the conclusion that a privateer like myself with no factory or dealership connections had to have a lot of money to spend. Even then you would find yourself racing against the factory that built your motor or the dealer who sold it. By 1978 I finally decided that OPC racing had become too expensive and moved on. In 1979 my wife and I experienced the first positive bank balances of our lives.

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Originally Posted by John Schubert

When the Super Strangler & Stinger GP were introduced with the 8 barrel carbs, the facility in Kenosha was like an assembly line operation for dealers to purchase these motors. Our T*A*R*t, semi factory, used these for routine races successfully. When we competed at the races where factory teams competed, our engines came from the race group who essentially had built all the engines used by us & the rest of the factory drivers. The conclusion being handbuilltvs assembly line certainly could be translated as more HP

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The Evinrude distributor Huzells in Sweden purchased around five new Super Strangler 1975 and sold to local dealers.
Here is one doing local offshore racing.
You can see Huzells on the boat.
The Johnson distributor AGB did the same thing..around five Stinger GP sold the Johnson dealers in Sweden.

Later 1975 OMC sent a letter to Huzells and AGB and cancelled them as distributors in Sweden..
One of OMC's biggest mistakes ever and was the start for sales trouble in Europe.

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The Johnson booth at the Marine Manufacturers Trade Show in Chicago, Sept 1985.

Thanks.

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A picture to brighten up your morning..!!..:)
Three racy models............
Johnson booth at the 1985 Marine Manufacturers Trade Show in Chicago

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Originally Posted by lars strom

A picture to brighten up your morning..!!..:)
Three racy models............
Johnson booth at the 1985 Marine Manufacturers Trade Show in Chicago

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1681301887

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Sold....I will take the very hi performance model in the center....:thumbsup:

OMC's "J" motor was a great contribution to stock outboard racing. The SST45 / 45SS engine made a good home in OPC but the stock outboard (45SS) was kind of a puzzle? I never did understand if it was a success?

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Originally Posted by Bob V

Sold....I will take the very hi performance model in the center....:thumbsup:

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Kathy Johnson a.k.a "Billy"

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1681319687

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Originally Posted by 2us70

After the 1976 season I was trying to figure out what I was going to race going forward. In the process of this I came to the conclusion that a privateer like myself with no factory or dealership connections had to have a lot of money to spend. Even then you would find yourself racing against the factory that built your motor or the dealer who sold it. By 1978 I finally decided that OPC racing had become too expensive and moved on. In 1979 my wife and I experienced the first positive bank balances of our lives.

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Experience the same joy of racing as you described in your well said piece. To compete with the likes of the factory and semi factory racers one had to have at least a dealership sponsor or an independent person with money. I was just a local razor in the Miami Florida area and had a lot of fun when I got married in 1976 I gave up boat racing myself and experience a positive cash flow for a while until my wife discovered she like to spend money. So I started making good money started sponsoring a GEN boat and my wife and still had a negative bank balance who could ask for more

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Originally Posted by lars strom

A picture to brighten up your morning..!!..:)
Three racy models............
Johnson booth at the 1985 Marine Manufacturers Trade Show in Chicago

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1681301887

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Yes this was the 1986 model year.


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Was the 45ss a direct competitor with the Merc 44xs?

@2us70

I dont know but at one time there was around 450 SST-45 boats around the US ready to race. It was a very popular class and still is.

Evinrude and SST 45 was the start for F1 Shaun Torrente ..!!

https://svera.se/blogg/evinrude-and-...haun-torrente/

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Originally Posted by lars strom

Kathy Johnson a.k.a "Billy"

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1681319687

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Definitely could use one of these on my transom....Smoking...:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by 2us70

Was the 45ss a direct competitor with the Merc 44xs?

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Not even close. Merc was a cross flow deflector whereas the OMC was a loop. Despite what you might read I built the first prototype of the 45SS in my workshop. Sent the data to Edgar Rose at OMC, never heard anything & Alas, they introduced it. And, I was working as Service Mgr at Lawn-Boy. It seemed too fast for the Stock boys, wasn't approved, but mod approved it & then the 45SST was formed by the OMC race group headed by Fred Miller. Largest OPC class ever & still is.

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Originally Posted by lars strom

@2us70

I dont know but at one time there was around 450 SST-45 boats around the US ready to race. It was a very popular class and still is.

Evinrude and SST 45 was the start for F1 Shaun Torrente ..!!

https://svera.se/blogg/evinrude-and-...haun-torrente/

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Not sure how many 45 SS OMC sold in the US and around the world but it was a big number.. Plenty of new 45 SS ended in Scandinavia.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...6&d=1681396896

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Originally Posted by WaterZebra

OMC's "J" motor was a great contribution to stock outboard racing. The SST45 / 45SS engine made a good home in OPC but the stock outboard (45SS) was kind of a puzzle? I never did understand if it was a success?

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It was an A class motor, with a restrictor plate provided by APBA it was legal for J.

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Originally Posted by John Schubert

Not even close. Merc was a cross flow deflector whereas the OMC was a loop. Despite what you might read I built the first prototype of the 45SS in my workshop. Sent the data to Edgar Rose at OMC, never heard anything & Alas, they introduced it. And, I was working as Service Mgr at Lawn-Boy. It seemed too fast for the Stock boys, wasn't approved, but mod approved it & then the 45SST was formed by the OMC race group headed by Fred Miller. Largest OPC class ever & still is.

