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Some memory photos of Mouse & Mike Kukla. John, I remember testing pover by the Stuart test center getting ready for the Miami Stadium introduction. I drove one of the V -4’d as you may recall. Jack kept having the original exhaust relief holes enlarged until the rotary would start in the water. I remember the hole was just one. Obviously further tests/development resulted in the two holes
All of the photos showing the rotary at rest or at speed show the engine at a slightly negative angle to the hull. Was the trim angle fixed? Did it have power trim at all?Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
Height adjustment?
The negative angle was because when you nailed it it picked the boat out of the water. Positive angle and you were in trouble. Yes it had the V-4 trim and lift. If my memory still works, it used 2 separate Merc power trim pumps and the Merc. trim cylinder. I designed and built a one pump system but because it wasn't a race group idea, it wasn't used.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
You can see in the above pictures the gearcase with the cut away exhaust. This is actually the 14/23 V-4 gearcase with a shorter driveshaft and an adapter plate to compensate for bolt pattern differenced. It was first used at Provo. Later an actual gear case casting was made and used.
Thanks John,Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
I guess..in the red circle is the "cut away exhaust" on the V4 gear-case..
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...8&d=1695248574
Did the rotary compete in just clock start races? How did it do in LeMans beach starts?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
To my recollection, all the rotary starts were from a dead start with the driver in the boat. The rotary was always the first one back to the S/F line. I don't believe it ever ran a flying start. Johnnie Sanders once said the only other engine with the "push" of a rotary was the Wizzard; and he drove them all V-4, V-6, V-8 and rotary.
Yes that's the V-4 14/23 gearcase with the cut out exhaust.Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
Attachment 524585Attachment 524586 a couple more.
Paris 6 Hours was 100% "dead engine start" 11:00 AM Sunday morning did the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire drop the green flag and sometimes up to hundred race boats in mixed classes took off..Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
The two OMC Rotary powered Scotti boats took the lead in 1974.
I remember it like yesterday.
5:00 PM the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire waved the checkered flag.
A fantastic boat race.
Team Selva in the UIM F3/OE class. Stockholm GP 1987.Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...9&d=1695341494
Did anybody in the UIM, race committee, or event media capture the rotary on video and audio?Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
As far as I know there is NO audio recording of the OMC racing rotary.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
This is me a few minutes before 11:00 AM Sunday morning when Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire droped the green flag in Paris 6 hours 1974..
I remember so well when the two OMC rotary powered Scotti boats lapped me many times during the race. There was a large water spray after the rotaries like no other tunnel boat..
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1587400644
Beautiful Johnson racing advertising from 1979.
My guess is 201 is Ken Stevenson and maybe Bob Hering in the 3 cylinder boat...He won the UIM World OE title 1978. The race was run in the USA.
Thanks for the picture/poster my OMC friend.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1695393157
In the mid 70s a guy down here in South Florida tried to build an unlimited racing airplane. It was very small and it was powered by two Mazda rotaries. He never did get it sorted out. I was working on the airport where he was trying to test this aircraft. Every time he took off to the east over a populated area the airport got a bunch of calls about the sound. I heard it a few times and even when only the front motor was running it was pretty bad. When both motors were running it was twice as bad. We usually only heard it with the front motor because he kept having to declare emergency and land it on only the one motor. As far as I know he never got the overheating problems of the rear motor solved.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
1979 Evinrude racing advertising..!!
Fred Hauenstein / Ron Hill / Evinrude V-6 CCC overall win Parker 1978.
https://svera.se/blogg/fred-hauenste...n-parker-1978/
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1695401130
U.S.A.: FIRST ROTARY ENGINE FOR OUTBOARD SPEEDBOAT USE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED IN FLORIDA. - British Pathé (britishpathe.com)WaterZebra You asked, here is the only video I know of with real sound. This was at the Miami introduction.
RJ - From your point of view, what would have happened to the OMC rotary program if it hadn't been killed off by the V6?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
- 2 rotor production engine?
