NOA, NOAA any info

[88workcar]

I was told that this organization at one time allowed for a 90 yamaha to be raced against the SST60 engines. I would love to see a picture of one. Thanks.

[Popa Sam]

I was told that this organization at one time allowed for a 90 yamaha to be raced against the SST60 engines. I would love to see a picture of one. Thanks.

The SST60 was not in existence when NOA raced. The 90 Yamaha raced against the modified OMC's of the day. The 90 powerhead was mounted on a 2 cylinder 60 Mariner short housing. It was the same bolt pattern. I had just built a 4 cylinder 85 Merc with 4 carbs that was very competitive with the Yamaha. The organization folded before I got the bugs worked out. James Blake had the 90 Yamaha. I helped him assemble it after Jr Eaves did the machine work. It made the other motors pretty much compete for 2nd place.

[88workcar]

That is the same story that I was told 5 days ago. How do I get in touch with James Blake. Does he live in Soddy Daisy, TN.

[Mark Poole]

I was there when this went on. Allowing the 90 Yamaha powerhead to run on the smaller leg and lower was a very bad decision. The old NOA rules stated that the engine had to be "stock appearing". Stock appearing to who?? Put a dollar amount on the machining that had to be done and there is the reason not to allow it.

[Danny Pigott]

A friend of mine has what i think was the last one running. This one was on a V bottom. I thought i could get a pic. of it but called just now, an he no longer has it. Blake may have a pic. of his but he no longer has it. Sam was right about The OMC's running for second place but remember they were 49 cu. an the Yamaha was 69 cu. an both were Looper's wonder why they did not run the 70 Yamaha that was i think was 49 cu. I guess we know that. The class in NOA was 40 to 70 cu. so it could run but should not have been on the Mariner lower unit. This was one of the worse things that happen to NOA, it killed a class that had a full field of boat's. get the feeling I didn't like the Yamaha even if Blake an I were on the same Team. The first time one showed up on a V bottom, a very out spoken owner Roger Prosser said at the drivers meeting they have already killed the Tunnel class, now they are trying to kill the V bottom.

[88workcar]

I do agree with all said, that was before my time, didn't seem fair. My only interest is to speak to those who built the 90 Yammies. I want to built one that will make good power. I have one built off of the 60 Mariner and just picked up a mint 60 mariner for a secound build. It was not a bad job at all. On the first I am running the bigger 90 case, on the next I will use the smaller 60 case. Thanks for any help. And I would love to see a 90 on a tunnel.

[Danny Pigott]

There were a couple that ran well with the big case but ran Merc props that were very high $ some around $1000.00 back then. with low water pick up an nose cone. The Mariner unit had to have the same thing. JR Eaves put finger ports an other mods in them. I think he was around Soddy Tn, Sam may know for sure. If you can fine Glen Renoles (sp) a drag racer from around Kinston Tn he may be of some help, a guy in Kingston named Oran had one of the faster ones, Glen would know if he is still around. but Eaves did the motor work. we build a couple but that was a long time ago. Good luck with this i will try to get a pic. from Blake for you. My other post was just to tell the racing History of this motor.

[Popa Sam]

Mr Eaves did live in Soddy Daisy. He past away a few years ago, I think one of his son's is still in the business. The only machining that was done was to the powerhead internals. Nothing had to be done to the Mariner mid for it to fit.

At the NOA nationals in 1985, the 4 cylinder Merc I built finished 2nd. It had speed on the Yamaha but had starting problems. One of the heats the Merc ran down and passed the Yamaha. This is the only picture I've been able to find of it.

[Ted March]

Here's the link to:

Reynolds Racing and Marine
1019 South Roane Street
Harriman, Tennessee 37748
865-882-9623 - Fax 865-882-6010
Email - rrnmarine@aol.com

http://www.reynoldsracingmarine.com/

[88workcar]

Thanks guys, pop, looks like you made a 650XS 4 cyl, I am in the process of doing some crazy stuff to a 3 cyl Jap block. I love this stuff.

