Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

I've never seen this before. But that's his car and number from back in the day. I also know Butler's shop was near Leal's back then.
https://martinsactionphotography.smu...ng/i-QM7B8Zk/A

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

WE were friends with Paul, even drove his FWD Charger & Dodge 600.
Never saw this picture before,dont know the story on it.
After NHRA told Paul not to race the car again , he sold it to someone over seas

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

More pictures of Pauls car.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Why did NHRA tell Paul not to race it anymore?? I think the car went to Sweden.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

protested;
found it had 54% on back end and engine was moved back & other things.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

A group of us went to lunch Saturday after the Spring Fling and were talking about Rossi and his exploits. Lots of interesting stories.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

The car was sold to Jeff and Sylvia Houser in England and was raced at Santa Pod Raceway for several years. Don't know where it is now.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

and I also thought that those long, chromed collector extensions had to be fishy........................

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

We meet Paul in 75 ,pitted 3 times by him & become friends. He got me the Mopar deal in 79 , we stayed at his house in 76 ,84 & 86 winternts.
Here are a few more pictures of his racing.
In 86 Paul got a real big deal with Mopar to go road racing, had 4 cars won races in IMCA road racing.
The fwd dodges were going to be Carroll Shelby factory cars with 100 being built by Paul, but Shelby & Paul didn't get along and the deal fell thou.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

I remember Rossi in 1963-1964 running max wedge and hemi Plymouths out of Dick Spencer's Westborn Chrysler- Plymouth in Dearborn, Michigan. Dick Spencer was the sales manager of Bob Ford and left there to open the new C-P dealership. I think he only lasted a couple years and went back to Bob Ford. Rossi's cars were fast, well prepared and immaculate.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Yep Tom, last time I saw him was at Palm Beach Grand Prix back in '88 or '89, running the Eagle Talon Firehawk team. Wanted to talk to him about the old days, but remember approaching him back when he had the Challenger, and wasn't too talkative about it. With all the stories I've hear I now know why LOL!!! It was definitely a car way ahead of it's time (and the rulebook).

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

A few more pictures of his cars.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Here is our picture from 1976 Indy, guy in front is Paul's brother-in-law,Carl, 1st line lock.
76 program says: Calif flash driver Paul Rossi, sorry I don't remember the story on this.
77 just says : Rossi dodge as entry.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

I'm friends on Facebook with the current owner of Paul's Challenger, Joakim Mårtenson. I believe Sylvia Hauser sold the car to him.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

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.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

In case you are interested Paul's fan page 9n Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1159...517/?ref=share

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...DA&oe=6211574F

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...Kw&oe=6210DEC9
https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...sA&oe=621174F3

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Would love to know the story about that door bar on that Challenger.
Pretty high up...

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...NA&oe=62117BDD

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...8g&oe=62100C9F

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...wQ&oe=6210E52F
https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...AQ&oe=6210FB04

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...TQ&oe=6210B970

https://scontent.flex1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...cQ&oe=62102C3C

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 :)

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

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!

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

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

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

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.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

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?

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..

iRe: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Paul Rossi has been helping us the last Couple
of days at the Winternationals. A million stories
and lots of sage advise!
Must be working as we both have made it
to final 4 in Stock (Me) and SS (Jon).

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

One of the best looking Mopar cars and most entertaining drivers EVER. YES we all know way high and 200’ wheelstands are not the very quickest way down the track. Rossi knew how entertaining a sky high Super Stocker was to spectators.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Great photography at SIR.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Exactly what I was thinking, lived in the area many years (Port Ludlow being my favorite) until grandkids pulled us south. But still spend as much of our summers up there as possible. The SIR (Pacific Raceway) pictures bring back so many memories. Had completely forgotten about the Kost Pro Stocker and seeing all the legends racing there is classic.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

My Valiant has a slotted "L" bracket where the brake light switch used to be. Weighs a couple ounces and takes a few seconds to adjust. Good insurance for sure. I hate crashing.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Join fan page so you Can see him and the Chllenge this Summer


https://www.facebook.com/groups/1159...517/?ref=share

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

I remember he had a huge picture of that car in his living room...

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Nice to read the great history,good times for sure.

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Exactly, most of these that came out was the builder being careless and not putting a stop up. This was a huge pet peeve with my dad.

Herb Jr

Re: Rossi's SS/FA Challenger
 

Here is a source for the brake pushrod retainer. This is also a great source for rear end and disc brake parts, look it over.

https://www.doctordiff.com/manual-br...r-grommet.html