Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

When I started racing in 1964 there were no competitive OMC motors. At the time the only class that used them was the Stock Outboard 36 Class. The first real OMC race motor I can recall was the one they ran in the 1966 Orange Bowl 9 Hour race. So I am guessing someone at the top at OMC or the parent company Briggs & Stratton must have decided to take on Mercury about that time.

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Originally Posted by Rotary John

I believe the lowering of the V-8 powerhead was a direct result of the 4 rotor Wankel racing engine. The rotary powerhead shape allowed the engine to be mounted almost directly to the gearcase. It wasn't until the V-8 went with FI that the additional clearance in front allowed the engine to be lowered and clear the swivel brackets.

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I respectfully disagree. Drop down power heads, side pans, etc began with the 9.5 long before the rotary ever existed.

If you study the timeline, after Charles Strang left Mercury and went to work for OMC he convinced them to get into OPC racing. He had a hard time convincing the brass at that company of doing anything outside the box. They fought him on making a V6 production engine. But once it was in production it became their best selling engines.

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Originally Posted by Mark Poole ModVP

If you study the timeline, after Charles Strang left Mercury and went to work for OMC he convinced them to get into OPC racing. He had a hard time convincing the brass at that company of doing anything outside the box. They fought him on making a V6 production engine. But once it was in production it became their best selling engines.

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I wonder if he fought to have it with an even fire crank?

Didn't mercury have a slew of patents on the looper, 60 degree even fire V6?

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Originally Posted by Mark Poole ModVP

Didn't mercury have a slew of patents on the looper, 60 degree even fire V6?

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Not heard that a firing order was patent-able?

No not buy itself but I think Mercury had a stack of patent drawings on the V6 powerhead which included all of those design parameters together. I think this is the reason OMC could not produce an even fire 60 degree looper until like 1991? (Faststrike engines)

Drop down powerheads.... McCulloch made a little motor with a drop powerhead in the early 60's? I have seen them on ebay.

Bertil Wik of Sweden in his UIM SD class Clerici/Evinrude 50
Stockholm Year 1975

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...6&d=1729321689

Yes..Same Bertil Wik F1-V8 Hodges/Evinrude V8
Spain Year 1985

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...7&d=1729321749

Attachment 537181Yours truly in APBA SD class also in 1975. What speeds were the UIM boats making at that time? The top 3 APBA SD boats were all running a little over 62 mph at that time.

@2us70

Attachment 537207

Attachment 537208

These are kinda cool Lars.

On e-bay right now.

I just bought one 😉

OMC sold those motors in the US at that time and they were not competitive with the 44ci Mercurys over here. I wonder what made the difference?

Yes..OMC sold the same 1975 Lark 50 HP in the USA..it must be model year 1975 with the smaller "nitro" gear case and a purpose built Clerici cat
like Goran Borg's D-94 above.

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1729445808

That is still a remarkable pace for that little motor.