Bundy outboard motors.....

[brichter]

....Does anyone have any info on an outboard motor that was imported by Bundy corp.??? It supposedly won some enduro race in the 60s. I saw an ad for sale on ebay pertaining to this and it got me wondering.....Thanks.

[Mark75H]

Bundys were Crescents made in Italy. There must have been some tarriff/trade/tax reason to make them at a second plant in Italy instead of just shipping them from the main plant in Sweden. The famous Bundy endurance win was a single class entry (no other motors were entered in their class) ... but at least they did finish the race :)

I think this was a 30 or 35 hp 2 cylinder fishing motor

[Mark75H]

Now maybe you are wondering what a Crescent outboard is ... Crescent was part of what later became the Volvo outboard company in Sweden.


It started out as the Nyman company of Uppsala, Sweden. I think they made bicycles first, then motorcycles and scooters ... your basic 2 stroke motor device company. Thru the 1960's they sold outboards under both the Monark and Crescent names (like OMC did with Evinrude and Johnson in the US); later they used the combined Monark/Crescent name and then Monark/Crescent/Volvo

Uppsala is also the home of Huskquvarna and Electrolux manufacturing plants

[brichter]

Thanks, I've seen/heard of Crescents, I was under the impression that they were strictly race motors, I've never seen a service version of a Crescent (or Bundy)... I would be interested in seeing a pic if anyone has one.

[Mark75H]

This web site was set up by a former Crescent employee, Carl-Eric Zander. I understand he is no longer in good health and the web site is decaying some:

http://www.nymansuppsala.se/hemsidan/marin-filer/bmarinmodeller.htm

http://www.nymansuppsala.se/hemsidan/marin-filer/Modellernas%20utveckling-filer/image010.jpghttp://www.nymansuppsala.se/hemsidan/marin-filer/marinbilder/crescent3_9_1972-74.jpghttp://www.nymansuppsala.se/hemsidan/marin-filer/Modellernas%20utveckling-filer/image015.jpg

[Bill Gohr]

why ya want one?

[russhill]

Thanks, Sam, it's nice to have somebody like you reporting who really knows his/her stuff. Keep up the good work.

Separately, on the subject of Swedish outboard companies, where does Archimedes-Pinta fit?

Russ

[Mark75H]

Russ, they all eventually rolled into one, sort of like OMC buying Johnson, Evinrude and Lockwood - and OMC later selling under the Gale and Buccaneer names as well. Another analogy could be the American Motors/Jeep combination of Willys Kaiser Frasier Nash which was later rolled into Daimler Chrysler.

[Matts]

Bundys were Crescents made in Italy. There must have been some tarriff/trade/tax reason to make them at a second plant in Italy instead of just shipping them from the main plant in Sweden. The famous Bundy endurance win was a single class entry (no other motors were entered in their class) ... but at least they did finish the race :)

I think this was a 30 or 35 hp 2 cylinder fishing motor


Sam the only Crescent at the Bundys are the decals, they are all-out Italian motors. The Crescent company had them imported to Sweden and re-decaled with start in '62-'63, this was ongoing for a few years only. It was a temporary solution before their own motors of about that size was ready for production. Crescent's main competitior the domestic Archimedes and Penta had just introduced a 25 hp and had a 43 hp in pipeline, so there was some stress at Crescent. You are interested in Crescent history??

The orange 55 is made in Uppsala

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

This pictures Crescent 500 had high compression Alky? or different model - Crescent Tornado? It had type pistons distinctly different from the stock gas pistons I obtained that were knotched through machine work to lower the compression. Clearly this Crescent is unlike any I have seen operative here in North America that always had carbs mounted right on the block 90 degrees off crankshaft direction. In North America there were 2 variations of carbs as well, the Solex carbs and the Bings. Bings are featured in these pictures with their velocity stacks that are distinctly different than the straight stack extensions seen particularly on Alky Crescent C engines in North America.

Enjoy the pictures. This engine is currently undergoing further development and modernization.

[Matts]

This looks like the typical 600cc block. It's origin could be of the Tornado or 600gtx. It could also be a hopped-up fishing block or an early E50. A picture of the crank and a piston could maybe clarify things a little.Only a little. Nice project:)

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

The cranksahft is not full circle but a very sturdy press fit unit in any case. I have replaced the old pistons with Kawasaki pistons and rings that needed a little machine work to do the trick. The old chromed bores are replaces with liners are now full length cast iron (it was all awful expensive). Nikaseal would be out of sight! The original ignition uses a megentic flywheel with 3 sets of points and condensers, with 3 energizing coils that provided power to one secondary discharge coil per sparkplug. I am unsure I am staying with that seeing the cogged belt drive Mercury CD tripple setups I have seen put on other Crescents already that are very reliable and that also lets you lighten the flywheel too. This engine is destined to have expansion chamber exhausts, a 3 into 1 system. At least the midsection and gearcase are all ready and need nothing further.

[Matts]

With the 3-point ignition and the bottom-hose carbs & air horns, if they belongs to the block it is most likely of a Tornado/55sport motor. About '70-'72 era. The 600cc was originally launched in '63 as the Penta/Archimedes E50 of 43hp. Last 600cc was the VolvoPenta60hp -'76. GOOD blocks are VERY hard to get. Pic shows the Tornado's fishing brother with the new gearcase.