- Production crankshaft for a 4 rotor block?
- 4 rotor block?
- FNR gearcase?
- Production mid section?
- Wet sump?
- With today's engine ECU technology, would some of the problems you had with the rotary be eliminated?
What is the biggest rotary ever built? (rotor count)
RJ - The video is great but the audio sounds like stock outboard exhaust dubbed in. I've listened to this several times and I can't make the distinction? There are very few people who had the opportunity to see and hear these things run. If you and Lars say it's the real deal I will have to take your word for it. Only thing I have heard about the rotary is it had an exhaust tone all of it's own?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
After spending close to 6 hours in Paris 1974 listening to the Rotaries running in the race I do not believe the engine sound in the video are from the rotaries.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
Just my opinion.
I'm 3/4 deaf listening to the rotaries in the dyno room, but I'M not sure that's the real sound.Quote:
Originally Posted by WaterZebra
If the v_6 hadn't arrived when it did, development on the rotary would have continued. I had already designed and built prototype 6HP outboard. The revised 4 pcs. crank had only run once. It eliminated the single biggest failure of the race engine, the long thru bolt breaking. Rotor bearings was the next failure mode and good results was being seen in independent testing. Apex seals were on the verge of going to different materials and production processes that virtually eliminated wear and cost less than a nickel. Rotor combustion pocket design and rotor material would have been the next step in evolution. titanium rotors with leading pear shape pockets would have allowed higher RPM and as seen on the above power curve, increased HP would have resulted. Moller is getting over 100 HP from a single rotor a 6500 RPM. With today's materials and knowledge, 500 HP from the same displacement is certainly possible. However, with that said, the issue with EPA still existed. Also, Strang had made a big splash with the into and let several writers actually run one so shareholders and the general boating public were expecting to see a production version. If the rotary race program continued, that pressure would have increased. OMC research did prototype a larger displacement engine, but like most of their prototypes, it was just a feasibility study. OMC eventually sold all the tooling and inventory to Moller.
Some guy designed and built a 12 rotor engine. search the web if you're interested.
The 2 rotor 110 HP production prototype use the 3 cylinder 70 hp mid-section. the 6HP used the 2-cycle 6 HP mid-section
Sure doesn't sound anything like those Mazda rotaries I have heard. I don't know if OMCs rotaries were built the same as Mazdas were but they kind of look the same just more rotors.Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
The Mazda and OMC rotaries are totally different, Mazda is oil cooled internally and dumps the exhaust directly to atmosphere. The OMC rotary was charged cooled internally and mixed water in the exhaust before it exited.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2us70
@Rotary JohnQuote:
Originally Posted by Rotary John
Question..
I am thinking back to 1975 and one of the big news was Cees Van Der Velden signed with OMC to race Johnson Outboards.
I have no memories of Velden racing a rotary.
I guess Parker was the first race 1975 and I did some research..No rotaries in Parker 1975..Jimbo raced a V6 Super Strangler and a few Johnson Stinger GP V6 was also used.
So my question is did OMC race the rotaries in Havasu late 1974 or was the Paris 6 Hours in October 1974 the last race for the OMC Rotaries.
Thanks
Lars
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1695562504
Unless my dates are incorrect, the rotaries did race at Parker in 1975 2 weeks after the intro at Miami hosted by Bill Muncey. The V-4 rig that I drove at the intro went to Parker with Muncey as my co-driver. The rotaries were 1st & 2nd finishing the 1st lap. They developed mechanical issues. I finished 3rd. Would have fished better but steering wheel splines stripped.
If you can read my avatar I believe it says 1975 as that picture of me was at Parker 1975where the rotaries did race
Well..Yes..OMC did run the rotaries in Parker 1973..but not sure about Parker 1975.. @Rotary John should know the answer when the rotaries was raced the last time.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...5&d=1601303584
The rotaries ran Parker 1973 only.
'73-Parker, Galveston, Provo, Lake Carrol, Windemere, Ontario speed trials, So Africa.'74 Paris, St. Louis. '75, Pewaukee and didn't run again anywhere I'm aware of.
