We have two Project Cars that have been getting neglected as of late. However, we are now back on both of them full speed and will have both on the road very soon. The first is our Gloriana Mustang. It is the 1967 Mustang that was featured in the Gloriana Music Video, How Far Do You Want To Go? The second is our Barn Find AMX.

Here is a sneak peek of the AMX update!

Today, we are going to give you the status of the Mustang and in a few days an update on the AMX.

One of the big problems in getting the Mustang done has been choosing a theme for it. I have owned the car since the late 1980s. I purchased it from a recent high school graduate who had gotten married and needed some cash for his new family. I drove it as a daily driver for awhile and then each of my 3 kids eventually drove it to high school. It was one of the “hot cars on campus” for several years. Unfortunately, high school kids learning to drive have a way of leaving their mark or dent on a car over the years. When the last little fender bender put it out of commission I retired it to storage for a long time with resultant deterioration.

With the interest in Rat Rods and Day Two cars I was struck with an idea. What if I took the Mustang and built it the way I would have done it if I was still in high school and only had the money from summer and part time jobs to keep it on the road? That is what I did!

Gloriana Mustang Fastback is AKA High School Hauler. The main part of the theme is that the body was roughed in, the paint was left faded and scratched with primer on body repairs; new tires and wheels were added; interior freshened but not redone; and the engine was tuned but not detailed; all of the soft hoses were replaced and the brakes upgraded. Next year if we drive it as much as I plan the factory air system will be refurbished to keep us cool during those hot summer days.

These pictures were take this past weekend and give you a good overview of the look. What is your opinion of the High School Hauler look? It is an inexpensive way to keep a classic on the road and harkens back to the good old days when these cars were used as daily drivers and not pristine pieces of mobile art. I can get in this car today and quickly travel back to when I was in high school and life was way different than today. Maybe I should name it the “Time Machine”?

Give us your comments on this approach.

I remember this car from when I was a pimple faced teenager in love with cars and this was a dream machine. It was like nothing else out of Detroit. It was like the futuristic 50s show cars but this one drove and the public could drive it even if they couldn’t purchase one.

A few years ago I was able to see the car up close and personal and watch it start up and drive away. WOW, what a piece of art and machine. You can see more on this car in our Feature Car Pages.

These are only the very first photos to give you just of hint of the quality and variety of cars at the show. We will be going into more depth on some of our favorites in the up coming days and weeks. Everything from Hot Rod,  Rat Rods to Race Cars to beautiful Customs and restored Muscle Cars!

]]> http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2011/05/good-guys-nashville-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2011/05/150000-rat-rod-camaro/ http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2011/05/150000-rat-rod-camaro/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 20:54:33 +0000 Richard http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/?p=12980

There is no question that the Rat Rod craze is strong and well. The idea of pulling out an old car, purchasing some old parts at a swap meet and building a unique street rod is very appealing. The idea is to express yourself, build a cool car for little money and make people smile over your creation. The down side is that like most old cars and old parts they are not necessarily safe or dependable. Heck, some of them aren’t even licensed and show up at car shows on trailers! Gives an entirely different meaning to trailer queen.

Jalopnik is a popular car site that is always pushing the envelope. A recent post shows us an entirely new possibility in the Rat Rod world. What if you could have a Rat Rod that was safe, totally dependable with all the creature comforts; even air bags? How much would you pay, $50,000 maybe $100,000? How about $150,000?

That is what car (Rat Rod) builders Dave Sherer and Anthony Musilli claim to have invested in their 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. They started with a new car and artificially aged it. They added dents, sanded down parts and rubbed salt onto bare metal to get the rusty look just right!

I am not sure I have the nerve or bank account to take a brand new car and age it to where it looks like it needs to be restored but to each their own. A more realistic approach is one like we are taking with our 1967 Mustang fastback Project Car. It is an approach that many of us can use on vintage cars that are good running vehicles but not show quality. These are usually cars that would cost twice what they are worth to restore. Rather than ignore these cars and not restore them or be ashamed to take them to a show why not give them the Rat Rod look?

To be fair these muscle cars really aren’t Rat Rods, that term should be saved for pre-war hot rod style cars. So what should we call these new approaches to car customization? Street Fighter has been suggested but usually means lots of horse power and a modern suspension.

The cars certainly aren’t Customs in the original sense of the word nor can they be considered Originals. Most of these are old Muscle Cars redone in the Rat Rod theme; how about “Muscle Rat”?

What do you think?

