modified descussion

[David Weaver]

The Quicker the Inspection....

....the sooner the Happy Hour *s) at Tunk's!!!! Have to keep your priorities straight.

No David (L6) you are not gettig older, only wiser! Since I do not compete in your category, I can only offer comments as a casual observer (but an interested one).

As far as the desire to control costs, I see Modified as having a limited amount of R&D with any one person or team. Then all this collected knowledge seems to dissesminate (spread out) to the other drivers over time (well there may be a few closely held secrets). The great thing with APBA, AOF, NBRA, etc. that I observe is that people are generally willing to share knowledge with their competitiors. This keeps the playing field fairly level with regards to technology. Therefore, people can choose to spend their hard earned dollars experimenting or focusing on incremental improvements (new prop,new boat, lose weight, etc.). Fortunately, there are always some willing to experiment in modified.

I do not care for weights because we race on all types of courses, therefore the impact is inconsistent. Weight impacts acceleration not top-end speed. Added weight also changes the intended handling characteristics of a boat and a fast heavy object hits harder than a fast light object.. At the winter nationals in Alex, the host club will probably set-up a 1 mile or even a 1.25 mile course. The affect of weights will be less dramatic. But on a 3/4 mile course, the impact of extra weight make a big difference. When you have different weight requirements within the same class based on engine manufacturer (C Mod right), the advantage has to change race to race.

Did I mention that, it would be fun to see an open modified class that allows the use of methanol or gasoline? Participation would be solely voluntary!! The PRO division attempted to set-up a class along these lines, but it was just too far away from where the category is today and where it is headed. I think the concept would have a better chance with the Mod division.

[David_L6]

I meant the weights of the pistons, rods, flywheels..... things like that - not the overall weight of boat/motor/driver.

[hshawwpba]

Mod engines

So, what you are saying is that we should have a second, gasoline powered, Pro category. If you make this category and unlimited one, it will totally screw up the speed ranges of the classes. I have heard that a Yamato(302, 102) with no restrictions, could be made to go almost 90 mph in competition. That would put it in the speed range of a DMH, and leave the Merc guys with only a small handful of boats nationwide. They wouldn't be able to race EVER! Not even at the nationals. The Mod division serves as a great in-between category of Stock and Pro. That's what it is, lets not change the whole basis of this category. As I have said before, each category serves a purpose for people who have different veiws at what ouboard racing should be. Between Stock, Mod, and Pro, there is a place for everyone. We should never forget this, and make one category a mirror of another.

I also have heard that pigs can fly I haven't seen one yet but I know they can because somone said so---
I do not believe that simply changing to a bore and stroke inspection will mirror the pros race engines, we still have weight restrictions and the carb rule and no adding of meterial in engine block clearly defines the to catagories. I thinks we need to simply reduce the load on the inspectors and be a true modified division using gas.

[hshawwpba]

No I do not want to throw out anyone, if the engine is legal in Mod today it should be grandfathered in with the change.
I simply think there are people that would bring out equipment that currently is hanging in shops and race again if they were allowed to be creative.
Change is tough, but it needs to be looked at as a chance to grow the sport and intrest of the motor heads.

[hshawwpba]

wrong wrong wrong, I can get parts for the 66 inch Merc 6 all day long.
Plus the 12 engines that are hanging on racks in my region alone that do not race pro anymore due to the obvious reasons, will now come out and be raced again.
What a great thing that would be!

[hshawwpba]

D Tohatsu approved by commission!

I am beginning to hear that people are starting to think more and more about Stock, Modified to Pro Outboard in some progressive ways.

For Stock Racing Outboards, keeping definative displacement sizes never mind charging technologies, within the displacement limits factory produced stock blocked, carbed, exhaust and cowled engines made for stock racing by the outboard manufacturer or by being by a stock/fishing engine maker adapted to fit a a universal tower and anyone's brand of gearcase would also fit that class. Like the D-Tohatsu/Bass or some old deflector OMC 40 keeping in mind that is had to has to come off the shelf to the consuming public with costs in mind without resorting to blueprinting be the case. Old allegences have anything to do with this anymore. Want to race a dinosaur engine in D-Stock or a new one and stock ones on that universal racing tower with water level exhaust and anyone's racing gearcase is the point. That builds in succession. As people get their feet wet with experience in racing their pocketbooks and their racing needs will be met.

