<VV> Doug Roe

Mon Dec 13 10:03:13 EST 2010

Hi James,

Maybe you know. On page 21 of Fisher's "How to Hotrod Corvair Engines" is a brief article about Doug Roe. The article has a picture of a 60 two-door that does not appear to be the same car as the Bill Thomas 60 two-door. The most obvious difference is that Roe's car does not have the hole in the front end for the oil cooler. There are other differences in the two cars, but the lack of hole in the front of the car is the most notable. Do you have any idea what car this is and where it might be now? I've always been curious about this car and what might have happened to it. If it's still around, it would contribute to the competition history of our favorite care.

Regards,

Joe White (62 sedan, 66 Porvair)
CORSA, RMC

-----Original Message-----
From: James P. Rice <ricebugg at mtco.com>
To: virtualvairs virtualvairs at corvair.org
Sent: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 8:07 am
Subject: <VV> Doug Roe

Frank:  The late Doug Roe was employed by GM's subsidiary Rochester in the
arly '60's.  He physically worked in Detroit, maybe at the Tech Center.  He
allied a EM Corvair in Michigan.  Sometime in the mid-60's he was
ransferred to Phoenix to work at the GM proving ground.  He drove the
ickup and his wife the Corvair with their 2 or 3 kids cross country.
When Bill Thomas put his drag/roadracing Corvair up for sale, Doug bought it
nd continued development. Warren LeVeque now has the car.  The original EM
as used by a fellow GMPG employee whose name I do not remember.  It may
ave been entered in one of the Baja races, with a 5 wheel located via a
ack screw in the center of the car so it could be moved if/when it got high
entered.  Which it did.   I have a Competition Press/Autoweek which
entions this in an event coverage article.  I do not know what happened to
hat car.
So far as I know, Roe retired from GM and continued to live in Phoenix.
aybe Bob Helt or somebody from the SW can added to the information.  Roe
poke at the Denver Convention in the early 80's, but I do not remember
nything about what he said.
I am not aware of Roe ever doing anything commercially with either the
orvair or the Vega.  If you have some period documentation, I'm sure we all
ould like to know more.
Was your turbo set up related to what Yenko was trying to do at the time
ith the Vega?
That alloy 215cid engine has quite a history, including being the block for
ack Brabhams F-1 Championship winning car in 1966.  Wonder if GM ever
egretted selling it to Rover.  There's a list of race cars and English
pecialty sports cars as long as my arm (OK, so I'm using a large fonts on
he list) which have been and are powered by than engine.
Historically Yours,
		James Rice
PS:  This is a stay inside day here in Central Illinois.  The folks in
innesota sent their blizzard south.  Thanks.

essage: 1
---- Original Message -----
rom: "Frank F Parker" <fparker at umich.edu>
o: "virtual vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
ent: Thursday, December 9, 2010 9:54:18 PM
ubject: Re: <VV> OT: Vegas
Bought a Vega GT new in 1971. Added a turbo to it shortly later. Had trouble
ith cyl walls so sleeved it (still have some spares somewhere) and added a
oug Roe cylinder head (famous GM engineer who quit GM, moved to Arizona,
ade parts and wrote good books by HP like his Rochester Carbs book). Had to
ake some special wedge screws to set valve clearance. Worked ok BUT best
hing was to replace engine with OLDS 215 alum V8. Worked great, fit easy
nd transformed car. Hot Rod had an article about using a Saginaw 3 speed
ith OD and making a 8 speed to a Saginaw using the planetary gearset in
ailhousing. I did it, worked great. You had 1st gear, 1st gear with OD, etc
tc. Of course, you mainly just used OD in 4th where you got a 30% drop in
ngine speed to about 1500 rpm at 70 mph which the 215 did easily since had
mallish ports with great
orque. Did a 2000 mile trip and averaged 28 mpg-pretty good for 1972. Had
ittle rust around tailgate but fixed with zinc dichromate primer-illegal
ow of course.
frank parker

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