Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

Morning peeps, in the cold light of day and after a good nights sleep, reflecting on last nights game. Taking into account the Aussies performance, home advantage at Twickenham, the massive support of a success hungry nation, I have come to the inevitable conclusion they should bring back the stocks--------to quote Winnie Churchill----NEVER in the field of human consumption----was so much "Crap" -----served up to so many, ----by so few!

75 years ago this week , the young men of this wonderful country took on the mighty German Luftwaffe ------they didn't just "Win"------ they thrashed the Arse off'n the buggers. They did not get paid a massive amount of money-----it was the pride and the passion of being British, something today's snivelling so called "Sportsmen" seem to have forgotten.

Put simply in words of one syllable "YOU WERE SH-TE".

Had a great day at the Blenhiem Society's open day-----there is only one of these old ladies still flying, met a few of the wartime pilots, one is over 100 years old, and another 99, yet another in a wheelchair but still has all his marbles!
Duxford is the home of Historical flying as well as the American Aviation Museum. Walked round the workshops, must have been thirty benches where restoration was being carried out on old aircraft. If any of you fly boys over the pond are interested in old aircraft, I suggest you visit Duxford in Cambridge ---I promise, you will not be disappointed .

Called into Addenbrook Hospital to see Ivan, not very well at all, hooked up to intravenous drips, oxygen, you name it-----it's being fed into him-----down to seventy pounds from one ninety five, but he's still hanging in there!

Turned Eight and I'm still abed, cannot remember the last time that happened, Jilly still up country looking after Ivan's family so I shall do meals a full English before repairing to the shop!

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Originally Posted by STEVERINO

Hey Jackie not much help this time I remember the name Rich Mc Kinley well but in 1969 I was still racing Mercury engines but I was at the race as a spectator I was staying with Bob Spalding and Rex in his camper van I can remember OMC had the new 99 cu in V4 engines that was the first time I saw one race and they had Scotti leading the race by over 3 miles at halfway stage till engine failure that was the year you and Don Ross had the yellow Molinari.I will ask Ron Hill if he can be of more help,

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. Hi Jackie just had a reply back from Ron Hill he has contacted Jimbo and he says Rich did run in the 1969 Paris 6 hr race he ran with the Mc Une bunch he was leading the race at one time till Molinari tried to run him into the wall and he ended the race in 2nd place and Jimbo says he also ran at Galverston one year and drove D stock Hydros at Michigan.Ron also remembers Rich driving the Parker 9Hr race one year and he remembers the good time both he and Rich had when they did a 2 day trip in one of the OMC trucks from Miami to Waukegan.

Today is the day of the Paris six hour race (if it was still being run). It's been a beautiful day, we did not have many good fine weather races, it could be hot, cold, foggy, perpetual rain, hail or just plain windy. It was like a magnet for racers from all corners of the earth!
Entry list was closed August 30th-----even then, it did not mean your entry had been accepted, they picked the first five entries from each country and took it from there! Just saying!

looks like Ford, Volvo and Renault have been naughty boys in the emission stink-----wonder if ANY CAR MANUFACTURER could get down to the stated levels.

Finally made into the shop just turned 10am, beavered away, did the second lot of pipes, made em out of stainless, puts a lot better thread down, alloy is a bit too soft!
Spun up a pair of trim Rams and stuck it all back together-------pipes are too wide for the wing, so I started a new wing, around 1pm I had lost all concentration so I called it a day, locked the shop and went to bed for 3 hours, dog tired for some reason!

Seems that Rich McKinley's Paris medal is a silver for second place overall in the 1969 race. We eventually got there, hope this helps his daughter !

Just an aside-----Renato gets blamed for all sorts of happenings, there's no way he could put any half decent driver into the wall without jeopardising his own position. Hard bastard, yes, dirty, on occasions, Team driver, NEVER, whether Mercury or OMC . He never gave a flying fart for anyone else------he won an awful lot of races! But very few friends. Hasn't got a lot to show for thirty years of top flite world wide racing! Love him or hate him, he ranked right at the top of the "best drivers in the world."list.

Just for you Steverino ------you can only try to put somebody into the wall from the front, or making a move on them, or if your being passed and are well pissed at someone and need to make a point!
Remember when Renato turned up in the twin engined rig at the world's OZ championship?
Bentz And Seebold worked as a team and really screwed him.

Me myself was surprised they did that, it was a no win situation for Molinari !

Very sad, bad day today, my darling Jilly's eldest boy Ivan died last night after a four year fight with cancer.
He leaves a wife and three children and a brother in hospital who is also very poorly.

