By now there is most likely no Gearhead in the World that doesn’t know that we have lost Carroll Shelby. I will not try to add any additional information on his life nor praise his wonderful automotive accomplishments. However, I would like for you to listen to this interview with Carroll done just a year ago as he talks about the Golden Years with Ford and his future as he prepares to “cross over the river”.

We have started on Project Bulls Eye and so far so good. I called around to some friends and found another 14 inch wheel from a Dart with a tire mounted on it. It is a steel radial, I know this because I can see the steel coming out of the tread! That’s ok, it is just a roller. None of the tires are safe to ever drive on the street or over 15 MPH.

With four tires on the ground we decided to wash her off. What a job that was! I don’t think anyone had given the Bulls Eye a bath in decades. It was so bad we used Simple Green for the first attempt. The Simple Green is much too harsh for good paint but on Bulls Eye it was too weak! This will take several attempts to get the car presentable.

We disconnected the fuel line from the gas tank to the fuel pump. We then added a temporary fuel line from a gallon can to the fuel pump. Hooked up a battery, poured a little gas down the single barrel carburetor and cranked her over. The little slant six fired up and idled like a new engine. However, touch the throttle and she would die. A little carb cleaner and letting the engine idle got her running like normal. The transmission seemed to work fine so we shut her down and went to work on the gas tank.

Cost to get the car running: Couple of squirts from a can of carb cleaner and a gallon of gas plus a borrowed battery from one of the other cars. We will buy her a battery of her own once we prove to ourselves it is worth the investment.

As for the gas tank, the first step was to drain/siphon out all the old gas. Since there was already a leak I took the easy but slow route of sticking an ice pick into the leak and letting the old fuel drain into a 5 gallon gas can. Had to empty it twice! With the fuel out I used a little squirt from a can of brake cleaner to remove some grease and residual gas on the tank. Then a little rough sand paper to further clean up around the hole, some epoxy from the parts store and the tank is leak proof!

With the tank repaired it was time to add some gas, reconnect the fuel line to the fuel pump and see if she would fire up. I added two gallons of new gas, proper amount of fuel system cleaner. She fired up on the first lick. However, I believe the carb still needs some attention.

Cost to date:

-Used tire and wheel: $20

-Tube of epoxy to patch gas tank and bottle of fuel treatment: $18.64.

TOTAL: $38.64

]]> http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2012/05/project-bulls-eye-1963-dodge-dart-gt-part-3/feed/ 0 http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2012/05/episode-4-walter-p-chrysler-museum-legendary-collector-cars-tv/ http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/2012/05/episode-4-walter-p-chrysler-museum-legendary-collector-cars-tv/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 13:37:15 +0000 Richard http://www.legendarycollectorcars.com/?p=15979 This Episode of Legendary Collector Cars TV takes us to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum outside Detroit, MI. When we visited the Museum it was quiet and beautiful. Although smaller than you would first think it does contain a wide variety of cars. I was hoping for more cars but the quality of what was there was outstanding it is well worth a visit if you have any MOPAR blood in your veins at all.

I did see several concepts that I had not before seen and the quality of the production cars on display was unbeatable and as good as a best of show at any concourse.

Sit back and enjoy this Episode of Legendary Collector Cars TV.

In our first Episode of Legendary Collector Cars TV we took you to the GM Heritage Collection just outside of Detroit, today we are going across town to Dearborn and the Henry Ford Museum. The two museums could not be further apart in purpose and presentation. The GM Heritage collection is all about GM and its history with a strong emphasis on concept cars. It is private and very difficult to visit. The Henry Ford Museum is open to the public with large crowds and the auto portion of the Museum pays tribute to transportation with an emphasis on cars and not just Fords.

If you want to take in the entire Ford Museum and all it has to offer then you better plan on spending the day. The auto portion will take a couple of hours minimum for an enthusiast but the rest of the Museum will easily fill up the remainder of you day.

I hope you enjoy our second Episode of Legendary Collector Cars TV.

