Big block 7.0 and 600 hp: this legitimate Ford drag classic Mustang is the last of its kind. Every fan of muscle cars know that the golden age for these cars were the 60s Imagine US streets full of cheap coupes, beautiful and equipped with powerful, noisy V8 engines. Paradise, is not it? And competition among manufacturers was fierce, with Detroit's Big Three - Ford, General Motors and Chrysler - running for slapping the preference of enthusiasts. One of the biggest weapons to achieve good sales were drag racing: the fastest car on the quarter-mile became the most wanted by the public. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.
Therefore, the manufacturers did not spare efforts to make their models were the fastest on the dragstrip, investing money in preparing the engines and creating true squadrons of mechanics and pilots to win the championships organized by the NHRA, the National Hot Rod Association. Ford division even had a name: Drag Council, or "Council of Drag Race". Their mission? Defeat the rivals in the category A / FX, in which competed the stupidest car in the best sense of the word.
For this, Ford delivered the cars Detroit Steel Tubing, Dearborn company that supplied raw materials to the manufacturing for years. One of his first creations was the Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt, 1964, which we have shown here.
That year, however, the Mustang was released. Ford had bet all the chips in the new model, which had the proposal to be a cheap sport, powerful and youthful appeal. Qualities to this he had, as we know very well today. However, 50 years ago he was still just a promise and, as such, had yet to show their full potential on the slopes.
So in 1965 the Ford ordered a new batch of cars to the drag Council - this time, a fleet of ten Mustang. And this time, the modifications to rush be borne by the Holman Moody team made famous in the 50s for being responsible for cars that Ford put to race in NASCAR.
There is no consensus regarding the amount of cars that have been produced - it was 10 or 11 - but it is known that only five of them survived to the present day. One was auctioned today (6) by Mecum Auctions (the same as recently auctioned one of Toyota Supra used in the first "Fast and the Furious") at an event in Seattle, in Washington State, USA.
Notice anything different about him? Well: the wheelbase has been shortened by a few centimeters to improve the weight transfer in the rush hour and thus assist in traction. It is believed that this is the only car to preserve this characteristic - the others had to modify revert to adapt to the NHRA rules for 1966. However, this was not the only change in the car.
For starters, the engine was the 427 V8 SOHC "Cammer" a big block of seven liters which, as we have here, has been specially created to compete against the 426 Chrysler Hemi in Nascar and delivered somewhere between 500 and 600 hp. To accommodate the new engine, the wheel housings were cut and the original suspension system was replaced by a beam semielÃpticas springs. Furthermore, fenders, hoods and doors were glass fiber, while all glasses (with the exception of the windshield) was replaced by polycarbonate to reduce weight. The interior (which was all upholstered in black vinyl) lost the rear seat, but surprisingly their appearance was largely original - and looks even comfortable, tell yourself.
According to the Mecum, the auctioned car competed in 1966 with pilot Bob Hamilton behind the wheel. At some point in its history (it is believed that in 1967), the car had two quad carburetors body replaced by a Hilborn injection system. Years later, the Mustang underwent a restoration work that, according to Mecum, left the car exactly as it was when he competed, including the original magnesium wheels shod with tires ripped season. The plot even includes a certificate of authenticity signed by the Bob Hamilton and Lee Holman, H & M.
According to the Hemmings.com, the Mustang Long Gone appeared for sale for the last time in 2011, on eBay, priced at $ 765,000 (about US $ 2.4 million in direct conversion). The Mecum estimated one finish of between $ 500,000 and $ 700,000 (somewhere between £ 1.5 million and £ 2.2 million). A visit to the site of the guys reveals, however, that the car was not fetch. In other words, if you have $ 2 million giving soup, there is still a chance to buy a legitimate Mustang torn 60s.
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