Japan racing

[PopPop]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIK7j...eature=related

[ZUL8TR]

Ya got to love it!

Stock racing to a tee. At least they do it often and get very good at it. Not the speed of CSH but exciting to watch.

What are they allowed to play with I assume prop, timing, plugs but what else? Like is fuel standard?

[Islandmon]

Does anyone know how many races they put on a motor before it ends up in the USA.

Sam,

[Holden 34-V]

Cool!! I wish i knew what they were saying...

[ZUL8TR]

Japan

Does anyone know how many races they put on a motor before it ends up in the USA.

Sam,

Good question I bet alot since there are at least 7 betting events per day at a given stadium and I think the same boat gets used by several different drivers during the day to keep the betting fair. Does the same engine stay at the same stadium? There are more than a handfull of stadiums in Japan.

[ryan_4z]

I love watching these races. Best races anywhere. If APBA wants to do a spec class they should just copy this.

[Hydroglobe17J]

Still not a Runne Craft.........LOL

[bill van steenwyk]

I have no idea whether the same standards apply....

but back in the mid 70's when the Model 80 first was imported into the US, one of the points used in the promotion of the motor was that it was completely gone through and any worn parts that did not meet spec were replaced, assuring an engine that was at least as good as new, and in most cases better, as the blocks were now "seasoned", and all bearing surfaces "run in" from use in the races in Japan. I also heard at the time that Japanese law required that any items as "for sale for export" must meet new specifications. That would assure that the engines would meet longevity requirements even though they were "used". At the time (mid 70's to early 80's) while the Model 80 was the motor being imported, I NEVER heard of a single case of mechanical failure (speaking here of any internal rotating mechanical parts) on one of the engines.

I had several engines that were highly modified by Harry Pasturczak that would turn in excess of 11K, and there was never a failure of any internal rotating mechanical part in either of them also. We did fracture several Yamato racing tower housings because of engine vibration, (broke them half in two between the powerhead and lower unit flanges) and shook some pipe bracket's loose, but nothing internal ever failed. Those cranks had been balanced, along with rods and pistons.

I seem to remember that the motors were only used for a certain number of heats (don't remember now how many) before being sent back to the factory for rebuild. That was before the market developed in the US for those engines. I would assume that the market for the 102, 202, and 302 developed here as those motors, or possibly specific numbers of them, reached the "end of the line" insofar as suitable for use in the stadium racing in Japan they were originally designed and used for. I believe Japanese law or regulations on the paramutuel betting on the races, regulates the number of heats the motors can be used for before rebuild or replacement. The reason for this is to promote confidence that all the equipment being used in the races is equal because of the betting that is allowed and promoted. That is what we were told when my wife and I visited there in the late 70's.

[doc 35-0]

Some of us were invited to go to Japan to race...Did you Go Bill? I just could not fine the time to go. I did go into the pits on one visit. They did work on their own prop. The motors are still running and we just bought another one this week...

[CSR4C]

I was at the races with Ric Montoya in 1996. There was a group of drivers at the stadium for a 3 day meet. The motors are stored in lockers after being inspected after the last set of races. The drivers draw for motors & the driver assembles his own motor. There is only a parade lap and a 3 lap race for each motor each race day. 12 races total per day. I am sure they are also testing in to morning & practicing starts. Since this was the last day of the meet, The better drivers were in the later races. Betting topped $300,000 for race 11. We left after it to avoid the jam getting out of there.
After that set of races it was a couple days before the next set of driver came to the stadium. The motors do not get that much use before they are replaced by new ones. The setup they use is with the cavation plate level with the bottom of the boat so there is never an overheating problem.
We saw the boats being built at the Yamato factory. sitka spruce framing, birch plywood, enamel paint, lots of brass screws. Not sure what the glue was but it didn't take long to set up. A big planer planes the bottoms flat before the bottom skin in attached.

I have two of the para-mutual boats that I would like to sell. One is complete and the other is missing the fiberglass cowling.

Darrell Sorensen
(559) 665-2690
sorensenwoodcraft@gmail.com

[Big Don]

I think that engine on the white 1 boat is the engine Pater was using this year.