Miscellaneous Myths

[Mark75H]

Here are some popular myths:

Merc was the first outboard to exceed 100 mph ... WRONG!

Super C is model name of the Crescent racer... WRONG!

The first factory produced racing outboard was made in the US... WRONG!

APBA has always been the US affiliate of the UIM... WRONG!

There are only 25 Merc Mark75H motors... WRONG!

The Mark75H is just a Mark75 powerhead over a Speedmaster lower unit... WRONG!

The Merc Mark20H is rare... WRONG!

Merc sold converted 20H's from the factory... WRONG!

The 20H conversion killed the original Hot Rod racer... WRONG!

There was only 1 Mark25H prototype... WRONG!

The WW2 fire pump motors used the OMC racing motor powerheads... WRONG!

The Quincy Looper was the first loop charged racing outboard ... WRONG!

Which one should I start on?

[Ron Hill]

I know the answer about World War II Pumpers....only a few parts were useable to make a KR Johnson...

I'll guess the 75-H had bigger carbs and had the intake and exhaust ports raised .060...and light flywheel!

Might argue the KIT on the 20-H/Hot Rod...

[march3stv]

:D White men have "small" boats!

[Mark75H]

By summer of 1959 when the conversion kits came out the Champion factory was already closed. For the next several years everything was locked up and nothing was available. This is where Fred Miller would be helpful. As I understand it he was a protege of Paul Kalb, who was essential to the Hot Rod story.

75H mid sections are completely different from anything else; the Mark75H lower unit does not fit anything else ..... hydrodynamicly and internally the 75H lower unit is almost a Speedmaster, but the bolt pattern up to the mid is different.

[Ron Hill]

Well, Sam the Champion Motor Company may have been out of business...but some freinds of Paul Kalb's..Roger Steerman to be exact, with the help of John Van Epps, "Slipped" and Open exhaust onto Roger's Van Pelt BU Runabout for the second elimination heat, at Beloit, and Roger was winning until he "PULLED OFF" with engine trouble do to the fact he'd "LOST" his exhaust cover..

I wasn't really involved in the cover up...well, I was there...but Roger Sterman and John Van Epps had spent the winter and most of the summer of 1959/60 in California. They, with the help of Paul Kalb, wanted to show the MERCURY BOYS that the "ROD" would beat the 20-H with a kit, if the "ROD" could run open stacks...

Roger pulled in, we exchanged the exhaust cover quickly, and explained to the officials, that the cover had been left loose and he was "LUCKY" not to burn up a perfectly good HOT ROD.......Which, in those days in Region 7, there WERE NO GOOD HOT RODS!!!!!

Had the HOT ROD had a class to sell motors to, maybe the company could have come back, then...but Mercury Marine was growing HUGE...

The Mod Division of APBA got it roots from that day at Beloit!!

Paul went on to be President of APBA and OMC's race Director in Europe..

The 75-H powerhead was close to production wasn't it???

[Mark75H]

Yes, on the powerhead the changes were minimal from the factory. The specs are the same as the 55H. Special alky Tillotson carbs with big jets and big nozzles for alcohol, rerouted fuel lines for higher volume instead of lots of pump suction for far away remote tank that might happen with a pleasure or work motor.

[Mark75H]

I heard Charlie sent Paul to Europe to get him out of his hair. Did they get along? Sorry if this is not correct or accurate, you never know the rumors you hear about boat racers, maybe that's just a myth too.

[Ted March]

Do you remember Slick Chick, a D Speedliner. Can't remember the name, but he was fast. Came from region 4. so he was probably in your neighborhood. beat the stuff out of me at the Presidents Cup

[B VALACHOVIC]

I differ on the outboard 100 mph record. Whom where and when did someone make a certified 2 way pass over 100 mph with a( factory production outboard engine ) available to others that was not from the Kiekhaefer corporation. I beleive that is what was stated was done at the time. Thanks Bob

[Mark75H]

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Bob, you are correct, but I didn't say "production based outboard powerhead", I just said "outboard". You are adding in something that I did not.

The LESCO was a legal outboard in it's class and a certified 2 way pass over 100 mph was made. There have always been classes for non production based powerheads and many of the fastest speed records are held by this type motor.

Adding a few words to a press release or advertising does not make a legitimate existing record go away (no matter how much Carl wished it so).

[B VALACHOVIC]

Sam I always knew that the merc 75 h was depicted as the 1st( production outboard )to do so not the 1st of any. But then i was around mercs and merc people a lot and was always told that the 100 mph speed record helped create a image for merc and sold engines to the general public and was advertised as something they could buy.We know what it was,But if its a MYTH consider it broken as the 1st of any outboard . That is not true.

[Ron Hill]

Bob and Sam what are you guys saying???

Sam is saying the Merc wasn't the first outboard to go 100??

Bob is saying a Production (MARK 75-H) was the first 100 MPH Outboard???

If that is the arguement, I'd agree with Sam as the the 75-H was a Racing Motor, in fact, it was advertsied for sale to only QUALIFIED Racing Boat Drivers...

Paul Kalb, Charlie Strang differences...

If Charlie and Paul feuded, I never saw it. Jack and Paul would get into it...But then, I'd get into it with Jack..

I'd say Paul had a GLOBAL OUTLOOK and wanted OMC to win. Jack had an ENGINEERING OUTLOOK and wanted OMC to win.

Actually, Jack had/has a great personality, frequently laugh at some of the things he did while I was racing for OMC.

One story comes to mind, at the 1966 Havasu Classic I was running this 16 Foot Glastron, and Ray Huelett told me right where I was going to be "FLYING" out of the boat....I told Ray I COULD DRIVE ANY BOAT....

Well, the mother would take off like a BRONCO and just try to trow me out...I held on so tight, I disloctaed both thumbs that year, but I DIDN"T GET THROWN out of the boat.... I did however break the motor tied downs and the motor were flopping in the breeze, until I couldn't steer.


I pitted, Jack, my dad and me, pulled the steering cable off and Jack held and told my dad to hit it with a hammer...My OLD MAN hit it hard and smashed Jacks fingers on both hands under the cable.... Jack was jumping around cussing...We put the steering on a couple of rocks and Jack held it again... He says, "Go ahead and hit it Russ." My Old Man hit it again, the rocks breack and smash all of Jack's fingers again...

I finished way back, but LOVED the race... Fred Miller and Paul Kalb finished 4th...(See picture under Our Fred Miller)...

I can't recall if Paul became APBA President before he worked for OMC Belgium or after, Paul also had a great personality...

Paul had just gone for work in Belgium, and he calls me. He said, "Ron when I got here I threw 25 old aluminum props away, now they show in my budget that I need 25 props. I'm sending a purchase order for 5 OE props. Now if they pay for them, I'll oreder 5 more..." Well, budgets and CPA's figure stuff out...ALl I know John Hill and a few other OMC driver got more props tha t year than expected....

I really think, Paul going to Belguimwas more of an opportunity than any corporate feud...

ADD:

We're in Belgium testing for Paris... All the OMC people were having lunch and a little champagne was drank...So, I started drinking coffee as I wanted to get somethings done...what I didn't know is Belgium coffee is half congnac (Alcohol)...Everybody had about four cups of coffee...to sober up...we were all "FACED"...

We got back to the boats, and I don't recall who, but first one there fell off the dock into the water... Jack canceled work for the rest of the day....From then on it was COKEs for lunch!!!