Konig History

[Jerry Combs]

Wayne,

Thank you for posting the pictures of the Konig plant. They sure bring back some memories of when I was a whole bunch younger and was able to race my AOH and BOH. I wish I could remember which models I had, the B had the coffee can style of pipes and the A had the first set of sliding pipes that I had seen. I bought both from Marcel Bellville if I remember correctly.

Jerry

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks Jerry. I have many more to go. I've been trying to remember the exact layout of the plant. I have a fairly good idea, but a couple of rooms have thrown me for a loop.

The cans came out I believe in late 67, but by 1968 that is what you got. I think the first sliding pipe A Konigs were in 1971, but I may be wrong. We did a trade with Marcel Bellville around 1969 or 1970 for a dyno. Seems like we gave him a motor or two for that dyno. We couldn't tame it so my Dad gave it to someone else who could use it. Thanks for the history Jerry.

After I get done with the butterbeans and chicken I am cooking (a recipe from Roland Rome---Joe's Dad) I will try to post more pics.

[Jerry Combs]

Wayne,

I think I got the A motor from Marcell in the fall of 1970, it was the one that he had run at the nats in 1970. I picked up a 12' 6" Bellcraft that had blown off of the Hauenstein's trailer on the way back from the nats at the same time. Got the boat rebuilt in time for the first race of the 1971 season. Dad was still running his Anzani and doing pretty well with it. After I ran a couple of test laps he wanted to know what I thought needed changing as he thought it looked pretty slow. I told him to not touch it, that I liked the way it was. I was late on the first start and dad beat me to the first turn, I really enjoyed waving to him as I passed him on the outside. I lapped him before the end of the heat. That boat/motor combination fit me like a glove, I think I lost 1 heat with it until I had to quit racing due being layed off during the aerospace layoffs, even when I stepped up and ran it in B. I always wondered how I would have done with it if I had been able to continue racing.

Jerry

[Master Oil Racing Team]

There was a big jump in power when Dieter went from the fixed pipe FA's to the sliding pipes. I'm trying now to remember how the carbs were located. It's stories like yours Jerry that keep us going. It's too bad you had to quit when you did. we might have met up on the race course some place. I was about in the same learning curve as you in 1971.

[David Weaver]

There was a big jump in power when Dieter went from the fixed pipe FA's to the sliding pipes. I'm trying now to remember how the carbs were located. It's stories like yours Jerry that keep us going. It's too bad you had to quit when you did. we might have met up on the race course some place. I was about in the same learning curve as you in 1971.

We still have my dad's first FA. It was built in 1969 and had the sliding pipes. These maybe moved 2-3 inches. The carbs were in either side (righ/left) of the engine. IN the attached photo, my dad is looking over the set-up before a heat in Sutton, WV during the mid 1980's.

[Jerry Combs]

Thanks David, that is the exact motor that I ran. I couldn't remember for sure if it was 1969 or 1970 that I got it. Did you and your dad run yours with the sliding throttle or a seperate lever for the pipes?

Jerry

[David Weaver]

Thanks David, that is the exact motor that I ran. I couldn't remember for sure if it was 1969 or 1970 that I got it. Did you and your dad run yours with the sliding throttle or a seperate lever for the pipes?

Jerry

We had a Konig sliding throttle. I remember that the pipes hung-up quite often. Ran an identical pipe on our Konig "M".

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I've been racking my brain to remember such an FA. I had forgotten about the sliding throttle, but I remember them. We only used levers in front of the throttle. I can only remember the fixed pipe FA's with carbs on opposite sides like your Dad's David. The first sliding pipe FA's I recall were with the single pipe on the converging elbows. I am sure I've seen the ones like you and Jerry have, but I am going to have to clear more cobwebs away.

What was the hookup like that allowed synchronized sliding. Also, I didn't see any rings on a bracket, but it kind of looks like maybe a bar underneath the one pipe that some sort of collar or hollow cylinder welded on the pipe slid on. It that correct....or how was it set up.

[Jerry Combs]

I don't know how the one that David's dad had was set up but mine had a tray mounted to both pipes that slid on a pair of rods that were bolted to the engine. I don't know if this was the factory set up or something that Marcell came up with. I do remember that Gerry Walin was very interested in the set up and complimented me on the simplicity. I never used the sliding throttle as I preferred a seperate lever that I operated with my right elbow, never had a pipe hang up.

[fred tyson]

The sliding throttle setup was the brainchild of Mister Tom Hardin, he made it for Mal originally for the 500cc Konig they had, said Mal could not hold the pipes up on it, so he designed that set up, ran them myself , got them from Mister Hardin and used the Konig throttle, then later changed to the Harrison Freon slide units, that was ahoot to use , had to remember which switch brought the pipes up to 1/2 and which was all the way up.