May not be much or many meanderings posted today, it seems summer is over, the sun has stopped shining, so sorry! J.

Jackie, Just typed words are all I can offer at this time, I have never met Jilly or any of her folks but I and many others feel as if
we know her well through your many mentions on this forum.

Condolences to you both for your loss. Phill.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Finally made into the shop just turned 10am, beavered away, did the second lot of pipes, made em out of stainless, puts a lot better thread down, alloy is a bit too soft!
Spun up a pair of trim Rams and stuck it all back together-------pipes are too wide for the wing, so I started a new wing, around 1pm I had lost all concentration so I called it a day, locked the shop and went to bed for 3 hours, dog tired for some reason!

Seems that Rich McKinley's Paris medal is a silver for second place overall in the 1969 race. We eventually got there, hope this helps his daughter !

Just an aside-----Renato gets blamed for all sorts of happenings, there's no way he could put any half decent driver into the wall without jeopardising his own position. Hard bastard, yes, dirty, on occasions, Team driver, NEVER, whether Mercury or OMC . He never gave a flying fart for anyone else------he won an awful lot of races! But very few friends. Hasn't got a lot to show for thirty years of top flite world wide racing! Love him or hate him, he ranked right at the top of the "best drivers in the world."list.

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Jackie:
You apparently didn't see the '75 St. Louis race when the Mercury TEAM were given instructions to keep the rotary's from winning regardless of what it took. Molinari did everything he could to keep Woods from winning until Woods got pissed off and ran over Molinari.

Jackie:
Sorry to hear about Jill's son. Maybe the pain and suffering for both him and Jill will be over.

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Originally Posted by STEVERINO

. Hi Jackie just had a reply back from Ron Hill he has contacted Jimbo and he says Rich did run in the 1969 Paris 6 hr race he ran with the Mc Une bunch he was leading the race at one time till Molinari tried to run him into the wall and he ended the race in 2nd place and Jimbo says he also ran at Galverston one year and drove D stock Hydros at Michigan.Ron also remembers Rich driving the Parker 9Hr race one year and he remembers the good time both he and Rich had when they did a 2 day trip in one of the OMC trucks from Miami to Waukegan.

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McKinley drove Parker with Mac McCuen in '73. The steering broke while Rich was driving and had a pretty bad accident. Story was if Mac had been driving when it happened it most likely would have killed him.

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Originally Posted by Rotary John

Jackie:
You apparently didn't see the '75 St. Louis race when the Mercury TEAM were given instructions to keep the rotary's from winning regardless of what it took. Molinari did everything he could to keep Woods from winning until Woods got pissed off and ran over Molinari.

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Still say Renato was doing that for himself!
So Woods lost sight of the objective ?
We'll continue the discussion at a later date Johnno, there's a place I've got to be today!

jackie I think I can speak for S&F members here and give our condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. Gary

Got a ride with my sister Ange up to Hunston, Family gathered there but it was time to take Jilly home, nothing more she could do.
Quiet, easy run back home, rained all the way.
Murph was waiting on the doorstep soaked to the skin, she didn't care, mum was home!

Thank you one and all for all your messages, it's not possible at this time to answer each one of you individually, one day soon I will try to.
If I can sleep long enough and wake up early enough, I need a deep think day in the shop, constructive day more than an angry at the world day, thank God for the life of a great boy instead of getting mad over his death at such an early age.
Time to let out a little sadness and grief the only way I know how, by getting stuck into a project in my shop, .
Funny, but the best thing I've done up to date is the COSWORTH concept, did it in the last few days of Ivan's life knowing full well I couldn't do it justice, but kept on furnagling away, making two of everything, when that way didn't work I'd change and do it this way, gradually it began to take shape. Just a couple more days and it should be fairly close to as good as I can get. It all hinges on what happens in the next week or so!
Will post a piccie when it's all done and dusted.

Itching to have a lengthy " DISCUSION" with Rotory John, love to push his Wankel button. I need Willabees support with that!
Olegater jim has a wealth of knowledge on the 60/70's racing.
We have factory drivers, Lake X employees, all on this S&F site at the touch of your index finger.
Collectors like Rich Luhrs , Roger Hinsdale, Mike Mullens, they have more stored in their heads than you would ever find in any of the power boat race books and comics, it's all there for the asking

Jackie, my condolences for your family's loss. I'm glad you have family and friends to lean on during this time.

