<VV> Mystery Motor Update

[Bill Chellis]

Good evening all:

Some time ago I posted an inquiry about an 8 Dellorto carb Corvair engine that was on the cover of the February 1963 issue of Hot Rod. Yesterday I was able to finally pick up a copy of the mag at a swap meet. My first note elicited a few replies about the origin of this engine, but it turns out that the engine pictured was built by Bob Palmini of Ropal Engineering in South San Gabriel, CA. There is even an ad in the magazine offering a Ropal Engineering catalog for 25 cents.

According to the article, the 8 carb engine never ran. But he posts a graph for a 6 Dellorto carb version that claims a 21 HP increase over stock at the rear wheels.  

I am no youngster, but I have never heard of Bob Palmini. Do any of you ol' SOCAL hot rodders know what became of him?

Bill Chellis