Reunion. You have also read about the next Talladega Family Reunion on September 9 and 10 of 2011. What you haven’t read before is there is a deadline! YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THE 2011 TALLADEGA FAMILY REUNION NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2011 TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A SPACE AT THE SHOW.

You will still be able to register for the Reunion after March 31 but there is no assurance that you will be able to have your car inside. The Forge Classic Muscle Car Show is filling up fast and it will be more and more difficult to hold spaces for the Talladega Family Reunion participants. We currently have at least two Prototypes in addition to the Bunkie Knudson yellow Talladega plus the first Production Talladega registered for the Reunion and there are other surprises yet to be announced. You need to be there if you have any interest in the Ford Talladega, Mercury Spoiler or Spoiler II cars.

Our Reunion is held “inside” the nationally recognised Forge Classic Muscle Car show. This is both an honor to be included within this terrific show but also a real treat to have a “back stage pass” to all these other brand great muscle cars.

The Talladega Family Reunion is for ALL 1969 Ford Talladega, Mercury Spoiler and Spoiler II cars. The cars can be of any condition from barn find to 100 point restoration.

Please contact Richard@TalladegaSpoilerRegistry.com for a Talladega Family Reunion registration form or call Jason Thompson at 865-828-8384 for more information. There are always TV

Shows and National Magazines at the Forge Classic looking for new Feature Cars. LegendaryCollectorCars.com will also be there looking for Feature Cars for our site. We always come back with several cars to feature on our site.

This is the outside of where the show will be held! Does this give you a hint to the quality of the Forge Classic and Talladega Family Reunion?

Sometime in the early sixties, our contributor Dean Moore was coming back from his grama’s house in LA. As is usual in LA he and his family became stuck in a traffic jam on the Harbor Freeway. Next to them was this very wild car from the future, it had huge fins and a glass bubble top; it even looked like jet engines were coming out the back.

Driving it was Bobby Darin, another man was in the passenger seat with Bobby’s wife, beautiful Sandra Dee, in the back all curled up sitting on her legs, all casual like a teenager, smoking as Dean recalls.

What would you do if this pulled up beside you on the freeway?

Dean says his mom rolled down her window and asked what kind of car it was; Bobby Darin was very cool and nice and told his clueless mom about it. Dean and the family didn’t know at the time they were speaking to such big stars. Dean says he still remembers how nice and friendly Dean was; sticking his head out and acting like an average guy.

Wow what a car and a super down to earth star he was!

These cars were only built in 1969 and in very limited numbers at that. To be specific the Family Reunion includes the Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler and Spoiler II Cale Yarborough and Dan Gurney specials. If you add together all of the cars that were built for this purpose the total would only amount to approximately the same number of cars as the number of 1970 Plymouth Superbirds! When was the last time you saw a Superbird at your show or cruise? Now consider that the Blue oval brand built 5 different cars and still did not significantly exceed the number winged Roadrunners.

On September 9 and 10 of 2011 in Sevierville, Tennessee the 2nd Annual Talladega Family Reunion will be bringing together what is planned to be the largest collection of these cars since they left the factory in 1969. At the first annual Reunion there were 25 examples ranging from unrestored originals too race cars too prototypes and fully restored classics. 2011 hopes to see that number double with even more unique and previously not seen vehicles on display.

Three things make this show stand out.

1. All Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler and Spoiler II cars are eligible to attend. Not just show cars but everything from none running barn finds or ratty drivers right up to the top of the line trailer queens are eligible.
2. This is a non-judged show. The intent is to see these cars as they are; show cars are beautiful, originals are archaeological research finds and barn finds are surprise packages.
3. Finally, this show is held in conjunction with one of the very best muscle car shows in the World, the Forge Muscle Car Show. Here you will get an opportunity to see some of the top muscle cars on your Bucket List!

The Forge Muscle Car Show is an invitational show only you must submit an application and be accepted to enter. The Talladega Family Reunion is also an invitational only show…if you own one of these cars you are invited! However, you must still register. You have two options one is for the inside Forge Show or the outside show. Spectator admission is charged to enter the inside show but two weekend tickets are included with your registration. The outside show has no admission charge but there is a charge to enter your car.

The Talladega Family Reunion is much more than just a show; it is a Reunion and an event. It is an opportunity for anyone who owns one of these cars; has owned one of them or might desire to own one to meet and visit with others of similar interest. In addition, attendees will be able to view videos, review recent parts finds and visit with some well known experts who were there when these cars were built and raced. There are plans to even have a seminar on Sunday morning following the Show to have breakfast and learn more about these cars and plans for expansion of the Reunion.