We are always trying a new way to bring our stories to you in the best way we can. Today marks the beginning of Legendary Collector Cars TV. These will not be every day or even every Post but they will provide you with more video and audio of the cars and activities that we want you to know about.

Following up on our previous Post telling you about our visit to the GM Heritage collection we decided to show you the difference between the old format we just posted prior to this Post and the new format we call Legendary Collector Cars TV. We ensure you that these will improve as we get use to the new equipment and format. Let us know how you like it. Is it better than the old style? How can we improve it? What would you like to see us do next?

We all have “Bucket Lists” of all those things we want to do or accomplish before we die. Some are momentous and will likely never be achieved while others are much less so but still very important to us. One such item on my Bucket List was to visit the GM Heritage collection. It is not a museum in the way that the public can visit. It is GM’s special place to keep and protect some of its more historical vehicles. It is also a building in an industrial part that lucky individuals like Katrina and I are ever allowed to visit.

On a dreary Saturday in March we were permitted to join a few select auto enthusiasts on a doors are open tour of the GM Heritage Collection and I was able to make another check mark on my Bucket List.

Below are a very few of the select photos from that visit. I will be bringing you many more over the upcoming weeks with focus on some of my favorite cars in the collection. Several great videos will also help tell the story.

In way of summary let me say that if you are ever given the opportunity to make a visit to the GM Heritage collection most certainly do so. Even if GM is not your preferred brand of transportation you will leave with a much improved perspective of GM and the historical contributions it has made. Competition breeds improvement.

I more than once was standing next to what looked like another production car but for some reason he didn’t seem quite like I remembered it. In every such situation, I was standing next to an late prototype of the production car. It was very interesting to see the minor changes that were made in the cars just prior to the final design getting approval for production.

Today, we will start with the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn

Michigan. I want to start by thanking Carrie Nolan Media Relations Manager for setting up or tour of this very special collection. It is more than a collection of cars it is a fantastic museum with some extremely rare and valuable items. Although our purpose was to study the cars; and even though we were blown away by the collection of cars, we found ourselves overwhelmed by the entire museum and spent the entire day there!

Today’s post will provide you with insight as to what the car portion of the museum is all about. In future posts we will show you highlights of the entire Henry Ford Museum and more. When we left the Ford complex we had a renewed respect for the Ford Motor Company and saw first hand examples of why Ford was able to survive without Government bailouts. A business model that can put this kind of complex together has the vision, talent and community interest to succeed.

The biggest surprise when entering the automobile portion of the Henry Ford Museum is the selection of cars. My first thought was that the museum will be filled with historic and significant Fords. After all, there is no shortage of Ford cars important to the history of the automobile! There are such cars in the Museum but there are also may other makes in the Museum ranging from Chevys to a Rambler, to a Bugatti and Presidential Limos.

No matter what your taste in cars or mode of transportation you will likely find at least one item on display that will take your breath away and make you just stand there, think back to another time and remember some special moment. I had many such moments as we walked through the collection.

There was the Nash Rambler convertible that was just like my sister’s first car; the Le Mans winning Mark IV; the VW Camper and vintage Holiday Inn room, maybe the most moving was the actual bus that Rosa Parks road on during the civil rights movement. You can even sit in the very same seat (in the front of the bus) that she went to jail for sitting in.

There are many more highlights of this visit that I will bring to you in future posts.

This is a story we all hear about and dream about. I need not say any more just watch this video and try not to tear up.

Project Bulls Eye Dodge Dart GT is under way. We pushed the little girl into the garage and put her on the lift to get a better look at her from all angles. We are still not disappointed but, as usual, there is always more work than you originally planned on. Here is what our first pass around the car included on our list.

1. Although solid, the car will need some patches in the floor pan and trunk area.
2. Some of the trim is missing and some of it is damaged beyond repair.
3. The interior needs a headliner, door panels and the seats are a mixed match pair, the original buckets have been replaced by a, “better for date night”, bench seat.
4. The glass is all ok but a little foggy around the edges on the windshield.
5. The body is straight with few issues, none of them major.
6. The paint sucks.
7. The gas tank has a small leak.
8. The engine looks good but is not running at the current time.
9. We have not yet dove into the inside of anything including the brakes though we know they are functional and appear ok.

