Random car pictures

[jguyer]

^^^^Man, I am surprised they removed the shock towers AND the export brace.

They were replaced with a heavily modified Galaxie front frame section (and  race proven H&M suspension)...Just like the NASCAR spec Fomoco intermediates that H&M was building at the same time. That snout was tied into the rest of the unit body (firewall back) via steel tubing in the rocker panels and the roll cage. The third photo is of my 1968 H&M Torino without its skin (during restoration).  Galaxie from the firewall forward/Torino from the firewall back. The last shot is the same chassis with the body in place.

If you remove the shock towers, what would you attach the export brace to?

[2112]

If you remove the shock towers, what would you attach the export brace to?

Well a stock brace wouldn't work so maybe a custom brace that connects the fender aprons to the cowl?

[C5HM]

Shock towers and export braces are for sissies. Neither are needed when you install a *manly* ;-) Galaxie style front frame section to the front of a unit body car. Which is exactly what H&M did on the NASCAR Mustangs that were built.

[mark p]

^^^ Wow 

[C5HM]

   C5HM,
       I don't recall the blue car having the "gold nose" paint. When I saw it at M/Ts shop the engine and trans were gone. The blue was also a little lighter shade. Scott Dapron ( rip) was part of the crew along with engine builder Fritz Voight (rip) that went to Bonneville and I don't recall the gold paint in any of his personal photos. Some liberties were taken as Scott's photos showed a 6-71 supercharger on the blue car , not 2x4. The "proving ground" photos clearly show the prototype rear valance. Look at the back up light locations. One of these was sold out here at a local swap meet about 10 years ago for $25. At the time I didn't think it was real and passed it up. Oh well!
   Randy

Randy, if you study the available photos of the "proving grounds" car and the three M/T salt flats car, you will notice that the yellow car is the only car that does NOT have 1968 style front side marker lights installed in the front valance panel. The yellow car also had cut outs in the prototype rear valance panel that were either for shackle clearance or for exhaust pipes (in some planned street iteration of that panel). Since we know *for sure* the blue car did not become the Wallace/Pearson/Allison #49 NASCAR Mustang, by process of elimination, it had to have been the red M/T car that was previously the "proving grounds" car and later in life the #49.

[gt350hr]

   There you go! No gold nose and different color as I said. Not sure about the scooped hood . Scott Dapron said it was supercharged but it sure doesn't look like it in the period "salt" photo. Why do people change things? I have the vins and brass tag numbers for the three cars. Obviously the proving ground photos are of the "restored" blue car. 99.9% sure Brent bought it right from Danny , as in your "salt " photo. The red car had the special valance too , "in the day".
  Randy

[C5HM]

Randy, As mentioned the yellow car also had cut outs in its rear valance. The blue and red cars ...and the "proving grounds" car...did not.  Hence my conclusion that the red M/T car was in an earlier life the "proving grounds car" and later in life the #49.

[C5HM]

   There you go! No gold nose and different color as I said. Not sure about the scooped hood . Scott Dapron said it was supercharged but it sure doesn't look like it in the period "salt" photo. Why do people change things? I have the vins and brass tag numbers for the three cars. Obviously the proving ground photos are of the "restored" blue car. 99.9% sure Brent bought it right from Danny , as in your "salt " photo. The red car had the special valance too , "in the day".
  Randy

Not tracking on the "proving grounds" car being Brent's car?  Don't think that is so. And all three M/T cars had the prototype valance. But the one on the yellow car had cut outs. The red and blue...and the proving grounds car(s) did not.

Again, I believe that Brent's blue car (bought directly from DT) is pretty much the way it appeared at Bonneville...except for the modifications to the hood for blower clearance that came sometime after it left the salt.  Not sure if that is original paint on the car or if it has been restored, though.

I believe that the blue and gold (HM/Pearson livery) "proving grounds" car (long mis-identifed by Farr and others as a T/A car) became in turn the red M/T salt flats Mach 1 and later the poppy red #49 NASCAR Mustang raced by Larry Wallace, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.

The yellow Tunnel Port 302 car was used as a show car by Ford after its time with Mickey. What happened after that is a mystery.

I know the H&M VINs of two of the three M/T Mustangs.  The #49 car's VIN is found on the bill of sale I posted earlier. (But...eye roll...updated by H&M from its original 1968 VIN to a 1969 one HA!...there's a reason HM couldn't document where  10 million bucks went during Iacocca's 1969 audit!).  When Brent took his blue car to Bonneville a while back, one of the long time salt flats guys gave him the H&M VIN off of one of the other M/T Mustangs that had evidently been taken as a trophy of war.  Note that that plate was first stamped as a 1968 HM build. (HM8)

[C5HM]

Here's a shot of the Yellow M/T salt flats car serving as a show car draw at a 1969 auto show (not sure where/when). I'd like to know what became of that car. Gus T. Heard it was crushed in a Cali earth quake. Other believe it went Grand American racing like the #49.

[C5HM]

Some believe that the white 69 Grand American car in the back ground of the first shot (and the focus of the second) is the yellow M/T car, BTW.

[gt350hr]

   I agree with the above. The lack of a side scoop is a serious indicator as well as the very tight fitting bumpers.  After Ford took it off of the tour is where the trail stops. It would seem logical for it to be sent to H&M for "disposition". I would almost bet the red car was sent to H&M just before.
    Gus kept saying ''the Coca Cola car" was crushed out here. Knowing the only other car was Alan Moffet's T/A  ( safe in Aus land) Coca Cola car , the one here "could" have been the Allison driven "red car". How it got from Al to Ca is a question unless it was bought at or after a race at Riverside "in the day".
   I'll get you the vin info I have from Ford in a PM.

[1109RWHP]

Any info on the Dick Trickle car? Who built it? Is it gone too?

[C5HM]

Based on what is now known about the #49, it never made it back to California. Instead it was sold by Joseph to a Detroit area racer. Then raced to death. It arrived in Michigan still in Coke Livery. The first shot is at the new owners Michigan house.  It picked up new baby blue livery shortly after. It appears to have been raced to death.  Mel Joseph's Grands has been trying to find the car for years. At last report, the trail has gone cold.  It is doubtful the car will ever be found. That is why I am  building an exact replica for some open track fun.

[C5HM]

It is interesting to note that the valve covers off of the car recently turned up. I saw them posted on a FB Boss forum.  The owner thought they were T/A pieces. Compare with the period shot of the car with Eddie Allison wrenching on the Boss 302 (note the Mini-Plenum).

[1109RWHP]

I have been following the build of this car on Protouring.com



Here is the link if it works. https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/115005-Project-1968-Roush-Fenway-Cyclone