Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Jackie: Now you've done it. That's not Fujimo's picture!!! It's TechTeam that says he might drop it by one day. BUT you better be real nice to him as he is one of the rotary experts in the UK. Real nice guy who's son was one of the best boat racers in England. I worked with him on rotaries for a couple of months several years back.

Johnno. There were hundreds of boat racers in England back then. Good ones you could count on two hands. Best ones i knew, every damn one of them . So im a tad intrigued to know who your Rotary friend would be. I never made any secrets of my views on Rotories, but in spite of this we have remained good friends over the years . Plus, i never ran when you told me you were going to punch my lights out. Still dont think NIRVANA ever FORGAVE ME .

[jackiewilson]

Is that not just the cutest gear case you ever saw? Decided to give solid brass a shot. Worked out quite well. May have exaggerated the angle of dangle a tad, even for a hot F1 with ambition.

[Rotary John]

Johnno. There were hundreds of boat racers in England back then. Good ones you could count on two hands. Best ones i knew, every damn one of them . So im a tad intrigued to know who your Rotary friend would be. I never made any secrets of my views on Rotories, but in spite of this we have remained good friends over the years . Plus, i never ran when you told me you were going to punch my lights out. Still dont think NIRVANA ever FORGAVE ME .

Jackie: this is not back then. James 15 yr. old son was the head honcho in the 15 Hp V-bottom class maybe 5-6 yrs ago. He finished engineering school and works for Lotus I believe. James still makes his living designing rotary engines. I believe he also was involved in the restoration of Campbell's Bluebird.

[Rotary John]

Is that not just the cutest gear case you ever saw? Decided to give solid brass a shot. Worked out quite well. May have exaggerated the angle of dangle a tad, even for a hot F1 with ambition.

You need to get Jim Nerstrom to buy this.

[jackiewilson]

You need to get Jim Nerstrom to buy this.

JIM WHO ????? OH YES, now i remember, the driver instructor / trainer ——- sometimes of Oshberg and occasionally Lake X . THAT JIM NERSTROM!!!

[FUJIMO]

...Very nice work Jack. (and with no claimed injuries to boot.) Awarding winning craftsmanship...

[Rotary John]

JIM WHO ????? OH YES, now i remember, the driver instructor / trainer ——- sometimes of Oshberg and occasionally Lake X . THAT JIM NERSTROM!!!

No Jackie: Jim Nerstrom was the engineer in charge of OMC 2-stroke racing engine development. He did the 3 cylinder, the V-6's and the V-8"s

[jackiewilson]

No Jackie: Jim Nerstrom was the engineer in charge of OMC 2-stroke racing engine development. He did the 3 cylinder, the V-6's and the V-8"s

.

Ok Johnno , so I’m a complete Dingleberry . Sincere apologies for putting my foot in my mouth, it’s getting to be a regular occurrence.
Way back in my mind, I had heard of Jim NERSTROM, don’t think I ever met him, or I’m sure I would have remembered.
If ever anyone of his calibre wanted one of my concepts, then I’d make damn sure it was the best I could do.
That particular Brass concept gear case is “ adequate” at best, nowhere near a masterpiece. But if he wants something in particular, let me know and I’ll see what I can fernagle.

[jackiewilson]

Made a beeline for the recycling facility, (srapyard to you and me) knew i had seen a five foot long billet of solid brass 2” X !/4”. cost me a tenner , but i can get a dozen or more bottom ends out of it. Not that im planning on doing any gearcases at the moment. its just the fact of KNOWING that i can should the occasion arise !