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#1 Were the SST45 and 45SS identical engines?
#2 Did 45SS ever get off the ground with the stock outboard people as a stand alone class or just blended into a MOD class?

* I think the APBA was careful not to try blending the SST45, 45SS and 44XS together.........

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Originally Posted by WaterZebra

#1 Were the SST45 and 45SS identical engines?
#2 Did 45SS ever get off the ground with the stock outboard people as a stand alone class or just blended into a MOD class?

* I think the APBA was careful not to try blending the SST45, 45SS and 44XS together.........

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The 45SS & SST45 engines were the same. APBA Stock category ran the 45SS class which for all practical purposes was the OPC SST45 class. Sam rules including only 3 blade props. The west coast put both classes on their sanctions. The rest of the regions deferred to OPC SST45 only. Eventually SO bounced the class. The Merc 44XS was only a runabout & hydro class motor in stock. In mod they had a 45 runabout & hydro class with the stock 45 motor for several years then dissolved the class due to limited registered drivers. Some modified the motor & ran it in what is 850 today but weren’t competitive either the 3cylinder 49 c. I. Looper

If I remember wright 45ss were rope start.

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Originally Posted by keith scotton

If I remember wright 45ss were rope start.

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Wrong. Both were the same engine. On the west coast finish 2 heats of 45SS then 3 more SST45. In mod at first it was stock motors with ES & cowls then when they went modified, some top dome ES

Just to steer up a bit more from the OMC Chicago Trade Show 1985..!!..https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/e...5/16/1f600.png
Kathy Johnson a.k.a "Billy" the Cobra girl again between the 15A and the 45SS racing Johnson outboard.
Have fun.

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Just over 57 years ago...

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time for a morning coffee............

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45 ss came out in 1986 with a rope start 1988 was the first year it came in the box with electric start and trim. Installed electric start on
the few we sold.
Enjoy L:ife

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Originally Posted by lars strom

time for a morning coffee............

Attachment 517719

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FB response from my Norwegian friend..:cheers:


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Originally Posted by keith scotton

45 ss came out in 1986 with a rope start 1988 was the first year it came in the box with electric start and trim. Installed electric start on
the few we sold.
Enjoy L:ife

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The info I got..

"The 45ss was originally designed/produced/sold as a recoil-rope start engine. Its target market was to drivers in the APBA Stock Outboard category, for use on hydroplanes and runabouts. As the engine evolved to tunnel boats, electric start became a standard feature, as well as other changes that made the engine more suitable to tunnel boats"

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Originally Posted by John Schubert

The 45SS & SST45 engines were the same. APBA Stock category ran the 45SS class which for all practical purposes was the OPC SST45 class. Sam rules including only 3 blade props. The west coast put both classes on their sanctions. The rest of the regions deferred to OPC SST45 only. Eventually SO bounced the class. The Merc 44XS was only a runabout & hydro class motor in stock. In mod they had a 45 runabout & hydro class with the stock 45 motor for several years then dissolved the class due to limited registered drivers. Some modified the motor & ran it in what is 850 today but weren’t competitive either the 3cylinder 49 c. I. Looper

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Was there any point in history with these engines where the hydros or runabouts ran together with the tunnels?

Was Walin also one of the drivers of the DeSilva wing boat? I cant imagine what the jump from A runabout to this boat was like for him. As I recall he was selected because of his very small size to fit in the boat. The final outcome for him was tragic.

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Originally Posted by Bob V

Just over 57 years ago...

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Originally Posted by lars strom

The info I got..

"The 45ss was originally designed/produced/sold as a recoil-rope start engine. Its target market was to drivers in the APBA Stock Outboard category, for use on hydroplanes and runabouts. As the engine evolved to tunnel boats, electric start became a standard feature, as well as other changes that made the engine more suitable to tunnel boats"

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That may be as written, but did not happen. SO group didn’t approve the motor for kneel downs claiming “too fast”. The very first real introduction was at Dayton on 4 tunnels built by Leigh Furnal, Bunky Bowerman, Sam Hemp (who also did much if not all of the prototype testing) & Tim Butts of Aerowing fame.

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Originally Posted by 2us70

Was Walin also one of the drivers of the DeSilva wing boat? I cant imagine what the jump from A runabout to this boat was like for him. As I recall he was selected because winning at the Parker enduroof his very small size to fit in the boat. The final outcome for him was tragic.

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He was. Winning at the Parker enduro

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Attachment 517740

I stand corrected but note no rope pull. But, I’m still not convinced there were actually more hydros in the 45ss other than Jerry. My personal belief is that the others in the class ran tunnels. Prove me wrong. I lived through the beginning years with the class having a memo engine from Jack Leek. We won the nationals 3 times , twice with Chuck Zolkoske and once with Gordie Miller driving

Dayton, Ohio.

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Rope pull red circle.

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Originally Posted by John Schubert

I guarantee there was the factory in Kenosha. I can’t recall the address but I actually visited the facility. The

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John, You got me wondering .....Was that facility you visited a former car dealership that the race group was using? Was Whitey a supervisor there at the time?