Rossi's SS/FA Challenger - Page 3

GTX JOHN · 02-17-2022, 02:37 AM

[QUOTE=Rod Greene;501859]MIKE PIAZZA, BILL GEORGE,EILEEN HARRELL have lots of Rossi stories. That Challenger had lots of enhancements. Interesting thing is that Paul never won an event. Got lots of ink for wheelies. Larry Harrell won several events in the Aspen. Larry owned the car and Paul supplied parts. We are currently restoring Larry's 6bbl 4 speed Cuda.[/QUOTnngE]
We have raced the Aspen for close to 10 years now. I am racing it
this weekend at the Winternationals. Before RossiHarrell raced it = It
was Hot Rod Magazine Project Car (Project Bracket Bird)
for several years.

lstanford · 02-17-2022, 11:45 AM

Anyone have any pictures or information on Rossi's 1964 Westborn sponsored car? It seems like that car won a lot. Does the car still exist? It was always immaculate and fast at the dirty "D" ( Detroit Dragway) back in the day.

orangemonster · 02-17-2022, 08:09 PM

I had seen About a year ago in Northern Utah a Paul Rossi stocker aspen?I inquired About it and it was going to the guys cousin in Idaho to get redone as a streetcar. lossing it's identity.

GTX JOHN · 02-18-2022, 01:50 AM

Only one real Paul Rossi Aspen = the one we currently race.
Paul Rossi was at the Winternationals today in staging
lanes and we chatted with him about the car for a while!

Don Kennedy · 02-18-2022, 10:30 AM

By The way, Paul was one of the racers I talked to when I was putting together the New Rules in Super Stock For the GT Classes in the early 80 s. Along with Joe Scott and Dick Henry and I believe I talked to FJ Smith. Darell Zimmerman the NHRA division Director gave the notebook I had to the decision-makers at NHRA. My Car and Dick Henrys were the first cars built under the watchful eye of NHRA Tech Director Dave Danish over the building of My car. Danny Davis build my Trans AM after I got two cars from Pontiac Motor Division and a Oldsmobile from Arlen Fadley. Arlen gave a lot of Oldsmobile cars for the GT classes to racers. FJ was the One who started the front wheel Cars to the rear wheel Conversion. My good friend Keith Lynch was the first one to have a Buick race car. it was the early 80s a few years back lol

jmcarter · 02-18-2022, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

Only one real Paul Rossi Aspen = the one we currently race.
Paul Rossi was at the Winternationals today in staging
lanes and we chatted with him about the car for a while!

Remember seeing the Aspen in full Rossi livery a few years back at one of your shops while you and Jon were digging out pieces to add to my collection. That car plus the Demon that Etter had his unfortunate accident in stand out but frankly lost count of all the cars!

Rod Greene · 02-18-2022, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmcarter

Remember seeing the Aspen in full Rossi livery a few years back at one of your shops while you and Jon were digging out pieces to add to my collection. That car plus the Demon that Etter had his unfortunate accident in stand out but frankly lost count of all the cars!

Demon was my old car sold to Bill Riddle crashed by Etter

jmcarter · 02-18-2022, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod Greene

Demon was my old car sold to Bill Riddle crashed by Etter

I remember some of the car’s history, it was a beautiful piece. The ole master cylinder rod which hope everyone learned from. Ken sure took a hit plus his more recent health issues, it’s great to see him back campaigning the Shadow. Great driver.

Dave Gantz · 02-18-2022, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmcarter

The ole master cylinder rod which hope everyone learned from.

This maybe should be brought up again. I have no knowledge of the Etter incident, but I know it happened on occasion to different cars. It was because the m/c pushrod would fall out if the brake pedal was inadvertently lifted a bit.
I don't remember what caused it. Was it something to do with converting to manual brakes?

CMcAllister · 02-18-2022, 10:36 PM

In the old ,manual brake Mopars, the pushrod had a groove in it that a rubber ring snapped into. The piston in the MC had a receiver groove in it that the ring snapped into to retain the pushrod. There was also a bumper, brake switch, etc, the kept the pedal from coming up too far. Power brake cars didn't use this .

Most of that stuff disappears on a race car and the rubber ring is a one time use deal. New ones are difficult to source and they are a pain to get apart.

