A looper powerhead

[53w]

pictures of an A looper powerhead that was given to me. Don't know year or who raced it or when. On top of the block it has PROA 2.160 and 9FA stamped in it.

[Gene East]

2.160 is the bore size, don't know what the 9FA # means.

The flywheel is something different. I don't remember anything like that coming from 5th & State.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

It doesn't even look like there is a notch in the cranking plate for a rope, or if there is it is very hard to pick out. The cranking plate looks like half of a v-belt sheave, that maybe bolted together with the other half and a hub. I know some of the four and six cylinder motors had the CD Merc ignition from Quincy as I had one put on a C Flathead at 5th and State, but were there many A's or B's that were done by Quincy with the CD? We had an A with point and condenser ignition that really came to life with automotive coils from "K-Mart". They were supposedly the hottest thing in coils in that time frame (mid 70's) and worked well on that plus some other motors I had.

[Gene East]

Bill,

Yes, we built a lot of 2 bangers with CD ignition or as Chris and Clem Landis pronounced it, ig-ny-shun.

The early ones had the 2 extra slots filled with solder. Later ones were available with just 2 slots.

Did you also happen to notice the high speed adjusting needle on the carb. Looks like stock Carter both in appearance and location.

Have to sign off, I hear Norma stirring in the bedroom. Need to go see what Santa left us under the tree.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

[53w]

There was a rope plate on the flywheel. It was removed and used on a D-mod engine before it was givin to me. Thats all i know about the engine, it turns over very nice and I would think with a carb cleaning and rebuilt fuel pump it would run. The Carter carb is stamped FA on both flanges. I would asume this powerhead is a complete, original and not been basterdized, the only parts missing is the rope plate, outer throttle cable holder and spray sheild.
I didn't get the cd box or coil for ignition.
53w

[53w]

The flywheel and the pic of carb stamps may not show up.

[Original Looper 1]

53W,

In one of your photos, if you look closely, it has a serial number on the side of the crankcase, with matching number on the block. That number is FA64.

This could be a historic engine as the original owner was none other than the famous boat racer, Jerry Simison. It was later sold to Dave Nelson. This information is from the original Quincy Welding serial number production books.

It also appears that it could very well be Jerry's last A Looper. If that is indeed the case, this motor won some very significant races, including some Nationals.

It was probably produced in early 1965. I hope this information helps you. Merry Christmas.


Paul A Christner
www.QuincyLooperRacing.us


ps: As many early Loopers stayed in use and circulation for years, they were upgraded with Mercury CD ignitions, including the 2 cylinders.

[53w]

Cool thanks for looking it up! Any idea what the 9 FA is for that is stamped on top of the block? You can see it in one of the flywheel pic I posted?
I think I'll ask for the original rope plate back :)
53w

[Original Looper 1]

53W,

It appears the 9FA stamped on the cylinder block that you are inquiring about is the same sized letter and number stamping used by Quincy Welding.

If it was indeed stamped by Quincy Welding, which it appears to be, and after further review in the serial number book, Jerry's engines appeared to have some unique characteristics about the dome specifications and dimensions on the pistons of his Loopers.

My conclusion is that this represents a specific code that Mike Malaney, our piston production man, used to distinguish Jerry's unique pistons from the others.

Thanks for inquiring.


Paul A Christner

[53w]

what years and races and nationals might of engine been raced by Jerry in? hydro or runabout?

[Original Looper 1]

53w,

For starters, Jerry Simison never raced hydros any length of time that I am aware of, so my info is based exclusively on Jerry's runabout records.


Some of Jerry's wins during this time period, very likely with this A Looper, were as follows:

1965 Depue Nationals

note: Jerry was the overall National Hi-Point winner AND Best Performance Award for 1965 per the February 1966 Rooster Tail.

1967 Depue Nationals
1967 NOA Worlds at Alexandria, LA

note: Jerry won the National Hi-Point award for 1967 in both A & B Runabout classes.


1968 Depue Nationals
1968 PRO Southern Championships in Alexandria, LA -- Jerry won A Runabout AND B & C Runabout classes.

