Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[largecar91]

One I always liked

[lars strom]

...Not only were the rotaries a 4-stroke...

WOW..think about this..OMC raced a winning 4-stroke racing outboard in the UIM F1-OZ class already 1973. (47 years ago)
http://svera.se/blogg/omc-and-the-ro...ndermere-1973/



Next..a winning 3.5 liter V8 racing outboard in the UIM F1-OZ class 1981. (39 years ago) below
http://svera.se/blogg/f1-v8/forst-till-bojen/



We also know OMC stopped racing the F1-V8 by Charlie Strang's order after the 1989 season. Read Mr. Strang's report.
http://svera.se/blogg/omc-f1-v8-raci...harlie-strang/

OMC closed down December 2000. (11 years later.

[Rotary John]

One I always liked

First lap Parker 1973, Jimbo McConnell

[lars strom]

A better picture from Parker 1973.

[Instigator]

In IMSA road racing in the ‘80’s, the RX7s Ran mufflers and were still obnoxious loud!

In the mid 70s I was working on a crash fire unit at a local airport. An airline pilot was trying a new approach to unlimited air racing. He designed and built a small twin engine airplane to compete with the warbirds that made up the class. His plane was powered by 2 Racing Beat Mazda rotary engines. Every time he flew it the airport got noise complaints. I only heard it with both motors running once. It was LOUD and HARSH. Even with only one motor running it was unpleasant. The motors were arranged in a puller/pusher configuration and he never got the rear engine to cool properly. One result of this was we got to watch him land it a lot since he would have to declare am emergency each time. I think he finally ran out of money and patience.

[Rotary John]

Imagine what it was like being in the dyno room developing the exhaust system on the rotary. 4 straight pipes cut off 2" at a time. It pegged the sound meter. And I wonder why I'm mostly deaf?

[lars strom]

I was listening to this #03 Evinrude powered ScottiCraft for close to 6 hours in Paris 1974.
(The two drivers was Jimbo McConnell & Barry Woods)
I don't remember this unique racing outboard extremely loud but a very special great sound. @Rotary John

I am sure the rotary engines was really loud inside a building wide open.

Maybe I got used after a few hours in Paris but it was a very unique sound.
I loved it..

[Rotary John]

Question for Kathy McConnell ? Is this Jimbo or Barry driving the Evinrude and Bill or Tom driving the Merc?

[lars strom]

I dont think Cathy are here at S&F @Rotary John.
Only on my Evinrude FB page.

(Mr. Bill & Cees Van Der Velden was driving the #12 boat)

http://svera.se/blogg/paris-6-hours/...our-race-1974/

[lars strom]

This is where I found the Evinrude Rotary picture in Paris 6 hours 1974 for 12 years ago.

[lars strom]

This is from Yachting & Boating Weekly about the #03 Evinrude powered rotary at the end of the Paris 6 hour race 1974.

[lars strom]

More from Yachting & Boating Weekly and Paris 1974. (first picture, second is from a Swedish news paper)

The #48 OE class Clerici/Evinrude did a great start (red dot). Run all the 6 hours without any problems and finished third in a field of 39 OE class boats.

[2us70]

That is absolutely my kind of boat race!

[Instigator]

In the ‘80’s IMSA had a road race through down town Columbus.

The Mazda rotaries ran in the GTU class which was (production based but heavily modded cars, full tilt motors) 3.0 liters and under and even w/mufflers they were louder echoing off the city buildings than the GTP (5.0 and over factory prototypes) V-12 Jags w/open headers!

Even though the factory Jags couldn’t beat the factory Porsche’s, their sound was orgasmic!

Imagine what it was like being in the dyno room developing the exhaust system on the rotary. 4 straight pipes cut off 2" at a time. It pegged the sound meter. And I wonder why I'm mostly deaf?

[Rotary John]

This is from Yachting & Boating Weekly about the #03 Evinrude powered rotary at the end of the Paris 6 hour race 1974.

I adjusted all the carbs on every rotary race engine after Parker, There were studs in the manifold and star nuts holding the carbs on. Having physically adjusting the carbs on this engine, I can factually say the nuts were tight when It came off the dyno, After the race not one, but all 8 carb nuts were loose and the carburetors were just hanging. Not ever before or after the Paris race was even 1 carb nut loose, which let me to believe someone loosen the nuts after testing in Brugge and before the race. Posey's engine had all of it's carb nuts tight, though he hit a turn boey and didn't finish the race. As I recall Woods had trouble getting the engine to start at the beginning of the race which would further indicate the carbs were loose at the start of the race. With the carbs loose, the engine would have sucked excess air causing the lean running and bearing failure.