› Forums › Forums › WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? › Moroso and my dad.
gcd1962.kd1225
I found this forum looking up info on Dick Moroso. My dad was Al Davidson, the original owner of the ’61 Corvette which became Dick’s. My dad and Dick(“Mouse” as my dad called him) grew up together, and my dad worked in the pits for him at Dover. I can’t remember the exact story of the ’61, but my dad had replaced something in the car and blew it up. Thinking it was beyond repair, he sold it to Dick for a few hundred dollars and Dick worked his magic and the car is what it is today.
I’m trying to think of others who were in his inner circle and the all I can think of is Bob Carpenter, Hank Dietrich, and Hank Minchin(who years later was my dad’s boss).
I lost my dad last November and I’m just trying to piece together what I can about his younger days. He was passionate about cars and racing and that ’61 was his baby along with his Mercedes 300SL.
dinoHi KiD Put “Moroso” in the search feature and stand back….plenty here.
short cut to a good one:
http://www.doverdragstrip.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=179&hilit=moroso
georgedreisch
Quite a few pics of the ’61 in “albums” on Moroso’s face book page. Looks like Rick is on there pretty frequently.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Moroso-Performance-Products-Inc/80407875468
pmbuickHi Al’s son, I worked with your Dad and still work for Hank Minchin. I am very sorry to hear of your loss, your Dad was a Great guy. Now I will tell you the story of the ’61 as he told it to me, in 1962 Chevy came out with the 327 and Al wanted one so he and Dick took out the 283 fulie and installed a 327/365 horse type motor. He drove the car to the Starlite drivein in Stamford on a date night after the movie he tried to start the car and all it would do was crank (due to a fuel line leak it caught on fire) after awhile he saw the paint on the hood blistering called for help they put the fire out but the nose of the car had melted enough to droop. when he and Dick got it back to the shop Al decided he no longer wanted the car and sold it to Dick for peanuts. And that is how Dick got your dads car and I believe Dicks son still races this very same car. Another Drover legion lives on. All my best to your family, Peter Maple
jimbo17
Peter Maple:
I am glad that you posted the information about Dick’s corvette because I was sitting hear reading the posts and thinking when Dick got the car it had been in a fire and all the wiring was burned up.
Those were the day’s when he lived with his mom and day on Park Place in Old Greenwich and before he married Nancy.
Dick had the room over the garage if my memory is correct and when I was there he had a 4 speed transmission on the floor in pieces at the time.
I used to hang around the Canal Street shop when he started Performance Automotive and in those day’s it was just Dick and Mike working there.
Saturday afternoons guys would start showing up with cars on trailers who wanted to race Dick and his corvette over on State Street along I-95
I don’t think I will ever forget those day’s because it was really a very crazy time.
Dick had gotten married to Nancy and they lived on High View Drive in Ridgefield.
Peter Thanks for jogging my old memory and Vito tells me you have the old “Let It Fly” car in your yard or at least you did for a while?
I go back to Connecticut once a year and I always get together with Vito over at his home and sometimes Vic Terranzio or Glenn Johnson or some of the old west side guys are over there.
Thanks Jim Hill Nostalgic Racing Decals
CHECK OUT THIS ABOUT “JIM” !
http://www.doverdragstrip.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=602
pmbuickHey Jim Hill,
I am very good friends with Vito and Victor, I raced with Vic until he retired last year. When you go to Vito’s next time tell him or you let me know I would really like to meet you. I never had a Let it Fly car, I have my own that was built by Gene and Victor so everyone thinks it is just sort of looks like one I guess, but I stll have it. Peter Maple
pmbuickAs far as Ms Davidson is concerned I believe we have met at Minchin Buick and you used to be an insurance adjuster, am I correct ? I am sorry I referred to you as Al’s son, Hank reminded me he only had a Daughter or Daughters. Peter
gcd1962
I recall that you dad’s ’61 caught on fire and when he went to pull open the hood, the handle came off in his hand ! and the fire continued for awhile to burn. Your dad sold the car to Dick for $1,000 (a letter to me stating this is on Rick Moroso’ site). Dick had the car repaired and it’s been in the family ever since. Dick lived at home at the time. His main job at the time was with the US Post Office. He used to do his route so quickly that he went home to work on his car for awhile before “checking” in at the end of the day. He did not have a “room over the garage”. It was only a regular two-car garage. Dick and his brothers (also into cars at the time) were all relegated to a small “TV” room so his mother could keep the grease contained to one area of the house.. I noted the mention of Hank Michen. I went to school with him. At the time the family dealership was on Putnam Ave in Greenwich near the top of the avenue. I understand that the dealership is now close to 100 years old and one of GM’s oldest continuing dealerships.
