Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[willabee]

Correct again young man Bob Herring winning the Amsterdam 3hr race 1972.Would the engine be a Twister 2 or a 2x.

.....I just love it when that happens!

Olegator & Peterse90 ..... .....

Olegator, being the King of Karaoke, you of all people should know:

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind,
You don't pull the mask off of the old Lone Ranger
and you don't try to out guess Willa Slim!

1972 Amsterdam, pretty sure the power would be the C6.

[peterse90]

Willabee, were Tom Percival and Bob Spalding Merc team drivers in 1972?
I know Cees was Merc because he was leading the Outboard World Championship in 1972 before rolling.

[willabee]

Willabee, were Tom Percival and Bob Spalding Merc team drivers in 1972?
I know Cees was Merc because he was leading the Outboard World Championship in 1972 before rolling.

Yes, they were paired in one of the six boats we entered in the Paris 6 Hour in 1971. They were not among the factory entrys at Paris in 1970, so some time between the two events, they became full fledged Merc factory drivers.

Pretty sure Cees became a Team driver in 1972. I don't recall him in a Team boat at Paris in 1972, but seem to recall him spending a week or so at Molinari's shop as we prepared the boats. I don't remember what he drove in Paris, but my mind says that drive was what prompted Merc to offer him a ride at Havasu. He wasn't ranked high on the Merc driver pecking order list yet and drove an older full nose Molinari at Havasu. In fact, the three new Molinari pickle forks built for that race went to Renato, Hering & Seebold. Cees drove the 17'er that Hering had been driving.

Cees was a new name to most people in the US at that time. A race reporter asked Garbrecht for some background info on him. Gary mentioned that he thought that Cees was a very good rough water driver. That comment stuck! From then on, almost every article you read talking about Cees having some success at an event mentioned that he was considered one of the best rough water drivers in the world. Kind of humerous that he gained that reputation at the Outboard World Championships where he flipped his boat in rough water while leading!

Left to right are Alfie Bullen, Jackie Wilson, Bob Spalding, Cees van der Velden & Tom Percival. Also a shot of Cees at Havasu.

[STEVERINO]

Yes, they were paired in one of the six boats we entered in the Paris 6 Hour in 1971. They were not among the factory entrys at Paris in 1970, so some time between the two events, they became full fledged Merc factory drivers.

Pretty sure Cees became a Team driver in 1972. I don't recall him in a Team boat at Paris in 1972, but seem to recall him spending a week or so at Molinari's shop as we prepared the boats. I don't remember what he drove in Paris, but my mind says that drive was what prompted Merc to offer him a ride at Havasu. He wasn't ranked high on the Merc driver pecking order list yet and drove an older full nose Molinari at Havasu. In fact, the three new Molinari pickle forks built for that race went to Renato, Hering & Seebold. Cees drove the 17'er that Hering had been driving.

Cees was a new name to most people in the US at that time. A race reporter asked Garbrecht for some background info on him. Gary mentioned that he thought that Cees was a very good rough water driver. That comment stuck! From then on, almost every article you read talking about Cees having some success at an event mentioned that he was considered one of the best rough water drivers in the world. Kind of humerous that he gained that reputation at the Outboard World Championships where he flipped his boat in rough water while leading!

Left to right are Alfie Bullen, Jackie Wilson, Bob Spalding, Cees Van Der Velden & Tom Percival. Also a shot of Cees at Havasu.

Tom Percival in 1970 and friend

[STEVERINO]

Tom Percival in 1970 and friend

Tom Percival and friend Peter Sabberton a Norfolk boat builder purchased a Evinrude V4 stinger and built their own cat in 1970 Tom raced it at Oulton Broad wasn`t long before he flew the boat.1971/72 he changed to a Twister 1 on a Abbate Cat.Bob Spalding i remember he went to OMC for a short time ran a Factory Molinari hi-rider with Johnson V4 1970/71. He then ran a black Milesmaster 16 ft Sprint boat with twister 1 around the same time Jackie Wilson had a black Molinari Sprint boat with a Twister 1 which you all know about and have heard many timesBoth Tom and Bob drove a red 17ft Milesmaster in the Paris 6 hr in 1971 and in 1972 i remember Bob having a new Milesmaster all Yellow boat with Duckams oil as sponsers`he only raced this boat maybe 3 times before Mercury provided new Molinaris for both Tom and Bob with JOHN PLAYERS AS Sponsers.

[peterse90]

Thanks Wllabee. Great story as usual.
I never got to see Cees or Tom Percival drive, but I did get to see Bob Spalding drive the Twistercraft in Peterborough, Ontario May 1973.
I think he finished in the top 5 in a pretty good field of drivers. Bob Hering won in one of the first pickle-fork Molinaris (TII) followed closely by Jimbo in the small Goat Boat.

