Racing Engine Names - History?

[peterse90]

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?

I think OMC had it on the V4 Super Stanglers/Johnson Stingers about 1972.
I think Merc first put on the TIIX's late 73/74. Pretty sure it was not on TII's.


Sorry about the orientation, it right side-up when I download ???

[FUJIMO]

[WaterZebra]

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.

Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!

There must be someone out there who knows how OMC's Strangler and Stinger names were born?

[Mark75H]

The Strangler honors Mr Strang. Would be interesting who had the authority

[Tom Smyth]

Couple of pics...…. no tornado on the T2 / T2X decals.

[Tom Smyth]

However the blue stripe twister 1...…..

[vintage v4]

The brochure shows draw latches on the T2X but not the T2....is that right? Tom's T2 has draw latches, wonder if those were added post-purchase?

[Mark75H]

The brochure shows draw latches on the T2X but not the T2....is that right? Tom's T2 has draw latches, wonder if those were added post-purchase?

The T2 has top pins. If you find one with rubber draw latches, it was changed.

[FUJIMO]

The T2 has top pins. If you find one with rubber draw latches, it was changed.

...which was not uncommon to do back then. the cowling needed them.

[Dave S]

Twister.... Crank timming change du to crank flexin…..That's why they made changes on the timing disk...….JMO......

[GENE LANHAM]

The Strangler honors Mr Strang. Would be interesting who had the authority

Didn’t they name an engine for Jack Leek?

[Mark75H]

Lol

[WaterZebra]

Didn’t they name an engine for Jack Leek?

What name? Strangler? Stinger GP? There must be stories out there on how these names came into being?

[FUJIMO]

Didn’t they name an engine for Jack Leek?

Gene, it would be interesting to know the answer to that. Ask Lars that question.

[mbd29]

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 recallHere 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.

I believe the “young stylist” Dick was referring to was Jerry Kunz.