First things first will be to repair or replace the gas tank. Next will be to stick in a battery and see if the car will turn over or, if we are lucky, even start. The fluids all seem good and we were told the engine is free and will spin over.

Before the car can move under its own power we must replace the tires and get one wheel so the spare can go back to its nest in the trunk.

Going to a catalog to make repairs will be the very last resort. We are going to be very cost conscious on Project Car Bulls Eye. We will try to source as many items as possible from local used parts sources such as Craig’s list and buddies! Part of this car’s charm will be its patina and new shinny parts have no patina but do have big price tags!

Rather than experiment with strangers’ cars we decided to do our very first Riding Shotgun using one of our own cars. Katrina and I purchased this 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Cale Yarborough Special out of Iowa in the spring of 2005. At the time it was an average quality driver car. It had previously sat for many years having been sold new out of Marshalltown, Iowa and then spending time in areas around Oskaloosa (my hometown) and Ames (where I attended college). Although I lived near by where this car pounded the road back in the day, to the best of my knowledge we never crossed paths until 2005.

Why this Car

We had previously acquired a 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II Dan Gurney car. The Spoiler II has the extended NASCAR nose similar to a Talladega. We were getting tired to trying to explain the differences between a Spoiler and Spoiler II at shows. The solution?

TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

We will bring you an indepth review of Project Barn Find AMX in a few weeks when we do a Riding Shotgun episode on it.

This is where we found Project Barn Find AMX!

Our first view of our little red AMX.

This photo was taken in November 2009, our plans were to have it on the road by May 2010. Well, it took another two years but she is on the road in April 2012!

These are shots of Project Barn Find AMX today, more on this car in a couple of weeks.

Your photos should be originals you have taken or ones you have permission to use.

Individuals whose collector car photo is selected for the calendar will receive one free calendar.

Please follow all of the standard magazine photo standards. In summary what we are looking for are:

-Great composition, no stop signs growing out of the roof etc.

-Fill the screen with the car’s image, we don’t care about a lot of foreground or sky.

-Prefer artistic views if possible, use your imagination but remember the car is the subject we all want to see.

-No open hoods, doors or trunks.

-Absolutely must be in focus and high resolution with good color. If the photo is not crisp and clear printed on an 8.5″x11″ paper it will not be used.

-Photos of cars under going restoration will be considered but the photo must be interesting/artistic and have wide appeal to readers.

-Unrestored, barn find type photos will be considered but must be artistic or otherwise interesting.

-Pictures of multiple cars in one image will be considered.

-We will pick the best photos, in our opinion. Remember we may end up with 6 terrific photos of a 55 Chevy but we will only use one; no car years or models will be repeated on the calendar.

-We will also try not to use more than one photo from any one person.

-However, our last consideration is to provide the very best calendar possible for TalladegaSpoiler.com members!

Here is the information you must provide:

-Your name, address and email.

-Name of the photographer and statement that you have permission to use the photo if you did not take it.

-Name of owner of car.

-Make of car, model, year and other relevant information. This information may appear on the calendar with the photo.

Photos must be received no later than May 31, 2012.

Photos of cars we are looking for:

• All cars older from 1972 or older.
• Any American Made Vehicle.
• Customs, race cars, restored classics, unrestored originals, hot rods and rat rods will all be considered.

The 67 Mustang Fastback High School Hauler “inspired” use to try it again. We decided to build the cheapest cruise night car we could. The only requirements are that we need to get it on the road for minimal bucks and it should be accepted at any cruise night as a cool car. In addition we need to be able to have fun with it while we fix it up over time. Minimal bucks means we are going to be REALLY CHEAP! We also decided that if we get the opportunity we might sell it as soon as it is drivable to someone who would like to finish the car with their own ideas.

