Coolest racing engine of all time???

**jphii1** · 10-08-2005

If that picture didn't get the crazy ideas going in my head, nothing will! Now you've got me thinking what air cooled engines would work as an outboard, and what would sound the coolest. My wife is going to be very, very mad at you!!

**Mark75H** · 10-08-2005

The Paramore brothers have already been turning junk snowmobile motors into budget priced 350 alky motors

**lilabner** · 10-09-2005

sounds like somebody needs to take a Compose and chill out..wine works too...

**lilabner** · 10-09-2005

The really neat fake out was the kit with an insert that looked like luggage and junk made of molded fiberglass that fit over the engine in the back seat...

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 10-09-2005

.....but I think it's a 250cc Honda. My Dad and his partner had an OMC & Honda dealership 1968 to 1975, and around 73 or 74? Honda came out with a new engine that really screamed. It did well in motorcycle racing and I think this may be one that Walt Blankenstein rigged up for us. I don't remember much about it. These photos were from DePue 1974. My best recollection is that we were never able to get it on a plane. And for some reason we never tested it again. I think when my Dad sent it to Walt to convert it to outboard capability, that this motor must have been the two packages Walt had "wired" to see if Charley Bradley was snooping. (see and earlier post)

**F-12** · 10-09-2005

That's the engine, Wayne! I remember it like it was yesterday. Walt was all fired up about getting this one running for your Dad and REALLY wanted to give you a motor that would scream. I was supposed to be there with Walt but I think I got married around the time he left for this race. I invited him and he thought he would enjoy the races more.................I would have, too. How did this one turn out? Walt never brought me up to speed as far as what he found out. I built part of it and he was very PO'ed I didn't come and help. Thanks for the great pics, as usual..................

John (Taylor) Gabrowski · 10-09-2005

There was a rumour back when OMC like Mercury were both building snowmobiles that some OMC freak was mounting an OMC snowmo rotary lobe engine on a racing tower for some racing hydro project. It was a rumour back then on the early 1980s, does anyone know if that thing ever got built? A rotary outboard racing engine??? That would have sure been different! A sewing machine ouffing popps at high speed outa what kind of pipe??

**Mark75H** · 10-09-2005

OMC never ran a sno-mo motor on a racer, but there was a prototype of a sno-mo motor fitted to a production tower & lower unit in the 80's ....

BUT

back in '73 OMC raced a full blown racing rotary outboard (until it was basically banned and broke enough transoms to make them think better of it)

**F-12** · 10-09-2005

Look closely at the picture of Charlie Strang............This is the face of someone that always had a trick or two up his sleeve. I always enjoyed being around him and very much benefitted from anything that he had to say. I could never get over the grin...........To me, it always said "Sure...we're fast now, but wait until next week..............."

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 10-10-2005

Charlie Strang always had that smile. He also took a lot of pictures. I had a Mazda RX-2 with a rotary. Great car. I overhauled the engine in 1975 and found it easy to work on. The article is from Motorsport June 1973.

BTW Charley-Never tested that engine again. Don't know what happened to it.