If we are turly going to have modified outboards, then allow only all out altered/modified ski/fishing outboards using cube limits, but no made for stock outboard racing engines be allowed to enter unless they have a predecessor that is a stock racing outboard made specifically for that by the same ski/fishing manufacturer. Example the Merc 55H goes 44 cube stock blocked Merc but complete modifications otherwise but it had to start out being a production outboard motor to begin with and on gasoline. So someone uses Mikuni carbs on a Merc 44. You can take materials out of the engine but not add to its internals as like in crankcase stuffing or welding on compression pads. Wide open otherwise.

Pro. Their rules are pretty much that it has displacements but it does not matter if the thing was an outboard motor to begin with but basically only that the engine has to end up as an outboard motor using gasoline or Alky.

What I am saying is that we need to modernize, rationalize and hemoglate in Stock Racing Outboard and Modified Racing Outboard to get our appeal back to and available to to the weekend warriors out there who right now have no reasonable access to engines due to specializations holding back these two catagorys to the person off the street who does want to get into this stuff. Our exhausts in Modified are also causing some problems and bad ones where bells are concerned. I am not saying abandon them so much as open up engines that can use what is best for them and what the public can enjoy without getting you threatened, jailed or fined by some bylaw enforcement or police officer or all those if you came back for round 2 or to test.

What I am seeing is that we have failed to grasp the changing times with a lot of false allegiances in terms of technologies and its doing ourselves a dis-service.

I am trying to provoke thought to get people and racing back into mass appeal and support, so feel free to criticise as that word means all kind of views that provoke thought and heathy changes I think and that is my view that are long overdue. If some of this sounds like heresy, so I am heretic! Problem is many racers have equipment but have lost places to run them anymore. We are sidelined with problems we created. Its a combination of engine and parts availability(s) and noise.

Stock commision approves Tohatsu D engine!
Now this is a milestone in racing, New engines = new racers!
I wish to thank the 8 commisioners that have seen the light!
Let's go racing!

[sam]

wrong wrong wrong, I can get parts for the 66 inch Merc 6 all day long. Plus the 12 engines that are hanging on racks in my region alone that do not race pro anymore due to the obvious reasons, will now come out and be raced again. What a great thing that would be!

Howard could you clarify what this is in regard to? Is it just in regard to stacks? I may have missed any reference to non available parts other than stacks. Can you tell me where I can buy a set of Lon Stevens stacks?

[hshawwpba]

66 parts

Sam, why buy them stacks are easy to make Lon made his from aluminum and simply cut and welded elbows together and rolled the cones. Any good mod racer must know how to fabricate exhaust stacks, if not then you belong in stock!
But if you wish there are 2 sets in a basement close to me lying in state!

[sam]

Go over to that basement and take another look at those stacks. Some of Lon's parts were welded, but some were cast to save work. If the stacks you are referring to are welded from stock pipe fittings, they are not Stevens' .... might be Quincys.

If they are aluminum and really are available, I would like to have them to help put another pair of boats on the water here in the east.

You are correct .... anyone with a real mod brain can find their way to the desired result.

[mercguy]

Howard could you clarify what this is in regard to? Is it just in regard to stacks? I may have missed any reference to non available parts other than stacks. Can you tell me where I can buy a set of Lon Stevens stacks?

LS stacks..............Lonnie Morris! I actually returned a 4cyl set I bought from him months ago.....

you are right though Sam, the elbows are cast aluminum ones Lon made, then welded to the plate. I was going to have them recast, but gave up on the idea. As a matter of fact, if someone does remake them, there are quite a few River Racers in Oregon that would buy them, 4cyl ones......