There are different types of retainers made by many of the race shops to prevent this by capturing the pushrod and keeping it in the MC. I've even fabricated simple devices to do the job. They allow the MC to be removed and reinstalled without having to deal with the rubber ring, while keeping the pushrod in the piston.. I also like to see a redundant bracket or tab of some sort which is a positive stop for the pedal itself.

I've seen a lot of cars torn up over the year because of this. Simple fix to prevent it..

02-17-2022, 02:37 AM	#21
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,550 Likes: 2,249 Liked 1,908 Times in 585 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger [QUOTE=Rod Greene;501859]MIKE PIAZZA, BILL GEORGE,EILEEN HARRELL have lots of Rossi stories. That Challenger had lots of enhancements. Interesting thing is that Paul never won an event. Got lots of ink for wheelies. Larry Harrell won several events in the Aspen. Larry owned the car and Paul supplied parts. We are currently restoring Larry's 6bbl 4 speed Cuda.[/QUOTnngE] We have raced the Aspen for close to 10 years now. I am racing it this weekend at the Winternationals. Before RossiHarrell raced it = It was Hot Rod Magazine Project Car (Project Bracket Bird) for several years. __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock Last edited by GTX JOHN; 02-18-2022 at 01:47 AM.

02-17-2022, 11:45 AM	#22
lstanford Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 310 Likes: 1 Liked 134 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger Anyone have any pictures or information on Rossi's 1964 Westborn sponsored car? It seems like that car won a lot. Does the car still exist? It was always immaculate and fast at the dirty "D" ( Detroit Dragway) back in the day.

02-17-2022, 08:09 PM	#23
orangemonster Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 6 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger I had seen About a year ago in Northern Utah a Paul Rossi stocker aspen?I inquired About it and it was going to the guys cousin in Idaho to get redone as a streetcar. lossing it's identity.

02-18-2022, 01:50 AM	#24
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,550 Likes: 2,249 Liked 1,908 Times in 585 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger Only one real Paul Rossi Aspen = the one we currently race. Paul Rossi was at the Winternationals today in staging lanes and we chatted with him about the car for a while! __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock Last edited by GTX JOHN; 02-18-2022 at 01:56 AM.

02-18-2022, 10:30 AM	#25
Don Kennedy VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Portland TN Posts: 1,553 Likes: 3,505 Liked 809 Times in 217 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger By The way, Paul was one of the racers I talked to when I was putting together the New Rules in Super Stock For the GT Classes in the early 80 s. Along with Joe Scott and Dick Henry and I believe I talked to FJ Smith. Darell Zimmerman the NHRA division Director gave the notebook I had to the decision-makers at NHRA. My Car and Dick Henrys were the first cars built under the watchful eye of NHRA Tech Director Dave Danish over the building of My car. Danny Davis build my Trans AM after I got two cars from Pontiac Motor Division and a Oldsmobile from Arlen Fadley. Arlen gave a lot of Oldsmobile cars for the GT classes to racers. FJ was the One who started the front wheel Cars to the rear wheel Conversion. My good friend Keith Lynch was the first one to have a Buick race car. it was the early 80s a few years back lol __________________ Don Kennedy 7701 SS Last edited by Don Kennedy; 02-18-2022 at 10:46 AM.

02-18-2022, 10:36 PM	#30
CMcAllister Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fulton County, PA Posts: 542 Likes: 9 Liked 767 Times in 212 Posts	Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger In the old ,manual brake Mopars, the pushrod had a groove in it that a rubber ring snapped into. The piston in the MC had a receiver groove in it that the ring snapped into to retain the pushrod. There was also a bumper, brake switch, etc, the kept the pedal from coming up too far. Power brake cars didn't use this . Most of that stuff disappears on a race car and the rubber ring is a one time use deal. New ones are difficult to source and they are a pain to get apart. There are different types of retainers made by many of the race shops to prevent this by capturing the pushrod and keeping it in the MC. I've even fabricated simple devices to do the job. They allow the MC to be removed and reinstalled without having to deal with the rubber ring, while keeping the pushrod in the piston.. I also like to see a redundant bracket or tab of some sort which is a positive stop for the pedal itself. I've seen a lot of cars torn up over the year because of this. Simple fix to prevent it.. Last edited by CMcAllister; 02-18-2022 at 10:39 PM.