Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

Fred Miller?

I know he was 33M for Michigan but no idea where he ended up.

I know at one point he was way up the food chain at OMC racing.

BTW, mid 70’s on a Hydro would put you mid pack in DSH against the MK 55’s.

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Originally Posted by lars strom

The Johnson 31.8 - 521 cc race engine being tested on runabout.

Attachment 478613

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Originally Posted by lars strom

Bristol 1980
..was another big setback for Team Mercury and the T4 racing.

This is the headline:
No Gold at Mercury’s Final Rally.. Evinrude/Molinari wins in Bristol 1980
Seebold breaks down in last lap forfeiting win to Molinari.


Many Merc supporters always bring up Bristol 1982 when Billy Seebold won the OZ class with a smaller Merc V6 over the V8 drivers.
As always I was there and Renato Molinari was leading by a lot over Billy Seebold but broke down at the end and Seebold won..Yes I know you must finish to win..

Back to Bristol 1980 and Billy Seebold was leading the OZ class with the big bore T4 but broke down and Renato Molinari ended up winning the race with the smaller 3 liter looper fuel injection. So please remember this Merc fans when bringing up Bristol 1982.
Bristol 1980 was also Team Mercury's last race for the T4 in the OZ class at that time. I am 100% sure the reason for Team Mercury to pull the plug on the T4 racing was the rumors was already out about OMC introducing the new V8 for the OZ class 1981. Team Mercury was now going to race ON max 2 liter and call the ON class Formula One.
(Merc came back with a modified T4 in the OZ class 1984)

Here is a link to exactly what happen in Bristol 1980 and the OMC advertising after the race. "Evinrude staying-power wins Embassy Grand Prix" Pretty funny..!!

http://svera.se/blogg/no-gold-at-mercurys-final-rally-evinrudemolinari-wins-in-bristol-1980/

http://www.screamandfly.com/attachme...5&d=1498571098

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https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1514038485

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9zIjxUjrpo&t=2s

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Originally Posted by lars strom

@Watermark

Please help with more info..I guess 1984??
Thanks Sam LaBanco.

Attachment 478560

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Sam, you are correct - it was 1984.
Thanks for sharing.
- Mark

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Originally Posted by Instigator

Fred Miller?
I know he was 33M for Michigan but no idea where he ended up.
I know at one point he was way up the food chain at OMC racing.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1607349313

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Yes, 33-V is Fred Miller. This photo is of Fred testing the Johnson 31.8 prototype at the OMC Fox Lake Test Center, summer 1987.
Fred took over as OMC's Manager of High Performance when Jack Leek retired.

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Originally Posted by lars strom

A very cool Evinrude 31.8 (521cc) race engine built by a good friend of mine. (based on a production 20-35HP block)
This one of a kind is by far the most powerful OMC/Evinrude 31.8 (521cc) engine built.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...hmentid=478189


Attachment 478190
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Sam LaBanco next to the #27 B&H Hydro. This is from Lake Zurich, Illinois in early 1980's.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...0&d=1607382331

Fred Miller left us a few years ago.
He was a great supporter of APBA racing.

Jim Jost

"Fred Miller and Paul Kalb were staples in stock outboard racing in the 60's. They both joined OMC and were in the race program"


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Yes..that's Ziggy (in the hat) next to the very special Evinrude 31.8 (521cc) race engine.

Attachment 478641

That is a lot of motor for that little boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32I0Qso4sDg

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Originally Posted by lars strom

Mike Gwaltney

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...hmentid=478541

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Jim Nerstrom


Michael J is standing next to an Offshore Race Engine based on the F1 V8 powerhead. Gearcase is a twin pinion shifting unit. Not your standard production 300 V8.

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Originally Posted by lars strom

31.8 - 521cc OMC race engines.
Another Evinrude engine never seen before from my friend.
Thanks you so much.https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/e....5/16/2764.pnghttps://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/e...5/16/1f44d.png

The Evinrude version was lighter weight and had a 14/19 reduction gearcase. As a result, it performed better on the boat than the Johnson version.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...hmentid=478587

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Jim Jost

There were a number of these prototypes stored in an area of the Waukegan plant. When OMC went under and BRP purchased the assets and Waukegan was closed these engines were taken to a warehouse. I do not know what happened to them after that.

Ben toy.

Attachment 478671

I really tried my best to make mine look like the one on the box...but came up well short !!
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Famous Fred Miller story:

Our National Championships used to be a wk long.
It was like Woodstock.
Especially for a 20 something yr old.

Back then we all camped.
No one had an RV or could afford a hotel room.

So we all get their Friday night and set up our tents/camp sites.
There were tents everywhere!
Had to be a hundred of them!

That night, after we all went to bed a storm rolled in.
It wiped out our Woodstock!

The storm wiped out my tent and filled it w/water, and everyone else’s.

I remember the first view of our fellow campers the next morning and it was bad!
One or two standing tents, everything else was gone!

This was in Dayton Ohio at the Hydrobowl Lake.
They had a good PA that reached the entire pits/campground.
This was during Fred Millers prime. He was the man.

So us campers are all wandering around in a daze, surveying the damage when, someone comes on the PA and says:

”GOOD MORNING, THIS IS GOD!”

It was Fred on the PA and you could hear laughter as far as you could see!
Exactly what we needed to hear, when we needed to hear it, from who we needed to hear it from.

The man gave his life in support of boat racing.