Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[FUJIMO]

...hey...black's the only color...right j.w.?......

[jackiewilson]

...hey...black's the only color...right j.w.?......

THATS CALLED A „“CURATES EGG“ FUJI !!!!!!!!!!! In the nether regions of Schenectady they call it stalemate —— downtown OSHBERG ——it’s known as „“checkmate“—-in the tennis club at Southwater West Sussex- its commonly known as game - set and match!!!!!!
You don’t get many of those for a dollar !!!!!!

[FUJIMO]

[Lake X Kid]

Just five days to go before the BRISTOL REUNION.
SEEBOLD flies in early Friday morning to Heathrow—Sam Clive and i pick him up and trundle on down to Bristol. Hotel did have the common sense to change the double bed to a pair of singles . You know what the boating fraternity is like. [you only have to hug and walk arm in arm with a man before you are tagged as QUEER—GAY—BENT—CARPET MUNCHER—SHIRT LIFTER] so i am not taking any chances !!!!!!!!
Although anyone who knows me, also knows i am REMINGTON GUN BARREL STRAIGHT!!!
I have nothing against the folk of the other persuasion—AC/DC — batting for the other side —- call it what you will, i just have a deep sorrow for the poor buggers who will never know one of the greatest pleasures in life is a great „“OPPOSITE“ ——even i hardly know how to call it any more.
.

Two comedians Ricky and Dave give their take on the guys walking over to the other side.

Dialogue in comedic language revealing the comedy of current situations.

[Lake X Kid]

You know what Zeebie—- that is the first time i have ever seen anyone telling it the way it really was !
i knew Angelo [Father of Giorgio and Renato] long before Mercury ever did.
Renato was just an 18 year old kid who was learning his trade—- bottom end of the lake in his fathers shop.
Whole family lived in the apartment above the shop.
Further up the lake Jeremiah CETTI had just moved into a brand new four story facility built into the cliffside at TORRIGGIA .
He was building TORRIGGIA tunnel boats. Plus beautiful Vee bottoms that looked like a SONNY LEVI. Design.
How do i know all this — i was there , many times — along with four kids !!!
Renato knew how to drive a tunnel boat better than anyone else around at that time .
I have no idea what or how the deal came about—- but one day Renato [who was 20 years old at the time] moved into the TORRIGGIA factory . I knew it was Mercury that pulled the deal.

Jackie you were probably one of the first (if not the first) native English speaking person, to have had business dealings with the Molinari family.

What did you see or know, that brought you driving down to Como Italy and go knocking on the Molinari's doorstep?

Being my late Dad is not here, I can only speculate. And my speculation is Dad, Johnny Bakos, Odell, & Bill Sirois saw their first sight of a Molinari hull at the Paris 6 Hour. Which those USA Mercury guys competed at in the mid 1960s.

~~~~~
Here is a Mercury Team (including other Lake X drivers Steinbeck & Ramsay) group photo of them, on one of the European visits.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie you were probably one of the first (if not the first) native English speaking person, to have had business dealings with the Molinari family.

What did you see or know, that brought you driving down to Como Italy and go knocking on the Molinari's doorstep?

Being my late Dad is not here, I can only speculate. And my speculation is Dad, Johnny Bakos, Odell, & Bill Sirois saw their first sight of a Molinari hull at the Paris 6 Hour. Which those USA Mercury guys competed at in the mid 1960s.

~~~~~
Here is a Mercury Team (including other Lake X drivers Steinbeck & Ramsay) group photo of them, on one of the European visits.