With that behind us, we decided that another 1967 Mustang Fastback is not exactly the cheapest way to start an inexpensive cruise night car. Although everything is available for a Mustang by the time you fill out the restoration catalog order form most of us will have emptied the bank account. We therefore began looking around for a cheap two door that is unique and cost less than $1,000. That really narrows the field! We spotted a 1963 Dodge Dart GT with a slant six and push button automatic! It is far from pristine but could be a good starting point and it met our budget.

We realize that this car is not really a muscle car or probably not on the top of many car guys list of must have cars but that is part of the reason it wasn’t real expensive to acquire. As soon as we got it off the trailer everyone said the same thing; “Put a straight axle under the front and install a HEMI!” Hey, it is tempting but such a project does not fit within our budget or game plan.

Our goal is to first get this little girl running and diagnose what critical safety items are required. We will then give her a little makeup and hopefully somewhere along the line we will find her a new home with a guy or gal who wants an old car to drive and attend a cruise or two. She will be perfect for a Saturday night cruise into the nearest A&W or DQ with the family for a nostalgic night out.

Our budget for the first phase is to be able to sell her to a new owner for $2,500 and we will post every expense we spend on the car.

We found a reasonably good car for a hell of a good price. We will not be going crazy on improvements or modifications. We are sticking with the low buck High School days look that is fun, safe and cheap to drive.

This Project Car will be known as “Bulls Eye” because this little Dart is right on target for what we want to do!

Follow this project right here. We will give you regular updates on what we find and what the ultimate result will be.

Not long ago Katrina and I were showing our 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Cale Yarborough car at the NASCAR race in Bristol TN. On Saturday there were no planned activities so we thought it would be a great time to see some beautiful TN back roads on a sunny spring day. Then we had a brilliant idea; let’s get some ice cream! It was nearly 80 degrees out and we were in spring fever mode.

Our first thought was to look for a Dairy Queen which is our first choice for a collector car ride to get ice cream back home. I pulled out my “smart” iPhone and looked to see what was around us. The nearest DQ was over 10 miles away which wasn’t that bad but the “Ice Cream Store” showed up on the list and it was half the distance. Since there was a lot of Bristol race traffic in the area we decided the Ice Cream Store was for us plus it sounded like a nice quaint old school ice cream shop.

We plotted a route to the Ice Cream Store on the iPhone GPS and off we went. Just getting out of the Bristol Speedway camping area proved to be a challenge. The Highway patrol and track officials were already setting up special traffic patterns to get attendees into the track on Sunday morning and that was the opposite direction or our intended path. Plus GPS does not know when local officials decide to close streets and make all traffic lanes flow one direction.

All worked out and we finally got the car, the GPS and ourselves all headed in the same direction. All was well and then the “smart” phone told us to make a right turn followed by a left turn. Ok, no problem. No problem even when we did this a few more times and the roads kept getting smaller and smaller. We now knew the Ice Cream Store was not closer than the DQ! We were going deeper and deeper into residential areas; certainly not where an ice cream store should be located.

Then it was back to a highway and all seemed well although the area was far from economically vibrant. About this time we saw some fire and smoke blowing across the road and “the smart GPS lady in the box” told us to turn NOW. We did, right into the smoke cloud. As we passed through I happened to spot a road sign that said “No Outlet”. That is a fancy term for Dead End, You’re Screwed! In the distance we saw some rather tall flames. They were coming from a pile of leaves and other yard waste but it certainly was on some fireman’s radar….I hope.

Well, I may not be a marketing genius but I do know that no one would put up a quaint little ice cream store at the end of a dead end residential street in the poorest part of town they could find. Curiosity had the best of us by this time so we continued on down the very narrow and winding country street. Suddenly, the smoke cleared and our mystery was over and so was the likelihood of getting any ice cream very soon. There in front of us was a rather neglected house with about a dozen white panel trucks parked all around it. We had indeed found the Ice Cream Store…it was the home to a bunch of street driven, music playing, bell dinging, oil dripping, slow moving ice cream trucks that make dirty little children run for blocks to buy a 4 month old half melted popcycle!