I have been playing with cars for a very long time; everything from indoor cars shows, concurs, racing to cruising and there is one thing I can tell you for sure. It isn’t the trophy or the magazine feature that makes your day; it is the people you meet and the stories you tell when sitting in the garage that leaves a lasting memory. This Talladega Family Reunion is about meeting friends, looking at rare cars and telling some terrific stories. This is a rare opportunity so share a weekend with us at the Forge Muscle Car Show and Ford Talladega Family Reunion.

If you have any questions or comments about the Reunion please contact Richard@LegendaryCollectorCars.com. To Register for the Reunion contact Jason Thompson at: 865-621-4012 or email him at: thompsons122 @ charter.net

We will be bringing you monthly updates regarding the show and some of the registered attendees monthly leading up to the show.

If this isn’t enough to get you to the show consider that the event is being held on the edge of the Smokey Mountains National Park, minutes away from Dollywood and at the same time as the Shades of the Past Rod Run show is being held in the area and the week before the Grand Rod Run. AND, if all of that aren’t enough reasons to attend, there is always the Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum located just down the street to visit!

At the Forge Show there are always magazines and possibly even TV shows there looking for the next Feature Car!

Before there was a Corvette in 1953 there was the GM Motorama show that toured the Country. It was full of the most beautiful Dream Cars ever collected. In 1954 it included concept sports cars from each of the GM brands, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, and this one from Oldsmobile. Each was similar in format to the newly released Corvette but each brand’s concept was unique in its design.

While the 1953 and 1954 production Corvettes had a 6-cylinder engine with a 2-speed “Powerglide” transmission and no side windows only curtains, this concept from Oldsmobile was a sports car with a V-8 and power windows.

This 1954 concept Oldsmobile Rocket F88 is the only one in existence. You may remember this car from the Scottsdale Barrett/Jackson Auction when it sold for over 3 million dollars.

For decades no one cared about this car, it was simply a collection of parts stuffed into wooden crates. It was rediscovered and restored to better than new condition. In 1954 the F-88 was one of only two F-88 concepts built. There is a rumor of a possible third car but that has not been confirmed and this is the only one known to still exist. Today the car is back on display as “the feature car” of the Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum in Colorado.

Here are some of the other cars from the GM Motorama.

For sometime I have been telling you about the great work Jason Thompson and his father Clarence are doing with the restoration of the Banjo Matthews Ford Talladgea Prototypes. There is the red one that was done just in time for the 2010 Talladega Family Reunion. This car will soon be featured in Muscle Car Review magazine. The other, white car, was displayed in its “barn find” condition at that show held in conjunction with the Forge Muscle Car Show in Kingsport, TN.

This is the red Banjo Matthews Prototype when the Resto-Duo acquired the car. (I don’t think the cat was a factory option.)

This is the same car after our Super Heros completed the Restoration.

This is the white prototype in the Floyd Garrett Museum in the same condition it was in when acquired. From here it went to the First Talladega Family Reunion and then into the Duo’s shop for a light freshening.

After the Reunion Jason and Clarence took the white prototype back to their shop with the intent of giving it a full restoration comparable to what they did to the red car. Some of us were telling the Super Hero Resto-Duo to cool their heals and leave the car in its original condition. However, this may be a good time to point out that “original condition” may be a little misleading on cars like this. Since they are pre-production prototypes and used for a variety of purposes they are not unlike an old race car; they have many possible configurations. Old race cars can be used for years, have many drivers and sponsors over that time. Often they can even have different years of sheet metal attached to the chassis over that time period. Well, the prototypes might be used for testing different design details, photo shoots for brochures or magazine and will often be painted different colors to make the public believe there is more than one car. So what is considered original condition? The very first version? The most viewed version? How about the last version? I think it is up to the restorer, what was their favorite version or what was the most historically significant?

We got a little off track with that but our Super Heros did some mechanical repairs, polished up the paint and added a missing decal to the side and presto, a pretty cool car. According to our Super Hero Duo they have now decided to sit tight with the white Banjo Matthews prototype and enjoy it for a year or so. The car isn’t so perfect it can’t be driven but still unique, rare and in good enough condition to be shown.

Check out these before and after photos to see what a tremendous difference there is with some talented efforts.

You will be able to see this car and some other unique surprises at the 2011 Talladega Family Reunion, see ya there!