Not likely to be in the shop a lot today, Jilly needs me to drive to various places, she doesn't feel right behind the wheel .
First stop is to see Matt, family have decided not to tell him his brother died yesterday, wrong, in my opinion, secret Sh-t always has comebacks ! They point out the boy has maybe two weeks left so why spoil it------what's left to spoil ?
We were in bed early as Jilly was worn out and tired, around 2am we were wide awake, she had made the tea and we were just holding hands when the reality finally hit, she just let go, we talked and cried the night away--------not supposed to bury your children ! There's a natural order and this is not the way it's supposed to happen.
We'll take each hour as it comes for the next few days, have to lead by example, leader of the herd, pack, MATRIARCH I believe is Jillys role, ALPHA MALE is mine, just as life was getting easy!

Steady flow of visitors this morning, more this afternoon. Did get half an hour in the shop afore lunch. May not have to fabricate another wing after all! Made a couple of angled longer legs, may get to try them later in the day.
Ideas coming thick and fast, just need time to spend on them------distinct lack of that around here at the minute.
Thinking of applying for an eight day week!

Another day older and deeper--------you all know the song, the one about despair etc:

old friends, relations, neighbors , people "Just passing"-- by four o'clock they were long gone so I dived into the workshop and closed the door.
Jilly called me with a CC7--shortly after six---- here endeth the last lesson of the day----schools out , but not before I had finished the COSWORTH ------looks half tidy! Too late to take piccies, probably show you the finalised item tomorrow .

Another new day, badly need a haircut and beard trim, beginning to look like a Barbary Coast Pirate, Jilly says not to have a shower 'till after!
Murphy has been more loving than at any time since we found her five years ago, funny little thing, you can only touch her when she says so!

Finished the stand for the COSWORTH "concept" at five to six last night, all the tools are scattered all over the hog market, place like a pig sty. First job this morning is a total clean up of the shop.

Had a bit of a chuckle to myself-----youth on the Mercury V 6 site reckoned it was the best site on S&F-------he had to be " educated"------ anyone who ever knew me will have known what was coming next !!!

FYI, OLD BLUE, will be coming up soon, still looking into its history to determine whether it ever had the wrap around cowls at any time, it's still got an old distributer, anyone got pictures of it during its development years?

Told you it wasn't three bad.

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Got a table full of metal tunnels of one sort or another.

Never made it back to the shop this afternoon, went to see Matt with Jilly.
Next bed available in the hospice is his, was at Tavares last November when I got the news of his tumour, been downhill all the way since then!

Still have two sailing boats to finish, will make one a four masted schooner and the other one three masted!

Next project is a Spitfire for sister Ange, think she wants to give it to Fishie for Christmas !

Never did get my haircut and beard trim, maybe tomorrow if I play my cards right.
Jesus wept, just realised its rent day (Thursday ), only a month to Tavares !

Seeing as how it was Thursday today thought I might take a trip to the car boogie at Ford, was a fine day with hundreds of stalls-------in the end it was the same old Sh-t, Just a different day.
Had a mad fit of depression and spent a fortune on stuff I wanted but didn't need------a couple of hundred taps and dies-----only about fifty metric pieces, so I'm left with a couple of hundred taps to stick on eBay.
Found. A beautiful set of early woodcarving chisels ,came up razor sharp after a bit of TLC.

Never got back into the shop after lunch--------visitors, arrangements, family disagreement, everyone putts in their fourpennorth -------me, I stay well out of it, mouth tight shut.

Ivans funeral next Thursday, that's if Mathew makes it 'till then-----if not, the script gets rewritten,all the balls are in the air, everyone's lives are on hold.
Long time since there was this much misery, sadness and unhappiness in the air------next will come the fighting ! After a long summer, we inevitably get Storms, Life and old Mother Nature have a pretty close relationship and a lot in common.

Just maybe you can understand what a safe haven the workshop is------my bolt hole ------safety valve-----hideaway, call it what you will. Stuff I make is almost irrelevant ------stops the Athritis , helps keep the little grey cells ticking------makes sure the marbles don't get lost.

I look at the superbly detailed model boats on the market today------way beyond my capabilities, and wonder why the hell would anyone buy one of my "concepts"when you can buy a fully detailed scale model for less than a quarter of the price I charge ? Another of life's ENIGMAS.

HER LYING NEXT TO ME HAS JUST INFORMED ME IM DEFINITELY HAVIN THE THATCH AND BEARD TRIM TOMORROW .

