I had an A looper for about a month in the late 70's. This story is not about success but about farce.

One day , out on the scrounge, I found an old A looper at a marina near Kingston Ontario ( close to Porter's museum ). No coils, no carb, seized; but it had a good A stock lower unit and steering bar. This was the time when Quincy's were no longer competitive and not yet valuable collector items. It was scrap to the marina and I bought it for $100.

I put it in my trailer box for storage and at the next race a friend saw it and said he wanted to run an alky race in Waddington NY ( his home) : would I put it together for him. Sure I said. I'm running a stock race somewhere else that weekend but I'll get it ready.

The crank was rusty so I went through my junkpile and found a Mark25 crank and reedcage. I put in new bearings and seals and opened up the cage but the rest of the inside was useable. I scrounged coils and stuff from old cars . The only carb I has was a KA7A so on it went. The thing started ( on gasoline ) first pull and scared the neigbours.

I got the engine to Waddington , complete with an 6x 9 1/4 ASH prop . Andy said he couldn't use the megaphones in town but had borrowed a set of chambers.

When I saw him a couple of weeks later I asked how it went. He said that he borrowed some fuel, it started right up, jumped on plane, felt real good, went eee and seized. " I should have asked for mixed fuel" he said.

Another friend asked me what I was going to do with the powerhead. Nothing. Well can I have it . Sure. That was the end of my looper career. Not well thought out but it featured Larry, Moe and Curley.