Bio Doug Ross New Member F.O.T.
Born, Iowa 1938, spent early years in pits while older brother raced
motorcycles (Harleys), track roadsters and midgets, in the Midwest.
Moved to Washington, D.C. area in 1951, put together a basket case Mustang
250cc motorcycle and went hill climbing - graduated to a flat head Ford when
I got a driver license and went to work (while in high school) for Roy
Chambers - hot rod machine shop in Alexandria VA. raced various fords at
Manassas VA drag strip.
Got passed one night on a winding road in Maryland by a modified M.G. TD -
had a stout 40 Ford Tudor with some whiskey runner suspension mods and still
couldn’t stay with the tea bagger in the corners.
Curiosity piqued, I went to work for Annapolis Motors at 6th & New York
Avenue N.W. Wash. D.C. Sold and serviced Volvos, Triumph and worked on
almost anything imported.
Put together an early TR3 and started auto crossing (too young to get SCCA
license) shop owner got into modified racing with a Mondial Ferrari, and
since I was supposed to be a mechanic I went along for races up and down east
coast with ex-TR3 racer Charlie Kolb as driver - had lead in E modified for a
while but Ferrari had engine problems and was replaced with a 200 S.I.
Masserati (much nicer car) - rebuilt Ferrari engine in off season (some fun?)
and sold it.
Also prepared and entered Volvo 444 in sedan and endurance races (2nd Lime
Rock 10 hour, 1st Marlboro endurance for sedans, etc.
Finally lied about my age and got an SCCA license at Marlboro 3 day school
with a new ‘58 TR3A and while there met a young Pennsylvanian named Roger
something or other (wonder what ever happened to him? - probably sells diesel
engines somewhere ?). Continued Club racing and worked my way up to shop
foreman at the dealership.
Secured a Clayton Dyno and did a lot of race car and performance tuning.
Helped prepare a TR for Sebring 1958 and took it to Florida. Went down with
a broken rocker stand stud, but did finish.
Got married and quit driving anything but auto crosses and drag racing.
Helped prepare and crewed a series of Elvas, Formula Jr., Mark V and a
courier until Elva dealer- team owner went to jail.
In 1964 after some years as service manager and 3 children got a job offer
from Allstate Ins. Co. and took it. Retired from Allstate with lung cancer
in 1991 and with the help of a real good Doctor and the man upstairs have
survived this long.
Have 5 children (all daughters) and 9 grandchildren (soon to be 10) 2 dogs, 2
cats, a 1975 GMC motorhome (restoration project #2) a 1960 (built in ‘59)
TR3A (project #1) and probably the most understanding wife in the world
(she’s pretty too!).
Glad to be a member!
Doug Ross
cc: Paul, I’ll send the Sebring pictures as soon as I get your snail mail
address.
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