The Six Hours of Paris: A History Thread

[Ron Hill]

Someone posted something to the effect, "If you ever raced the Six Hours of Paris, you never forgot the feeling."

I last raced Paris in October of 1972, but I can still feel the boat under me and the engine humming anytime I switch my mind to October 1972. I was scheduled to driver there in 1973, but my daughter Jessica was scheduled to be born that same month. I stayed home, October of 1973, Jessica was born on the day of the Six Hours of Paris, 1973.

Lars, I hope you post some of those lists of entries, as I would love to ask questions about some names, and write about others.

[Lars Strom]

Sounds like fun Ron..

This entry list for Paris 6 Hours 1972 I got from Lars Block in Sweden..
He is the driver of the yellow 2 liter inboard boat # R - 114 same year.

[Lars Strom]

The overall winner 1970..Boat # 12..Sanders-Posey..USA.

[Lars Strom]

More Lars Block R-114 from 1970..

To bad I can not be part in this year..My first Paris 6 Hours was 1973..well..I was in the pit with my boat..but no racing..long bad story.

[Lars Strom]

Red dots is the turning buoys..made out of concrete and a truck tire around.
The yellow dot is the place for the Statue of Liberty.
Race course was around 3 miles long.
Start 11 AM firm and finish 5 PM

[Ron Hill]

People would ask me how racing in France was? I'd tell them, it was kind of like driving on an LA Freeway if everyone was drunk. Seeing this picture that Lars posted reminded me how "Wild" the Six Hours really was.

We are planning a trip to Italy this summer, 2012, aand plan to see Renato and Massimo SCOTTI.

[Lars Strom]

Hehe Ron..

Rush hour traffic at the river Seine, Paris.. Sunday, October 1974

I think the two first is Scotti Boats with the Rotary´s..

Remember the "mist" after the Rotary boats..hard to see..maybe they used more oil than a piston engine..??

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You're probably right Lars. John Sheldon could tell us. If they are anything like the rotary engines in Mazda's they would burn oil purposefully. There was a system to inject a metered amount of oil through the carb in order to lubricate the apex seals. The cars had an oil pan like regular piston engines, and had to be changed along with a filter, but for the apex seals to have a long enough life to match or exceed piston engines before an overhaul for rings was necessary, the extra oil had to be added. The apex seals were some kind of graphite material with a tempered spring to keep them seated against the rotor housing. In addition their were hard, round cradles the seals rested in at each tip of the rotor that were also spring loaded and sealed the sides of the tips. If I remember correctly, an RX2 would burn around a quart of oil per thousand miles. Seems like there was a separate oil reservoir on top of the motor to keep topped up. Can't really remember. So, the OMC rotaries may have been designed this same way, and probably had to have more oil injected than a production car. Redline on the Mazda's was I believe 6500 or 7000. Unlike a piston engine, the higher the rpm on a rotary, the more centrifugal forces on the apex seals, thus shorter life. At least that's my opinion. Hopefully Rotary John will see this thread and shed some light on it. If not we can steer him here through the rotary thread.

[Lars Strom]

I have seen Rotary John here today..

Well..one more thing..the yellow boat to the left in the picture have a young hungry driver
that finally got to start in the Paris 6 Hour race..!!

[F-12]

Wayne would know about these things as he abused a Mazda Rotary for many years on the back roads of Alice, Texas. Seems with your experience, Wayne, You should have been on the team to make these engines live a lot longer than they did. I know yours lived for a very long time.