[willabee]

..... in 1972 i remember Bob having a new Milesmaster all Yellow boat with Duckams oil as sponsers`he only raced this boat maybe 3 times before Mercury provided new Molinaris for both Tom and Bob with JOHN PLAYERS AS Sponsers.

These are the Player's Molinari's that Steverino is referring to. I my opinion, these boats really put those two guys on the map.

Back in the days when E.C.Kiekhaefer was in charge, my understanding was that no advertising other than Mercury products was permitted on the factory boats. Some events insisted that all entrys carry the name of the major sponsor. He didn't like it, but reluctently allowed that for the event only.

During this time period there was no advertising on Team boats in the U.S. Jackie might recall better than me, but I don't remember any advertising on the Mercury boats in Europe until these two. I think Tom & Bob started a whole new thought process by the engine manufactures about advertising on the boats with their sponsorship from Players. As I remember it, those boats, decked out the way they were, along with the advertising that Players did with photos like this one and the success those guys started having at major events put them right up there at the top of the best driver list in Europe.

[STEVERINO]

These are the Player's Molinari's that Steverino is referring to. I my opinion, these boats really put those two guys on the map.

Back in the days when E.C.Kiekhaefer was in charge, my understanding was that no advertising other than Mercury products was permitted on the factory boats. Some events insisted that all entrys carry the name of the major sponsor. He didn't like it, but reluctently allowed that for the event only.

During this time period there was no advertising on Team boats in the U.S. Jackie might recall better than me, but I don't remember any advertising on the Mercury boats in Europe until these two. I think Tom & Bob started a whole new thought process by the engine manufactures about advertising on the boats with their sponsorship from Players. As I remember it, those boats, decked out the way they were, along with the advertising that Players did with photos like this one and the success those guys started having at major events put them right up there at the top of the best driver list in Europe.

This picture brings back memories for me`both Bob and Tom ran these outfits with twister 1 engines at first`then the twister 2 engines arrived Bob had his outfit running good from the start`Tom meanwhile couldn`nt dial his in kept going back to the twister 1 which did run very well i might add.He had the twister 2 engine sticking out of the boot of his jaguar at a few race meetings kept swopping engines back and forth until he had it running good.

[willabee]

This picture brings back memories for me`......

It does the same for me. I had forgotten about that shot until you mentioned the two white Molinari's. I knew I used to have a great picture of them running together hanging in my office at Merc Racing in Oshkosh. I looked for it but had no luck. Then yesterday I asked my daughter Carrie what she had racing around the walls at her home, that's where it was.

It was one of the better shots of the tunnels at the time and still is a great action shot. It conjures up fond memories of Tom & Bob, I always enjoyed their company.

[T2x]

I was watching a video that my son digitized last evening from 1971 I believe and low and behold what pops out but some footage of a Cowbell testing at Oshkosh..... Now if I can figure out how to take a snippet and post it on here, I will. Anybody have step by step knowledge on what I need to do?

Thanks,

T2x

[willabee]

I was watching a video that my son digitized last evening from 1971 I believe and low and behold what pops out but some footage of a Cowbell testing at Oshkosh..... Now if I can figure out how to take a snippet and post it on here, I will. Anybody have step by step knowledge on what I need to do?

Thanks,

T2x

Was the cowbell on the #115 orange 18' Molinari with the lightning bolt on the cowl?

[Mark75H]

I was watching a video that my son digitized last evening from 1971 I believe and low and behold what pops out but some footage of a Cowbell testing at Oshkosh..... Now if I can figure out how to take a snippet and post it on here, I will. Anybody have step by step knowledge on what I need to do?

Thanks,

T2x

Can't give instructions without knowing what hardware and software is in front of you.

[seeroy]

Rich.- I had a great lunch today with a bunch of guys in Sarasota to include George Linder. He is really happy with Pup sired by Tug.

[T2x]

Was the cowbell on the #115 orange 18' Molinari with the lightning bolt on the cowl?

Yes ...............and there is also a lot of footage from Europe including Jackie Wilson dancing around and you looking like David Niven on the banks of the Seine......

[T2x]

Rich.- I had a great lunch today with a bunch of guys in Sarasota to include George Linder. He is really happy with Pup sired by Tug.

Glad you geezers got together. George has been my best friend since the early 60's and I worry about him being out and about alone in his new home without adult supervision.

As far as Tug is concerned he will be leaving Wednesday for the Rottweiler National Championship show in St Louis. He took 3 out of 3 Best of Breeds over this past weekend.....and has been Best of Breed in the vast majority of the shows he's entered this year..........