Auto Verdi tour

On our way up to the latest Swedish Nats in Ludvika we stopped by one of Stefan Verdi's factories where they make one of the worlds best con-rods for full scale racing engines. The company is called Auto Verdi and they mainly manufacture two line of product types - high performance oil pumps and forged con-rods for two & four wheel racing vehicles and also for F1 Powerboat engines!

Auto Verdi link

To the left, a stock Mercury F1 conrod. To the right a Verdi Mercury 2.5L F1 rod that is heading for the hardening process (the complete rod is copper coated except the bearing areas - they are the ones to be hardened).


Here's a batch of Verdi rods (pre-hardening) for Mercury 2.5L F1 motors.

Verdi conrod blanks.

Quality control @ Verdi.

One of the many CNC machines.

Here's one of the HUGE forging machines that spit out the rod blanks.

Stefans joy-run boat is a Argocat with plenty of Mercury power. I think he had it up to 92 knots last fall at an event (170 kmt / 105 mph).

We where also invited to go and see his new "toy" but we where too tired on Saturday after the H3.5 and the tunnel race so we need to come back to that next year or so. The picture shows are a couple of test props for that boat... The boat will have a super-charged big-block V8 that they are aiming for about 1700 hp!

Here, here & here you can see a video of the boat and yes, its an unlimited GP hydroplane! It was earlier called Ladybug and it's made in the US by Ron Jones but have been raced in New Zeeland (and Australia) and if Im correct its the current UIM world record holder with 288+ kmh (179 mph)! Stefan and his crew aim to beat that record within a few years...

Swedish OTA nats #2 Ludvika 2010

The second round of the Swedish stock outboard class was also run this past weekend in Ludvika. The qualifying had some rough waters but the final was a little smoother - otherwise we VS1 drivers would have been totally smoked... ;)

OTA 3.5cc Race results - 8 lap final:
1. Mattias Bengtsson / HTB 290 / OS / Futaba
2. Mikael Sundgren / VS1 / K&B / Futaba
3. Niklas Edlund / VS1 / OS / Futaba
4. Sune Persson / Bandit / TT
5. Ove Hermans / Bandit / TT
6. Stefan Adolfsson / HTB 290 / OS / Futaba
7. Nicklas Ericksson / TS2
8. Bosse Sandström / VS1 / K&B / Futaba
9. Anders Enblom / HTB 290 / OS / Futaba

Click HERE for Nillas webalbum from Saturday. Some of the pictures are borrowed from her web album. :)

Micke's VS1 attacking on the inside.

Its a Hot Shot cowl on Bosses VS1 - looks strange. ;)

Mattias "Benke" Bengtsson's HTB was outstanding this weekend.

Its me on the inside of Stefan's HTB - looks good but I rolled it 2 meters after this shot.

This is actually just before the shot here above. Wide in - fast out was the idea. Then I rolled it. LOL

Swedish Hydro Nats #2 Ludvika 2010 FSR-H3.5

The second round of the Swedish hydro nats was run July 3-4 2010 in Ludvika in very windy conditions. Some of the heats you could only run at the very lowest speed possible as the waves where so high. I leaned it as much as possible on the water or it would have flooded and died I think. Most of the heats it was so lean that if I would have pulled the trigger WOT it would have died right away...

FSR-H3.5 Final results after 5 heats (4 count):
1. Niklas Edlund / 1600 p / Kep's 21 / CMB Valvola / Zoom carb / Fat pipe / Sholund H6-3.46 prop / 14% Klotz STP & 60% Nitro / O'Donnell blue plug

2. Jörgen Andersson / 1225 p / Eagle SGX / CMB Valvola & gear drive / Zoom carb / Fat pipe

3. Torbjörn Carlsson / 1025 p

4. Mikael Sundgren / 825 p / Kep's 21 / CMB Valvola / Zoom carb / CMD Parabolic

5. Christer Gustafsson / 775 p
6. Bosse Sandström / 550 p
7. Mikael Gartne / 475 p
8. Sune Persson / 469 p
9. Bengt Björkhage / 400 p
10. Fred Brihagen / 50 p

Ps, the boat Jörgen is holding in the picture here above is not the boat he raced with - its my YAP's 21 that is not suitable for our type of racing...

Please check out Nillas picture gallery from Saturday - click THIS link. Some of the pics here are borrowed from her. :)

Tobbes new 21 rigger in action.

Mickes Kep's 21.

Jörgen's Eagle 21 with gear drive was almost as good as my Kep's 21 in the very windy conditions... ;)


Bosse's 21 rigger.

Yes, it was rough conditions!


My Kep's 21 penetrates the drink pretty hard but I had zero DNF's. :)

Mickes Kep's 21.


Did I mention the water was rough on race day?


Check my Kep's 21 how deep it penetrates the water after a jump. Need to make the tub higher eventually...

Sune Persson finally got his 21 rigger to work.


Submarine almost...

No, it didnt stop but with water spray from the sponson tubes you know its not really time to prop-up. LOL



Benke was my co-driver in hydro. He did a splendid job. Now he and Stefan has their own RTR Kep's 21's - hope they will make it to the next nats in hydro also. :)

Next race for me is the NAVIGA FSR World Champs in Hungary. See U there.

Swedish Hydro Nats #2 Ludvika 2010 FSR-H7.5

The second round of the Swedish hydro nats was run July 3-4 2010 in Ludvika.


FSR-H7.5 Final results after 5 heats (4 count):
1. Anders Martinelle / 1500 points
2. André Westerberg / 1500 points
3. Bengt Björkhage / 1300 points
4. Roland Jansson / 1150 points
5. Ellert Ohlzon / 700 points
6. Fred Brihagen / 475 points
7. Mikael Gartne / 225 points

Roland Jansson's 45.

Roland and Anita - what is this button doin...


Mikaels 45 had MUCH improved performance this weekend when he ditched the non-performing CMB 45HR to an potent MAC 45 instead. So much, the flex didnt last in practice = no start.

Andre's 45 with Picco power.

Ellert in front of Bengt @ buoy #6.

Fred Brihagens 45.

Swedish Hydro Nats #2 Ludvika 2010 FSR-H15

The second round of the Swedish hydro nats was run July 3-4 2010 in Ludvika.

FSR-H15 Final standings after 5 heats (4 count):
1. Anders Martinelle / 1500 points
2. Ellert Ohlzon / 1225 points
3. Bengt Björkhage / 1150 points
4. Niklas Ericksson / 694 points

Anders Martinelle tested his old Scrorpion rigger with an OPS 67 in it. It was not to bad but funny to look at how it in true 90's style kicked out the rear end when turning but not so much turning... :)


Looks like Bosse is squeezing the pipe. :)

Ms. Duck and the tiny ducksters stayed in the pits and was not intimidated by the boats at all.

Mats Aldell had som OS issues and didnt make the start in 15 cc.