Velden never ran a rotary. 8 drivers did. Jimbo, Posey Sanders, McKinley, Witt, Woods, Beard, Downard.
Thanks @Rotary John
Looks like Scotti did race an Evinrude Rotary in Windermere 1973.
The OMC Rotary racing engines invaded Windermere, UK 1973 with four Evinrude/Johnson boats. Many new pictures.
https://svera.se/blogg/the-omc-rotary-racing-engines-invaded-windermere-uk-1973-with-four-evinrude-johnson-boats-many-new-pictures/
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...8&d=1634914362
My bad, attached is an article about the intro then Parker 1 or 2 weeks late.
Jack Aylsworth
Group expert - Top contributor
OMC SOLD HIGH-PERFORMANCE RACE ENGINES TO EXPERIENCED, QUALIFIED DRIVERS
In 1976, OMC released the new Evinrude CCC & Johnson SR (Special Racing) V6 high-performance race engines. They were 90 degree, 3.5 inch bore, 2.588-stroke, 149.4 cubic inch crossflow engines based on the 200/235 hp production V6 powerhead. The only difference in these two was the hood, color and brand graphics. These were highly-modified versions of the stock production engines with special internal parts, porting, heads, flywheels, custom racing center sections and gear cases. Operating range was from 6800 to 7200 rpms with an 8-to-1 compression ratio. Racing features included a 12-degree hydraulic power trim and a one-inch hydraulic lift adjustment. Several steel clever-type props were available, from 11 x 18 through 11 x 22.
The CCC & SR were built from 1975 to 1981 in very limited quantities and in a number of variations including: 149 and 160 cubic inch blocks, different porting, heads, pistons, cranks and carbs.
(Some photos show the Johnson decal as RS – Racing Special)
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...0&d=1664976438
FYI - Jack & others
Jack's comment (Some photos show the Johnson decal as RS – Racing Special) is correct for most of the US & Europe Market Place. - note that Johnson race engine covers have straight lines bottom to top where the CCC turned inward at the top. The "SR" really had me confused when I started restoring the CCC & RS engines for APBA's Vintage & Historic events. I was told that the "SR" (Special Racing ??) was used for the Australian Market Place as "RS" in Aus. had some kind of bad connotation. Don't know what that was.
I see they now have the RS decal set available
Attachment 524681
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerH
Thanks Roger..
You are so polite..:)..
..but the fact is when OMC 1976 released the new Evinrude V6 CCC/Johnson V6 RS (the 2.448 liter cross-flow race engine) there was never an SR..only reason for saying SR is because down under RS stands for something else..!!..(Rat ****)..:)
I raced a 3 cylinder Johnson RS in Paris 1976 (boat #47 second picture) and a V6 2 liter Johnson RS in Milan, 1978. (boat #29 third picture)
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1695600387
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1695600387
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1596572566
Quote:
Originally Posted by lars strom
Katelin Wendt is with Kelly Ireland and 2 others
at The Grove of Anaheim.
Celebrated the life of THE legend, Greg Foster today.
I’ve been to quite a few memorials, but have never seen anything like this one. Over 600 people from all over the world here to celebrate the absolutely insane, crazy, wild life of Fearless Foster. Even managed to fit back into my race shirt that I haven’t worn since I was 13 And had Mason wearing the one from when I was 5 or 6.
What a tribute.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...9&d=1695627056
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...0&d=1695627056
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1695627056
1978 Evinrude advertising.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1695630307
Only raced an SE boat a couple of times at the local Caribbean Club races. Had to get used to driving a smaller cube motor, keeping it revving an on a plane around the corners and lack of acceleration. But it was a fun boat to drive belong to my buddy Andy Wiggers when he would come down to the races in Amberjack
Blackjack Withrow it was the most bad ass mercury. Mod 50 driver that we had back in those days coming down to the local races at the Marine Stadium and in Florida.