Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[lars strom]

Thanks, aha that's why the BP & X-115/GT-115 used a shiftable gearcase. (APBA rule back then)

[Mark75H]

Thanks, aha that's why the BP & X-115/GT-115 used a shiftable gearcase. (APBA rule back then)

Yes, they used the shiftable case to run in the regular family/fishing motor classes in APBA. The X's & GT's were the first cheater motors for OI/APBA FI. Merc followed suit in a panic with the shiftable 1000BP and the FJ/ON 1250BP.

[lars strom]

The most photographed man in Evian, France 2017.

[lars strom]

The most photographed woman in Evian, France 2017..

[lars strom]

No info but think year 1973.

[lars strom]

More from Skokloster, Sweden.
This is Heidi Blomberg in her yellow # 19 OI class Schulze/Merc 1000 BP.
If I remember right the year was 1970.
My first job in the outboard business was at Heidi Blomberg Marine outside Stockholm.

[Lake X Kid]

Mer V-6

Originally Posted by STEVERINO
I can remember the first T3 Molinari drove in the Paris 6hr race they had a list of drivers that drove it and I was told it had that much Torque steer it was difficult to drive for long.Maybe Willabee might comment if that was correct.

.................................................................................................... ......................................................................

OK, one other thing. The Koblenz race was the first public showing of the T-3. While the engine was ready to go it had not been tested, propped nor anything that made me feel like we should start out with the new engine when it could very well been a complete failure. I could visualize the headlines written by Ann Strang and it wasn’t good, so we did not enter the T-3 in the Koblenz race. However, after the race we decided to give Renato an opportunity to drive it, so it was installed on his boat and he ran it a bit down-stream from the race site. We tried to cover the powerhead but it didn’t stay in place during testing and the OMC guys saw the cowl. One of them came over to me after the test and told me “Carl Kiekhaefer would not like your new engine,” to which I replied “What new Engine?” So, anyway, Bob Herring did not drive the T-3 in the Koblenz race nor did it compete on that occasion.

That’s about it from here, and I am glad to know that you are still with us!

Take care,
Dick

“…we did not enter the T-3 in the Koblenz race … could very well been a complete failure.”
If the T-3 engine did not enter the Koblenz race, then why did it not stay at the Como race shop in Italy, or in the USA? Renato could have tested the V6 engine in Como —privately. I never got the impression it was going to be a public show piece at Koblenz, and not to be raced. I personally towed Bob Spalding’s race boat with the sealed engine cowling (by the engineers) from Como to Koblenz, Germany. I knew the route to Germany. And I also believe that was the time when Ron Anderson rode with me to Koblenz. I knew then that Ron was a junior engineer, because he rode with me, and he did not get to fly to the race site like the other two T-3 senior engineers.

“…give Renato an opportunity to drive it, so it [T-3 engine] was installed on his boat.”
Renato was very familiar with Bob’s Molinari hull, and its capabilities, so there was no reason (to waste extra man-hours) swapping engines after the race. Renato jumped into Bob’s race boat after the race, and took-off out of sight on his V6 test run. I was standing on the shoreline, when Renato powered away. The same shoreline that earlier, I had helped Cees from the rescue boat to shore, after he had flipped his boat #138 during the race.

“Bob Herring did not drive the T-3 in the Koblenz race nor did it compete on that occasion.”
Bob Herring might have not elected to race the unproved T-3 engine at Koblenz, but Bob Spalding did. And the attached photos will substantiate my above recollections. I was told Bob helped develop the T-3 engine in the states, by being the designated test driver. Color photos courtesy of Lars, and the black & white probably was taken by British photographer Brian Dewey. I was told if Bob won the race with the V6 engine, that Mercury would disqualify/withdraw the entry because they were not going to show anyone what was under the engine cowling. Renato won the race, and I think Bob might have taken second place.

I offer this to clarify and not to be disagreeable. There probably was a strategic plan comprised in the states for the T-3 engine, but maybe circumstances in Europe modified those set procedures towards a different public debut. And also when I got back to Como with the V6 engine on Bob’s boat, the main two engineers were waiting for the engine.
When we hoisted the boat & engine down to the bottom/shop floor, they took off the cowling, and I think one of the first things they checked was the spark plugs. And that is when I got to see for the first time, what looked like to me at that time, was a protruding large-diameter single-barrel air intake nozzle. I stood at the bow of the boat watching and didn’t say a word, and the engineers did not ask me to leave. Remember this T-3 was a confidential project (as I was told at the time) and was not under Gary G. jurisdiction.

[lars strom]

Thanks Lake X Kid,

I have enormous respect for all you Mercury Racing people's racing history.
Here is more from Koblenz, Germany 1973.
One more media article from Germany is coming.

[lars strom]

Next one.

[Rotary John]

I remember the incident with Jimbo well. He and Ziggy were on the lake outside Waukegan testing something. I don't know what they were doing to this day, but Jimbo blew it over and broke his back. Strang gave him a job writing articles for the Evinrude magazine so he could keep his insurance and income.

[lars strom]

Some good comments from Roy Ridgell, Mercury's Race Manager in Europe in the text.

[lars strom]

More interesting names/pictures in this article..

[lars strom]

One more article from the race 1973.

[SCT]

Any estimates on the HP of the T3s?

[willabee]

Next one.

After reading the articles posted by Lars, I have to agree with Lake X Kid's recollection that the new T3 made it's racing debut in Koblenz in 1973. Obviously Dick Lanpheer didn't remember it that way, but that's okay. He's an engineer and is supposed to remember how many needle bearings were used in the darned thing, not when and where it first raced.
The article above says Spalding finished fourth overall at the Koblenz ON Championship and even shows a picture of him racing with the new motor. It says they had to change a lower unit, but doesn't mention any steering torque problems. I wonder if this failure resulted in the decision to run the four shaft speedmaster at Paris?