Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

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Originally Posted by STEVERINO

Well here is my take on all this i was in the 1970 Paris 6hr race in a 15ft Shakespeare Cat no fun at all with the barges swell so in 1971 Billy Shakespeare decided to mould 2 19ft marathon boats which we took to the 1971 Paris 6 hr race Billy had a discussion with Pruett in the pits about these marathon boats and Pruett took Billy over to look at his ride which was the boat in the picture.The 19ft boat i drove in the race was very slow i had Angelo Molinari at the side of me his ride was a 100O SBP on a Molinari of course in a lower engine class and was as fast as i was his engine was a Silo version that Ridgell had built and that was the engine Jackie ran at Windemere just two weeks later. Back to Bob Spalding in 1971 he had a new black Milesmaster 16ft sprint boat with a Twister 1 called Mach one he drove the Chasewater 500 miles in it with Timo Mackenin the car rally driver as his co driver.The 1971 Paris 6hr race Spalding and Percival drove a new red Milesmaster in the race.He never had a Molinari until 1972.

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I remember the first time I saw Bob race, he was driving the black Milesmaster. I guess it must have been at Chasewater 1971.

The red Milesmaster, I do not recall that one.

Here is the big Molinari boat being tested at Como for the Paris race 1971.
After that, that boat just took up space in the bottom floor of the Como race shop.

The inline 6 tied up to the dock, is Renato's wooden pleasure tunnel boat that he built. Giorgio would pull Renato water-skiing behind the pleasure boat.

Attachment 495004

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Originally Posted by willabee

The issue isn't driver pairings, it's when was this picture taken. If memory serves, Roy was promoted to European Team Mgr. after Berlin in 1970. Your family moved to the home next Renato's shop in 1971.
In this picture I think you are standing at the nose of the big boat in the short sleeve shirt. If that's correct, it had to be taken just before the 1971 Paris race because you weren't there in 1970.

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That is correct Willabee, I had the privilege of standing next to you at the bow of the long marathon boat. Brian Dewey took the photo, and Giorgio Molinari is also in short sleeves looking towards you.

That is correct I arrived in Italy the beginning of June 1971. And it was the beginning of great adventures and exciting times being with the race community.


https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1497354305

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Originally Posted by Lake X Kid

That is correct Willabee, I had the privilege of standing next to you at the bow of the long marathon boat. Brian Dewey took the photo, and Giorgio Molinari is also in short sleeves looking towards you.

That is correct I arrived in Italy the beginning of June 1971. And it was the beginning of great adventures and exciting times being with the race community.


https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1497354305

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No it isnt correct Roy!!!! You see the number 20 white Molinari——- Every year Paris authorities gave you a race number . You were never given a choice and it was never the same number twice .
Renato was given that number in 1970—- and that particular boat would not be in the shop a year later ?

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

ROY WAS AROUND IN EUROPE LONG BEFORE Molinari was ensconced in TORRIGIA .
We drivers always looked on him as MERCURY. I couldn’t tell you what role he played in Europe —- he was watching me flip the TORRIGIA at the LMBRC Club at the easter meeting in 1965 along with JOE SWIFT .
He was in Milan when Bob Spalding and Me ran the Little fifteen foot Schultze with a 1,000 BP.
.

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Yes, Roy Ridgell was visiting Europe years before he moved his family to Como Italy.

Here is Gary G., and Roy Ridgell at Lake Como before Roy moved our family to Italy (at the beginning of 1971). Notice Roy is wearing the Kiekhaefer logo on his hat, and Gary’s shirt might have the same logo too. I will guess this photo was taken around 1967 to 69. Prior to Mercury bonding an agreement with the Molinari’s (Angelo and Renato) on being an exclusive tunnel boat supplier to Mercury (and not OMC).

Many of Dad’s stints in Europe were weeks at a time, if not a month. And he always brought back coins from all the countries he visited, to show us at home in Florida.

Attachment 495015
Attachment 495016

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

No it isnt correct Roy!!!! You see the number 20 white Molinari——- Every year Paris authorities gave you a race number . You were never given a choice and it was never the same number twice .
Renato was given that number in 1970—- and that particular boat would not be in the shop a year later ?

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Jackie, you are a wealth of racing info. However, I will have to mention something. Boat 20 at Auronzo in 1971. Here is a photo of Renato’s boat before the race and after his win.

I was there and witnessed Renato Molinari and Cesare Scottie duel it out for the win. And Mike Downard came over from the states and unfortunately flipped his Molinari Merc boat.

