OMC D class motor

[JohnsonM50]

In the mid 80s OMC made A and D [2 cyl ?] motors, does anyone know how the D s were competition and dependability wise?

[mercmack]

In the mid 80s OMC made A and D [2 cyl ?] motors, does anyone know how the D s were competition and dependability wise?
OMC WAS KING OF THE CLASS ONCE THEY GOT IT GOING, LIKE THE OMC REP THAT WAS AT THE MARITHON NATIONALS IN KEY WEST, FL TOLD ME..THEY WOULD LIFE FOR EVER, JUST HAD TO SPIN THEM HIGH.. iT MADE THE 44 INCH MERCS LOOK SO BAD...AND I AM A MERC GUY..:( :( :(

[JohnsonM50]

OMC WAS KING OF THE CLASS ONCE THEY GOT IT GOING, LIKE THE OMC REP THAT WAS AT THE MARITHON NATIONALS IN KEY WEST, FL TOLD ME..THEY WOULD LIFE FOR EVER, JUST HAD TO SPIN THEM HIGH.. iT MADE THE 44 INCH MERCS LOOK SO BAD...AND I AM A MERC GUY..:( :( :(
Thanks, Ive got an ear out for 1

[Stuboat97]

Interesting. Can that be reproduced from service powerhead or was strictly a Factory racer, what lower unit, more details please. Enquiring minds want to know.

[MN1]

I've heard from one of the engineers of the 45ss motor that it was designed for a hydro and the types of long courses it would be running on. This is why it has the 1:1 ratio in the lower unit. Speeds during testing of the motor were above 90 mph.
I'm not sure if it was designed to compete against the Merc in the D class.
It is still run in 45ss and OPC SST - 45 classes, although with electric start and power trim on a tunnel boat.
Mark N

[JohnsonM50]

Interesting. Can that be reproduced from service powerhead or was strictly a Factory racer, what lower unit, more details please. Enquiring minds want to know.
I just got a parts manual off ebay with that in mind. Ive got a 50 hp 2 cyl motor -72 and want to see if #s correspond. This motor has 180 lbs comp and is powerfull but the stock lower is huge, heavy and has about 3 to 1 gearing & about a 12 in prop.
On a bass lower tho... heh heh heh :D

[RichardKCMo]

Class A 15cu. max B 20 , C 30, D 40, E Heh Heh 50 , so on , so on.
What about that 03cyl. 31+ cu omc. Class rules??
RichardF.

[MN1]

A couple photos of an older 45ss motor.
Mark N

[RichardKCMo]

Mn1 i like that pic , hydros and tunnels were seperated some years ago, for the best i'm sure, i think right after that boat did real well.

I think if boats and props were limited in some respect we would have more competetive motors and more choices therin, my opinion.
RichardKCMo

[Ron Hill]

I'm confused on the date, but about 1983-84 Western Engine, who was the Volvo Outdrive distributor aquired the rights to import Tohatsu Ouboards.

The second I saw the 30 HP Tohatsu, dealer price $495, I SAW BOAT RACING WRITTEN ALL OVER THEM. A guy named "TWITCHY" was selling these 30 HP motors on an Additor Boat...

Chuck Frederick, Mike Basso, Bill Shepard and Merle (President)...all these guys worked for Western Engine. I convinced them we should have a Race, with these 30 HP on Addictors, to Catalina Island... We had Trailer Boats Magazine cover the race and we had 12 boats start the race....problem was, only one boat had enough gas to get to Catalina...As the sun was setting, and we returned to the marina.....hoping like hell all 12 boats were there...I told Merle, "You know, had someone been lost at sea...your company would get the hell sued out of you...." I said, "Why don't I go to APBA and get us a class to race in, and we can run APBA INSURANCE???" Merle said "Go for it, I'll pay the insurance fees for all races..."

I called Ernie Dawe, and said, "Erine, you are Stock Outboard VP of APBA, these Addictors are Stock Outboards, let's make them a ONE DESIGN CLASS...C-NOD, "C" National One Design..." Then, I added, Western Engine will pay our APBA INSURANCE BILLS at every race..."

