Merc T-4

[Mark75H]

Someone brought this up on another forum:

[clough]

Sexy :D

[kev29p]

I've heard bits and pieces of stories of Bill Seebold running one... Anyone have pics or stories about T-4's on tunnel boats?

[Mark75H]

It was used to compete against the V-8 at venues where it met the rules.

[peterse90]

I've heard bits and pieces of stories of Bill Seebold running one... Anyone have pics or stories about T-4's on tunnel boats?

from one of my Powerboat & Waterskiing magazines

[Mark Poole]

There is something that I am trying to figure out about the history of Mercs "big block V-6"
In 1980 Seebold raced a Merc big block V-6 in Europe before the time of the V-8's. This engine did not have the T-4 cowl, just a plain black "300" cowl. Two years later Seebold went back to Europe and took on the V-8's with a 2 liter Merc and won! The "T-4" showed up later when the OMC V-8 series came to the U.S.

One of these big block engines had something to do with Cosworth. So, was the engine that Seebold raced in 1980 the same as the later T-4?

[Mark75H]

Merc subbed casting the big blocks to Cosworth the way Chevy had Merc cast the Corvette block in Oklahoma.

My notes say the first year of production of the T-4 was 1978, so it could be both the earlier and later motor with different decals.

If I recall correctly, Seebold's win with the smaller motor was with the aid of teammates a lap down blocking the V-8's.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Google the title on the picture of Billy driving the big V-6, "Seebolds at work and play". Some interesting biographical info on the whole family and if it is the same race where "blocking" is at play, there is an interview with Billy where his take on it is quite a bit different.

[Lars Strom]

Pretty sure Mercury raced the T-4 for the first time International in Bristol 1979..
I was there and remember Jack Leek asking me to look to see if the engine
was a V-6 or a V-8..
Mercury was hiding everything under a canvas..but I did see the 6 small clear hoses for the fuel
injection and reported that to Jack Leek..:)

[Lars Strom]

More.. 1980 was the last year for the Merc T-4 in Europe..
When OMC raced the V-8 for the first time in Brodenbach, Germany 1981 there was no Merc T-4 in tha race..or any Merc V-6..
Merc went back to race 2 liter ( ON )only and called that Formula 1 and OMC called the V8-OZ racing Formula 1..a big feud over the name Formula 1 started...

I was there racing Formula 3 and remember that as yesterday..

[peterse90]

I think the T-4 was originally raced to out do the 3 litre OMC's that showed up late 1978 and early 1979 I think. I'm not sure Merc was even aware that OMC were working on and going to be racing V-8's in the near future.
In Valleyfield, Quebec 1979 Fred Hauenstein and Ken Stevenson ran our MOD U class with 3L engines and the 2.4 Merc's were absolutely no match for these engines, in fact they posted lap times faster than the Grand Prix inboards.