The Godfathers Of Chevy Muscle: An Exclusive Q & A Session With Joel Rosen Of Motion Performance

If any of you have followed my previous blogs, or even my published articles with Power Auto Media, then you no doubt know that my style of automotive journalism is one that has been--at best--retrospective. Truth be told, it's not any easier to get our favorite motoring legends in an interview then it is to get our most cherished rock stars on the phone, but it's still possible with a little persistance.

This particular blog focuses on some of the technical and performance-oriented milestones that have been accomplished in the world of GM performance. For that reason, there was no one who I could've thought to focus more on than "Mr. Motion" himself, Joel Rosen.

Rosen's horsepower-infused creations, during the late '60s and early '70s, left way more of a mark on the street/strip scene then did the COPO-based creations of Yenko Chevrolet. Where Yenko made some cool tweaks on a series of 427 cars that were ordered through dealer fine print, Rosen's Motion Performance, in conjunction with Long Island's Baldwin Chevrolet, built horsepower masterpieces that came turn-key with track equipment standard.

 
There weren't many new Chevys that could make that claim back then, but Rosen and the Baldwin-Motion supercar program had one guarantee, and that was an 11.5-second pass in the quarter mile or your money back, that simple.

It's a legend that's been uttered in motoring circles for the last 40 some odd years since the EPA's environmental crackdown during the 1970s, but when it came to the history of Baldwin-Motion performance, there were critical questions that had to be asked of the Baldwin-Motion brainchild himself.

With all of this in mind, I am pleased and honored to present this exclusive Q & A session with "Mr. Motion" himself, Joel Rosen:

Q: So this is kind of an elementary question, but what was the fastest car you'd ever built?

A: That would have to be a '70 Camaro with a 454 that was an NHRA record holder.

Q: And what was your favorite platform to build with?

A: Camaros and Corvettes

Q: What makes did Motion cover outside of Chevy?

A: We covered all American makes

Q: Buick's Grand National was the door-slammer of the '80s, but what kind of track times were you able to make with the modded GNs that you built during the decade?

A: Mostly 10s and 11s

Q: What would you say is your word of advice to the amateur builders of today who would like to pursue a street or race car project?

A: Definitely stick with Chevy

Q: In your opinion, is the muscle car era dead?

A: No, in fact it's better now than before; just look at what you can buy or build

Q: How do you feel about the C7 Corvette, and should GM have built a mid-motored version?

A: That was my friend, Zora Duntov's dream, but the new Vette is fantastic

Q: Will there ever be another Motion Performance car?

A: Possibly

Q: What do you predict motoring enthusiasts will be doing or will accomplish around 10 years from now?

A: They'll definitely be going faster

Q: How do you think that the motoring hobby, as it currently stands, can be made even better?

A: Get more young people to buy and think American, and get them to build cars again; get rid of the "rice burners"


My profound gratitude goes out again to Joel Rosen, who in all reality is the Bowtie world's equivalent of Shelby. He's one of the motoring world's greatest performance innovators, and the fact that he would take the time to answer my car questions says volumes about who he as a human being.