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

Found a chunk of Brazilian teak, hard as FECKIN nails and cross grained something rotten. If I could do the finished job using only irons, ( ie: planer, chisels, spokeshave and cabinet scraper) then I wouldn’t need to use anything except a single coat of beeswax. It’s beautiful, but a stone bitch to work. Plus, I’m not that clever, made the sponsons, polished up an aluminium tunnel. Half way there without really trying . Why do i put myself in these ridiculous situations. Never will get around to tidying up the shop.
Remember the twenty SEEBOLD tunnels that lined up at the Miami Marine stadium, each had identical motors. Think they were 850 Three pot RS OMC’S.
Nice looking rig, fairly reliable, had a lovely bottom end and looked the part. Ran 85/90 but all the owners swore on a stack of bibles they once saw a 100.
Was a strong field of runners ( all OMC drivers of course) including Renato, Cees, Jenks, and an upstart called Bill Muncey or something like that who was inconsiderate enough to bugger off into the long distance and win. ( so I believe).
Anyway Johnno, i thought it would be of more interest to Jim NERSTROM, to have something like that as a concept, with a really nice “Quickie” gear case !
This time , it would have an outstanding bottom end, not just a “Cute” one.

[GENE LANHAM]

Found a chunk of Brazilian teak, hard as FECKIN nails and cross grained something rotten. If I could do the finished job using only irons, ( ie: planer, chisels, spokeshave and cabinet scraper) then I wouldn’t need to use anything except a single coat of beeswax. It’s beautiful, but a stone bitch to work. Plus, I’m not that clever, made the sponsons, polished up an aluminium tunnel. Half way there without really trying . Why do i put myself in these ridiculous situations. Never will get around to tidying up the shop.
Remember the twenty SEEBOLD tunnels that lined up at the Miami Marine stadium, each had identical motors. Think they were 850 Three pot RS OMC’S.
Nice looking rig, fairly reliable, had a lovely bottom end and looked the part. Ran 85/90 but all the owners swore on a stack of bibles they once saw a 100.
Was a strong field of runners ( all OMC drivers of course) including Renato, Cees, Jenks, and an upstart called Bill Muncey or something like that who was inconsiderate enough to bugger off into the long distance and win. ( so I believe).
Anyway Johnno, i thought it would be of more interest to Jim NERSTROM, to have something like that as a concept, with a really nice “Quickie” gear case !
This time , it would have an outstanding bottom end, not just a “Cute” one.

Not quite so Jackie—

I’m sure. SOMEONE will correct you—

Muncey was the PROMOTER—

RACE OF CHAMPIONS—- they even invited the OFFSHORE champion—-

[jackiewilson]

Not quite so Jackie—

I’m sure. SOMEONE will correct you—

Muncey was the PROMOTER

RACE OF CHAMPIONS—- they even invited the OFFSHORE champion—-

As usual Gene, I told the tale from memory, After your comments, looked it all up on the dot dot and sure enough I got it all woefully wrong. Was Billy Schumacher who won the event. There were 15 boats, not twenty. To be fair, they were Seebolds, and they were 75 hp Jonrudes.
Apart from that, I did give a reasonable description.
All that just to make a classy bottom end!

[jackiewilson]

Jackie: this is not back then. James 15 yr. old son was the head honcho in the 15 Hp V-bottom class maybe 5-6 yrs ago. He finished engineering school and works for Lotus I believe. James still makes his living designing rotary engines. I believe he also was involved in the restoration of Campbell's Bluebird.

Ok Gene, so he has to be a NORTHENER. Lotus are based in NORFOLK. BOTH KIETH DUCKWORTH AND COLIN CHAPMAN HAD A FAIRLY BRIGHT SON APIECE. Roger Duckworth raced junior boats, so did Clive Chapman. Dont think either of them had much to do with ROTORIES. Roger is into advanced electric propulsion and i Have no idea what Clive is up to.
Only other James i Know that came up from junior racing is James Shepard, He did well in offshore. Won the Cowes /Torquay. P1 worlds three years on the trot with my grandson Craig. But he was into groceries. Not Rotories.
Lot of controversy over Bluebird, Loads of mudslinging, fact is, it was at the bottom of the lake for fifty years before it was pulled up. Shed loads of money, time and effort went into the restoration. Suddenly everyone wants a piece of history.
As my sainted mother used to sAY “nowt so queer as folk”.

[ron54]

Clive runs “Classic Team Lotus”..He and is team maintain the former Lotus collection of “works” cars. They also restore cars of a similar type.