Truly Stock

[bmitch1]

Had a couple Fedex packages show up on our doorstep last Wednesday - containing the two major components of the our new Sidewinder 15. Spent some time Thursday reading the manual, used the 7 bolts, gasket and some sealant to connect the tower to the powerhead (paying attention to the torque specs in the manual), and then loaded it in the trailer for Franklin, PA. Friday we rigged it to a boat and spent some time heat-cycling it for break-in and then turned it loose for a couple testing laps. Before Saturday racing I went through rechecking wires and bolts...just like retorquing wheels after 25 miles on new tires for the car.

Spent a couple heats on Saturday dialing in some props in ASR, and then watched some of the closest racing of the weekend when Nate and Billy went lap for lap in two consecutive heats on Sunday. Billy had speed on the outside but Nate managed to get the better lane and pulled out our first-ever win in the Stock class!

I didn't have to send the block out for work, didn't fiddle with the carb settings, didn't play with timing, and just rigged the boat trim for what the runabout likes. Motor started first time, every time....

Driver's observation was the power through and out of the corners was a LOT of fun, and the top end got even better once we sorted out a prop appropriate for the course and ambient conditions. As a bonus, I had to add weight to the boat because the motor is about 10lbs lighter than he ran previously. After we got home on Monday my biggest problem was refilling gas cans to get ready for next weekend.

And THAT has been the quickest we made it from crate to podium!

[LarryR]

Thanks for your post. I found it more helpful than most of the info on here.
Congratulations on finishing ahead of Billy. Not an easy task. He had three firsts at Standish in a large (for us) field.

[bmitch1]

Given that the motor came out of the box and was raced as it was received - it is stock... no racer or mechanic intervention used thus far. I did have to supply a steering bar but those can be reused from various vintage Mercury racing motors or a Hotrod, or call Brown Tool for a Sidewinder compatible bar as I did. For those converting Merc/OMC transoms it appears the Merc is about 18 1/2 in.; transom to planing surface, the OMC is about 17 1/2 in; and we had to cut to about 16 1/4 in; to get a good height for the Sidewinder. (your individual transom angle and boat experience may vary... )

For those who tinker (and admit it, we all do!!) - I found a wealth of information on the internet about the Dellorto carburetor, and the SW manual had a table of information about timing. But my advice is: **Rig It and Run It** before you mess around too much....

[daveracerdsh]

I have not really read all of the posts in this thread.....but the concept of a "truly" stock class within APBA is a joke....when is the last time you took a 100% stock off the shelf outboard motor nod put it on you hydro and went out and raced.I applaud the fact that sidewinder, Yamato, tohatsu supply motors for us to run, but for all of us to say that they are stock is just not the case. As fr as I see it, the only true "stock" motors run in outboard racing are those used in the sport C class. Just sayin....

[Tim Sidor]

And you were the one to propose the now 300SSH class ? I believe that is a STOCK motor isn't it ?

[ram95]

Tim.... let's you and me (or is it, you and I ?) head downtown Milwaukee and stop in at our local YA MA TO deeelahh and check out the new 321's. I'm looking for the one with a re-wind , tiller-handle, and bright orange cowling. with the big YAMATO decal on the side of the cowling with the words Para-Mutual underneath in fine print. The lakes are just full of them. Let's not forget to get the instruction sheet which explains how to MODIFY the cooling system.

When we get done shopping there Tim, let's head over to KowLoons Sushi bar and tip a couple. Give me a call when yer ready. And, if ya get up here to Maine, Life in the Slow Lane, give me a shout and we'll go over to the Old Goat Pub...no outboard motors there..., just attractive waitresses and great pizza.
Alex

[ZUL8TR]

Back in 1986 when the OMC A and the "Short Tower" 25 XS came into Stock racing my son in ASH and me in 25SXH set 4 records. In A he set the Kilo, 1-1/4 and 1-2/3 records. And myself the 1-2/3 record. All with completely stock motors as received. We didn't even change spark plugs. My record is still in the record book.

Back in the 1970's it was possible to run a 'stock factory built and received engine', do lots of testing, have good help and win with an out of date design boat!