We sat there and laughed for a while and then decided to see how smart our “lady in the box” could be. Could she find us a Sonic? They have great malts! I did a search, accepted the nearest results and the smart iPhone lady in a box directed us in a similar path down the dead end street and through the smoke. We went through someone’s backyard around a swing set, made a couple of completely legal and one illegal “U” turns, passed through an abandoned industrial park and then, suddenly there was a traffic signal.

We made a left turn at the signal, spotted the Sonic and sped to our destination. It was a fun excursion but reminded us not to take directions from an unknown voice from a smart phone who is likely not all that smart. Next time we will just go to the DQ!

We just returned from the March 2012 NASCAR Race in Bristol TN. It was a wet but wonderful weekend in Bristol. We have been to the races at Bristol several times and it is a race track you have to put on your Bucket List. We have always done NASCAR races but after this weekend the track let us camp with our motor home in the drag strip facility and we now have the Drag Races added to our bucket list. Thanks to the wonderful folks at the Bristol Speedway, Tim Lopata, Doug Shillinger and Jason Thompson the Aero cars had a great display for the Food City folks at their Hospitality Area.

There were 14 Ford products in attendance and 7 Mopars. In addition, there were a few hot rods and a lot of race cars. We always enjoy visiting with all the other Dodge, Plymouth and Ford/Mercury owners but this year was really special. Eddie and Lenny Wood (Wood Brothers Racing) again stopped by and spent 3 hours visiting with all of us and providing autographs to anyone who asked. They are as down to earth as any NASCAR stars we have ever met and we enjoyed our time with them immensely. One very special moment was when Eddie was reunited with his very first car a 1971 Mercury Cyclone GT. He spent a lot of time talking to the current owners and looking the car over. It is in great shape.

Another highlight was an autograph session with some of thy Cup drivers. Katrina grabbed our “autograph helmet” and was able to get autographs from Jeff Gordon and Joey Lagano. Unfortunately, she also got Kurt Busch’s.

Just outside of our display area the new 2013 Ford NASCAR race car was on display next to the 2012 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers number 21. It was a great opportunity to compare the current NASCAR race car with the new one. I am excited about seeing these new cars on the track next year. They don’t look 100% like street cars but rather more like race modified street cars. I like what I saw.

Unfortunately, we did not get photos of every car on site but just missed a couple and we apologize.

After the show on Friday most of the cars headed south to Sevierville for more fun on Saturday including time at a show, cruise through the beautiful Tennessee hills and informal gathering with food at the famous Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum. For a few of us the draw of the Bristol track was too strong and we stayed there to attend the race on Sunday. The Speedway also invited us to display a few of the cars at the track’s Thank You Party for Season Ticket Holders before the race.  It was a terrific event with NASCAR drivers such as Jeff Burton and the eventual race winner, Brad Keselowski, attending. They spent quite of bit of time talking and answering questions from those in attendance. If you were quick you could even get an autograph. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we had wet drizzle all morning. However, those cars and spectators who showed up had a great time and were the real diehards.

We were showing our 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Cale Yarborough car. It is a 428 CJ with Ram Air and C6 transmission; one of only 22 ever built. Since Saturday was kind of a down day with no activity for the show cars we decided to exercise the 428 some on the streets of Bristol. We had a great time and turned some heads. In one way it turned out to be another highlight of the trip but not for the reason you might think. Check back later this week and we will tell you the story of when to ignore a GPS.

THANKS AGAIN TO THE SPEEDWAY, TIM LOPATA, DOUG SHILLINGER AND JASON THOMPSON FOR MAKING THIS ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND FOR THE FORD FOLKS!