If you have a 1969 Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler or Spoiler II or one of these race cars you need to be at this year’s Talladega Family Reunion show. This is a none judged show, it is for every car of any condition. The people that own these cars love them in any condition and it is a great place to learn more about them.

Very seldom do I walk into a car show and instantly fall in love with a car. Of course there are cars that I really like and those that I wish I could own but I am talking about the ones that you just can’t get enough of. Well, this 1969 Mustang owned and built by Larry Payne is one of those cars. I have run across it more than once at car shows and it always gives me the same excitement each time I see it. One of the things that impresses me is that you could walk right by it and never give it another thought. It could easily pass as just another slightly modified fastback. However, if you stop and take a closer look and you will be hooked. I have owned a number of Mustangs and am particularly attracted to the 67-70 vintage.

Larry Payne believes that Mustang should be a fun car to drive. He also likes the vintage body but also likes the newer 2004 Mustang Mach 1. It was the end of a generation of Fox/SN-95 chassis Mustangs. The Mach 1 returned for just two years, 2003-2004. It was a Mustang powerhouse chock full of 4.6L DOHC power and a Shaker hood scoop like its 1969 ancestor. The ’04 Mach 1 also had the knitted vinyl Sports Interior with instrumentation borrowed from the ’01 Bullitt Mustang.

Larry eventually saw even more common threads between the 69 and ’04 Mach 1s. He reached into his tool box and pulled out his measuring tape and went to work. The two cars are virtually identical in every respect. His first thoughts were to simply improve the comfort of a 69 by adding the ’03-’04 Mach 1 interior inside a ’69 Mach 1. It wasn’t long before this dream blossomed into a much bigger project.

Now he had to make his dreams come true; he had to find a ’69 Mach 1. When he spotted a ’69 Sports Roof hidden under a tarp in and managed to talk the owner into selling he knew he was on his way. Larry was actually able to fire the old horse up and drive it home. He drove it right home and straight into his shop. His wife was a bit dismayed when he immediately began disassembly. This was a perfectly good, drivable 1969 Mustang.

Nest up was finding an ’03-’04 Mach 1 parts car. His son, David, located a totaled ’04 Mach 1 online. It wasn’t long before two generations of Paynes had two generations of Mach 1s in various states of disassembly. When his wife, Connie, saw the wrecked ’04 she again had second thoughts about Larry’s sanity.

We all have dreams but it is quite another thing to charge off and make them come true. Larry is a mechanical contractor by trade and has a solid grasp of what it takes to both conceive an idea and propel it into reality that works. It is far more difficult to functionally blend a 1969 Mach 1 with a 2004 Mach 1 than simply purchase some bolt new suspension parts and add an engine transplant. It took a lot of imagination and fabrication skills. First, the ’69 had to be trimmed down to a shell. Floorpans and firewall came out; quarter-panels and other rusted sheetmetal had to be replaced.

Stance is everything so Larry started by setting the ride height using wooden blocks, then built a tube chassis using 3 x 2 x 3/16-inch steel tubing. The ’04 Mach 1′s firewall and floorpan had to be grafted into the ’69 body, which was no small feat. The ’04 dashpanel had to be modified to accommodate the ’69 windshield. Because the ’04 windshield has a greater radius, it was easy to trim the dash pad for a perfect fit, enabling Larry to keep the correct defroster outlets. Larry said: “We were amazed at how close the ’04 and ’69 dimensions were. The dashpanel from the ’04 was exactly the same width as the ’69.” The interior is all 2004 as is the drive line and suspension. Larry wanted his car to be a 1969 on the outside and 2004 on the inside. How do you fit the 4.6L DOHC V-8, the Tremec T-45 five-speed, and the infrastructure necessary to make it all work together? Remember, Larry is a mechanical contractor and a good one at that, let’s leave it at that.

Boyd Coddington polished aluminum Smoothie II wheels are 17 x 7-1/2 inches in front and 18 x 10-1/2 in back. Baer discs are located in all four corners. Mustang II-design front suspension with some of Larry’s own design provides quality cornering. In the rear is his four-link, adjustable Aldan coilover system. It works hand in hand with a 9-inch Ford sporting 3.73s, with a Traction-Lok diff driving 28-spline axles.

I love the style of the old Mustangs but moving up 30 years in drive train and interior appointments has got to be far superior if you are going to actually drive the car. The new retro Mustang design is good but just doesn’t have the sole of the older versions. Larry’s combination may just be the perfect fit.

