Thread: Konig History

  1. #271
    Team Member stingray240cs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dale View Post
    The 3 cylinder powerheads sitting on the bench next to it look like the same powerhead used on the stock Volvo-Penta 700 (70 h.p.) that came to the U.S. in 1975. I worked for Volvo-Penta as an Outboard Service rep. then and was told that the powerhead was a Konig design. .
    Dale, did you mean this 70 HP engine? The powerhead of the VP700, Archimedes 70 came from König and had 904,5 ccm.
    For more info just shout.
    BTW, Frank (dumperjack) is one of the best informed guys reg. the german outboard history...
    Best Regards,
    Roman
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    What you are wondering about Dale is the 6 cylinder opposed, methanol fueled Konig that Hans G. Krage won back to back OF World Championships in 1976 and 1977. It has the external rotary valve disc with three carbs. It had a design flaw in that the event the motor revved too quickly, the crank would twist. It was a regular cranshaft like all the other Konigs that were pressed together, but unlike the 4 cylinders with 180 degree banking, this one the throws were on 120 degree. In smooth water it was a very reliable motor, but it was hard on lower units because it ran the same one as the 500 and 700, and no additional oil reservoir. Every time it shucked gears in rough water the engine revved up and the crankshaft twisted, rubbing the inside of the crankcase as the counterweights spread out.
    It must have been a real beast when it was running. What kind of horsepower did it make?
    Do you know whether the O.E. engine that was modified for Volvo- Penta was built from the stock cast iron block or was it a completely different block ? I think I remember seeing a picture of one years ago with the hood off and it looked like it was an external rotary valve engine with 3 carbs.

  3. #273
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    i think i can help a littel bit ...
    the company könig made several patents - this was used here
    3 sides of it in the appendix
    Thanks for the reply. It looks like he covered about anything you can do with a rotary valve.

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    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    I don't know the horsepower Dale, but maybe Frank does. I was able to beat it at Fort Worth in 1977, and my motor was actually a 4 carb, dual rotary valve Konig, but since it was technically an OE, I wasn't officially an eligible entry. We ran down the straights together, but I got out front during the turn. We only ran two heats, and I beat Hans both times, but there were several factors that went into that.

    First, I had a Butt's Aerowing that had proven itself superior on the type of smooth, wide turns we ran in America, and high speed cornering was much better on the Butts than the Danisch Propride Hans was driving. Secondly, my 4 cylinder opposed Konig was significantly lighter and much lower center of gravity than the six (his also had an electric starter, and battery big enough to supply the power), Third, it may be that Hans had to be careful in the turns, because if he broke the lower unit, the crank would twist, and finally and possible most important, he didn't have expansion chambers like I did. In the U.S. he could run without silencers so they rigged it with open exhausts. The motor would have been significantly more powerful with expansion chambers I believe, but the weak link was the lower unit, so they definitely didn't need the extra weight hanging off the transom when the motor already had enough power to tear up the lower unit anyway.

    One thing I got to thinking about today. Dieter didn't like to hang anymore weight on a boat than necessary, yet he equipped that opposed 6 with a heavier battery and electric starter. Hans would start the motor and go out to a spot before the safety bouys and kill the motor. He would wait there until he figured he could fire it up and make a perfect start. He was very good at this. I have seen this motor twist a crank on the dock in Berlin when Hans wrapped it up just prior to "training" the day before the race. Dieter had to rebuild it overnight. I just realized this morning that the starter may have been added so that when they fired it off in the water, the motor would have had a load on it, thus not rev so quickly and caused the crank to shift.

    I have some other pictures of the OE including a pit shot of Gunter Becker's. It will be several days before I can post them, but maybe Frank could answer your question. Also Lars Strom checks the thread and he raced one during 1977, so he would have some good info.



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    Team Member dumperjack's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dale View Post
    Do you know whether the O.E. engine that was modified for Volvo- Penta was built from the stock cast iron block or was it a completely different block ? I think I remember seeing a picture of one years ago with the hood off and it looked like it was an external rotary valve engine with 3 carbs.
    new 1974 - 70 HP of series engines had high-quality cast irons

    advantage: fewer weights, fewer noises, better temperature for burn

    frank
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    new 1974 - 70 HP of series engines had high-quality cast irons

    advantage: fewer weights, fewer noises, better temperature for burn

    frank
    That is the internal rotary valve stock 70 h.p. Volvo-Penta . Do you know if the powerhead was built in the Konig factory?

    Dale

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    Dale, there was a contract about cooperation between König and Volvo Penta. The powerheads came as I remember not directly from König. VP used them for the serial Archimedes and Volvo Penta 55 and 70 HP engines 1975-1979.
    The racing OE engine was in the König selling prospect with Volvo Penta cover, that shows the close cooperation as well.
    But lets wait for Frank´s comments to it - he is the best guy regarding german outboards history I know...
    br
    Roman

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    Default some pics

    See the pictures from the Archimedes selling brochure 1976 and König racing brochure 1977.
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    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    I believe Steve Litzell told me the cooperation turned out to favor Volvo much more than Konig.

    I would like to hear his comments regarding this on this thread.
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


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    Default Volvo/ Konig

    Yes the relationship between the two factory's was maybe better for Volvo than Konig, But Volvo did the remake and design of the gears for new Konig units that this agreement lasted until Konig's death 1991. This agreement was long time friendship between Konig and Volvo that goes back to just after war. I my other posts about Deiter, I try to explain about the man and what his early formative years were like as a young teenager and what Germans had to do to survive after the war. At the time 1970's, Konig was into about every type of motor making there was from pleasure boat use under his own brand to collaboration between his factory and Volvo Penta. Konig motors were used in boat, car, cart and plane. Though the Volvo looked more like his pleasure boat motors design wise than his all out race motors. I think this was done for rules meeting in OE at the time before it went back to methanol use in 80's time frame. This is when also Volvo backed out of outboards and Konig made the 850 OE 8 cylinder with a 500ccm motor on bottom and 350ccm motor on top. Mercury and OMC motors were allowed as were Konig motors as Deiter was able to to argue that he had made enough motors to meet the numbers produced rule to qualify for OE. Then rules changed again for circuit racing as opposed to marathon type racing. Methanol was then banned so Konig switched over to Gas. Then rules changed again to up the numbers produced rule and that put Konig out of OE class. I think I have this correct as I was told by Konig. In early 80"s aircraft motors were made and pleasure boat motors were also stopped production but factory continued to service them for customers. Then Konig sold Yamaha outboards as a pleasure boat type motor. Hope this helps.

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