Based on a similar experience as Dean's with a 'stock as received engine' I started 25SSH in mid '73 in Region 5 when the 25SS engine 1st came out. It quickly became a very popular class with lots of entries and eliminations. I bought my 25SS new from Dick O'Dea who was a distributor. I was new to any boat racing but played with boats and engines for fun. The 25SSH competition was fierce with veterans like: Jeff Hutchins, Fred Townsend, Bunky Bowerman, Pat & Chuck Bentz, Dave Rawson, etc. The Grapefruit Circuit put you thru the test with huge competition and many eliminations. With an X on my helmet I had a lot of messed up water to plow thru. Never did get the starts especially as good as Jeff did and some of the others.

Point of this was I had my home built in 1970 Hal Kelly Wetback (circa 55 design w/ fabric deck), help from Harry Pinner (+ 2 of his props), Marshall Eldridge Jr and Mark Hauptner (OPC tunnel champ) and an engine that remained 'stock as received' from Dick O'Dea. I did lots of testing on set ups and it took me to the 1975 season to get up with the top runners and win 1975 Region 5 Hi Points in 25SSH against the competition with an out of date design boat and 'stock as received engine' that I continued to use that way. Maybe at the time the 25SS was too new for all the parts juggeling and spec playing to take place by end of 1975 season but we were all in the same game except for the veterans who had a long experience head start and lots of props. From a chat with Harry Pinner (at the time Region 5 stock inspector) Jeff Hutchins' Dad (who did Hutchins' engines) approached Harry to protest my engine because I was out running Jeff sometimes, he dropped the protest never knew why?

I just ran mine 'as received' (except I did fix stuff that broke like: recoils, cracked tower I welded, etc, those that ran the 25SS know). The APBA specs for the 1970's version 25SS specs were very generous ex. ports at +/- 0.025" so stock from the factory there were supposedly fast and not so fast engines? BTW my engine ports A & C dims measured at the upper spec range. Same deal as today with spec tolerance and blue printing them except perhaps for the CNC machined close tolerance Sidewinder, but that to may pass, hope not?

[Howie Nichols]

Alex you never answered Don's question - Are you once again selling the Tohatsu Ram 50 to APBA Stock Outboard members? You said in LA that you were not so if that has changed welcome back and we will know where to send people if interested in the D class.

[ram95]

WHAT!!!??? Play the tapes..., please. I said I will not be able to support the D Class unless I sell engines. And, for me to be able to sell engines there has to be incentive. Not just for me to keep building them, but for people to buy them.

I don't know where Big Don was, but he was probably busy enough trying to sort out 321 cooling irregularities or helping to solve other pressing issues.

Sorry if I left anyone with the wrong impression.

[Big Don]

Alex, I'm sorry if we misinterpreted your comments. But in my mind, which can be foggy at times, understood you to tell us at lunch break that unless you got all the changes you asked for you were done supplying engines for us. I believe you then sent a text or email to the chairman indicating the same thing after our vote. Maybe we misunderstood what you were saying, but I'm glad you didn't go away and are still the supplier. Now we just need some people to buy them.

[Howie Nichols]

Alex I had the same impression, glad you are still out there providing RAM power! Missed you at Standish.

[pav225]

Good to hear the different success stories... and some of the history of racing/motors. That's part of what makes racing a lot of fun.

All motors are designed with certain tolerances, so some will always be better or worse than others. It's just the nature of mechanical things. I would assume all motors today are produced by CNC. This doesn't necessarily mean that one is more or less accurate than another. You can set extremely loose tolerances and not check quality/conformance and have a bad product. Or you can hold tight tolerances and have a robust inspection process and have a superior product. I have no idea where any of our manufacturers fall in that spectrum, so that is in no way implying that one is better than the other.

Most racers are consistently looking to go faster and/or improve reliability. Because of that, people will always be tweaking.

[ER 7J]

STOCK: The equipment, materials, or supplies of an establishment. - The inventory of goods of a merchant or manufacturer. We add to that definition by specifying that the stock item purchased from the manufacturer is to be used as purchased with out modification.
The OMC, Mercury, And Yamato engines are/were Stock engines from the manufacturer, although over time we have allowed modifications. The Tohatsu is a stock power-head adapted to a racing lower and available from a supplier as an assembled STOCK unit.
The Sidewinder is a Stock engine and though it has gone through some changes since introduced the changes were done by the manufacturer therefore it is STOCK.
Regarding blueprinting, the Sidewinder engine was built as a racing engine with internal clearances and setup designed to maximize performance with out the need for blueprinting, STOCK as received from the manufacturer.