So, at the Portland APBA Meeting, ('83-'84??) Ernie has me make the pitch to have C-Nod become a class...

After the Commission agreed to make C-NOD a class, A ONE MOTOR, ONE BOAT CLASS....Mercury came up with the Merc Cub Class and OMC offered to make a new ""A" and new "D"...(45 SS motor). OMC's offer was ONLY, if the class, C-NOD, would be open to other motors...

Ernie made C-NOD a class and told OMC that they could build the "A" and "D" anytime they wanted too....but C-NOD was going to be a class. Ernie did agree, that, if OMC built these two race motors for stock, he'd GIVE C-NOd to OPC as it was a sit down boat...

The 45 motor was made, and I forgot which engineer was testing it on a hydro, but he blew it over, at about 90 and broke his arm...

After thaT, they thought of 45 SS as an OPC motor... Ernie Dawe never wanted 45 to be only an OPC class, AND THAT IS WHY, TODAY IT IS ALSO A STOCK OUTBOARD CLASS..

This 45 SS, like the BASS Tohatsu "D" met opposition...Even in 1984, Stock Outboards was not ready for a 90 MPH D Hydro...

You all are correct, the 45 SS was NEVER RACED IN STOCK AS A "D" MOTOR, BUT THE OMC "A" AND 45 SS would never have been built had it not been for Western Engine and Tohatsu wanting their engine to race...

[Mark75H]

Mark is correct. The 45ss was designed for OPC SST - 45 class; it was never run in any class called D. I'm also pretty sure it never raced against Mercs except in Formula E where a Merc 44 can beat it pretty well, a 60 ci 6 will wave bye bye and a 49 ci OMC triple will almost lap it in stock configuration. I think the powerhead is box stock and reliability is therefore the same as the fishing motor, run all day and night, every day of the week.

Tunnels and hydros are both legal in FE

[MN1]

Mark is correct. The 45ss was designed for OPC SST - 45 class; it was never run in any class called D. I'm also pretty sure it never raced against Mercs except in Formula E where a Merc 44 can beat it pretty well, a 60 ci 6 will wave bye bye and a 49 ci OMC triple will almost lap it in stock configuration. I think the powerhead is box stock and reliability is therefore the same as the fishing motor, run all day and night, every day of the week.

Tunnels and hydros are both legal in FE

It was originally designed for stock outboard and to be run on an hydro. This is why it has the 1:1 lower unit. If it were designed to run in OPC it would have had a different ratio for better acceleration out of the corners with a tunnel boat. This is straight from Sam LaBanco, one of the engineers of the motor.
Mark N

[Jeff Akers]

Mark is right , I remember when we(dealership) got the catalog...It was pictured on a kneeler hydro....It was to be for the SO catigory...I herd that APBA didn't want a "stock" class going that fast :confused: ...so they pushed it for OPC and thats ware it is today.


Sam, I was not aware that tunnels are ok to run in FEH:eek:

[JohnsonM50]

Class A 15cu. max B 20 , C 30, D 40, E Heh Heh 50 , so on , so on.
What about that 03cyl. 31+ cu omc. Class rules??
RichardF.
I thought D was 45ci...:confused: learn somthin daily

[Mark75H]

The only hull restriction in FE hydro is the tunnel may not be deeper than 5 inches at the back .... hydros, tunnel hulls, Mod-VP type, even runabouts are legal in FE hydro

Why did OMC put power tilt on them if they wanted to get them into Stock? Power tilt is not allowed in Stock (or even Mod) classes outside of the 45 SS class that was made just for them.

A tooth or 2 off (or more) gear ratio has always worked very well in Stock. Most Stock races are short or medium lenght where a slight reduction ratio would have helped there too. Ratios other than 1:1 are also mechancially better because the same 2 gear faces are not contiually coming in contact. It has 1:1 because someone wanted it to be 1:1, not because it would work better in Stock.