Here is another outstanding diecast for your collection. This one also comes with or without the driver’s autograph and certificate of authenticity. Darrell Waltrip’s storied NASCAR Winston Cup Career began in May 1972 at  the Talladega Motor Speedway in Alabama. Waltrip rolled onto the track in a 1971 #95 Mercury Cyclone prepared by Holman Moody. Ironically, the chassis of this car was that of the original 1967 Ford Fairlane Mario Andretti drove to victory in the 1967 Daytona 500.  The car was owned by Waltrip and sponsored by Terminal Transport of Owensboro, Kentucky.

During his racing career, Waltrip drove race cars for Bud Moore Engineering, DiGard Race Team, Junior Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports and for his own team, Darrell Waltrip Racing. Darrell Lee Waltrip born Feburary 5, 1947 in Owensboro, Kentucky, is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion (1981, ’82, ’85), a 3-time runner up (1979, 1983, 1986), winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5- time winner of the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 (1978, ’79, ’85, ’88, ’89).  Waltrip has 84 career Cup Series Wins, 271 top five finishes, 390 top 10 finishes, and competed in 809 Cup Series races spanning 29 years (1972-2000). Waltrip is a 2-time winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award (1989, ’90), and was “NASCAR’s Driver of the Decade” (1980′s).

Waltrip currently is a lead television analyst and race commentator with Fox Broadcasting Company and SPEED TV, a columnist at Foxsports.com and an author. DW was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2012.

This diecast is another 24th scale masterpiece. The DW Autographed car sells for $$99.95 and the non-autographed car sells for $74.95. Shipping is included in these prices for orders within the continental United States. We expect these to ship in June or July of 2012!

Order yours from our Online Store now, just click here.

When I was a teenager just beginning to enjoy the thrills of car ownership a big part of the experience was hanging out with other car guys. An even bigger part was driving! When a bunch of guys got together to pile into a car for a trip to the burger joint or a cruise down to the “loop” to look for girls there was one ritual that was always present….”Calling Shotgun”! That was the prize everyone wanted. By calling Shotgun you were reserving the front seat passenger side for your own personal throne. Those slow minions who didn’t make the appropriate claim on the front passenger seat were relegated to the “kids seat” in back.

Obviously, the coolest seat was behind the wheel but next to driving sitting Shotgun was the best, you were the “wing man”; you were cool.

Well, Ridding Shotgun is back, but different. We will be calling Shotgun for cars you want to ride in and bringing you information you want and need to know. We are introducing a new regular Feature with this Post. It is called, obviously, ”Ridding Shotgun”. We will get you up close and personal with some very special cars, cars like you might want to buy. Ridding Shotgun is all about talking to people about their cars; taking a ride in them and finding out what you should look for if you wanted to purchase one like it.

If you have ever purchased a collector car without doing your homework you most likely got a real education as soon as you got the car home. It seems every brand and model of car is unique and has special problem areas that you should be aware of before making that big purchase.

If you are looking to purchase a collector car but have limited experience in driving different collector cars you might be wise to take someone along with you to also drive the car. One restored car might drive like a brand new car and another similar car of lessor quality may look just as good but drive terribly. Is it a big problem with the frame or suspension or simply a car in need of some minor tweaks? We will show you some examples.

In our Ridding Shotgun Posts we will help you pick a car that is right for you and one that won’t make you sick and your checkbook empty once you get it home.

Ridding Shotgun will include vido of the cars in use, video from the ”Shotgun” seat as well as Q and A with the car’s owner. If you have suggestions on cars you would like to see us do please leave some comments below. If you live in the Nashville area and would like to share your car with us for Ridding Shotgun please send me an email, just click here.

We will be posting our first Ridding Shotgun in a few days, watch for it!

This is one you MUST HAVE!!!!! These will begin shippin on or around March 9, 2012!!! Order yours today.

Click Here to visit our Online Store.

AJ Foyt Autopgraphed Diecast 1969 Ford Talladega

Anthony Joseph “A.J.” Foyt, Jr., (born January 16, 1935) raced in numerous genres of motorsports. He is the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 (which he won four times), the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Foyt won the International Race of Champions all-star racing series in 1976 and 1977. Foyt’s success has led to induction in numerous motorsports halls of fame.