[Danny Pigott]

Sam, did you put a cut off T2X front on the 85 or was it home made. I don't remember seeing your motor but i didn't race after 85, after they let the Yamaha run Dad said that was it, an would did not run the 75 Tunnel any more. We could run with it on the top end but the jetty starts killed the 75. It did run one more time an beat the Yamaha but this was a outlaw race an no jetty start an we had it on Alky.

[Popa Sam]

I cut the front of a T2. Had it mounted on a T2 mid with the 850xs gearcase. It was on Wedingcamp's Burgess. I was wrong about it being the last NOA nationals. It was the 85 nationals. The reason I know is the next year at Georgetown was when Mark stuffed it on the backstretch and split the boat in half. I got a local shrimper to drag the motor up for me. If it had been the 87 nationals then GT would not have run the next year. We never ran it again(no boat) so I sold it to Mark Trotter. I had planned to build another one to go on a new Burgess that the Wedingcamp boys had ordered. They never got the boat or their deposit back. In the same time frame NOA folded so there was no class for it anymore.

The big difference in the one I built and the other one that was running(Mike Trotter) was that I had a crank built that had the needle bearing mains between all cylinders like the T2. The one he was running didn't have that. It had the stock 85 crank.

[Danny Pigott]

I remember the Merc that Mike Trotter ran I guess Red built it i think it did have the 4 carb's. I drove Danny Chichfield's (sp) tunnel he build for his 75 with a stock 90 Yamaha on it in Kingston Tn. This was after Danny was Killed an the boat was sold. Trotter got by me on the last lap with the Merc. I had no testing just got in the boat in the race with some test time i might have done better but the Merc was running good. Didn't the T2X have a diff. firing order than the T2 I know some people were putting T2X cranks in 150's but you know more about any of this than me you were the Merc man. I wish more people knew about this racing than do. NOA an Southern outboard had good races an pretty good money.

[88workcar]

Trotter got by me on the last lap with the Merc.

but the Merc was running good.

Ok Danny we will speak of this no more, we don't talk like that round these parts, LOL.... Yall keep the stories comming, Pictures are begged for....

[Popa Sam]

The one Trotter had did have the 4 carbs but still had the stock 85 crank with the reed blocks for support between some of the cylinders. The crank would flex a lot at high rpm. The only difference between the T2 and T2x was the length of the driveshaft housing. The power heads were the same. The T2 crank was different from the 150 in that it had the needle bearing mains between all the cylinders and the firing order was different. I could never get a T2 crank to run good in a 150, I thought because the exhaust plate was for a different firing order. The T2 exhaust plate would not fit under the 150 cowl.

The parts of the T2 that was used on the 4 cylinder were the front half, intake, reeds, carbs, timing belt and flywheel. The block, crank, rods and pistons were from the 85. I had the 85 crank built up and machined for needle bearing mains. If I had ever built another one it would have had the 700x pistons with finger ports and ADI ignition.

I found a VHS today that was from the nationals I spoke of earlier. Both the Yamaha 90's and the 2 Merc 4 cylinders were there. James Blake(Yamaha) won, Mark Wedingcamp(Merc) was second and Larry Oran(Yamaha) was third overall. I intend to get it put on a CD in the near future and will try to link to it when I do.

I'm with you Danny, on wishing more people knew what real racing was. NOA was not controlled by Merc and OMC like APBA was.

[Danny Pigott]

Mark 75 what do you think about moving this to history. It was a part boat racing that was all most forgot an we can have more to come about it.

[thornl01]

Amen to the good racing that was put on by NOA in the 70's & 80's.

Being from South Carolina, and living 10 miles from "the Ditch", many good races & racers cut their teeth racing with the likes of Danny P, Rusty Camplell, Steve & Benny Robertson, "RED lantz, Bucky Morris, D.F. Jenkins, the Trotter Brothers, and many others from this area.