right to left—SIROIS—Bakos—-?—?-Ridgell——Steele—-Vickers——Pruett—- afraid i dont remember the others . Was in the late 60‘s before we Europeans got into the fight on the banks of the Seine [more of a confrontation]. That was just before we all became great friends.—
Paris was just about the only race that would attract that particular group of people —cannot think of any other reason they would be in Europe unless it was a dealer conference [then no way would Billy Don be there].
Had seen Rasini and Molinari at various venues—- Paris -Amsterdam—etc. was impressed ! Don Ross and i agreed it was the way to go .
Rumour had it amongst boat racers was that Molinari would not sell a boat to the English . Armed with an “ITALIAN/ENGLISH“ dictionary and a notepad i proceeded to telephone the Molinari factory and asked to speak to Angelo—— was told he wasn’t there , but Renato would speak with me.
After the mandatory introductions i asked him outright if he would sell me a boat as i heard on the grapevine he wouldnt. He got all huffy and told me he would build a boat for me with the greatest pleasure .
So i asked him outright „“QUANTA COSTA“. ???? He told me one thousand English pounds !!!!!!!
Thats the exact sum he charged me on the day Mark and i picked the boat up.
We were invited to dine at the lunch table—- Renato cooked the pasta —— his mum —dad and brother Giorgio were there —- think the year was 1967, but my memories shot so dont take that as gospel.
There were embargo’s all over europe at that time —- eagle eyed customs at every border and travel carnets and documents which were a right royal pain in the arse .
Story of how we acquired the boat is a whole chapter in itself ——all it said on the carnet was YELLOW POWER BOAT!!!————- well the door was not just ajar —it was wide open.

[jackiewilson]

Mark and Renato got on like a house on fire . We became friends for years —-Angelo Renato and the Rasinis all came to our semi-detached house in Southwater .

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

1970 and i was down in Como collecting a brand fire new 17 foot Molinari, courtesy of Mercury and GG. Carlo also had an identical boat in white and —difference being he had a brand new RV to tow it with. Giorgio was driving the unmarked Molinari tow truck along with Angelo. I had Phil ROLLA as my companion in a converted ford camper van .
we left at around ten in the morning heading for the Mont Blanc tunnel. At 12 sharp we stopped at a rather celebrity’s ALBERGE where lunch was pre-booked . ROLLA had managed to lose his wallet but Rasini told him not to worry ,he would take care of things .
Customs and border control were a breeze —all the paperwork was done ???????
non eventual journey all the way to England —- i had arranged with Charlie Sheppard that we could spend the day testing at Fairford . Then Carlo asked if he could visit my house in Southwater . Well it was on the way to the Cotswold club anyway so i agreed . Carlo had his kids with him Mario the eldest and Roberta his youngest and his teenage daughter who was always a sensation at race meetings .
My wife Brenda and my children were somewhat surprised when three boats were towed into Woodfield .GIGI was The Rasini bodyguard —- he entered the house first and declared it ok ——-Mario was to stay with us for the next six weeks .
We all trundled up to Fairford and had two days testing —Don Ross joined us there —Renato was fastest , but not by much . All the boats were quick and lapping at times faster than the course record . We headed up to CHASEWATER ——- Was the 500 miler . Rest is history .

[jackiewilson]

Couple of pictures from the 500 miler at CHASEWATER.

[jackiewilson]

Billy finally got a deal out of Mercury— he got rid of that piece of crappy Yammi and is now sporting a Mercury VEEEEE_EIGHT —thats right a V8. First time I’ve seen him happy since he retired .
Old boy has been running round europe for three weeks with Lynne and Little Billy ,he caught up with Some old friends in Casale . Scott Gillman showed him round his new workshop [the old restaurant and race club at Casale].
Did not get to see Renato. He is still in Hospital. With all the nonsense still surrounding the aftermath of Covid , he wasn’t allowed to see him.
He finally gets to visit England this coming weekend . We pick him up at Heathrow and go straight down to Bristol.
Told me they have a special needs trophy for him to collect ——-I’m not ready to collect mine for a while yet .
Totally continent —- can still wipe my own arse doncha know !!!!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

Happy birthday to ROGER HINSDALE . Damn but he must be old !!

[GENE LANHAM]

Happy birthday to ROGER HINSDALE . Damn but he must be old !!

Ain’t nobody as old as Jack or Gene

[jackiewilson]

Ain’t nobody as old as Jack or Gene

BUT DOESNT ODELL TAKE THE KEWPIE DOLL?????? Just got a sneaky feeling he tops the list

[FUJIMO]