Mercury Through The Years...

[GENE LANHAM]

[QUOTE=lilabner;3004016]

My dad in the early 60's...one at I believe Aqua Pladium and the other in Miami. Both Switzer Shooting Stars.Attachment 393154Attachment 393155[/QUOTE

They were beautiful boats. Very few ever made their way here. After I joined the Marines, Rosemary Young ran one with I think Olegator in a Six Hour race. I guess he will have to verify that.

[lilabner]

[QUOTE=GENE LANHAM;3004155]

Isn't that the race that never was? Dec 1963

[Groucho]

All my " likes" are because I worked at a Merc ( and Evinrude, Scott-Atwater, and more ) dealership starting when I was age 12. I saw those ads, boats, motors, and later on raced same. This is a real stroll down " Memory Lane". Age 8 when that 100 HP " Tower of Power " first came out. IT was a huge deal!! My Uncle had one and I was so very impressed but then this was a kid who instead whose parents instead of putting him in the playpen on a Sunday afternoon @ the lake put me in the fishing boat and I was content to keep trying to pull on the recoil on the Evinrude Fisherman. Fast forward and raced that " Sno-Twister" w/a 250cc Koehler. Never could afford a 400cc. I had string of those early Mercs when they were close to 20 yrs later....KE7, KF7, Mark 20, Mark 20H , Mark 30,, Mark 45, Mark 58, Mark 55H, Merc 30, Merc 500, Merc 850, Merc 1500XS....Now Merc 2.4 Bridgeport EFI w/ 20" Offshore Smoothback/w 1:87 Sportmaster.

I love and still eat and breathe this stuff....It's just the BEST!!

[GENE LANHAM]

[QUOTE=lilabner;3004159]

Isn't that the race that never was? Dec 1963

Butch--PIA here---

A lot of confusion about these races--usually ran in the last few days of the year--and also confused with the OB Regatta --and the NINE Hour--

Here is the way I remember it----

Lake Toho---- Ran Late in 1960

Lake X---12/31/1961

Miami Outboard Club---12/28/62

Miami Marine Stadium---12/30/63

PHYC---12/27/64


I ran Every Six Hour except the one at the Lake--12/31/61

[lilabner]

[QUOTE=GENE LANHAM;3004251]

Butch--PIA here---

A lot of confusion about these races--usually ran in the last few days of the year--and also confused with the OB Regatta --and the NINE Hour--

Here is the way I remember it----

Lake Toho---- Ran Late in 1960

Lake X---12/31/1961

Miami Outboard Club---12/28/62

Miami Marine Stadium---12/30/63

PHYC---12/27/64


I ran Every Six Hour except the one at the Lake--12/31/61

I don't think the 12-30-63 (1964 version) Six hour at MMS was ever run. I have a few pictures of that day and there wasn't much going on. It was pretty rough, Treasure couldn't get the boat to stay running because they never gave it to me to get ready. I think Dale Disher made a poor attempt to get it ready. We put it back on the trailer and Treasure and I left. I have never been able to find the results, although I have the program listing the current champions that was held at MOC. I left for Parris Island on Jan 5th 1964 on a bus. See if you have any results.

[2us70]

When I was just starting racing there was a guy running one of those wood "Shooting Stars" down here with an I motor on it. The guy was named Bill and he claimed he could not swim a lick. Said "that was what the life jacket was for". That was the only one of those boats I ever saw.

My dad in the early 60's...one at I believe Aqua Pladium and the other in Miami. Both Switzer Shooting Stars.Attachment 393154Attachment 393155

[GENE LANHAM]

[QUOTE=lilabner;3004312]

I don't think the 12-30-63 (1964 version) Six hour at MMS was ever run. I have a few pictures of that day and there wasn't much going on. It was pretty rough

. See if you have any results.

It WAS run at the Stadium--on the long course----One of the first races ran there--remember D L Tapp was the first fatality on !2/23/63?

From this article John Keller won it

My cousin Robert L. won the 'I' Class in a cutdown 16' Alim

Herbie and Jim won the 'E' class--Stan Irwin and I finished 2nd in that class

[2us70]

In looking at this list I am struck by two things. One is how many of them I knew. Two and more important is that these are just regular folks. Helen was married to a telephone man and shared driving with him. Herb was an electrician. Henry worked for the same company as Herb. I could go on but you get the idea. OPC racing was full of average people doing above average stuff, often on their own dime. QUOTE=GENE LANHAM;3004155]

[lilabner]

Here are some of the pictures I took on Dec 30, 1963, at the Six Hour Race at Miami Marine Stadium. Not very exciting.

[Dave Strong]

Here are some of the pictures I took on Dec 30, 1963, at the Six Hour Race at Miami Marine Stadium. Not very exciting.

Cool boats, the 60 Bonneville is also cool.

Dave

[Bob V]

Here are some of the pictures I took on Dec 30, 1963, at the Six Hour Race at Miami Marine Stadium. Not very exciting.

It may not be exciting by today's standards, but back in 1963, it was way cool...

[RogerH]

Mercury SHOW ENG >>> 2.0L chrome bore with analog fuel injection. Has no internal parts except the crankshaft and carriers. Otherwise, all the parts are NOS but dirty from lying around for years.

[WaterZebra]

In looking at this list I am struck by two things. One is how many of them I knew. Two and more important is that these are just regular folks. Helen was married to a telephone man and shared driving with him. Herb was an electrician. Henry worked for the same company as Herb. I could go on but you get the idea. OPC racing was full of average people doing above average stuff, often on their own dime. QUOTE=GENE LANHAM;3004155]

The wonderful days of OPC racing with large numbers of average racers showing up to races with their station wagons and pick up trucks. Then somebody hooked on to the idea that we should get more "professional" with box trucks, 5th wheel enclosed trailers, full-up enclosed semis, ATV launch vehicles, etc, etc. No wonder OPC racing died.

[Capt.Insane-o]

Mercury SHOW ENG >>> 2.0L chrome bore with analog fuel injection. Has no internal parts except the crankshaft and carriers. Otherwise, all the parts are NOS but dirty from lying around for years.

Those old 2 liters ran pretty good, one more modification turned them into monsters but it would be a shame to cut on that block. I'll see how many pistons I have that you are welcome too.

[Mark75H]

Thought you already did that one?