Molinari Racing Boat History and Information

[Lars Strom]

Thanks Keith,
Do you have any more pictures??

998 Bill Sirous, 21' Molinari, dual 1350 BP DC Stackers!
Winner of 1970 World Championship

[Lars Strom]

Renato after he crashed out in Rotterdam Grand-Prix 1975

[Lars Strom]

Thanks HARLAN ORRIN,
Do you have any pictures..??

The Rasini brothers drove a Molinari boat to the overall win i Paris Six Hours 1967

More from Paris 1967 and the Rasini brothers..

[Lars Strom]

Pinuccio Todeschini in his Molinari/Mercruiser racing 1982

[Lars Strom]

Pinuccio Todeschini in his Molinari/Mercruiser racing 1982

More pictures of this beauty..!!

[Lars Strom]

More SE Class Molinari boats..This is from 1984
It is from the beautiful lake next to Auronzo di Cadore in the mountains North/East Italy.
I have been there racing a few times.
About a mile above sea level. Great place.

Photo: Marcello Curioni

[Lars Strom]

I guess you could buy a Molinari boat and race the Merc 2 liter class when Renato was under contract with OMC..
Renato was really upset with me when I installed a Volvo Penta/Konig on the F3/OE boat I purchased from him 1977..

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Ha Ha Lars. When I saw that picture I knew exactly what you were going to say. And it just occurred to me why I didn't have a picture of you in 1977 when you came to Dieter's factory.

My first article in Powerboat appeared in the Competition Issue in 1974. Since then, I had photos and articles published of the major Pro races in the U.S. In 1976 I had a story about the UIM World Championships for OA, OD and OF published in Powerboat, and in it was maybe the only picture ever published in a magazine of the "King Kong Konig" as Powerboat editor dubbed it. It was the six cylinder opposed motor that had the same rotary valve arrangement and carbs that you and Roger Jenkins both ran the next year

My first trip to Berlin, and to the Konig factory was unannounced. I spent thirty days in Nigeria, and had a six week excursion fare. If I left sooner or stayed later, big bucks would kick in. My ticket was open for anywhere I wanted to go for the next two weeks so I flew back to London where my original flght took me to Nigeria. While in London, I thought "Why not go to Berlin?" I didn't know Dieter well. He knew my Dad and me being the driver. So I went. I just showed up at the factory and told him who I was. It was a moment or two for him to put it together, but he knew me. Then he let me take pictures of anything I wanted. I wandered around all of the plant below and took photos. We had a great time together and during that week I met Kurt Mishke, Hans Krage, Karl Bartel and Jerry Drake. I took pictures of all of them a the Berlin Boat Show in 1975.

Back in Berlin again in 1976, David Westbrook and I raced in the Weltpokal (World Cup). Again I had no restrictions on taking photos in and around the shop, including the few photos I took of Dieter's motorcycles. It was after the pictures of the "King Kong Konig" appeared in Powerboat that Dieter sent me a letter that he did not want the photos published. He never said anything to me about it, and he never told me not to take pictures again. The next few years I went to Dieter's, I was not restricted from taking pictures.

I can't remember exactly how this came about because it was so fast. I don't remember Dieter telling me not to take pictures, but in those days I never even walked anywhere without one or two cameras slung around my shoulders. So either it happened so quickly or I was told by Dieter, not to take the photo of Lars with a Konig, I can't remember.

This is what I do remember. I was there on my "Honigmonde" with my new wife Debbie and she was painting white stars on a blue background of sticky vinyl to make our flags for the boats. I was rigging up a couple of brand new Danisch Propriders Dieter had gotten from Bernie Danisch in East Berlin. Suddenly Dieter came over to where I was mounting hardware on one of the new propriders and said we need to help move some boats out of the way. I think Dieter's nephew Joachim Mareth was rigging up a boat also.

We ran to the side of the shop and manhandled several boat out of the way. It was very narrow and we had to push the other boats all the way back to make room for a vehicle to pass through. I was kind of put out about it because I had to stop what I was doing, then we had to wait. I was wanting to get back to finish rigging the boat, then get back to my new wife painting stars on our flag, then cutting the red and white stripes to stick on the boat.

It was supposed to be quick, but seems like we waited about twenty minutes. Then, here comes a car. I comes down the narrow lane by the factory we had just cleared out. Makes a sharp left and stops. There is a door at the back of the factory and close to where the dyno room is. That is where the Konig Penta motor with the three carb rotary valve motor is loaded into the car. I did take a couple of photos of Lars's helpers's beside the car, but not one of Lars. I am sure I was introduced, and I am sure that Dieter told me NOT TO TAKE PICTURES. Dieter always was a gentleman and introduced everyone. This was a quick in and out meeting. I have a vague recollection of being introduced to Lars in Dieter's office or maybe on the line where many assembly's took place. One thing I am sure of though is that Dieter told me not to take a picture of Lars Strom and he came in the back and left with a Konig/Penta.

[Lars Strom]

Haha Wayne..that is so funny..we where doing everything in our hands to keep my switch to Molinari/VP/Konig 1977 a secret..and you just happen to be at Dieters place at the right hour..
Here is the two pictures you took and I am really happy you did..

Few people believe I raced Paris Six Hours with a Molinari/VP-Konig but I did..Here is the story..
http://svera.se/blogg/paris-6-hours/...ix-hours-1977/

[Lars Strom]

Renatos new Evinrude cowling.. first race 1984 Lyon, France