In '66 Nymans took over Electrolux' outboard manufacture of Penta/Archimedes and moved it to their new plant in Uppsala. They got a line of 4-43 hp's, but theCrescent engineers rejected everything except the 600cc and it's gearcase/transomstuff. Later they used these underwater parts in improved form for various powerheads. The third pic is of a E50 '63. Everyone on the lake could hear them coming. Coolest sounding fishing motor?

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Your latest pictures are very much like this engine, its probably a Tornado 55.

I got out the Crescent's box of "kaput" parts, the 3 pistons. All 3 were overheated and scored into being useless. One piston had a uniform flat top while the other 2 had sections of their crowns machined down to lessen their compression. They all used 2 rings that are pinned and rectangular in shape. Each long skirt knotched piston measured 62 millimeters in diameter in their sorry scored state.

In the ignition spare parts box there were TT 2ndary coils as well as Bosch secondary coils not unlike you find on snowmobile engines used everwhere.

The crankshaft is a rather beefy non-full circle pinned unit made up of 3 sets of paired "porkchop" plates to hold the big end pins. Ironically the crankshaft output to driveshaft splines are the same as Mercury 30H drivshaft splines for input.

Carbs are all Bings but someone across the pond there put 3 nice aluminum belled velocity stacks on each one. The Crescent 500 Alkys I have ever laid eyes on have a kind of carb barrel extension that reminds you of a straight hog's nose screwed onto the barrel of the Bing! I have a couple of them but the third is missing.

The last time I saw a Crescent Super C 500 gasser was in Alberta, Canada. It was a Dick O"Dea prepared engine and the owner and driver was from Montana. He had no one to run with so he was merged with some 20+ D-Stock hydros for a couple of heats, the rest of the hydros were powered by Merc 55Hs at that time (1979) which in the end he, the Crescent lapped us all anyway! And proceeded to do all that over again in the second heat too! That motor was what we called strong silent power! :)

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

I hope these pictures help ID the type of Crescent this is. It had 2 kinds of pistons in it that were different. The crankshaft is beefy enough and the ignition might help too.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

In addition to the 3 gasoline Bing carbs with 90 degree mounting manifolds and belled velocity stacks there was these 2 converted to Alky Bing carbs with their hog's nose type velocity stacks as well that you only ever seen on Alkys in these parts of North America. All this and 2 types and compressions of pistons that came with the block makes one wonder what this engine was all about? It came from Europe somewhere via the UK so maybe someone might know its history. Evidently it also had a set of stacks hanging from it too, which I don't have. Any ideas or answers anyone?

[Matts]

The crank and armature plate assy looks like typical 600cc stuff. (the plate were used on some 500 fishing motors too) The coils are of the old '60s design. The 600cc sport cranks have a little "+" etched on them.

Have you seen this old Volvo commercial? Seven minutes of 600cc, mainly from Rouen '75
http://www.penta.volvo.se/history/lotech/default.asp?strDecade=1970&strYear=1973&strStoryId=&strMovieId=../movies/honken_T1.mov

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

They were brave people there dodging wood and trash in the water. I saw a DSH hydro fall victim to a 2 X4 x 8ft floater that shot the driver knees first right through the front of the raceboat taking steering cowl and all with him as if he was bodily cleaning out a cattle feed trough!

Its nice to know what this terror ahemmm! Crescent Toronado is about. I wonder of there is some way of sneaking it into Super E with a canvass bag over the powerhead! :)

[stingray240cs]

Hej Matts,
could you contact me, please? I have quite a big collection of Crescent stuff (also member of Nyman Vanners). I think you could help me out with some info Im still missing. Im happy to share everything I have...
You can contact me via email or PM
Thanks
Roman

[stingray240cs]

Here you can see the original Bundy ADá without a Crescent sticker..

[Enzo]

In the early sixties Mr Innocenti entered into the Bundy business in Milan.
My father Rizzi Riccardo ( that in 50’s conquered different world records with the Innocenti Lambretta)was the technical contact - engine developer - official pilot of Bundy Marine in Italy owned be Innocenti.
He raced in the Idroscalo Milan a 6 Hours e durante race in April 1962 and won a Miami - Nassau -Miami in USA.
I still have pictures of this special Italian history.
The engine were the White Head 30 hp - 50 hp


Bundys were Crescents made in Italy. There must have been some tarriff/trade/tax reason to make them at a second plant in Italy instead of just shipping them from the main plant in Sweden. The famous Bundy endurance win was a single class entry (no other motors were entered in their class) ... but at least they did finish the race :)

I think this was a 30 or 35 hp 2 cylinder fishing motor

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Can you post the pictures?

[Enzo]

702187021970220702217022270224


Italy Milan Idroscalo 1962 April ( 6 hours endurance)
USA Miami 1963 (Miami Nassau Miami race )

[Enzo]

Can you post the pictures?

Done

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thank you Enzo. I had never heard of this motor before or the other history. Thanks you you're contribution you help add to Boatracingfacts reputation as the greatest site in the world when it comes to the history, stories and legends of boat racing.

[sbirbarie]

My son and I own two of these, one of which has never been run. I believe my father became a dealer for Bundy for a short period in the 60's and these were in his collection. We even have a can or two of original Bundy touch up spray paint along with some early literature. The Crescent relationship is news to me.