Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

**AZMIDLYF** · 08-07-2018, 11:10 AM

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**WaterZebra** · 08-07-2018, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Instigator

I never heard that story? I bought a 16" from him not much more than a yr before his passing.
He told me had problems getting foundries to do such small quantities.

I think the one in the picture is a 12" (??) and I think he only made 3 of them.
A friend in Michigan had one of them, 10 or so yrs ago.

Agreed on the adaptable mid.

Wayne definitely thought outside the box.

We had 2 prominent names on the IOGP circuit who wanted to fund the effort to break away from Merc and start developing their own hardware (mids & gearcases). The situation almost catalyzed when Merc couldn't get control of their gear hardness specs and we were blowing up gearcases nearly every race. Wayne would have machined mids for anything you wanted to run (Yamaha, Merc, OMC, Honda, you name it). It didn't help having people employed by the factories with positions on the OPC motor technical committees (conflict of interest). One thing I have to commend the stock outboard category for was (because of their sheer membership numbers) they took a long hard look at anything Merc or OMC wanted to introduce as "new". OMC was the only company to introduce a motor which could run in either the Stock Outboard or OPC category (SST 45 / 45SS).

**AZMIDLYF** · 08-07-2018, 02:46 PM

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**Instigator** · 08-07-2018, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by WaterZebra

We had 2 prominent names on the IOGP circuit who wanted to fund the effort to break away from Merc and start developing their own hardware (mids & gearcases). The situation almost catalyzed when Merc couldn't get control of their gear hardness specs and we were blowing up gearcases nearly every race. Wayne would have machined mids for anything you wanted to run (Yamaha, Merc, OMC, Honda, you name it). It didn't help having people employed by the factories with positions on the OPC motor technical committees (conflict of interest). One thing I have to commend the stock outboard category for was (because of their sheer membership numbers) they took a long hard look at anything Merc or OMC wanted to introduce as "new". OMC was the only company to introduce a motor which could run in either the Stock Outboard or OPC category (SST 45 / 45SS).

IMO, if that would have happened, allowing/promoting brand rivalry, that sport would have exploded!

I never understood allowing the mfgs a vote in the rules.
I understand they can halt/alter production in protest but who's paying to race?

I came very close to (actually started on it) developing an OMC effort for the Formula 150 class.
We were working on plans for fabbing mids from alum sheet and either welding or screwing them together w/convertible mounts for any p.head or gear case.

Coming up w/something to replace the speedmaster was a hurdle. We were looking at reproducing the old OMC race cases (no patents or ownership issues).

That class could have been something as well.

**powerabout** · 08-08-2018, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by AZMIDLYF

funnily enough an e-tec will bolt up to the 45 adapter plate...

**lars strom** · 08-08-2018, 07:17 AM

Picko Troberg Smuggler/Johnson GT-115.

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**lars strom** · 08-08-2018, 07:46 AM

Sigurd Isacsson Smuggler/Delta 2 X Evinrude X-115

**lars strom** · 08-08-2018, 07:55 AM

Nice and clean.

**lars strom** · 08-08-2018, 10:54 AM

Happy Birthday Roger Jenkins.

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**lars strom** · 08-08-2018, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by lars strom

Happy Birthday Roger Jenkins.

...

**lars strom** · 08-09-2018, 02:44 AM

The start in the London F1-V8 GP 1983.
#6 Rick Frost - #8 Lasse Strom - #9 Roger Jenkins.
(I think the Tuborg boat is Bob Spalding)

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**Mark75H** · 08-09-2018, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by lars strom

Picko Troberg Smuggler/Johnson GT-115.

This is what Charlie was thinking of when he released the X-115 & GT-115

**AZMIDLYF** · 08-09-2018, 10:00 PM

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**WaterZebra** · 08-10-2018, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Instigator

IMO, if that would have happened, allowing/promoting brand rivalry, that sport would have exploded!

I never understood allowing the mfgs a vote in the rules.
I understand they can halt/alter production in protest but who's paying to race?

I came very close to (actually started on it) developing an OMC effort for the Formula 150 class.
We were working on plans for fabbing mids from alum sheet and either welding or screwing them together w/convertible mounts for any p.head or gear case.

Coming up w/something to replace the speedmaster was a hurdle. We were looking at reproducing the old OMC race cases (no patents or ownership issues).

That class could have been something as well.

I think Sportmaster gearcases or nose cone kits would have worked out well. So what if we all ended up spinning big round-ear'd bass boat props? F150 was too "Merc" oriented. Too much detail on what tuners you could use, etc. When the OPC Nationals got so nit-picky with inspection over age hardened water pump impellers or ignition components not being OEM vs aftermarket (CDI) it was time to put everything up for sale. I enjoyed seeing what racers came up themselves and had no tolerance for racers who showed up to complain about what tech issue or another.