Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[lars strom]

Jack Aylsworth

The ‘Go-Anywhere’ OMC Trackster - LAWSUIT SPECIAL

Unfortunately, this cool machine was the centerpiece of a major lawsuit against OMC. The ad below (lower right) is a notable example of overstating the product’s capabilities and thereby aiding the plaintiff in making (and winning) their case. It changed the way we made product performance claims - and wrote product copy - following the case.

"Makes The Impassable Possible" was a key statement regarding what the Trackster could provide. These are the kinds of over-statements / promises that litigious lawyers love. This over-promising marketing line was apparently a lynch pin in the case. The Trackster reportedly would climb a “much steeper” hill than it could go down without rolling over forward. Ouch!

Actually, this was a great little machine. You just had to manage its capabilities.

[John Schubert]

Jack Aylsworth

The ‘Go-Anywhere’ OMC Trackster - LAWSUIT SPECIAL

Unfortunately, this cool machine was the centerpiece of a major lawsuit against OMC. The ad below (lower right) is a notable example of overstating the product’s capabilities and thereby aiding the plaintiff in making (and winning) their case. It changed the way we made product performance claims - and wrote product copy - following the case.

"Makes The Impassable Possible" was a key statement regarding what the Trackster could provide. These are the kinds of over-statements / promises that litigious lawyers love. This over-promising marketing line was apparently a lynch pin in the case. The Trackster reportedly would climb a “much steeper” hill than it could go down without rolling over forward. Ouch!

Actually, this was a great little machine. You just had to manage its capabilities.

I remember the law suit well I was an integral part of all the pre & post as well as depositions & buy backs. The statement makes The Impassible Possible was penned by the Engineer who designed the machine. You could come back down the hill that you climbed. The operators always thought coming down to pull back on the T handle that actuated the hydrostatic transmissions when they thought it was about to accelerate which potentially could cause the machine to rise up on the front track. Here is what actually happened during the incident involving Spider Sabich’s dad & a lose of life. While coming down the hill or mountain face there was a 5” vertical face Rick or piece of a stick. The machine rose up & obviously came down on the front track then when the operator accelerated it rolled forward & flipped. During the actual trial our Trackster expert & the then Cushman engineer set up a similar hill slope wise plus a simulated vertical face. The jury went out to the test hill for the simulation. Both were very anxious but without a trial first they were able to go over the vertical face without flipping. One jurist asked to see it again but the judge over ruled. OMC didn’t lose the trial, the insurance carrier settled on the courthouse steps. OMC late sued the insurance carrier & won.

One of our conciliatory solutions was to contact all owners of the product both commercial & personal, explaining the potential operational issue, that if they no longer felt that they could operate their machine safely, we would buy it back at a formulated price. We did many. We sent out a team to train commercial accounts if they wanted such training. One such account was Lion Country in northern NJ.

this was a great experience fir me personally & my very first challenging role after racing for & then being employed by OMC.

[lars strom]

Johnson Stinger - THE MEAN MACHINE – The first ‘hot orange’ Stinger 65 was introduced in 1972 on NBC’s splashy national TV special “Discover Wet” hosted by Johnny Carson’s sidekick Ed McMahon at Cypress Gardens. By the early 1970’s, Johnson styling had become a bit conservative - and certainly not flashy!, So the introduction of a screaming orange outboard was quite jarring...if not daring from a marketing standpoint. Launched as a “1972 Limited Edition” model - just in case screaming orange was too daring - the 65hp Stinger was an instant hit. The 1972 / 1973 model, shared identical mechanicals with the standard 49.7 cu. in. Johnson 65 looper producing its BIA certified horsepower at 5000 rpm.


Playing off that initial success, an upgraded 70hp Stinger followed in 1974 with a massive ‘70’ on its flanks. Its additional 5 horses were credited to refined tuning and improved carburetion. Doubling down on performance, horsepower increased again in 1975, now to 75. Again, festooned with a bold horsepower ID on its sides announcing its presence. Those extra 5 horses came from new exhaust ports, a redesigned combustion chamber and a new, low restriction air-intake silencer with a BIA certified 75hp rating at 5500 rpm. A high-compression cylinder head was optional.

[WaterZebra]

Johnson Stinger - THE MEAN MACHINE – The first ‘hot orange’ Stinger 65 was introduced in 1972 on NBC’s splashy national TV special “Discover Wet” hosted by Johnny Carson’s sidekick Ed McMahon at Cypress Gardens. By the early 1970’s, Johnson styling had become a bit conservative - and certainly not flashy!, So the introduction of a screaming orange outboard was quite jarring...if not daring from a marketing standpoint. Launched as a “1972 Limited Edition” model - just in case screaming orange was too daring - the 65hp Stinger was an instant hit. The 1972 / 1973 model, shared identical mechanicals with the standard 49.7 cu. in. Johnson 65 looper producing its BIA certified horsepower at 5000 rpm.


Playing off that initial success, an upgraded 70hp Stinger followed in 1974 with a massive ‘70’ on its flanks. Its additional 5 horses were credited to refined tuning and improved carburetion. Doubling down on performance, horsepower increased again in 1975, now to 75. Again, festooned with a bold horsepower ID on its sides announcing its presence. Those extra 5 horses came from new exhaust ports, a redesigned combustion chamber and a new, low restriction air-intake silencer with a BIA certified 75hp rating at 5500 rpm. A high-compression cylinder head was optional.

The V4 Stinger racing engine deserved the orange makeover as well.......

[lars strom]

The F1-V8 pit in London GP 1983.
You more you look..!!..you more you see..!!
The #8 Burgess/Aspen/Evinrude V8. My Volvo racing truck. My Evinrude engine cover on the ground.
Mats Nystrom my mechanic in white t-shirt. Me in my white racing outfit.
Not sure who the third person is with a notebook.

[lars strom]

The F1-V8 start in London GP 1983.
I can see my brother Lennart holding the #8 Evinrude cowling.

[lars strom]

More #8 from London GP 1983.

[lars strom]

Rouen 24 Hours 1985.

[lars strom]

...

[lars strom]

Paris 6 Hours 1988.

Thanks Jean Lebouvier

[lars strom]

Grand Prix Chalon Sur Saone

[Instigator]

Based on that cowling, that looks like a production based 8.

Paris 6 Hours 1988.

Thanks Jean Lebouvier

[lars strom]

Based on that cowling, that looks like a production based 8.

Its the UIM S-3000 class in 1988.
Production outboard - max 3 liter. My guess its a 3 liter V6 Limited Edition.

[Instigator]

Interesting

Couldnt tell from the pic if it was a 6 or an 8.

I remember you posting about that class.
Seems like they ran recreational based gear cases???

Which would be crazy.

That is a Second Effort cowling.
I have one, 6 and 8.

Thanks Lars!

Its the UIM S-3000 class in 1988.
Production outboard - max 3 liter. My guess its a 3 liter V6 Limited Edition.

[lars strom]

Interesting

Couldnt tell from the pic if it was a 6 or an 8.

I remember you posting about that class.
Seems like they ran recreational based gear cases???

Which would be crazy.

That is a Second Effort cowling.
I have one, 6 and 8.

Thanks Lars!

1988 was the beginning of the UIM F-3000 class.
Lots of problems with a 20 inch shaft and the production gear case.
UIM changed the rules and you could use racing midsection/gear case like in this UIM F-3000 picture.
Still production powerhead.



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