My Brother Ran a critchfield w/ POP power & I still have that powerhead. (built in 1980). The boat was red w/ Deputy dog on the bow.(My Brother was a deputy shheriff for Florence County).:)

Will never forget the Week we would spend @ Rocks Pond "preparing" for the race on Sunday. Its a miracle some of us made it to Sunday.

Have been away from boat racing for 25+ years & I really miss this.

Lawrence thornton

[Danny Pigott]

Sam, talked to an old firend of yours this weekend Teddy Hiott he lives just down the road from me.He had A Critchfield with a 90 Yamaha at the end of NOA it was one of our motors he said. We talked a lot about those days. He still has 2 Allisons with 2.5's to play with.

[Danny Pigott]

Thorn, seems like i remember a boat called Deputy Dog, By a POP motor I guess you mean it was one of Dad's. I remember the Ditch if anybody saw it they would know why it was called that. It had a right hand dog leg in front of the pits an when the boats went around the curve they would disappear until they came back from the far turn. This was a fun place to race an had good support of the people around there. They paid like $ 500.00 to win U class in the mid 70's. to bad its gone.

[Popa Sam]

Thanks Danny. I remember Teddy well. Glad to know he is well and still playing with fast boats.

[88workcar]

Every one that I speak to about it used to have a fast 90, where did they all go, got to be some parts lying around

[Popa Sam]

Video of Merc vs Yamaha at Portsmouth Ohio 1985.

[Popa Sam]

Every one that I speak to about it used to have a fast 90, where did they all go, got to be some parts lying around

The part that's hard to find is the short housing from the 2 cylinder 60 hp Mariner. Seems the 90 Yamaha powerheads should be plentiful.

[88workcar]

Thats not the proplem popa, I have a whole 60, mint, setting in my shed. I also have another mid on my boat now, and yes stock powerheads are plentiful. I am looking for the ones that were built. Custom tuners, carbs, spacers, adapters, ect.... Blocks, even if it is junk now. Props. There is information in those old parts. I love the Vid, Thanks. Now post the one of the Yamaha handleing his buisness, LOL.

[thornl01]

Danny P

Yes we have a pwrhead from your dad. He did it somewhere around 1978-1979..
I worked for Ray Ellis in florence for quite a few years & we had some really good times traveling to Knoxville, lake Eufaula (sp) Savannah, Beafort (SC) to the races, During the days when Earl was driving for DF & Ben Robertson was known as "little Bennie"
Another one of our racing companions was Red McEntyre. Red was really a hoot to be around & had one of the very few merc 65XS engines on a 14ft allison.
Our boat was really fast off the beach (rocks Pond), but my brother was not the most agressive driver so we didn't finish well that often, but with that POP power, we could really "handle down the straights".

Currently building a small riverboat ( hightide brand, Bug Buster) w/ 45" evinrude for my nephew to play with. working bottom on boat now & hoping to have it in THE DITCH, next spring. No more 'PAGODA' at the landing, but decent concrete ramp & nice parking. Still red mud everywhere.

Those were the days.

[88workcar]

Just sending this one to the top, Have any of you had luck in contacting the right folks for me? thanks

[Danny Pigott]

I remember Red when he ran a 50 HP Merc an later the 650 xs. You talk about him being a hoot, one time at the Ditch he had the 650xs on his Allison this was after the 700x had come out. The rumor was that Red had a 700 power head with 650 cowl. This guy walks up to him an says is that a 650 or 700, Red looks at the motor an then at the guy an says can't you read. We all got a laugh out of that.

[Smokin' Joe]

NOA allowed the larger displacement 90 Yamaha to be raced against the OMC 75 (40-70 c.i. class) in 1985, and that killed the class.





I was told that this organization at one time allowed for a 90 yamaha to be raced against the SST60 engines. I would love to see a picture of one. Thanks.

