Adam Tuckman’s “Dr. Rollings'” 1971 Baldwin-Motion Phase III GT Corvette To Debut At Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals!

Story & Photos by Martyn L. Schorr

Intro: I was just a car-crazed lad when I saw my first Baldwin-Motion Phase III Corvette on the cover of CARS Magazine. The bright yellow machine had ‘67 side-pipes, the Baldwin-Motion signature-style ‘67 big-block Corvette hood scoop on top of the ‘68 big-block hood dome, a GTO hood-mounted tach, flares on the wheel openings and deep-dish Cragar mags. WOW! What’a sight! Joel Rosen made sure the cars had a heap’n help’n of red meat and Marty Schorr, CARS editor and Motion coconspirator, made sure there was plenty of sizzle!

Baldwin-Motion cars went on to delight Chevy lovers for years and quickly became legends. In ‘69, Rosen turned the Phase III Corvette to the Baldwin-Motion Phase III GT – the most expensive of all of the Baldwin-Motion cars. After specialty cars roll (or peal out) out the door, many live hard, hard lives, with less than happy endings. But then some become cherished members of their owners families. This is the story of a much loved and enjoyed Phase III GT Corvette.

So, with much delight, let me turn this story over to the ultimate Baldwin-Motion spin master, Martyn L. Schorr. Take it away, Marty! – KST

Not all Vettes are red. Many of Duntov’s mule Corvettes were white – so were most of Bill Jenkins race cars and Jim Hall’s Chaparrels. Sano white was Dr. Rollings color  choice for his personal Grand Touring Corvette.

Purchased from the original owner’s family in 2008, Adam Tuckman’s 1971 Baldwin-Motion Phase III GT Corvette is the last built, highest-optioned and most original known. Between 1969 and 1971, Joel Rosen produced just 12 GTs.

On June 3, 1971, Dr. Henry Rollings took delivery of his air-conditioned, 500+ horsepower, 1971 Phase III GT from Joel Rosen at Motion Performance in Baldwin, New York. Power was supplied by a blueprinted and balanced 454 LS6 big block built to LS7 specifications and fitted with a GM high-performance hydraulic cam, open-chamber L88/ZL1 aluminum heads, headers and a Holley four-barrel. Backing up the potent Phase III engine: A massaged M40 Turbo Hydramatic, Hone overdrive and a 4.88 Posi rear. Creature comforts include a custom button-tufted interior and stereo system and numerous power options
from the factory. Thanks to the fastback rear window, there’s storage area for luggage behind the bucket seats.

Phase III GT Corvettes for export out of the US had very cool-looking Lexan headlight covers that were illegal here in the States.Dr. Rollings GT was 100% street legal, sans the headlight covers.

Dr. Rollings paid his bill ($16, 283.00), hopped into the GT’s plush interior
and drove home to Savannah, GA! Between 1971 and 1989, the colorful
Cardiologist who owned and piloted vintage World War II aircraft used his
Phase III GT for making house calls (imagine your doctor pulling up for a house call in this beast! ed), towing his Jaguar E-Type SCCA
racecars and high-speed touring. He put more than 31,000 trouble-free
miles on his unique Corvette Supercar. In 1989 he gifted his GT to his
daughter and son-in-law, Ellen and Don Glasser. Dr. Rollings passed away in 2003.

GT (Grand Touring) machines were originally designed for a “grand tour” or a big long trip. Arguably, the most significant design flaw of the ’68 to ’77 Corvettes was the coupe roof. To open up the back storage area, Rosen’s GT Corvettes featured a unique fastback rear window that provided enough room for two suitcases. Duntov said, Joel, you were able to do what I wasn’t.”

“Dr. Rollings owned imported exotics, raced sports cars and flew restored
Warbirds. Once he took a test ride in a 1970 GT that we had just finished
for a customer, he was hooked,” said Joel “Mr. Motion” Rosen.
Documented by Joel Rosen for the Glassers in 2003 and again for Adam
Tuckman in 2008, it is the last built and most highly optioned Phase III
GT. Other than being repainted in the 1980s, it is the most original GT
known.

Now here’s a Corvette interior you can live with. Plenty of room for groceries, golf clubs, or two suitcases. ROAD TRIP! The device between the seats is an 8-Track Tape Player. The storage bins accessible in the floor of the storage area were for 8-Tracks such as “Tom Jones Greatest Hits” and Three Dog Night, and The Partridge Family!