NASCAR

Foyt only needed 10 races to get his first NASCAR victory. Richard Petty dominated the 1964 Firecracker 400 until he went out with engine problems. Foyt swapped the lead with Bobby Isaac for the final 50 laps of the summer event at the Daytona International Speedway. Foyt passed Isaac on the final lap to win the race.

Foyt ran out of gas near the end of the 1971Daytona 500, and Petty passed him for the win. Foyt again had the car to beat in the 1972 Daytona 500, but this time succeeded in a dominating performance. Only three drivers led during the race.

Foyt won the 1971 and 1972 races at the Ontario Motor Speedway for Wood Brothers Racing. The 1972 race was his last NASCAR win.

Career summary

• Foyt drove in the Indianapolis 500 for 35 consecutive years, winning it four times.
• He also has 41 USAC Stock Car wins and 50 Sprint Car, Midget, and Dirt Champ Car wins.
• He has won 12 total major driving championships in various categories.
• His USAC wins tally is a record 138
• Foyt won the 1976 and 1977 IROC championships.
• Foyt won 7 NASCAR races, including the 1972 Daytona 500.

Without an autograph these are $69. with free shipping.

With AUTOGRAPH these are only $89 with free shipping.

Rick sent along the following information and photos of what has to be a wild ride.

The car is a 1971 Pinto that is now a little more of a Stallion! The heart of this hoof beat is a very nasty 782 HP Cleveland that we also did a piece on a while back; Check it out by Clicking Here. Here are some pictures of what the Cleveland looks like as it’s being installed into Rick’s beautiful but far from original 1971 Pinto.

The Cleveland is mounted 4 1/2 ” farther back then the 302 that was in there before the heart transplant. That required the drive shaft to be shortened 4 1/2″.

The car with driver weighs in at 2750 lbs. That Rick predicts will translate into 8.75 E.T. @ 154 MPH.  We will be waiting for the actual time slip! If I know Rick, come hell or high water he will keep tweaking until he gets there if not on the first pass!.

The car will still look like the picture provided here but will have a Snorkel Hood like the Vega in the back ground.

Rick, keep us uptodate on your progress and let us know what else is in the garage.

We keep you posted on our Project Cars but there is a lot more going on out there. We like to have you update us on what is in your garage and what you are working on…or have just completed. Here is a recent contribution from California.

Rick Schutte found this 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA Convertible in the back yard of a guy in the desert town of Victorville California. It had been sitting there since the 1980’s and  had eroded into a pretty bad condition. However, upon investigation Rick discovered the original engine and transmission were still in the car. His wife told him, “ you have to save it.” Lucky man to have a wife like that! He double checked the numbers to make sure they were matching and offered the guy $1800. The seller said he had never had that much money in his hand at one time and the deal was done. The couple aired up all the 30 year old tires and pushed it up on the trailer. Their neighbors saw them pull up the street with the less than perfect convertible and thought he had lost his mind. He assured his them that it would not be sitting in the front yard and told the skeptics to just wait and see; a little time, money and elbow grease and she will come back to life.

First thing Rick and his wife did was remove all the cob webs and nasty critters hidden in her recesses…a few black widows but no scorpions or brown recluse. Then he took his time dismantling it; floor boards were bad, small rust spots on doors and rear fenders, trunk was good and frame sound. The dismantling was followed with welding in all new floor boards, new metal in the corners of doors and rear quarters.  The original 289 was pulled and a “virgin block” that had never been bored or rebuilt was discovered.

It was bored 10 over, balanced, a bullet proof 347 Stroker kit, nice cam, Ford GT heads, Eldebrach intake, Holley 4 barrel, and headers completed the build. The GTA 289 is now pushing horsepower up around 375-400. The C4 tranny was sent to Ford to be rebuilt and repainted. An upgraded shift kit with a  heavier Torque converter to handle the new horsepower was installed. The rear end is a Ford 8 inch with 311 highway gears. These are  great on the freeway and with California gas prices they help with gas mileage. Rick installed all new brakes; the Fairlane GTA’s came with Dual Caliber Front Disc Brakes. To complete the job he also installed new brake lines, Vacuum booster, master cylinder, rear drum brakes and cylinders, etc. For the suspension upgrades new shocks and bushings, new steering arms and bushings were added and she rides really nice. Can’t have all that power running through dirty liquids so a new gas tank and a new radiator were included.