El Matador

One of my favorite customs from back in the day was the Kopper Kart! It has an important place in this book. Although the original was destroyed a beautiful and authentic clone has been produced. Equally exciting was finding numerous photos of the El Matador by Bill Cushenbery.

Kopper Kart

Believe it or not many of these cars were drivers! They were built in small garages by the owners who had little money at the time. They were artists just getting started. Some only had one car, the one they built so it got driven and shown! Take that all you trailer queens. In fact, when I was a young boy traveling through Illinois and Indiana with my parents on the way home to Iowa after visiting my sister in Ohio I actually spotted the Kopper Kart parked in a driveway along the highway (no interstate yet). I yelled at my Dad and he turned around so I could get some photos. It was a BIG car day for a little boy.

If you want to see more of these Old School Customs and a little more about the book just Click Here.

El Matador Interior

I recently received a phone call from Tommy Hussey regarding his white 1968 Mercury Cyclone GT that he purchased from the original owner. The owner swears the car had never been modified since she owned it. Tommy has since repainted the car and added some NASCAR decals but states it has never been modified AND the car has both the Cyclone and GT 500 emblems including the flags. However, when he had a Marti Report completed for the car it came back without listing the GT 500 option. Does he have a GT 500 or not?

We need more evidence to figure this one out. This car was built on March 3, 1968. This is the same month as the NASCAR Atlanta Race on March 31, 1969 when the first dealer promotion was held. (Read the articles on our GT 500 page regarding that race and the Ford World report.) Most of those cars were white. Tommy’s car is a 302; rumor has it that the white cars were 302s and the orange cars were the 390 and 428 CJs.

It is also worth a note that the Ford World report refers to these Atlanta promotion cars as Mercury Montego Cyclone  500s and not as GT 500s as the later option was called. The cars I have found with the GT 500 option were all built in a small cluster of cars in early May of 1968.

So the question remains; is this a GT 500? Is it a dealer built car? Does anyone know how the 160 promotional cars for the 1968 Atlanta race were built? Were they something the factory did based on some a special order or were these cars simply Cyclones with emblems added by a dealer or the factory. The search for information goes on. If you have any additional insight please send us an email or leave a comment below.

It is powered by a 427 Hi Rise and has a long history of drag racing. I will let the photos tell the rest of the story or you might want to talk with owner Larry Davis the next time you are in Alabama!

When we first saw this car at the 2010 Forge Muscle Car Show we knew we had to get some photos. After all this is one rare Camaro. It is a 1969 RS/Z28 with the soft front bumper and only has 36,000 miles. Unfortunately, the car was parked in 1975 and isn’t in the best shape! It is mostly original according to the owner, Robert Hurst. The tires are obviously new and a few other parts were changed out back in the day just as most of us would have done but nothing major.

So here you have a low miles 1969 Camaro RS/Z28 and it is rusted beyond belief. What would you do with it? I can’t even figure out if I should post this in the Barn Find pages, our Feature Car pages, Project Car pages or simply call it a Rat Rod Muscle Car! It is surely an intriguing find.

The old Z28 302 doesn’t look so mean now does it?

What would you do with this car if you found it? I know a 1969 Camaro RS/Z28 can bring big money but I don’t think this car can be restored for what such cars are selling for today. Given that, how much would you pay for this car? I want to hear from you!

Not the RS/Z28 I dream about!

Check out the original tire and jack under the car.

Those new tires and wheels certainly look out of place.

See the hole in the floorboard?

What would you do with this car? Leave your comment below and let us know.

If your pride and joy doesn’t look just right with those big radials, try a set of the correct size white letter or even white wall for your ride and see how much more authentic it will look. I have noticed at most of the car shows lately that the cars that draw the attention are the ones with the right DETAILS and nothing says detail like the right tires.

We won’t have a tire for everyone but we invite you to check out our Online Store for an application that meets your needs JUST CLICK HERE.

I discovered these cars a couple of years ago and I am still trying to find out how many versions there were and how many cars were built. These also have a NASCAR connection and seem to be limited to sales in the SE but I did get a report about a possible sales promotion in the Colorado area. I am still looking for more info in the way of photos, build sheets and Marti Reports. News articles in magazines and newspaper ads are also terrific.

If you currently own one of these cars, know someone that does or bought one new please send me an email to Richard@LegendaryCollectorCars.com or leave a comment so we can get a more complete idea of what these cars are and how important they might be to the history of the breed.

