The Wild Geechee

[T2x]

Rich,

I think that the GT115 was 89.9 c.i. It ultimately ran in the short lived "R" class. Ted May ran one on a mini Molinari for T*A*R*T at the Miami Marathon Nationals in 1971 & won. Geoff Briggs won "U" & I won "S". 3 for 3 for the T*A*R*T team.

Thanks John:

The 115 came out after the Merc 1100 which was the first true "J" class engine at over 90 cubes...... but, now that I think of it, Mercury had some reason for bringing out the 1000 BP and resurrecting their 89 cu in engine. I guess OMC's 89 cu in powerhead must have been the reason.....

Funny I ran a pair Jack Leek's X115 Evinrudes for a season, but have totally blanked out on their powerhead size. We changed enough black boxes on the damn things that I should have learned something.

T*A*R*T racing (Totally Amateur Racing Team as I recall).......Amateurs? I don't think so....

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Thanks John:

The 115 came out after the Merc 1100 which was the first true "J" class engine at over 90 cubes...... but, now that I think of it, Mercury had some reason for bringing out the 1000 BP and resurrecting their 89 cu in engine. I guess OMC's 89 cu in powerhead must have been the reason.....

Funny I ran a pair Jack Leek's X115 Evinrudes for a season, but have totally blanked out on their powerhead size. We changed enough black boxes on the damn things that I should have learned something.

T*A*R*T racing (Totally Amateur Racing Team as I recall).......Amateurs? I don't think so....

T*A*R*T racing (Totally Amateur Racing Team as I recall).......Amateurs? I don't think so.... HA! HA! Rich, That's what Jim Briggs named us even Strang would jibe Jim about that. Timmy would like to say we were the Tough *** Race Team, perhaps we were on our Good Days!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I always wondered about that John. I had never heard of T*A*R*T back in the day, and if I had I would have thought...."What in the heck is that all about?" Thanks T2X for prompting John to explain what that was all about. I expect there is more though.

[brichter]

The GT115 and X115 were definitely 89.9 cubes but there were a few that the factory punched out to 99.9. The sleeves were thick enough to take 1/8" overbore.

[Ron Hill]

I think that is somewhat what Marshall's book title was...but "Amateur" was the word I remember....But they were good for AMATEURS......

Jim Briggs was a hell of a man and a great sponsor.

I was in Paris, 1970, nad Jim Briggs asked me something and I said, "I don't have a dollar or a French Franc...he handed me 500 French Francs...Don't recall what that was worth, but I had money to buy French wine...that night.

Jim Briggs was the "MAN"....he loved life and boat racing. He never seemed the same after Timmy, his son, was killed in a car accident in Colorado after the Parker Enduro.

[Mark75H]

The GT115 and X115 were definitely 89.9 cubes but there were a few that the factory punched out to 99.9. The sleeves were thick enough to take 1/8" overbore.

In 1968 there were 99.6ci "X-115" & "GT-115" models with separate model designations from the 89ci versions. I think Ron and Jimbo got the first ones to race.

Anyone know whose code name at OMC might have been "fmz"? Those are the initials of the guy who filled out the spec sheets sent to NOA and APBA. If no one can tell for sure, I'll ask Mr. Strang if it was him.

[brichter]

Anyone know whose code name at OMC might have been "fmz"? Those are the initials of the guy who filled out the spec sheets sent to NOA and APBA. If no one can tell for sure, I'll ask Mr. Strang if it was him.

At that time it would have to be Frank Zupec.

[MN1]

Rich,

I think that the GT115 was 89.9 c.i. It ultimately ran in the short lived "R" class. Ted May ran one on a mini Molinari for T*A*R*T at the Miami Marathon Nationals in 1971 & won. Geoff Briggs won "U" & I won "S". 3 for 3 for the T*A*R*T team.

Actually the R class was a 70 ci class. The class used the Merc 85 hp with all the mods you wanted. I got see them run in Minnesota once. I think Chris Bush won.
Mark N

[T2x]

I think that is somewhat what Marshall's book title was...but "Amateur" was the word I remember....But they were good for AMATEURS......

Jim Briggs was a hell of a man and a great sponsor.

I was in Paris, 1970, nad Jim Briggs asked me something and I said, "I don't have a dollar or a French Franc...he handed me 500 French Francs...Don't recall what that was worth, but I had money to buy French wine...that night.

Jim Briggs was the "MAN"....he loved life and boat racing. He never seemed the same after Timmy, his son, was killed in a car accident in Colorado after the Parker Enduro.

Being from the east, I raced with (against) Geoff Briggs frequently. He was so different from Timmy that they almost seemed to come from separate gene pools. Tim was this handsome, polished guy, always in a driving suit, with the fancy Stars and Stripes hull. Geoff ran an old beat up Scotti and was very hands on....he almost liked to get dirty. I was always amazed that he actually owned a boat yard (in the Hamptons of course) where he worked each day.

Very interesting family....but both were very competitive in their own ways.

T2x

[Ron Hill]

For those of us fortunate to know Ted May you will know what I mean here.

Ted could kill the English language when he first met Geoff Briggs he called him "GOOF" as Ted might not have been the best reader in the class , thoush he was a all state quarterback for seven years in high school. Ted's hands weren't always clean, in many ways, but as a youth looking up to Ted May, we all thought for sure Ted could walk on water if he wanted to and if he couldn't he could set off enough Cherry Bombs, in the water that he wouldn't have to walk on water.

Being there was only one Ted May, I think "GOOF" saw in Ted a very happy man, dirty hands and all. Being born with silver spoons in Georff's mouth didn't matter, being like Ted May did!