[Jeff Akers]

Why did OMC put power tilt on them if they wanted to get them into Stock? Power tilt is not allowed in Stock (or even Mod) classes outside of the 45 SS class that was made just for them.


Sam, looking through the parts books this morning...in 1986 they show NO Power T/T for that engine..1987 ether.... the Power tilt doesn't show up in the parts books until 1988.

Thanks for the clarifacation on the FE class...I wonder why we don't see any tunnels in the class...Seems like they would work realy well with the OMC 3 cyl.

[Mark75H]

Thanks, that is information I did not have before and is very helpful.

Tunnels usually don't have the same top speed, but like they say its not who's fastest, it is who is "firstest"

I agree with you, a tunnel might just be the true FEH hull design. I have a DeSilva Delta that I am modifiying for FE. Several Deltas and other tunnel designs have been tried in FE already, but not yet brought to full development. My Delta had too much step on the center pod and didn't turn like a tunnel. I have modified it a little, but haven't tested it yet. I have plans to have it modified some more for even better performance for next year.

[Fred Hauenstein]

The 45SS was designed for S.O. and they set up both hydro and runabout classes. It originally had no power trim. After a season or two, very few SO racers bought and used the 45SS engine, and a movement from OPC started to include it on a tunnel boat. S.O. didn't really want to give up the class and established 45SS (took off the H) to take care of the few S.O. members who owned these engines. That, incidentally, is why there are duplicate classes (45SS and SST-45).

When OMC engineering saw the need, they did come up with a power trim and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jerry Wienandt had probably the best 45 SS Hydro outfit and I believe he was able to run speeds around 95 MPH in competition at Wakefield.

I think some put the engine on runabouts, but I can't remember who?????

S.O. people apparently do not want to go that fast. The evidence is that very few people bought the engine and joined the class(es).

Fred

[Fred Hauenstein]

The DeSilva brothers built some tunnel-like boats (trimarans?) from Russian plans and installed the 45SS engine. Probably the first hint that the engine should be in OPC instead of S.O.???

Fred

[Trident]

Geez, it wasn't that long ago... How does this story get that messed up?

Some facts. Just want to correct some of the 'Urban Myths', as I was there...

The motor was developed for a new Stock Outboard class, 45SS, not
45 SST. It was not orginally equipped with electric start or with power trim; it had an adjstable link that also held it down (no tie down rope). Power trim and electric start was added later, when they converted the class to Tunnels only. This is all documented in the originally supplied owner's manuals, showing a parts list and set up instructions.

The engineer that tipped it over was Dave Hamman. No, it wasn't going 90+ mph. The boat was an A&H. That's the same boat that appeared in the OMC catalog with Sam Hemp driving it. I tested the prototype on my B&H with OMC, and submitted a report which was read to the SORC at the National meeting. Speed was upper 80's. The class was adopted as a probationary class for 1986 and run at major events around the country. Participants included hydros, hydro-cat and tunnels in 45SSH, and 'normal' runabouts in
45SSR. I ran my B&H hydro, won with it at Ocoee, Dayton (where it broke my hand starting it, as it had fixed timing) and the '86 Nationals at Wakefield (they added variable timimg for rope starting).

Its on a SO Nationals tape Badger State still uses as a promo tape at boat shows. OMC published a poster with my Johnson powered B&H which was distributed to Johnson dealers, after I won FEH and set an FEH APBA record at the Mod Nationals with it. The irony of that, which I don't think OMC was aware of, is they asked me to submit a photo, but the only good shot I had was taken by Fred Hauenstein. They used it, without photo credit. An Evinrude won FER, I apologize, but I don't remember who... senior moment.

Now, some facts plus opinion...

It was a great ride on my hydro, although a little top heavy, and although I won their major races and the Stock and Mod Nationals with it, it didn't exceed 90 mph on its best day. My E-Mod Merc was faster... on top speed and lap times. I sold it when they switched the class to Tunnels, as a 250# driver wasn't going to be competitive in 45SST. I had no problem with them establishing a 45 Tunnel class, but I wish they hadn't killed the 45SSH and 45SSR, as I felt we were appealing to two different pools of potential drivers... who knows where that might have gone?

