Average Cost of J-Motor

[jsilvestri]

What is the average cost for a J-Motor these days? I know there are special motors, etc, etc, etc... I'm asking for the average cost. Thanks.

[bmitch1]

Avg: $3200 for a race-ready motor... Or, if you already have access to a gearfoot from an OMC - $2100-$2200 for a race-ready powerhead/tower....

[Matt Dagostino]

Gary Pond............he has half a dozen ready to race! 804-928-8952. Gary said he would give em away but Abby won't let him.........

[bmitch1]

+1 on that....Gary has good motors and stands behind his products...

[jsilvestri]

Thanks!

[DtwSailor]

Joe,
Check with Brian Mitchell, as he has one of my J motors that he was going to re-ring and potentially use this season. Not sure what the status is, but it's close and won a divisional race (thrown out for wrong fuel) and countless other J races when 512M was running hydro and runabout 2 years ago.

[LarryR]

We've got three and came about them in all different ways, including buying one OMC to get the gearfoot (with a wonky propshaft).
You pay your money and take your chances
No matter how you approach it, Brian's number is pretty close.

[Team 12R]

I'd be willing to sell (2) converted Mercury fishing motors for 1000.00 bucks each. These are loosened up but not blueprinted but ready to race. All that's needed is the BTM kit (700) and the gearcase from sidewinder (1500).
As long as the unsupported approval of the 562 OMC restrictor stands, your best bang for the buck is one of the many complete 30 year old OMC 15's for sale for 2000 (or less) complete with gearcase.
In Region 10 the fastest motor last year hands down was a 15 bought from Gary Pond. The kid won several races and just rented it from our club (look it up). It's a shame the APBA has allowed this to happen as lots of parents have spent the 3k and then untold amounts blueprinting the "motor of choice" to get waxed by 30 year old borrowed equipment.
The 2 Mercs I have look like new. I had big hopes of helping new kids with mercs for a great price but slickery took the wind out of my sails.

bill.dingman@gmail.com

[pav225]

Bill,
I know each Region may see differences, but in the Midwest and what we saw at Nationals, the Merc seems to still be the motor of choice.

The intent of the J Committee was to help the OMCs to be able to compete and help get more kids started. From what we've seen, it appears to be working pretty well.

Curious, how fast was your JH running with an OMC?
- Mike

[Team 12R]

Bill,
I know each Region may see differences, but in the Midwest and what we saw at Nationals, the Merc seems to still be the motor of choice.

The intent of the J Committee was to help the OMCs to be able to compete and help get more kids started. From what we've seen, it appears to be working pretty well.

Curious, how fast was your JH running with an OMC?
- Mike

Happy New Year Mike,
Unfortunately I like the J Committee when the 562 was approved do not have good data. I only have a Garmin and the race that I changed over to the OMC I saw 36,37 & 40. I don't really know more than my Blackwell can't keep up with a blueprinted mercury and wins from behind with my OMC.
I know you guys in the midwest are winners with your Mercs but do you have good teams running OMC motors?
I know you are friends with Charlie. He will be the first to tell you that the motors with the 562 have an unfair advantage.
I would just swallow this whole thing if it was approved with proper equal testing. Adams had a basement full of OMCs and didn't want to buy a Mercury for his J kid. He's smart and knows how the system works. We've got a real problem here and it should have never got this way.
I'm building a new boat for Wyatt and it kills me that I'm building a tall transom when the boat will be faster with the short transom. It's just not right how this whole thing came to be and the guys that allowed it to happen won't admit the data wasn't there.

[Team 12R]

Mike,
Make a call to Charlie. Ask him about the second JR heat at Cullaby on Sunday. Charlie's same rig that took 2nd in Hinton was run down from a half a lap back and passed by an OMC.
Ask him about Sunday at Newberg when Wyatt was 10 seconds late and passed Trey and 2 others to win.
This isn't just 2 races. The score sheets speak for themselves.