It was built by Detroit Speed and is powered by a 700HP 572 engine. Thie’55 started as an overhaul from a street cruiser. Now it is a 700HP Pro-Touring machine. It has been mini-tubbed with a completely new chassis that utilizes DSE front suspension components. Detroit Speed also created a full custom exhaust and installed Bear 6-piston brakes, BFGoodrich tires and Schott wheels.

Visit Detroit Speeds web site if you want to see some before and after as well as progress photos. Or just check out our photos right here.

This is the view that got my attention the first time. The lack of chrome and the mat finish in body color on the inner fenders is outstanding.

The interior is absolutely beautiful and looks like you could just settle in for a long day behind the wheel and never want to stop.

The details are terrific.

To view more of our Feature Cars Click Here.

This video will give you a good overview and the photos below will provide some additional details.

Ford built this car on September 25, 1969 several months prior to the production of the First Talladega on January 22, 1969. You can’t look at this car in its beautiful bright red paint with the custom “C” stripe on the side without wishing Ford would have built them all this way. Can you imagine how the Talladega would be received today with bucket seats, air conditioning and bright exterior colors?

Here are some of the unique features on this prototype that make it different from the production Talladega.

-rocker panels were modified by hand and covered up with a rocker molding;

-the car has GT trim;

-bucket seats and console;

-rimblow steering wheel and tachometer;

-hood scoop with ram air (only ram air Talladega built);

-different rear panel trim;

-different front end, appears the same but all panels are different from production;

-no hood latch, only hood pins, and;

-bright red paint with white “C” stripes.

Not only is this a rare piece of history but its restoration has been completed by Jason and his father Clarence to a very high standard.

THANK YOU for saving this once lost piece of automotive history.

If you would like to know more about the history of this rare Ford Talladega Banjo Matthews Prototype, Click Here.

The white Talladega shown in the photos below is the second Banjo Matthews prototype also owned by Jason. It is currently in the same condition it was when Jason and his father located the car in the summer of 2010. It is expected the restoration-duo will soon be documenting and restoring this car.

The white prototype has many of the same differences as the red car and is believed to me the car used in all of Ford’s early marketing and sales brochures for the Talladega.

Here are some more photos of these beautiful cars.

Could this become a Rat Rod?

If you are a regular visitor to our site you have probably guessed that we are partial to Muscle Cars but really like everything with 4 wheels. We own and drive: a Corvette ZO6, the first production 1969 Ford Talladega ever built, a 1965 Thunderbird Convertible, a 1959 El Camino custom resto-mod, and even an AMX. We have others but you get the idea. One thing we don’t have that we absolutely love is a Rat Rod, at least not yet.

We just hauled home a couple of rusty bodies. We will sell one and build the other. One is way gone and missing a lot of body parts, the other is in much better shape but not what most people think of as a Rat Rod. Since we like to live outside the box and don’t do what most people do so that is the car we would like to build.

How about building this 1937 Chevy Panel Van?

We have included some photos of both cars but if you haven’t guessed by now we are going to do the 1946 Ford. For one thing we have never seen one done as a Rat Rod but if you have photos of one send them our way!

There is no floor or running gear but the body is good. Should we build it?

We want your help!

We want you to help give us ideas and advise us on how to build this car. I have a few mandatory guidelines and some others that are purely optional.

Let’s get started!

1. This thing has to be built cheap. All of our spare change is already spoken for by other projects and we want this on the road before Rat Rods go out of style.

2. The end result must be safe and stable to drive on the road. This will not be a Rat Rod trailered to all events.

3. We are giving serious consideration to putting the existing body on a S-10 Chevy truck frame. Simple and cheap but I bet there are better ideas out there. What do you recommend?

4. We have a spare Ford 390 and C6 transmission that we can use.

5. I love the old dirt track race car look if we can make it work.

All the big body parts are there but the little stuff has all been swiped off it.

What are your suggestions?

Send all your recommendations and photos or sketches to Richard@LegendaryCollectorCars.com. We will publish the one we like and make fun of the ones we don’t. Just kidding, we won’t hurt anyone’s feelings by printing their names if we make fun of them. We will publish photos and sketches and give full credit on any submissions.

I would absolutely love to build this body but it is far too much work for my time and abilities.

If you have been following along for any time at all you know that the Forge Muscle Car Show in Kingsport TN on Oct. 1 and 2 is going to be home of the First ever Ford Talladega Family Reunion. The “Family” consists of three 1969 Ford products. The first is the Ford Talladega, the second is the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II and the third one is the car we cover today; the 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler.