[88workcar]

I would agree that without restrictions that, that was not fair by anyones standards. And also there was a class developed where the 90 ran against inlines and V4s and was quite competitive, then the rules allowed for some wild mods and from that piont on the V4s were unstopable and that killed a class. Rules are there for a reason. Here at home we just go play, it always turns into a race of some sort. Me haveing the smallest engine is a plus. If I get beat by a 2.5 or 2.4 or even a 2.6 No one can go brag, "yea I spanked that 90 with my 2.5" just doesn't get applause. I have never been at the back of the pack with my 90, acually closer to the front is most common. And the fellas that wind up behind me catch hell from thier buddies, Not me. I just enjoy going on the run.
The biggest reason for starting this tread was to find the folks that have 90 parts that make one run, or the knowledge to do so. I have been directed to some knowledgable folks and have a few great conversations about the 90. It is a stong motor, and I will eventually get mine to make RPM, 7000 is not enough. I want more.

[Popa Sam]

This the start of the 40-70 V class.

[Popa Sam]

This is the start of the VX Class.

[Popa Sam]

This is the start of the TX Class

[Smokin' Joe]

Thanks. Who were in the first three places?



This the start of the 40-70 V class.

[88workcar]

Thanks for the Vids Poppa, keepem coming. I did manage to find some rpm. I am now solidly up in the 7000rpm range. I will keep tring to make it to the 8000rpm range. I will be satisfied at that point. The motor really came to life with the extra power and rpm. I have been able to speak to Mr Dean Pink, Larry Orin, the Soddy Daisy boys, and I would like to get to talk with the rest of them. I would really hate it if all that experiance and knowledge just went away. Thanks for all the stories and vids, all of you. Keep on posting ;)

[Popa Sam]

Thanks. Who were in the first three places?

Larry Davis was in the 700 out front. Bob Wedingcamp was in the black 99. I can't remember the 32 last name, I think his first name was John. Danny may remember since I think he was from SC.

[Jeff G]

I would agree that without restrictions that, that was not fair by anyones standards. And also there was a class developed where the 90 ran against inlines and V4s and was quite competitive, then the rules allowed for some wild mods and from that piont on the V4s were unstopable and that killed a class. Rules are there for a reason. Here at home we just go play, it always turns into a race of some sort. Me haveing the smallest engine is a plus. If I get beat by a 2.5 or 2.4 or even a 2.6 No one can go brag, "yea I spanked that 90 with my 2.5" just doesn't get applause. I have never been at the back of the pack with my 90, acually closer to the front is most common. And the fellas that wind up behind me catch hell from thier buddies, Not me. I just enjoy going on the run.
The biggest reason for starting this tread was to find the folks that have 90 parts that make one run, or the knowledge to do so. I have been directed to some knowledgable folks and have a few great conversations about the 90. It is a stong motor, and I will eventually get mine to make RPM, 7000 is not enough. I want more.

The Class was Formula V, even the 56 ci OMC engines were competitive. What happened with the V-4 is the inspectors did not follow the rules, Originally stock dealer item parts, and allowed fully modified engines to run and allowed 20' Allisons to compete. A 13' boat will not beat a 20' simply because of the holes the 20' leaves. The 150 Mercs and 15' boats still beat the 20' boats but the following year the OPC Commission changed the rules to retroactively allow the modifications to the v-4. Also the drivers with the 13 and 15' boats from down south decided not to compete in a dangerous situation. The following year they changed all the tech rules and made all of the engines from down south illegal. If ya can't beat them on the race course, change the rules and get rid of them!

[88workcar]

Got any more POPA? got the old 90 to 7400rpm, still looking for more

[Danny Pigott]

Rumor was back in that time that the fast 90 Yamaha's had the hot stuff in the oil injection tank i can't say that this was true or not but i got it from a good source. The ones running the stock gear case with low water pickup i think were running Merc props which at that time 1983/85 could cost up to a $1,000