[daveracerdsh]

Bill: Part of the reason the motor you are referring to was so fast was careful preperation by the driver's father as well as the driver being one of the most gifted new kids behind the wheel I have ever seen.

[Team 12R]

Dave,
I used the same motor on the CORA boat for Wyatt's 3rd race at Eatonville in 2015. In the loosers heat to make the final the winner of 8 boats advanced. As usual Wyatt was 15 seconds late and crossed the starting line last. He passed 6 boats to finish 2nd by inches behind the winner. Denise said his lap times were the fastest JH of any that weekend. The motor is fast, that's not the argument. The next year Wyatt ran Colton (CORA motor) and Trey down with our motor at Newberg when he made another one of his not so great starts. Your statement has no merit. I may have the fastest OMC in the region. I don't want to run the OMC to win Dave. The Merc is the motor of choice.. GET IT DAVE... APBA MOTOR OF CHOICE
I talked to Charlie today and he said that Mike is right. The Merc is the motor of choice back east. Fast guys don't run them back there. Guys there aren't trying to change the rules to salvage 30 year old motors because they don't want to buy the motor of choice. Mercs are available. Unlike OMC's all the parts are available. Gearcases are available. We need to allow the OMC but it should not be a faster motor. In our region we have 4 OMC's that clobber the guy with a Stillwell built Mercury that won Nationals in Hinton (a race with only 1 marginal OMC entry).
If you want to argue or make a case Dave, make it a better one.

[brian]

Ok, I have a J driver who I started with an OMC (we race 200 mod) and with work on the boat and the setup we stayed near the Olson rigs. We could not pass them for sure. I will say our OMC is very fast and beat some mercs. The top end is .5-1.5 slower than our mercs. We now have 2 merc motors and if could choose I would go 100% omc. The J class is what it is. Race your stuff and let the kids have fun. My son is a great kid and has a blast at the races and he has never asked me to win a national championship or to get him in the hall. J is a learning class. I like to build fast motors and rigs and my son just likes to race with his friends. A good omc is $1600-2000 and good merc is $2700-3500. I built my mercs for both about $2200 if you count the gearboxes I put under them.

[Big Don]

I'm not going to get involved with the issues you guys may have over on the West coast. But what I will tell you is the speeds of 36,37 & 40. Are probably off the top rigs anywhere between 3 to 7 MPH. When we got out of J we were going 43 with our Mercury. I know Billy Hemp was also in that area as we split a lot of heats with him. I have to believe they are going faster then 43 now.

[Team 12R]

I'm not going to get involved with the issues you guys may have over on the West coast. But what I will tell you is the speeds of 36,37 & 40. Are probably off the top rigs anywhere between 3 to 7 MPH. When we got out of J we were going 43 with our Mercury. I know Billy Hemp was also in that area as we split a lot of heats with him. I have to believe they are going faster then 43 now.

It's a cut and dry issue in my opinion Don. The restrictor size should go back to .500 until good data and testing is used to make a decision. No good data was provided to the committee other that a few kids said they were able to run with the Mercs with the 562. I know it won't be confirmed but a kid got out of a boat at Lawrence this fall and before he was sushed was saying he was seeing 44 with his OMC. Just off the record.
Is this how we want the J class?
If nothing is going to be done about this issue then I'll just sell my Mercs and run my OMC and pick up another one. Hope I don't need parts but how can we ignore every good OMC in our region taking turns spanking top shelf Mercs that cost 2x the price?
At one time there was an issue with gearcases and the OMC was a good idea. The 562 was approved without legit testing and unfortunately is the fast motor out here. I would guarantee your killer OMC Donny raced with a decent driver would get by the Olson/Pavlick Mercs. I wish you guys would try it.

[CRAIG-MAX]

It's a cut and dry issue,
everyone has a right to there opinion I am sorry if you are wrong, Maybe try some good Tillamook cheese with that wine, I am going to run a 454 chevy and blow everyone away