Racing Engine Names - History?

[WaterZebra]

Who, where and how did they come with the names for outboard racing engines? Designers? Marketing? Hi-Perf personnel? Art Department?
Mercury "Twister"
Mercury "Hurricane"
Evinrude "Strangler" (this name was NOT passed on to the 3 cyl SE motor)
Johnson "Stinger" (This name WAS passed on to the 3 cyl SE motor)

Also, I have heard two conflicting stories about how "Phantom Black" paint made its way onto Mercury's products. The book "Iron Fist" states it was EC's mother, but somewhere on the S&F site I read it was Anne Strang. Which historical account is accurate?

[lars strom]

Evinrude "Strangler" (this name was NOT passed on to the 3 cyl SE motor)
Johnson "Stinger" (This name WAS passed on to the 3 cyl SE motor)

OMC named the Evinrude 3 cyl. Hustler and CC for the Mod 50 style.
The Johnson 3 cyl. was named Stinger2 and RS for the Mod 50 style.

[Mark75H]

It was Anne. Surprised that Rodengen would make such a mistake

[powerabout]

Strangler must have been something from Charlie?

[WaterZebra]

Strangler must have been something from Charlie?

The name "Twister" must have been a big deal at Merc for a while. I vaguely remember that the Twister 1s had a tornado graphic on the front faceplate cover. Anybody got a foto of it out there?

"Strangler" was printed on the backside of the cowling (bold letters). I don't recall "Stinger" ever being on a Johnson V4 cowl?

I have no proof that "TII" or "TII-X" ever made it beyond the titles printed in the Hi-Perf catalog. Maybe TII ended up on the front of the one piece drop-on cowl?

"T3" ended up on Bob Spalding's V6 prototype. 1750XS ended up in the mix at some point too. Confusing.

[lars strom]

Johnson Stinger GP V-4 and V-6.

[lars strom]

Picture by me.

[FUJIMO]

The name "Twister" must have been a big deal at Merc for a while. I vaguely remember that the Twister 1s had a tornado graphic on the front faceplate cover. Anybody got a foto of it out there?

"Strangler" was printed on the backside of the cowling (bold letters). I don't recall "Stinger" ever being on a Johnson V4 cowl?

I have no proof that "TII" or "TII-X" ever made it beyond the titles printed in the Hi-Perf catalog. Maybe TII ended up on the front of the one piece drop-on cowl?

"T3" ended up on Bob Spalding's V6 prototype. 1750XS ended up in the mix at some point too. Confusing.

For those of us that were lucky enough to attend boat races back when all these engines were being massed produced, it wasn't confusing, or rare at all. They were everywhere, by the hundreds...

[largecar91]

Here's a Blue stripe T1 . Not mine but I do still have a factory front Twister decal. Maybe for future project

[Bob V]

[FUJIMO]

The name "Twister" must have been a big deal at Merc for a while. I vaguely remember that the Twister 1s had a tornado graphic on the front faceplate cover. Anybody got a foto of it out there?

[largecar91]

I'll have to look at my faceplate decal. I think it has a twister on it as well

[olboatman]

Merc also used the "Twister" name on their racing snowmobiles in the 70s.

[WaterZebra]

Picture by me.

Merc had wormscrew up-down on their mids for quite a while. From the looks of this picture it appears that OMC had powered hydraulic up-down first?

[willabee]

Who, where and how did they come with the names for outboard racing engines? Designers? Marketing? Hi-Perf personnel? Art Department?

Mercury "Twister" .....

I remember back, about a mere fifty years ago, there was some internal chatter about coming up with a name for the new "silo' racing motor. I submitted a suggestion or two (don't recall what they were), but they weren't chosen. I couldn't remember who was in the meeting to decide, so I emailed Dick Lanpheer, Head two cycle engineer, Plt.6, Oshkosh to see what he might recall.

Here is Dick's response .....


Hi Bill,
Who named the Twister? That’s a long story but the short answer is that I did. At the time (late 60’s) the Styling Dept. was located at Plt. #6 and I was working with them (Art Miller (Chief Stylist) and a young guy whose name I cannot recall) on the exhaust layout, cowl modifications, etc. We started talking about what we would call it. At the time Volkswagen introduced a model called the Scirocco , which referred to a desert storm and I liked the idea of an outboard that would create a storm. So this young stylist and I sat down and he began to draw and he came up with this corkscrew-like wind like a tornado I said “Hey, that’s a “Twister”, and the name was borne. So this stylist came up with a decal with the swirling wind and the Twister name. I really liked the concept and took it to Bob Johnson (my boss) and sold him on the idea. So, the original idea was mine and the young stylist that made it work. I don’t recall any meeting but as far as I was concerned it was a done deal.