The Baldwin Motion Story (Part 2) 

I worked for Joel PART TIME with a friend of mine, Stan Noren. Stan had worked for Joel in 1967 full time until he became a NYPD where I met him and was asked to work with him. Great times back then for mid 20 year old gearheads. They had one of the few dyno's back then and used to spend a lot of time rejetting Holley 3 barrel carbs. on Offy manifolds to get the most out of those big blocks. One thing most don't know was that Joel was a SNAKE COLLECTOR and the basement of his home was FULL of them, especially the poisonous one! He also used to race that big block boat on the waters of Long Island sound, and if my almost 80 year old memory serves me, there was a whole UNDERGROUND boat racing group out there and Joel was the KING of the sound as well. Wish him well aa I still have a few of those MOTION Performance plaques we used to add to custom valve covers and the sides of a few Corvettes and Camaro's.

This place was legendary on sunrise highway for being The south shore, Mecca of ultra high performance street, rods and dragsters. I can even remember riding my bicycle over, just stand on the sidewalk and literally stare at the cars and listen to the noise coming out of that shop. So 60s and early 70s. Terrific place wonderful cars incredible people.

My brother went down to Motion to take a look at their cars. He came back a figured he could do the same with his 69 396 Camaro. He ordered a 427 L88 and had it put in. It was a fast car when the wheels stop spinning but he ran out of $$ just to keep it running and sold it. That was the last fast car he ever had. Side note, he got married after that so ...

It was such a great time to grow up in.

I had a friend who had a 68 camaro from motion that thing was unbelievable fast we lived in S philly drag racing on the street every night and weekends were crazy as hell lol

Well researched and presented, thanks Vic! A special shout-out to Marty for his assistance. 👍

You produce very professional videos with well-researched content.....keep 'em coming!

Great story I seen one motion car in Castle hills New Castle Delaware in 1971 that was the only one I ever seen on the road

My #1 all time favorite cars are Baldwin Motion Camaro, 70's,and the vega with a 302 csb

I KNEW A GUY RAY WHO LIVED IN BAYSIDE QUEENS HERE IN NEW YORK. WHO HAD A HIGH-PO 65 MUSTANG BACK IN THE VERY EARLY 70S. HIS MOTOR WAS BUILT BY A 75-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO WORK FOR FORD. RAY WAS GOOD FRIENDS WITH JOEL FROM BALDWIN MOTION. THEY TOOK HIS MOTOR TO JOEL'S SHOP AND PUT IT ON THE DYNO. THAT SMALL BLOCK 289 MADE 445 HORSEPOWER (THIS REINFORCES THE MERCURY COMET RACE TEAMS WHO PRODUCED 450 HORSEPOWER FROM SMALL BLOCK TO 289'S). AND JOEL SAID TO RAY WE COULD GET MORE HORSEPOWER OUT OF THIS THING WITH BETTER TUNING. AND RAY TURNED AROUND TO HIM AND SAID "I DON'T NEED NO MORE THAN THAT". AT THE TRACK THE CAR RAN 10:88. ON THE STREETS IT BEAT EVERYTHING IT WENT UP AGAINST EVEN JOEL'S CARS. ONE THING ABOUT JOEL, IS THAT HE HAD VERY HIGH RESPECT FOR FORD. RAY EVENTUALLY LOST HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR STREET DRAG RACING SUSPENDED FOR 2 YEARS. ONE DAY HE GOT A KNOCK ON HIS DOOR AND HIS MOTHER ANSWERS IT AND TWO COPS WERE STANDING THERE. THEY ASKED IF RAY WAS HOME AND RAY CAME TO THE DOOR AND SAID TO THEM, CAN I HELP YOU. THE ONE OFFICER SAID: RAY HOW IS YOUR CAR DOING. HE TURNED AROUND AND SAID: THE LAST TIME I SAW IT IT WAS IN THE BACK GARAGE. THE OFFICER THEN SAID: WOULD YOU LIKE TO RACE YOUR CAR AGAINST ONE OF OUR FELLOW OFFICERS. HE TURNED AROUND AND SAID: I HAVE NO LICENSE. IT WAS SUSPENDED AND I CAN'T DRIVE FOR 2 YEARS. THEY SAID DON'T WORRY THAT, WE'LL FIX THAT FOR YOU. OUR FELLOW OFFICER HAS A ALL-OUT WORKED 440 69 CHARGER. AND WE WANT TO SET UP A RACE DOWN CONNECTING HIGHWAY WITH YOU AND HIM. SO THEY SET UP THE RACE. AND WHEN THE DAY CAME FOR RAY TO RACE THAT 440 BIG BLOCK CHARGER WITH HIS SMALL BLOCK 289. THAT 440 CHARGER SAW HIS TAIL LIGHTS AND RAY OBLITERATED HIM. FROM THEN ON THE LOCAL PRECINCTS ALLOWED HIM TO DRIVE UNTIL HIS TWO-YEAR SUSPENSION WAS UP. WHENEVER HE DROVE HIS MUSTANG ON THE STREETS AND A PATROL CAR SPOTTED HIM. THEY WOULD BRIEFLY TURN THEIR LIGHTS ON AND TURN THEM OFF TO SHOW HIM THE GREATEST RESPECT. THAT HIS SMALL BLOCK FORD TOOK DOWN THIS HIGHLY WORK 440 CHARGER. THIS IS WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, COPS WERE COPS, HUMAN BEINGS NO DIFFERENT FROM YOU AND I. UNLIKE THESE F****** ANIMALS WE HAVE TODAY WHO ARE PREDATORS WHO DON'T GIVE A S*** ABOUT ANYBODY OR GIVING BREAKS OR DOING THE RIGHT THING.