1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler

During the 1968 NASCAR racing season the Ford Motor Company teams were the guys to beat. They showed up at the race tracks with the new Mercury Cyclone & Ford Torino. On the Super Speedways those aerodynamic fastback bodies were like getting an extra shot of horsepower. In 1969 to honor two Ford Motor Company Racing heroes, the Company decided to produce a limited number of tribute cars, one for each driver. One was for the West Coast legend Dan Gurney and the second was for NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough who won all 4 1968 Super Speedway races in his red and white number 21 Mercury Cyclone. His Wood Brothers racing number 21 was well known down south. When Gurney took to the Riverside California NASCAR race his car was number 121 and painted like Yarborough’s car only blue and white instead of red and white.

In January 1969 the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Cale Yarborough and Dan Gurney Special Option Packages became available. This Value Package came with a list of minimum equipment which included a 351 4v Windsor engine with dual exhaust, blacked out grill, two tone paint (Candy Apple Red and Wimbledon White for Yarborough and Presidential Blue and Wimbledon White for Gurney), black hood stripes and hood scoop, hood pins, and a rear deck spoiler plus other items. What made these Spoilers stand out from the similarly painted Spoiler II cars is that any option on the dealers’ order form was available to upgrade the Spoiler.

This opened the way for an owner to have a 390, 428 CJ or even the Ram Air 428 CJ. The customer could add a 4-speed or even the Drag Pack option. Air conditioning was available as well as bucket seats and console. Although the standard interior color on Spoilers was red for Yarborough and blue for Gurney optional colors were available. Where the Ford Talladega and Spoiler II were Plain Jane cars with no options the Spoilers could be custom ordered to meet an individual buyer’s needs.

Because the rear spoiler (wing), and the “Spoiler” decals were delivered to the dealer in the trunk of the cars some dealers became confused over placement of these items on the car. In other cases buyers preferred not to have the wing or driver decals installed. Some dealers were shipped both a Gurney and a Yarborough car at the same time and were further confused over what to do with these items stored in the trunk. Sightings of a Gurney car with Yarborough decals as well as the other way around have been reported.

There were only 352 Dan Gurney Spoilers and 617 Cale Yarborough Spoilers manufactured. There were also a few standard Cyclones manufactured with the same paint codes but these should not be confused with the Spoilers. As beautiful as these cars are and as rare as they were back in 1969 they were not always hot sellers. It was not unheard of to find one of these cars still in dealer inventory over a year after it was manufactured. This was also true of the even more exotic Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Superbird.

1969 Ford Talladega; How and Why was it Built?

Unlike today, in 1969 NASCAR raced Stock Cars; race cars built from cars straight off the show room floor! It was the time of the AERO WARS on the new Super Speedways.  This resulted in the Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, Dodge Daytona, and Plymouth Super Bird.

In 1968 Ford showed up at the races with a new Torino body style. It was an all new aerodynamic fastback body and it put the MOPAR and Bowtie fans to shame. Fighting back, the Dodge Boys modified a stock 1969 Dodge Charger to be a little more aerodynamic. The result was the limited production 1969 Dodge Charger 500. With a flush mounted grill and reworked rear window it had much less aero drag. The Dodge Boys were so excited with their new creation they couldn’t keep it a secret or stop talking about it. Meanwhile, Ford quietly went back to the drawing boards with help from the Holman and Moody race shop. These guys were wizards and came up with some new aerodynamic tricks for the already slippery Ford and Mercury fastbacks.

Each Talladega had 15.5 inches of new sheet metal added to the front fender of the car. Contrary to common beliefs the Talladega was built on the regular assembly line along side the more traditional Torino. Prior to assembly, the original Torino front fenders were modified by cutting the front portion off just in front of the wheel well and grafting on an entirely new, sloped nose front section. Another critical change missed by most observers is the modified rocker panels. They were “re-rolled” to provide a shallower rocker panel. To determine how low a race car could be for the race track NASCAR Inspectors measured the distance from the bottom of the rocker panels to the pavement. Due to the re-rolled rocker panels the Talladega could sit 1″ closer to the track giving it a lower center of gravity and thus better cornering ability. Holman and Moody took the Torino rear bumper and placed it up front but not before sectioning it in three locations. This allowed the new bumper to tuck in close to the fenders catching less passing air and acting as a front spoiler.

