1955 Boat Sport magazine article

[racingfan1]

I came across this story in the magazine and found it interesting , How long would this conversion take ??

[smittythewelder]

I'd like to know when those open and untuned exhaust dumps started getting replaced with tuned megaphones, and who did it. I'm guessing Dieter Konig, because I've seen a photo or two from 1957 (I think) of one of his first loop-scavenged A alky motors with a skinny megaphone aimed straight out either side. I think the European motorcycle guys were already using megaphones (and loop-scavenging) before this. Anybody?

(I can imagine the old Quincy Welding veterans here chuckling at how much horsepower these "pioneers" were leaving on the table. You fellas must have been pulling at least half-again as much as the figures mentioned here by Hank Bowman by the early Sixties.)

[smittythewelder]

Mr. Gene East, will you tell us about the history and tech of Quincy Welding's development of the alky Merc conversions? I'd particularly like to hear about the experiments with welding in the compression pads (some called them "rickies," right?). Welding aluminum calls for careful cleaning in all cases, and I'm wondering if those previously-run engines proved to have a lot of glop down inside the grain of the casting that made them difficult to weld. It was interesting that you guys had a different method of raising compression than O'Dea and the California engine builders, or so I recall. IIRC, Lon Stevens welded-in an entirely new combustion chamber, and O'Dea had some sort of replacement head (how attached??).

The heads aside, who came up with the megaphones? The 2-into-1 elbows? And what about third-porting, and cutting the new hole in the back of the reedblock? Oh, and the welding of the extra counter-balance weights on the crankshafts? All this was pretty cool stuff in it's day, and the stories ought to get into print.

[Gene East]

Mr. Gene East, will you tell us about the history and tech of Quincy Welding's development of the alky Merc conversions? I'd particularly like to hear about the experiments with welding in the compression pads (some called them "rickies," right?). Welding aluminum calls for careful cleaning in all cases, and I'm wondering if those previously-run engines proved to have a lot of glop down inside the grain of the casting that made them difficult to weld. It was interesting that you guys had a different method of raising compression than O'Dea and the California engine builders, or so I recall. IIRC, Lon Stevens welded-in an entirely new combustion chamber, and O'Dea had some sort of replacement head (how attached??).

The heads aside, who came up with the megaphones? The 2-into-1 elbows? And what about third-porting, and cutting the new hole in the back of the reedblock? Oh, and the welding of the extra counter-balance weights on the crankshafts? All this was pretty cool stuff in it's day, and the stories ought to get into print.

Smitty, I will answer some of your questions in the near future. I drive a school bus and I overslept this morning. I do 2 things every morning regardless of how late I am. I read my Bible program and I check BRF! Got to go NOW!!!

[Gene East]

Smitty, I got on the bus in time to pick up the kids. Didn't have time to shave though. People ask me all the time why I drive a school bus. It certainly isn't for the money!

The kids are the reason! Some times a few of them can be real obnoxious, but when you start seeing improvement in their behavior; it's all worth while!

I have quite a few students who respectfully call me "Grandpa"! I have, Black, White, and Hispanic kids who call me "Grandpa"! The only Asians who call me "Grandpa" truly are my Grand-daughters; Jemma and Noella. Their Great-grandma Tamiko is very proud of her 1/8 Japanese grand daughters.

Alan Ishii says these little girls prove we are cousins. Actually Alan and I are brothers!

I will post some of the info you requested later after I do a little digging. I will answer your question about Dick O'Dea's removable head.

The removable head did not fit on a Mercury block! Dick built a "Kit" that mounted on the Mercury crankcase. The block was cast iron and as I recall the head was aluminum. I believe he called his complete powerhead "The Red Head".

I know where 2 of these are, but I ain't telling unless the owner/owners give me permission to do so.

I'll get more involved Re: Quincy questions next time!

[Gene East]

Ok Smitty, lets get started on your list of questions. Bear in mind this issue of "Boat Sport" is 61 years old. I was 14 at the time, but I had a subscription to "Boat Sport" and actually read this article 61 years ago.

My Dad and Uncle Gene were fishermen so I was aware of Quincy Welding and Marine. I was aware they had some pretty fast boats. It was still nearly 2 years later before I met O.F. Christner.

I attended my first boat race in 1956. The N.O.A. Division 4 World Championship was held in Meyer, IL Just 7 miles from my home town. I noticed a lot of trailers with decals which read "Modifications by O.F. Christner". I knew who Mr. Christner was, but I had no Idea what a modification was!

First let's talk about padding cylinders. I have not heard pads called "rickies", but perhaps in some areas they were. You may be surprised to learn the first "pads" were not aluminum at all. They were hand made from brass stock and fastened in the dome with screws. This information was provided by David Christner, O.F."s oldest son and a Champion Boat Racer in his own right.

The brass pads were introduced in the late 40's. Aluminum pads came into being in the early 50's with the early pads sand cast by a foundry 4 blocks down the street. As padding became more popular, permanent molds were made for 2 sizes of pads, A-C & B-D, greatly improving availability. Later a permanent mold was made for 22 & 44 cu.in. engines. The 22 ci engines were very popular on dugout canoe racing with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest.

You are correct in your statement regarding cleanliness while welding aluminum. I hated padding a block that had been run in salt water. Some of the high zinc alloys Mercury used to combat salt water corrosion were terrible as well. The later 44's welded great although some of the earlier blocks did not. The 44's had a tendency to crack between #2 & #3 cylinders. Chris instructed me to drill 3 1/8" holes 1 in deep in the web between the 2 cylinders. "Problem Solved"!

I liked welding on Mk-25's, but the most weldable blocks were the sand cast Kg-9's Mk-40,50 and early Mk-55. They welded like butter!

You mentioned we had a different method of raising compression ratios than O'Dea and Stevens.

Have you noticed which method Mercury copied???

We'll address pipes tomorrow!

Gene

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Smitty, I got on the bus in time to pick up the kids. Didn't have time to shave though. People ask me all the time why I drive a school bus. It certainly isn't for the money!

The kids are the reason! Some times a few of them can be real obnoxious, but when you start seeing improvement in their behavior; it's all worth while!

I have quite a few students who respectfully call me "Grandpa"! I have, Black, White, and Hispanic kids who call me "Grandpa"! The only Asians who call me "Grandpa" truly are my Grand-daughters; Jemma and Noella. Their Great-grandma Tamiko is very proud of her 1/8 Japanese grand daughters.

Alan Ishii says these little girls prove we are cousins. Actually Alan and I are brothers!

I will post some of the info you requested later after I do a little digging. I will answer your question about Dick O'Dea's removable head.

The removable head did not fit on a Mercury block! Dick built a "Kit" that mounted on the Mercury crankcase. The block was cast iron and as I recall the head was aluminum. I believe he called his complete powerhead "The Red Head".

I know where 2 of these are, but I ain't telling unless the owner/owners give me permission to do so.

I'll get more involved Re: Quincy questions next time!

You can it's in my possession & going together once the pistons are fitted to the block. My first restoration is in Mark Suter's museum. I actually raced one that Dick installed on my #2 20H in 1955, finished second to Vic Scott (kingpin of the B class).