1969 PRO Southern Championships in Alexandria, LA

1970 Depue Nationals
1970 2nd place at NOA Worlds at Alexandria, LA

1971 PRO Southern Championships in Alexandria, LA (not sure if he was still running an A Looper then)



Paul A Christner

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Jerry Simison had a VERY successful racing career in the early 60's racing both Hydro's and Runabout's in the A & B Alky classes. This was prior to the time he started driving solely runabouts in the four cylinder classes also.

In 1962 he competed in one of the largest Alky Nationals held to that time in Midland, Mich., finishing 2nd to Quincy's own Jim Schoch in A Hydro and also finished 4th in A Runabout, actually running better in hydro's than the runabout classes he became so well known for in the middle and latter 60's early/middle 70's. After the 1962 season he concentrated solely on the runabout classes, competing in A thru F Runabout with Qunicy Flatheads at first, and then as is covered in another thread entitled "Konig vs. Quincy Flatheads", used the Konig engines when the Flathead was no longer competitive.

Presently he enjoys a reputation as a builder of fine rifle barrels, known for their accuracy in target and hunting applications. He was the subject of a lengthy shooting magazine article several years ago, and was pictured at his desk with many trophies and plaques won boat racing on the wall behind him.

[Gene East]

Bill,

You are correct, Jerry did race hydros early in his career. In fact Bob La Lande (O.F. Christner's son-in-law) and I helped Jerry in the pits at Meyer, IL (worst pits in the world) in the pre-looper days. He raced A&B Hydro and A&B runabout. 8 heats of racing, 8 first place finishes!

It's interesting that you mentioned Jerry finishing second to Jim Schoch in A Hydro at the Nationals in 1962.

Jerry and Jim put on a number of excellent shows for the spectators during the 60's, but most of those events were runabout races.

During the final heat of A-Runabout at the DePue Nationals in the mid 60's Jerry and Jim back flipped side by side on the front stretch as if the two boats were bolted together.

Surely somewhere someone has a photo of the double back flip that put 2 of the best A-Runabouts in the world on the bank when the checkered flag dropped.

I would truely like to see that photo published on this web site.

Bill Grootens from Quincy had a super 8 movie of that flip years ago. Bill was an amateur racer and very active in promoting racing in the Quincy area. He showed his film at many race club meetings.

Next time I go to Mr. Bill's tavern for the best chicken gizzards you ever tasted, I'll ask him if he still has that film.

[53w]

What type of tower would of been used on this? What did the spray shield look like and how did it mount on to the engine? What type of Bracket was used to hold the outer throttle cable?

53w

[Tim Chance]

What type of tower would of been used on this? What did the spray shield look like and how did it mount on to the engine? What type of Bracket was used to hold the outer throttle cable?

53w

Best I can remember Jerry ran Mercury 20H conversion towers that had a welded-in fuel tank with a Mercury gear case on his A's and B's. On his 4-cylinder stuff he ran Grant towers with built in fuel tanks. His throttle set-up would have been whatever is standard Quincy.

As far as hydros go. Jerry ran hydros from the time he started in the 50's up through the 1963 season. Jerry bought the 10-6 Sid that was delivered for Dave Berg the day after the accident in August, 1962 that took Dave's life. Jerry ran this boat the entire 1963 season and the sold it to Pete Kroll of Hopkins, Minnesota. After that time Jerry only ran runabouts until he quit Pro and switched to OPC with a Mod 50.

[53w]

I was up at Eagle River at snowmobile ice oval world championships and was looking at sno-pro history book. There is 2 pages of pictures of Jerry Simison's Ice oval racing team from the late 70's. Any one know anything about his involvement snowmobile racing?

53w

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I was up at Eagle River at snowmobile ice oval world championships and was looking at sno-pro history book. There is 2 pages of pictures of Jerry Simison's Ice oval racing team from the late 70's. Any one know anything about his involvement snowmobile racing?

53w

Yes, when he quit alky, now pro racing he got very iin Snowmobile racing using Mercury sleds. Very successful, had a local young driver/rider from near where he lived.

[53w]

The only Team Fustration season featured in the book is their 1977-78. That year he had all Polaris sleds and his drivers were Todd Elmer, Rob Holland, and Tim Benedict.

He also is pictured in the 1975-76 Mercury sno-pro pages talking to one of his Sno-Twister drivers

53W

[racnbns]

53-W

Check your PM.

Bruce