I had to fix Tom Percival malfunction kill switch, whilst the carpenter from the Como shop was fixing a gashed hole in Tom’s starboard sponson. Tom touched another boat on the course.

And staying with me. Cees sister-in-law Honey came to this race (the only race she attended). And I, and I know Bob Spalding too, both of us were like, Wow, she is a real pretty blond. And I kidded her about having a name - Honey.

Attachment 495018

This is Honey holding Tom's daughter. Unfortunately the focus on my Dad's little camera was not to good.

Attachment 495019

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Originally Posted by Lake X Kid

Yes, Roy Ridgell was visiting Europe years before he moved his family to Como Italy.

Here is Gary G., and Roy Ridgell at Lake Como before Roy moved our family to Italy (at the beginning of 1971). Notice Roy is wearing the Kiekhaefer logo on his hat, and Gary’s shirt might have the same logo too. I will guess this photo was taken around 1967 to 69. Prior to Mercury bonding an agreement with the Molinari’s (Angelo and Renato) on being an exclusive tunnel boat supplier to Mercury (and not OMC).

Many of Dad’s stints in Europe were weeks at a time, if not a month. And he always brought back coins from all the countries he visited, to show us at home in Florida.


Attachment 495016

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If it helps at all, that engine has Merc 1968 graphics.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

No it isnt correct Roy!!!! You see the number 20 white Molinari——- Every year Paris authorities gave you a race number . You were never given a choice and it was never the same number twice .
Renato was given that number in 1970—- and that particular boat would not be in the shop a year later ?

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The Molinari/Wilson 1970 Paris entry ..... #42
Attachment 495036

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Originally Posted by willabee

The Molinari/Wilson 1970 Paris entry ..... #42
Attachment 495036

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Ok Bill—you win—i quit—- you made a nice job of photoshopping that one ???????

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Ok Bill—you win—i quit

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Attachment 495040

Bang On...!!!!!

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Ok — i give in —was it an Aston Martin ????? . I only heard it from my Daughter Sam after her visit to Goodwood breakfast club.

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It was Gordon Murray's new T.50

https://gordonmurrayautomotive.com/

A nice replacement for the Trusty Lexus :)

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Originally Posted by techteam

It was Gordon Murray's new T.50

https://gordonmurrayautomotive.com/

A nice replacement for the Trusty Lexus :)

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Hell, at Jackie's age he couldn't even get in the car let alone drive it.

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Originally Posted by willabee

The Molinari/Wilson 1970 Paris entry ..... #42
Attachment 495036

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Not sure what all this is about..but pretty sure this is from Paris 1970. I also have the program/entry list for Paris 6 Hours 1970.
By the way..a Rotary won the 2 liter inboard class 1970.
https://svera.se/blogg/a-rotary-wank...-6-hours-1970/

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...5&d=1634823965
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...6&d=1634823972

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...7&d=1634824320

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Originally Posted by Lake X Kid

I remember the first time I saw Bob race, he was driving the black Milesmaster. I guess it must have been at Chasewater 1971.

The red Milesmaster, I do not recall that one.

Here is the big Molinari boat being tested at Como for the Paris race 1971.
After that, that boat just took up space in the bottom floor of the Como race shop.

The inline 6 tied up to the dock, is Renato's wooden pleasure tunnel boat that he built. Giorgio would pull Renato water-skiing behind the pleasure boat.

Attachment 495004

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Was the non race tunnel supposed to be the "plug" for the infamous 2+2 tunnel advertised in the 1970 Glastron catalog that never was produced? I've only seen the one photo of it in the catalog and never appeared again.

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Originally Posted by OLEGATOR

hey willabee, what was the last year you ran in the OI class at paris? between the #20 rig and the photographer sits what appears to be an OI rig. would you have run an OI rig in 71? that looks like a 1969 merc1000sbp? would you have run a 2 year old engine at paris?

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I think it was a Roy Ridgell idea to use that 90 cu. powerhead to build an OI Twister for Giorgio Molinari. Pretty sure Giorgio won that class with it in 71. I think Roy took one of our spare TI's and swapped powerheads. Think I even remember a young Lake X Kid grumbling about having to scrape all those gaskets from the exhaust plates. :D

Paris 6 Hours 1970 Program/Entry list.
Looks like Cees Van Der Velden drove the OI class in boat #69

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...0&d=1634827920

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...1&d=1634827927

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...2&d=1634827938
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...3&d=1504299447
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachm...4&d=1504299434