Back in 1975 I had a 1972 Vega GT hatchback. The aluminum 4 banger was burning more oil than gas at a little over 12,000 miles. Chevrolet replaced the engine under a factory recall for the cost of a head gasket. Again not too long after it was burning oil and I thought about swapping in a small block after spending a lot of time at Raceway Park in Englishtown. I'd see 327, 350 and even a 454 powered wagon race there. Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins was running one. I'd see ads for V8 Vega kits in Car Craft, Hot Rod, Super Chevy and Popular Hot Rodding magazines. I could get my hands on a small block with no problem back then, but the swap kit was about half of what I paid for the car.

1939-2023. Rest easy Mr. Rosen you left us with cars to lust after for decades.

When I was in Detroit as a teenager in 1969, I wanted one of those cars

I remember seeing a 71 turbocharged Camaro in the mid 1970's it had motion badges on the front fenders. I used to see it in the neighborhood and was told it was the real deal.

In 1969 I pumped gas at a gas station it was 29.9 oh wat a time to be a kid I was 16 I’m 70 now wow how the world has change

Got a v8 monza coupe with a stroked sbc, things an animal and i love it but....the vega definitely has my heart! Just the looks say it all. Maybe my next build. Wish i could find out how many vegas motion built? That would be an interesting fact. Haven't found a total number for sure anywhere while. If i was alive and if age then I definitely would have bought one. Ive been obsessed with h-body cars since my aunt had avega in 1978 when i was little. Just live them, Had about 15 different ones over the years.

I will say that prior to mid 1970, you had to order a specific SS396--the L78 model. With a NHRA 450 hp rating, that was the 396 in biggest demand out of the 3 offered as Super Sports. The LT1-powered Z28 that came out after the 1970 factory strikes had enough HD drivetrain that they got ordered by some customers for the ZLX454 swap. The Biscayne was the "Street Racer Special" and supposedly fast enough to pay for itself in one summer. Motion was one of the few dealer modified cars not relying on the COPO procedure that offered a factory warantee, and its story is an example of "good advertising being too much"--as you said, it got the wrong attention by looking bigger than it really was.

Outstanding bit of information I’ve never heard of motion before but I do remember seeing the cars and thinking wow when I’m old enough to have one of those I’m going to but never had the opportunity. Thank you very well done!

I did enjoy this very much And live thru this time in the 70s when these cars had very little value I had a few I sure wish I still had and motorcycles too

Good video thank you

thanks for part 2

The green69 z28 sweet ride

Well done 👍

Great videos sir.

knew rosen well he was my neighbor , had a nice tahiti jet boat with a 454

Hey guys wanted to find out what happened to Baldwin, Motion advertisement- the gvmnt of course choking the life out of the little man.

Great stuff brother! MO-tion power to ya!

Well done !!!

Excellent video, very inspiring!

Loved the story, thanks!

My Dad had a Vega. The headliner was white and perforated with little holes. Given my modus operandi I may have poked more holes into it.

We should have stopped the clean air act. Now we got the green new deal. Krap.

I wonder where the 396 went after they got pulled for the 427s

So I know Joel is NOT a fan of clones. I was 10 yrs old when I saw a Motion Car in a car mag. Fell in love. I wish I could post a pic of my 70 SS Nova. 427 / 468 650 Hp, Muncie Rock Crusher M-22 Yukon Dura Grip 3.336 rear gear. It has taken 3 yrs to get the car to where it is today. Best part of my redition is the functional steel stinger hood. Car is white with a black interior, black vinyl top & black stinger stripe. Maybe someday the lotto gods with allow me to buy a real Motion Car. Till then

If I could go back in time I would have ordered a 1973 LT Camaro, Black interior with the simulated wood dash and door panel inserts , Have Motion put the factory LS6 in it , 4 speed of course and paint it Panther Pink ( mopar ) with Motions White stripes and Hood stripes with Spoilers trimmed in White as well . Don't think you'd find a better looking Camaro anywhere Show Stopper 🏆 $$

I got one in 1968 427 phrase 3 very fast on the streets of Montana yo

Can you do one totally dedicated to the green 69 Camaro and the 69 Chevelle tow car, and mabey an update on the 67 Chevelle that was to be restored a few years ago,it was in the book.thank you,great video, keep them coming!!

Uncle Sam just HAD to poke his nose where It didn't belong........REMIND you of, since then, how spectacularly THAT has gotten out of hand?!

I wonder what they did with the engines they pulled? Probably sold them cheap.

Some of the greatest cars on the planet!... I don't care what anyone say's... There is no style and raw power... no computers! Like today's tin god cars!! .. not to mention the user was completely part of the machine not just along for the ride!

What did they do with the 396's?

Beside engine modifications I wonder if there were any frame or body modifications,anybody !

So I'm not happy to say this, but their coravette, the Yellow 1 that looks like a Nissan to AZ or something in the front. Yeah, I don't like it. I don't like it at all. It is very ugly to me but it's very functional. So I guess that's what matters

I had 70 phase 3 Camaro

I raced the car locally from the mid 70’s to about 81’ last engine in it was 468 cu. I sold the roller, I was the third owner. I knew of two others in queens a guy named Cory had one in Ridgewood black with white stripes a 79’ he bought new and my buddy had a 70 Z/28 with big block that was a pretty Kelly green or similar phase 3 The maspeth area in the 60’s thru 80’s there’s a hotbed of some of the fastest cars in the tri-state area they all came out of here we also had a small black Camaro at the same time very small blocks but never ran slower with a small block than 1033 some of tge fastest kick ass street racers came out of maspeth garages then including the Wilco brothers bb and cc/Gs opel and 8X modified stock cars