In January and February of 1969, using its Atlanta plant, Ford produced only 754 Talladegas. (6 Prototypes of various colors; 5 Pilot cars, all white; and 736 Production cars in three colors: Royal Maroon, Wimbledon White and Presidential Blue plus one special for Ford President Bunkie Knudson in yellow.) The Production interiors were all black vinyl, with cloth bench seats, no tach or clock, and just an AM radio. Talladegas were given special “T” plates on the doors just above the handles, a “T” in a circle on the rear, and “Talladega” nameplates inside on the door panels. All regular Production Talladegas were identical except for the paint. All Production Talladegas received the 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet engine rated at 335hp, a C6 automatic transmission, staggered rear shocks, and non-posi 3.25:1 rear end. Talladegas are the only automatic equipped Torinos to receive the Drag Pack staggered shocks.

Ford won the NASCAR Manufactures Cup in 1969; David Pearson won the Driver’s Season Championship. Richard Petty finished second and won his 100th race behind the wheel of his blue Talladega. It was the only year that Petty raced a Ford.

As you know, the Ford Talladega Family Reunion being held in conjunction with the Forge Muscle Car show in Kingsport TN on Oct. 1 and 2 will feature two cars in addition to the Ford Talladega. One is the 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler and the other is the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II. The visual clues may appear very similar but in reality the two cars are very different.

1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II; How and Why was it Built?

In 1969 NASCAR raced Stock Cars; these race cars were built from cars straight off the show room floor! It was the time of the AERO WARS on the new Super Speedways. The manufactures went to their engineers and race teams for help in designing faster cars. The results were the Ford Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, Dodge Daytona, and Plymouth Super Bird.

In 1968 Ford showed up at the race tracks with the new Mercury Cyclone & Ford Torino aerodynamic fastback bodies. These new shapes put the MOPAR and Bowtie drivers to shame. Fighting back late in 1968, the Dodge Boys modified a stock 1969 Dodge Charger to be more aerodynamic. The new limited production 1969 Dodge Charger 500 with its flush mounted grill and reworked rear window was going to be the new Aero King. The Dodge Boys were so excited with their new creation they couldn’t stop talking about it. Meanwhile, Ford quietly went back to the drawing boards with help of race car builders Holman and Moody. These guys were wizards and came up with some new aerodynamic tricks for the already slippery Ford and Mercury fastbacks.

Kar Kraft, Inc. built 5 Spoiler II prototypes for Mercury but none are know to exist today. Between February 1 and March 31 of 1969, using its Lorain, Ohio plant, Mercury produced only 218 Dan Gurney and 285 Cale Yarborough Production Spoiler IIs. The Gurney cars were Presidential Blue over Wimbledon White while the Cale cars were Candy Apple Red over Wimbledon White. Each Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II had approximately 6 additional inches of new sheet metal added to the front of the car. Contrary to common beliefs the better known Ford Talladega shares no common exterior sheet metal with the Spoiler II. Although similar in appearance the Spoiler II is actually more aerodynamic than the Talladega due to its slightly longer and more steeply raked front fenders. Prior to assembly, the original Cyclone front fenders were modified by cutting the front portion off just in front of the radiator support and grafting on an entirely new, sloped nose front section. Another critical change missed by most observers is the modified rocker panels. They were “re-rolled” to provide a shallower rocker panel. To determine how low a race car could be for the track NASCAR Inspectors measured the distance from the bottom of the rocker panels to the pavement. Due to the re-rolled rocker panels the Spoiler II could sit 1″ closer to the ground giving it a lower center of gravity and thus better cornering ability. Holman and Moody took the rear bumper and placed it up front but not before sectioning it in three locations. This allowed the new bumper to tuck in close to the fenders catching less passing air and acting as a front spoiler

All Spoiler IIs came with a rear spoiler and special Spoiler II decals. However, these were dealer installed items and some were never installed. All Spoiler IIs were reported to be identical except for the paint variations. However, one Cale car and one Gurney car are confirmed to have been built as “heater delete” cars. All production Spoiler IIs received the 351 cubic inch Windsor engine rated at 290hp, a FMX automatic transmission, and non-posi 3.25:1 rear end.

Each print will be signed and numbered by the artists. Just like the real Talladega, these prints will be available in three colors; Wimbledon White, Royal Maroon and Presidential Blue.

All prints will be available in two sizes 11″x14″ and 16″x20″. An option on the larger print is to have YOUR VIN and DATA PLATE simulation included on the print. This gives you the opportunity to have an artist print of your Talladega in your cars color, signed by the artist AND personalized with YOUR CAR’S VIN and DATA PLATE!!!!! How cool is that?

Watch here for availability, coming very soon!