Will wonders ever cease? Just when you think winters here, OMN (old Mother Nature ) throws in a curve in the shape of a beautiful cloudless warm sunshiny day-----just when we could reall do with one.
Haircuts a positive"Maybe", Jillys cooking breakfast and told me not to shower 'till she's cut my hair, her who shall be obeyed eh!
Popped into the scrap yard and picked out a bunch of different metals ranging from very thin stainless to 12mm rod and qUarter plate alloy. Have a head ful of ideas and ambition, it's just that I'm a bit light on ability. Always did punch above my weight, it's stood me in good stead and bought me a whole load of friends, think I got the formula about right.
Reach for the sky, then you can look down at the world instead of looking up from the abyss, you ever know what your limits are until you can't go any further.
Time to end the sermon and get my breakfast, keep her indoors waiting and I could wind up cooking my own in future. Have a nice day.J.

Just read through the last post, looks like a ten tear old with learning difficulties wrote it. I dislike intensely bad English ------bad spelling and sloppy writing so i do Make the effort to get things about right. But there's this intrusive piece of kit called "lnteligent text" that keeps rearing its ugly head, must remember to read through everything BEFORE I post .

Things ran smoothly until lunchtime, my daughter Boo came by to see how we were faring, after she left I went to bed for two hours.
Was still sleepy eyed when the next wave of folk came by, this time it was Jilly's kinfolk, brother and sister and respective spouses---they left late afternoon.

Kate Nickerson Purdie is Ivan's wife-------she put the news of his passing on Facebook-------over 1000 comments and 4000 views, the boy was well liked and respected by a big bunch of people.
If any of you out there would like to see what kind of a guy he was, then take a look at Kate's post .

Next project is the Spitfire and maybe one of Mr. Pughs drag boats, he came along way after my time. Roger H. Posted a piccie, reminded me of a Karlson---------I'm probably way off and I have no idea where that came from !

Ive done all sorts of "WINGS" but think I need to make one last effort at an all metal "Concept"
Never seems to be any two wings the same, so that gave me ARTISTS LICENCE to do virtually anything-------this next one will be of a specific boat, so it will have to be a lot closer to the real McCoy.

I used to have a lot of friends out there who would listen, disagree, tell me I talked out of my rectum, liked or disliked something I furnagled, but it's like I suddenly developed the pox ? Guess you all must be getting prepared for Tavares and too busy to talk, if you change your mind, give me a shout! I'm still here, still me, a little sadder but not an ounce wiser!
Sometimes life deals you a Sh-tty hand, you can't send it back, you just have to bite the bullet and play it the best way you can and hope to make something out of it, that's when you call on God, friends, pets, hobbies and pastimes, anything to dispel despair and hopelessness of losing two sons.
Another fine day forecast, think I might go and forage the "environment friendly recycling facility "
(Scrapyard to you and me).
Not got a lot to show you except maybe better piccies of the same old stuff -----my grand daughter Casey thinks I'm a lousy photographer anyway.
Have a nice weekend, get the most out of it you can! J.

Hit pay dirt at the scrapyard, found everything I could want to keep me in mischief making materials for years to come.
We got more friend visitors this morning, I'm ready for some zuzz time now !

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You ever thought about the basic ingredients required for even the simplest " Concept " ?

Those are the billets of aluminium I start off with------then there's the nuts and bolts and the saw blades, flap wheels sanding and polishing discs. I suppose it's all worth it in the end!

I was cold and disjointed in the shop this afternoon, plucked out a few chunks of alloy to begin the next project, zilch concentration. Roughed out the V8, I think this time the cav plate will be the only thing between the motor and the gear case .
Really could do with some idea of what the sponsons look like or does it run on the outriggers?
Deck and cockpit are easy peasey, does it have tunnel sponsons and the outriggers stitched on?
I need a couple more plccies instead of being" Somewhere near" Roger or you could wind up with a Wilson concept of a Pugh that is oceans removed from the original.

Lewis didn't make any excuses, he screwed up on the final run, let's see just how good his team mate really is------at least it's possible to overtake in Russia, time to stand up and be counted!

Bon Continuation pour Le weekend, MYGGWY.J.

Yup! Took care of the details today and emailed you some pictures of the 4-point drag hydro on the trailer. It's all a bright silver color, so the detail is hard to see. Dave Bush is still in shake-down mode as this is his 2nd outing with the new rig. Still has a long way to go with it. Not even close to using the nitrous yet.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

I was cold and disjointed in the shop this afternoon, plucked out a few chunks of alloy to begin the next project, zilch concentration. Roughed out the V8, I think this time the cav plate will be the only thing between the motor and the gear case .
Really could do with some idea of what the sponsons look like or does it run on the outriggers?
Deck and cockpit are easy peasey, does it have tunnel sponsons and the outriggers stitched on?
I need a couple more plccies instead of being" Somewhere near" Roger or you could wind up with a Wilson concept of a Pugh that is oceans removed from the original.