Details are important and that philosophy carries over to the re-chromed bumpers, window frames, light trim, door handles etc. New headlights and lamp lenses were also changed out.

The interior includes all new door handles, all dash and speedo bezels were re-chromed and even a  new quartz clock. All new Parchment upholstery, door panels, carpet, even the Lear 8 track tape player was rebuilt with new speakers. A new white convertible top, motor, lines and cylinder were included plus the top frame was refurbished. All new window, door, trunk, hood and top seals.

Tires and wheels make a car and Rick choose to go with 15 inch Torque Thrust Rims and TA white letter radials, always a good choice on vintage iron. Only thing more important that tires and wheels is the paint and body. Rick choose to go with black lacquer paint with white GT stripes. The Fairlane has correct GT hood scoops with all new trim and even includes the working turn signals. The perfect final touch is the correct and restored California Black License Plates.

This Fairlane was originally white, with white Parchment interior but Rick states that he just had to paint her black! The whole project took a little over a year to complete, but the fresh 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA Convertible draws a lot of attention and trophies at Car shows.

He says it has been a lot of fun bringing this sweet bit of American history back to life. Now she is back on the road with a little attitude. If you are ever in the High Desert area of California keep an eye out for Rick Schutte and his wife in there beautiful GTA Convertible.

Tell us what you are working on!

As usual we have slipped a little on the timeline for the AMX but better to take your time and do it right than do it over again, Right? The car is 95% back together. The radio was rebuilt by Ward’s Classic Car Radio so the AM works great, the 8Track is nostalgic and the IPod MP3 plug in makes for great variety and modern high tech. We will certainly be doing this on future projects as needed. We also have the factory air conditioning working and can’t wait to hit the road this summer with cool breezes blowing regardless of the temperature. I haven’t been able to do that for a long time.

We are still not sure what wheel combination we will settle on. This is one of the first things you should do. We did but then we changed out mind so it will be the last thing instead.

Here are some current photos of the little red Barn Find AMX Project Car getting a color sand and buff.

Next and final step is to finish covering the factory seats and get them installed and then add the wheels.

Recently, Don Stratemeyer who has a great collection of some very rare Mercury Cougars. How about these for some great rides?

1968 Cougar XR7G 1 of 6 Wellington Blue with Dark Blue Leather  390 C6 3.25TL w/sunroof

1968 Cougar GTE/XR7 1 of 3 Wellington Blue with Dark Blue Leather 427 C6 3.50TL.

1969 Cougar XR7 Conv. White with Aqua Leather; 428 SCJ 4 Speed factory equipped with a 4.30 Detroit Locker; former dragster with only 12,000 original miles.

1969 Cyclone CJ Maroon with Black vinyl R code 428 CJ 4 speed with 29,000 miles.

1969 Cougar XR7 Med.Lime Met with Dark Ivy Gold Leather 390 speed w/sunroof. Don’s latest project !

I know a lot of you like Mustangs and love them to death. I own one and it is one of my favorite drivers but I have to tell you the Cougar is a far better cruise car. Although they are not as cheaply restored as a Mustang they are well worth a second look for anyone wanting something just a little different than the Mustang.

The Lee Roy Yarborough diecast is now available for shipping. Order yours now at our online store. You can get the non-autographed car for $69 including shipping or the autographed car with car owner Junior Johnson’s autograph and shipping for $89. Free shipping only applies to continental United States.

I have mine and these are terrific examples of the 1968 NASCAR Mercury Cyclone.

If you ever wondered why seat belts were invented to watch this video very closely. This is when racing was very dangerous. There are some extrodinary vintage race cars in this brief video that you will love.