Jerry Wienandt
Trident Racing

[Roy Hodges]

talkin about tunnels running with hydros. It CAN be done . My old tunnel, bought from Ken Kusnik, ran in R class, in the early seventies & did well (U S # 2 ) . it was lite weight ,about 180 pounds & he was a feather weight (130 pounds) . it was one of a kind , he designed it,& built it . I believe one like it would could do well in the ss45& also feh, for that matter

[Ron Hill]

I think, because Ernie was Stock VP of APBA, that he ended up with one of the first 45 SS motors. He built a runabout with about a 12 inch pad for this motor, and it was pretty fast, and handled well. For the Wakefield Narionals, Ernie put Jimmy's "D" on this runabout as they knew there weren't any 45 SSR's, Jimmy blew this runabout over, it was actually very fast considering everything, including the 12 inch pad.

Ernie came home from Wakefield and built Jimmy a tunnel...

Fat C has a weight of 750 pounds and is designed for full grown men....

I have 34 powerheads, four complete motors, 7 mid sections and four boats for 45, if anyone needs parts.......contact me...

ADD: At the Winternationals in California, 1987 I'm saying, Edgar Rose and I think Dave Hamman were running around looking at all the Mini Boat's power trims. Mitch Lemke had the cheapest trim, he used motorhome levelers....The orignial 45 trim rams were only about 4 inches, it was Jimmy Johnson and Rick Hoffman, that changed 45 forever with their boat designs, gearcase shaving, prop work and extended power trim rams....

[Trident]

Just came to me... 1986 FER: Don Fryklund.

That was a brain cramp; it just locked up.

Jerry Wienandt
Trident Racing

[Ron Hill]

My cramps are in my legs...my brian just goes blank, unless we're talking 1960's....

Did anyone, but me, see the DePue Nationals on TV??? The interview with Amy Eldridge, caused my mind to go blank....A hundred years of outboard racing on the TV screen, with an articulate and beautiful young lady doing the talking...8 LADIES driving in the K PRO finals....out of 12...

NICE!

[Skoontz]

Could you not install the bolt on kit OMC made for the 50HP two holers on a 45???? They had them available in 1974, painted silver, no matter what color your motor was. It was just the standard trim any OMC motor used, except this was a bolt on item. I think you could even run them on rope start 50's, because even though there was no electirc, the motor still had an alternator to charge trolling motor batteries under the flywheel......

[Mark75H]

Thanks Jerry and Fred, that clears up a lot about this motor and corrects some misconceptions I had about the classes and use of the motor. But there still isn't much to back up this statement from Dwaye:
OMC WAS KING OF THE CLASS ONCE THEY GOT IT GOING, LIKE THE OMC REP THAT WAS AT THE MARITHON NATIONALS IN KEY WEST, FL TOLD ME..THEY WOULD LIFE FOR EVER, JUST HAD TO SPIN THEM HIGH.. iT MADE THE 44 INCH MERCS LOOK SO BAD...AND I AM A MERC GUY..:( :( :(Tell me if I have this right ... In Stock and OPC the 45ss motor was raced only in classes where it was the only motor, not raced against Mercs. In Mod it was a competitive motor that won some races (even some big races), but by no means the dominant motor in the class.

I miss seeing Don Frykland's stuff running here in the mid-Atlantic. Didn't his brother race too?

