Molinari Racing Boat History and Information

[Lars Strom]

In my opinion the Molinari tunnel boats built at the famous Lake Como in the northern part of Italy is a big part of outboard racing history.

I was to young when tunnel boat racing started but have been told that Dieter Schulze was the first tunnel boat builder and Angelo Molinari started just after.
I am pretty good at Molinari boats in the seventies and the eighty's but not in the sixties. Pretty sure there is plenty of people that can fill in from the sixties.

Molinari switched from Mercury Outboards to Evinrude Outboards late 1976..but please do not make a big deal if those Molinari boats was powered by a Merc in-line 6, V6 or the OMC V-4/V-6/V-8.
There was also plenty of Molinari boats in the OE/F-3 class..
Here is one example..My own black OE/F-3..powered by a Volvo Penta/Konig. The year is 1977.

First a beautiful picture from Lake Como.

[Lars Strom]

One setback buying a race boat from Molinari was that you have to race him..and Renato always raced the absolutely latest he built..
Yes..he was racing OE/F-3 also.

[Lars Strom]

Racing people has always speculated in how much money OMC paid Molinari to switch from Mercury Racing to Evinrude Racing late 1976.

I think OMC paid him lots of money..

Here is my take why..

January 1 1977 OMC started there own distribution in every country in Europe.
OMC needed something big to get Evinrude/Johnson dealers excited about the new
plan.. OMC Sweden, OMC France, OMC Germany etc.

There was only two big markets in Europe where OMC kept the local distributor..
Ital-Marine was still the Evinrude importer in Italy and a local importer in Spain..
(I think the name was Motomaso)

OMC made a big deal about getting the World famous Italian boat racer/builder at the same time they presented the new OMC in Europe to all the dealers.

We can always guess how many millions of dollars OMC paid..but only Renato knows..!!

[Lars Strom]

Yes..there was a six hour race in Stockholm, Sweden 1968.
3 hours on Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday.

The winner was Renato Molinari in his #34 Molinari/Merc
See attached picture..it is Renato on top of the Merc..sorry for Swedish.

Second picture is # 51 Carlo Rosini from Italy. Also in a Molinari /Merc at the Stockholm Six Hours.

[Ron Hill]

Yes..there was a six hour race in Stockholm, Sweden 1968.
3 hours on Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday.

The winner was Renato Molinari in his #34 Molinari/Merc
See attached picture..it is Renato on top of the Merc..sorry for Swedish.

Second picture is # 51 Carlo Rosini from Italy. Also in a Molinari /Merc

I think it is so cool that during this era, Mercury built the motors, but if you wanted to WIN, you ran a Record prop. When I figure out what "RADICE" knew (He built Cary, Rolla and Record props) I will have arrived. Scotti won Havasu 1969 with Record Props. My Record props were 10 MPH faster than OMC's wheels in 1970.

Thanks for posting Lars.

ADD;

Carlo Rosini was a banker! He had the best looking daughter in the world!

[Lars Strom]

Carlo Corbetta from Brazil in his Molinari/Merc 1000 BP
Year 1972

[Lars Strom]

The first two pictures:...Two racing buddies..Renato and Bob in Italy
Year 1972

Last picture in this post..# 457 Bob Herring & Renato Molinari at Parker 7 Hour Enduro in 1975.

[Lars Strom]

A new Molinari boat took Cees Van Der Velden & Billy Seebold to the overall victory in the famous Paris Six Hours 1974.

You can read more about my eleven Paris Six Hour races here:
http://svera.se/blogg/paris-6-hours/

[Lars Strom]

Another Swede..Ulf Backman when he wasn't driving his Molinari-Evinrude Ulf was a commercial pilot for SAS..Scandinavien Airlines..

Well..not 100% sure..before my time in racing but I think this is Ulf´s Molinari #24..but it could be his Schulze..I do know the picture is from Paris Six Hours and Ulf drove all the six hours by himself.

[Lars Strom]

A fun memory about a visit to Renato...

I was at the Molinari factory outside Como testing a boat before Paris Six Hours..

Drove my Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Sweden to Italy..
Renato was not impressed with my loud American Muscle car..!!

Later that day he invited me to his house higher up in the mountains with a view over Lake Como..
(I don't now for sure if this was his only resident I think there was two)

Well..I could not take my car to his place so Renato took me in his brand new white Porsche 911 Turbo..

This ride as a passenger on those narrow mountain roads is hard to forget..!!