Outboard Class A Engines.....history
Those who have raced in the 50's might know these answers.... I have a "collection" of new and old racing engines. It hasn't gone without notice that MOST of these engines are "A Class" engines! I need some blanks filled in as to the history of the "A class" outboard engines- specifically the most competitive engine model of each year (Nationals winner, records etc.) In STOCK Outboard racing, the engine of choice was the one that was approved ie- KG4H, OMC A....
To start this process:
1928 & 1929 Lockwood ACE
Caille (Model ?) ???
1930-195?) Johnson KR (post war could add Hubbell/ Johnson KR
1957-? Konig (Model ?)
195?-? Anzani (Model ?)
19?? Jones/O'Dea Modified KG4?
19?? Quincy deflecter (Model ?)
19?? Harrison (Anzani type)
19?? Quincy Looper (Model)
198? Konig (Model FA)?
198? Konig (Model ?) four cylinder
198? Harrison/ Yamaha (250cc)
198? Yamato RA-1 piston port
198? Yamato RA-1 first reed valve
199? Konig (Model ?) 2 cylinder with rotax clyinders
1992- 1998 Yamato RA-1 (92RA-1)second reed valve version
1997-present Rossi (Model ?)
There could be some interesting stories here... There were special adaptations or modifications that set one persons engine above another like the Hallum/ Anzani. Dan Kirts had a VERY competitive Konig/Rotax engine where the rest just weren't quite there.... Some engines resurfaced after we though that they were obsolite. In the case of the earlier Harrison engines, they were patterned off the Anzani. Different brand engines might have dominated the runabout class while another dominated the hydro class. Bring out your ideas and recollections. I am focusing in on the BEST engines of each year... Then maybe your vote for the best engine of the decade!
Outboard Class A engines...
Thanks Sam.
The "hot Caille racers" were B class and C class engines I guess. I didn't know if they had a fast class A engine too.... The caille engines were pretty slick with the "sometimes" dual carburetors and tractor lowerunit.
The original KR was an opposed engine ('28) which I didn't know about until I saw that photo you had put in this section. Then they produced the alternate firing KR that was able to make the Lockwood ACE obsolite.
It wasn't long before every "factory" race engine had to be extensively modified in order to be truly competitive.
This summer I saw a 60's vintage Harrison B engine in the Clayton Museum.
Of course later on there were occasionally special "one-of-a-kind" racing engines that dominated for a period of time. One that comes to mind was Mitch Meyer's piston port Yamato RA with reedvalves from a motorcycle welded in place. The next year, Yamato offered it's first reed valve version engine.