Mark Poole ModVP
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2005
- Messages
- 1,337
I will chime in on what I believe is a valid point. And that is...things have changed. No doubt the Sport OB class was created with the best of intentions and I agree, a good concept. At that time I think there were three?...production .21 OB engines available? K&B's were cheap and so were the replacement parts. Later, the new OS engine came along and was reasonably priced although more than K&B. Meccoa had a winner with the SX .21 OB. I had two that were really good runners.
Here what has changed. Meccoa stop making those beloved cheap engines. Thunder Tigers would run IF you knew what to do to them. Given the performance and availability of the OS it became the engine of choice, nearly without exception. Once the popularity of this engine surged, so did the price. $550.00 at Tower. $140.00 for a piston and sleeve. And if I did my web search right, the RG piston/sleeve/rod assembly is $200.00?? So now what you have is essentially a one engine class and the price of that engine is anything but "entry level" supportive. Yes, .21 tunnel was always considered the low cost and lower speed way to enter nitro boats. Do you realize that a new racer, buying everything brand new would spend $1500.00 plus to come to a race with just one .21 tunnel and minimal support equipment? A small box of spare parts would add another $200 to $300.
I know Mod-VP a special class that is run at the tunnel champs. But I will say this to state my point further. I am seriously considering having a discussion for taking the Sport engine rule off of the class. We started that class for the same reasons. To be FUN, first and foremost! Inexpensive, simple and no exotic piped engines were the other reasons. But now, unless you are a K&B 'wizard' an unpiped K&B will not run with an OS. (Mike Cullhane had an OS on one of my boats and passed me like I was in reverse at the Brandon race years ago. And my boat was hooked up good that day.) So, with the current engine situation I am thinking it would be way more fun as an Open .21 engine class. And to the point of this thread, there would be no suspicious engines. Also, you could build an engine that weighs less than the OS since no restriction on powerhead and lower units brands.
Where is the fun in a one engine Sport class if there is always this argument over the internal parts of that engine? Looks like to me the easiest way to solve this is to say if it looks factory on the outside....shut up and race it.
Here what has changed. Meccoa stop making those beloved cheap engines. Thunder Tigers would run IF you knew what to do to them. Given the performance and availability of the OS it became the engine of choice, nearly without exception. Once the popularity of this engine surged, so did the price. $550.00 at Tower. $140.00 for a piston and sleeve. And if I did my web search right, the RG piston/sleeve/rod assembly is $200.00?? So now what you have is essentially a one engine class and the price of that engine is anything but "entry level" supportive. Yes, .21 tunnel was always considered the low cost and lower speed way to enter nitro boats. Do you realize that a new racer, buying everything brand new would spend $1500.00 plus to come to a race with just one .21 tunnel and minimal support equipment? A small box of spare parts would add another $200 to $300.
I know Mod-VP a special class that is run at the tunnel champs. But I will say this to state my point further. I am seriously considering having a discussion for taking the Sport engine rule off of the class. We started that class for the same reasons. To be FUN, first and foremost! Inexpensive, simple and no exotic piped engines were the other reasons. But now, unless you are a K&B 'wizard' an unpiped K&B will not run with an OS. (Mike Cullhane had an OS on one of my boats and passed me like I was in reverse at the Brandon race years ago. And my boat was hooked up good that day.) So, with the current engine situation I am thinking it would be way more fun as an Open .21 engine class. And to the point of this thread, there would be no suspicious engines. Also, you could build an engine that weighs less than the OS since no restriction on powerhead and lower units brands.
Where is the fun in a one engine Sport class if there is always this argument over the internal parts of that engine? Looks like to me the easiest way to solve this is to say if it looks factory on the outside....shut up and race it.