Lewis didn't make any excuses, he screwed up on the final run, let's see just how good his team mate really is------at least it's possible to overtake in Russia, time to stand up and be counted!

Bon Continuation pour Le weekend, MYGGWY.J.

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Well, Lewis got the job done, 62 points clear with just four races and 100 points left, barring disaster he's 90 per cent home and dry. Well deserved in my opinion, all he has to do is get rid of the diamonds and bleach, nobody likes an odd bod, the world loves country boys, home boys and kids that did it the hard way.! Just my opinion.

Lots of happenings, try and get back to you tonight, need a couple of hours in he shop on a project I promised a friend.!!!

Had a useful couple of hours in the shop, sorted out the materials I thought I might need, then the piccies came through and I had to start all over again.
I usually have a basic idea of how it's going to be, I had to do a rethink this time, don't Worry , it'll be alright on the night.
end of the week, should have something to show!

Have to make a spanking job of the V8 lump-----wonder if I'm up to it, let's wait and see!

Another old friend of mine passed on yesterday, she was turned 90 and beautiful with it, no tragedy here, just time to move on, just wish they didn't all come at once. I told the reaper before-------" .
I'll call you when I'm ready"

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Thats just some of the ingredients required to do a "concept".
Yes, I know it's boring -----bet you never saw the block a V8 came out of before.

You should thank your lucky stars I'm not making a Victoria sponge, you'd have piccies of a slab of butter, a bag of flour, a clutch of eggs and a bowl of sugar!

Tomorrow is a dawn to dusk day in the shop, can't be any more people left out there that haven't already been to see us, so no more visitors.

A box of saw blades arrived from China land, special carbon blades that don't overheat, not that expensive---------had to buy a Starrett blade from the USA, that's been excellent ------the first time I was able to keep the metal I was cutting "COOL"----- near perfect cut, needed very little finishing.
Things should start to shape up fairly soon but won't bore you with piccies until I have something a bit more tangible to show. Thanks for listening, that's me gone, MYGGWY. J.

I find I do my best thinking at night, after I switch off the iPad.
I do more work in the second and third hour of being in the shop, first hour is usually spent clearing up the mess from the day before. Changing discs, flap wheels, cleaning taps and dies, blowing the shavings and filings off'n the bench, ready for a fresh clean start. Can't abide a messy workshop, but I always seem to be up to my fetlocks in crud!

Should be quite an interesting day, caught between a rock and hard place on which way to construct the PUGH. Never attempted one of these before, only heard of them, I'm told he's only ever made four or five but they are a tad special. See if I can do one justice,
All I can tell you is, there will be an awful lot of " feeling" going into this particular " concept"

Time to rise and have a crack at it-----have a nice day folks-----thank you for takin time out to listen to my gleanings on life and stuff!J.

I thought it was TV day yesterday
F1.
Moto GP
Rugby ( at night?)
and for Aussies and Kiwi's we had our premier saloon car race the Bathurst 1000

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Originally Posted by powerabout

I thought it was TV day yesterday
F1.
Moto GP
Rugby ( at night?)
and for Aussies and Kiwi's we had our premier saloon car race the Bathurst 1000

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Yeah well, F1 ain't the spectacle it used to be! As for rugby, just as soon watch turtle racing Pilgrim.
BATHURST that's a tiny village in West Sussex ------pretty damn certain they don't have a 1000 miler anywhere close!
Just leaves Moto GP as the only show in town.

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Made the very first "LOOK FASTER "gear case today, it's to fit under the motor of a V8 I'm currently goofing around with.
Had three hours this morning, three this afternoon, really got stuck in today, shop was humming!
Have another free day tomorrow, so should make a fair bit of progress, try to concentrate on just two things instead of "butterflying" around the workshop.
Notice on the door says "DO NOT DISTURB UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE" works bloody wonders----only been two coughs, a tentative knock, three "you there's"------- I do try to snarl and growl gently so as not to scare anyone!
It'll probably all look different tomorrow so don't go doing a Cain and Abel on me !
Put in an honest day in today so I'm plumb wore out, sleep tight, MYGGWY.J.

Ready for the fray, head full of ideas, willing but Athritic hands with some gout, I wouldn't ever buy me, even if I was in the bargain basement, way way past my sell by date.
Console myself with the thought that wine has to age before it becomes quaffable!

Ready for the fray, head full of ideas, willing but Athritic hands with some gout, I wouldn't ever buy me, even if I was in the bargain basement, way way past my sell by date.
Console myself with the thought that wine has to age before it becomes quaffable!