Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[WaterZebra]

OMC paid for shipping of all the F1-V8 boats to the USA and back 1983.
Well..we must get our complete boats to Brugge, Belgium and leave them there and pick them up when all the boats was back from the USA.

Here is a bit more from my experience..

OMC’s Ric McChesney let me use his brand new "Jeep Wrangler pickup" for the two US races.

On the way from Minneapolis to Pittsburgh I got pulled over for speeding and got a ticket..the issue I hade was Ric was driving behind us and he also got pulled over..but NO speeding ticket for Ric..

This is probably why OMC pulled the plug years later. Paying the costs with no return on the investment is not sustainable. That was quite generous on OMC's part!

[lars strom]

This is probably why OMC pulled the plug years later. Paying the costs with no return on the investment is not sustainable. That was quite generous on OMC's part!

Well..if you read Charlie Strang's own statement..it was because of lack of sponsorship/boat racing popularity..
(Exactly as today's boat racing problems, but 30+ years ago)

https://svera.se/blogg/omc-f1-v8-rac...harlie-strang/

[WaterZebra]

I didn't know about the shipment project in 1983.

[lars strom]

Jimmy Kling of Sweden in his modified F3 Burgess with Evinrude power.




The #8 boat Jimmy Kling is racing above is Lennart Ström’s former green Burgess he won the F3 World title with 1985.

Lennart & me also won the Paris 6 hours 1986 with this green # 21 Burgess...
(PS Jimmy built his own safety cell for Lennarts old Burgess)

[lars strom]

Svein Wroldsen

I have done some restoration on this old photo. Must have been taken in the 1920s.
(OMC was founded 1929)

[lars strom]

The OMC factory in Belgium 1987

The arrow points to the Boathouse/racing department.
You can see the racing service truck parked next to the building.

[lars strom]

More OMC Belgium

[keith scotton]

I was wondering what is going on at that place now.

[lars strom]

I was wondering what is going on at that place now.

If you mean the former OMC factory in Belgium..the Boathouse/racing department building is now a local boat dealer.
Not sure whats going on in the very large former factory.

[lars strom]

I received a different looking package from Stafford UK (England)
Could not wait to open up.
Its from one of the best boat builders in the world..
Back in the memory lane again.
The start of the London F1-V8 race 1983. My boat is the #8 Burgess/Aspen/ Evinrude V8.
This was a tough race for me..I crashed bad in the Liege, Belgium GP two weeks earlier and did spend some time at the local hospital.
David Burgess worked hard to repair the badly damaged race boat in time for the London GP.
You can see my brother Lennart and his friend Olle Magnusson holding the #8 boat just before the start.

Thanks for thinking about me David..makes an old racer like me happy..

[lars strom]

Not sure who is behind Roger Jenkins in his Velden/Carlsberg/Evinrude CCC 2 seater.
Its from OMC Belgium racing department 1983

[lars strom]

Jack Aylsworth

JOHNSON AT THE GARDENS - HOME OF THE “SEA-HORSE SPECTACULAR” SHOW

Randy Beard, “Miss Skiing 1965”, Cypress Gardens, Florida - Johnson Meteor Outboard. During the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s, Johnson sponsored the Ski Show and many other boat entertainment events at Cypress Gardens Florida. This was also the primary location for the majority of our ad & catalog photography, television specials and films. Literally thousands of our photos were shot on Lake Eloise where the Gardens was located.
At one time, Cypress Gardens was the most famous Florida attraction (before Disney) - it’s now a Legoland Park.

[lars strom]

Molinari/Evinrude Super Strangler V4.
My little brother Craig came across this photo while cleaning things out at our Dad's house. Taken after getting my 1st Division Win at the Parker 9hr Enduro With Jim Larson. I was 17 years old.


— with Sergio Calvo.

[lars strom]

More OMC Belgium

Finlands Petri Ihalainen is testing his #25 UIM OE/F3 class Finnsport cat with Johnson RS power at the OMC racing center in Belgium
This is from 1987 and you can also see an UIM SE class boat in the picture.

Photo: Tiina Haavisto

[lars strom]

Renato Molinari is standing on his Molinari/Evinrude F1-V8 boat in Drammen, Norway 1981.
This was a big NO-NO a few years later..You could not be onboard your boat when hanging in the slings.