[mercmack]

can some one of you guys look under OPC records and see what the D class record is??....this eng was a stocker with a club foot gear case.. i retired from the air force in 1982 ...so it had to be before that time..some where around 1979 to 1981 i was down to Key West,Fl and seen and talked to the omc factory boys and see these short shaft engs.. I know all MasterSargents are blind, but i did see them and they ran againist 50 mercs..:D :D

[MN1]

can some one of you guys look under OPC records and see what the D class record is??....this eng was a stocker with a club foot gear case.. i retired from the air force in 1982 ...so it had to be before that time..some where around 1979 to 1981 i was down to Key West,Fl and seen and talked to the omc factory boys and see these short shaft engs.. I know all MasterSargents are blind, but i did see them and they ran against 50 mercs..:D :D

Yes, there was a Sport D class and even a Family D class in OPC a long time ago. FD died first I think, then Sport D. They used the standard production 45 ci motors of Merc and OMC and both had short shafts and the big standard lower unit. Sport D could use any hull you wanted and Family D was a production V bottom boat. Both classes had weight limits too.
I might have an old rule book with the records at the shop, I'll look on Monday.
Mark N

[Roy Hodges]

Yes, there was a Sport D class and even a Family D class in OPC a long time ago. FD died first I think, then Sport D. They used the standard production 45 ci motors of Merc and OMC and both had short shafts and the big standard lower unit. Sport D could use any hull you wanted and Family D was a production V bottom boat. Both classes had weight limits too.
I might have an old rule book with the records at the shop, I'll look on Monday.
Mark N
My 1977 rule book shows sport D record set in 1976 , held by Jim Larson driving Rich Gruber's DEL Craft tunnel at
67.993 mph in kilo at waterford (modesto ) ca .Seems to me i remember him cooking the motor , it was set so high , but, he did get the record , i don't know if anybody upped the record , later. That's probably the same weekend that Howard PIPCORN blew over Paul Bender's
NEW tunnel that howard built for him , (a copy of a SCOTTI) a 4 barrel V-4 race motor , and destoyed it . ) Paul never got to race it,( not even once )

[MN1]

Maybe someone can tell us the story about Larry Guimond's attempt to set the Kilo record in Sport D in a McCall tunnel !
Mark N

[JohnsonM50]

Thats alot about a motor ya never see. I just wanted to compare it w/ my old 41.5ci -72 50hp. Im thinkin of building a D size H.K. Airborn w/ topside changes I wish I thought of on my B. for that motor.

[OPC1]

Mark
You would not be refering to the Kaukana Kilos in about 1974 maybe?
I was there when Larry ran a small knee down tunnel. He entered the timing traps with his head down to minimize wind resistance. Good idea but, he never looked up. The current, the breeze, who knows, but the boat vered alittle left on the down river run. Went basicly off coarse so far, he ran right into the 24 foot rescuse boat. The guys in the boat were jumping up and down waiving thier arms but Larry never looked up. The guys in the boat jumped over board as Larry hit the boat. Luckly he missed the crane on the transom used for lift a body basket as we flew over it.
Wrecked the tunnel boat. Hardly scratched the big rescue boat. Sure shook those guys iin the boat though. It was out of site of race control as this was down river. I remember hearing the crash. Larry came in on the stretcher and left in the ambulance. It was problably 20 years before I knew who it was.
Mike

[MN1]

Mark
You would not be refering to the Kaukana Kilos in about 1974 maybe?
I was there when Larry ran a small knee down tunnel. He entered the timing traps with his head down to minimize wind resistance. Good idea but, he never looked up. The current, the breeze, who knows, but the boat vered alittle left on the down river run. Went basicly off coarse so far, he ran right into the 24 foot rescuse boat. The guys in the boat were jumping up and down waiving thier arms but Larry never looked up. The guys in the boat jumped over board as Larry hit the boat. Luckly he missed the crane on the transom used for lift a body basket as we flew over it.
Wrecked the tunnel boat. Hardly scratched the big rescue boat. Sure shook those guys iin the boat though. It was out of site of race control as this was down river. I remember hearing the crash. Larry came in on the stretcher and left in the ambulance. It was probably 20 years before I knew who it was.
Mike

Yep, that's about the right time period. I didn't go to that Kilo Trial, but heard about it from Larry and I think someone in the rescue boat. Must have scared those guys in the rescue boat!!
Didn't OMC have alittle something to do with that boat?
Mark N

[OPC1]

I did not know if OMC was involved in the Tunnel project. But I did know the rescue boat they hity was Mercury's.
Mike