Dr. Rollings’ GT has been restored to exactly how Motion built it in 1971
by John Waleck, Artisan Coach Works, Hopatcong, NJ, who restored Joel
Rosen’s yellow Phase III GT now owned by Dan McMichael. Gary “The Local Brush” Kupfer originally striped and trimmed Dr. Rollings’ GT in 1971 applied the finishing touches (black Phase III stripes) to the GT in 2010. Its public debut will be at the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals in Chicago, IL. on November 20-21, 2010. – Martyn L. Schorr

At the end of the day, “beauty” will only get you so far in the world of high performance cars. Ultimately, it’s about “what’s under the hood!” So, feast your eyes on these specs…

SPECIFICATIONS:
1971 Baldwin-Motion Phase III GT Corvette
OWNER: Adam Tuckman, New York City, NY
COLOR: Classic White, black Phase III stripes
WEIGHT: 3,480 pounds. with driver
MILEAGE: 30,937
INTERIOR: Customized button-tufted seats, door panels and
carpeting by Master Upholstery, Newton, NJ. Increased inside
stowage space for luggage because of fastback window
conversion. Custom stereo and steering wheel.
EXTERIOR: Phase III GT conversion including exposed
headlights, flared wheel wells, high rise hood, unique taillights,
LeMans fuel filler, remote sport mirrors, large slanted
(fastback) rear window.
RESTORATION: Artisan Coach Works, Hopatcong, NJ.
PHASE III STRIPING: Gary “The Local Brush” Kupfer
ENGINE: Phase III 500-plus horsepower LS6
BLOCK: Transplanted #512 block with four-bolt-mains
DISPLACEMENT: 454 cubic inches
COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.5:1
HEADS: GM L88/ZL1 aluminum open chamber (3946074)
VALVES: Manley stainless 2.19-inch intake 1.88-inch exhaust
CAMSHAFT: GM high performance hydraulic
ROCKER ARMS: Comp Pro Magnum steel, 1.6 ratio
PISTONS: JE forged aluminum
CRANKSHAFT: GM forged steel
RODS: GM forged 7/16-inch steel
INTAKE MANIFOLD: Edelbrock Aluminum C427X
CARBURETOR: Holley 780-cfm (3310) four barrel
AIR CLEANER: Stelling & Hellings “fly eye”
FUEL PUMP: Dual Motion SuperPumper (Dupree) electric fuel
pumps and engine-mounted HP mechanical pump
IGNITION: Reworked stock GM distributor, Phase III CD Ignition
and Mallory High-Performance Coil
EXHAUST: Hooker 1 7/8-inch headers with factory side pipes
TRANSMISSION: GM M40 Turbo Hydramatic w/Sure-Shift Kit
OVERDRIVE: Hone-O-Drive
SUSPENSION, FRONT: Stock with Koni shocks
SUSPENSION, REAR: Stock with traction bar and Koni shocks
REAR END: GM Posi with 4.88 gears. With OD, 3.42-to1.
BRAKES, FRONT: Stock power disc brakes
BRAKES, REAR: Stock power disc brakes
WHEELS: Alloy 15×8-inch Ansen Sprints
TIRES, FRONT: Mickey Thomson Indy G 60/15
TIRES, REAR; Mickey Thomson Indy L 60/15
GAS: 105 Octane

Thanks so much Marty! I’m certain that Corvette and Chevy lovers will be talking about Baldwin-Motion cars for many, many years to come. The Motion Performance cars were forged in a time when life really was simpler, although at the time, it didn’t seem that way. Dr. Rollings $16K Corvette was over three times as much as a new stock Corvette in ’71. If and when other signifegent Baldwin-Motion Corvettes surface, we’ll be sure to post updates here! –

KST

PS – Stop by www.IllustratedCorvetteSeries.com and check out my Phase III GT art prints HERE, or click on the below images.

Other relevant information about the Baldwin-Motion cars:

“Motion Performance: Tales of a Muscle Car Builder” by Martyn L. Schorr – This is the ULTIMATE history book of the Motion Performance experience told by one of the two men on the planet that know more about these cars than anyone. This hard backed book is loaded with excellent photos and first-rate narative by former CARS Magazine editor and VETTE Magazine editor and founder, Marty Schorr. This is a FUN read! Look for the book cover graphic to the right to order your copy from Amazon.com today.

The Official Baldwin-Motion Website – www.OfficialBaldwinMotion.com

The Official Motion Performance Website – www.MotionPerformance.com

Motion Models – So, what’s Joel “Mr. Motion” Rosen been up to since his supercar building days? Building museum quality models of WW I, WW II, and modern planes, jets, choppers, ships, and more! – www.MotionModels

Sarasota Cafe Racers  “Car Guys Who Lunch! – Marty Schorr’s car guy lunch club. – SarasotaCafeRacers.com

Car Guy Chronicles – News + Views + Reviews for guys and gals that love high performance cars of all kinds! Schorr covers exotic cars, race cars, prototype cars, vintage cars, American, European, and Asian cars, cop cars, speed cars, and more! (IS that possible?) Always fresh, always interesting! – www.CarGuyChronicles.com/

Baldwin-Motion Phase III Corvette Art by K. Scott Teeters – Parchment paper and Laser-Etched art prints. www.IllustratedCorvetteseries.com