Re: champion outboard
Champion made Champion. No relation to the spark plug folks. It was begun by a guy named Dumonte out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. There was a connection with Scott-Atwater early on, pre WWII. I think Scott and Atwater worked with or for Champion and after WWII they branched out on their own. I don't have my Hunn book handy at the moment to clarify that. <br /><br />Champion made good, solid little motors from the late 1930s up to the late 1950s. They are actually, in a convoluted sort of way, still in "business" as the "Hot Rod" racing motors are gearing up for production once more. The Hot Rods were strong running motors that really gave Mercury a run for their money in classes A and B Stock Outboard. Drove Carl Kiekhaefer nuts, too that this little firm was running with, and often beating his green bombs. <br /><br />Anyway, Champion went belly up about 1958, and the racing stuff was bought up and at various times over the last 50 years has been produced in small numbers as the "Swanson Hot Rod", "American Hot Rod", and I think a few others, too. There is a new owner of the name and tooling who is investing a great deal into the motors to update them and start manufacturing complete motors for use in APBA stock outboard once more. <br />- Scott