Roland Linder

I have watched the outrageous statements and claims on this board made by Mr. Linder for years and always wrote them off as pathetic attempts to make friends and to impress people. In many cases it was harmless and in other it was dishonest and deceitful.
Had Servizio, my old company, been left to implement the original build plan Roland would now have a F40LM replica that was indistinguishable from an original. It did not take him long to highjack the build and make some bad decisions.
Roland had a fellow Belgian friend that ran an Indy lights team. Soon old Indy light car parts started showing up at my shop and we were asked to make them work. The most obvious of which is the cheap rear wing.
The original plan included a Motec engine management system and the Ferrari engine harness was at Motec to be used as a pattern to fabricate a new harness to mate to the Motec system.
It was about this same time that Roland was attending a Rennsport reunion at Lime Rock, CT (as the former two time LeMans winning Porsche driver) when he came across Klaus Fisher. Klaus is a very clever technician with enormous Porsche experience. After Roland told him about the F40 project and our plans for a Motec system. Fisher told Roland that he could build him an engine management system using only off the shelf Bosch components and do so at a fraction of the cost.
Roland called me and instructed me to have the engine harness returned from California and to deliver the car to Fisher’s shop which happen to also be in Jupiter, FL.
After several months of unsuccessful attempts by Klaus to construct such a system Roland was up against a deadline. He had negotiated a set of wheels and some other products out of sponsors making some outrageous claims about the car and its’ provenance and the car had to be at the SEMA show in Las Vegas to fulfill his obligations. The car left for the show not running but with a guarantee it would return for completion. It never did and there was and still is a major outstanding balance.
This friend, as he called himself, had stayed at my home, was well fed and entertained during his visits, was given cars to drive, and even had the use of my personal 348 Challenge at FCA club events. All of this at no cost to him.
As for the severity of his lies the most careless is the fact that the car has a salvage title and it was agreed upon between Roland and I that it would never be registered for the road. To do so was unsafe and illegal without going through a major DOT inspection.
Roland was able to track down the original owner of the car and obtain the original title for the car. It was then registered for street use. This posed an enormous potential liability problem for me and was reckless to say the least. The car was subsequently sold without disclosing it had a salvage title which is a Felony, not a harmless lie like some on this board have portrayed it.
Now there is a movement to portray him as some sort of folk hero….are you kidding me?
Dave Helms, someone I hold in high regard, eventually got the car running, and the balance remains unpaid to this day.

 

Wow.

 

Understatement!

 

Minor aside. We are using Motec on P 4/5 Competizione and I am very happy with it.

Best

 

Ditto.

 

I wonder how much this car didn't cost to build.

 

+1

 

"East coast? time for you to put the drink down and go to bed."


That's not alcohol, that's Hemingway. You probably knew that.

On topic: Bertocchi's post is one of the most remarkable I've read in my 7+ years on fchat.

 

Not to mention, well laid-out, and matter-of-fact.

Let me clarify the part that made me say "Wow". It is this part:

"As for the severity of his lies the most careless is the fact that the car has a salvage title and it was agreed upon between Roland and I that it would never be registered for the road. To do so was unsafe and illegal without going through a major DOT inspection.
Roland was able to track down the original owner of the car and obtain the original title for the car. It was then registered for street use. This posed an enormous potential liability problem for me and was reckless to say the least. The car was subsequently sold without disclosing it had a salvage title which is a Felony, not a harmless lie like some on this board have portrayed it."

The mind boggles at the potential liability.

 

Is this the car on the Cavallino Motors website?

 

Funny, Roland also claimed to be my friend, stayed at my home, ate my food and gladly took my money. You are not alone! There are many others who housed, fed, provided cars and paid for all of his expenses under the guise of a two-time Lemans winner shamelessly misrepresenting himself and his car. There are many others, myself included, who let Roland into their personal and business affairs based upon his "Celebrity Status" only to be tossed under the buss and left to take the blame for his broken promises and financial obligations!


Sad but true!

 

Wil, I will need pictures including VIN plates & chassis stampings before I'm prepared to answer that question on a public forum.

Best,

 

Of course, Joe, sorry to have asked. Here is an excerpt of the listing from Cavallino Motors website.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I do not know whether this is Mr. Linder's car, claimed to have a street title.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Maybe it's a replica?

 

I guess we really have beaten this to death, haven't we? Still, the claim that the car has a street title is ... notable?

 

Truth, like milk, arrives in the dark
But even so, wise dogs don't bark.
Only mongrels make it hard
For the milkman to come up the yard.

 

Go ahead and say what's on your mind.... let's hear it...

 

Character matters, do you have any idea what this means? Can past actions prove ones character, whether it be good, bad, or indifferent?

 

I understand that character matters but it seems to me that everytime David Castelhano or I post its always followed with some sort of smart comment. Just like to clear things up. Thanks

 

See this current plug on the sponsor site?

I was unaware he had, in fact, raced in the Indianapolis 500.

http://www.knfilters.com/news/news.aspx?ID=765

 

This thread needs its own theme song. Sung to the tune of Rawhide.
Roland' Roland' Roland'

Keep movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep them doggies movin' Roland!
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope and throw and grab 'em,
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
Boy my heart's calculatin'
My true love will be waitin', be waiting at the end of my ride.

Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out,
Move 'em on, head 'em out, Roland!
Set 'em out, ride 'em in
Ride 'em in, let 'em out,
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, Roland.

Full Lyrics
Roland', Roland', Roland'
Roland', Roland', Roland'
Roland', Roland', Roland'
Roland', Roland', Roland'
Linder!

Roland', Roland', Roland'
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them doggies Rollin'
Roland!
Rain and wind and weather
Hell-bent for leather
Wishin' my gal was by my side.
All the things I'm missin',
Good vittles, love, and kissin',
Are waiting at the end of my ride

CHORUS
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Head 'em up, move 'em on
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Roland
Count 'em out, ride 'em in,
Ride 'em in, count 'em out,
Count 'em out, ride 'em in
Roland!

Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin'
Roland!
Don't try to understand 'em
Just rope, throw, and brand 'em
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
My hearts calculatin'
My true love will be waitin',
Be waitin' at the end of my ride.

Roland!
Roland!

 

Oh my.

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my....

 

"He has raced motorcycles in Europe and cars at the Indy 500"

Wait, he did not participate in the Indy 500? If not, did K&N make this stuff up?