As more and more '69-'70 Mustang...
As more and more '69-'70 Mustang parts are reproduced we're seeing more of these Mustangs on the show field; from nice mild modifieds to full on pro-touring type efforts. Alex Patterson's '70 SportsRoof was looking sharp on the All-Ford show field Saturday morning in its two-tone paint scheme and detailed Cleveland underhood.
If there's a poor economy affecting us it certainly wasn't evident at the 11th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, this past October. We arrived on the property early Thursday morning before the official start of the event and we were greeted with great weather in the mid 60s, a light breeze, and plenty of sun-a precursor to the event weekend. As the racers rolled into the event Thursday and Friday we actually saw several show cars arriving early (the All-Ford Auto Show is Saturday and Sunday only) to stake out a premium show spot for their ride. We knew at that point the host club, the Bowling Green Mustangs, would have its hands full all weekend keeping the car show running smoothly.
Saturday came bright and early and we were greeted by a jam-packed show field that had overflowed into a second lot and so many spectators the track owners had to open a back-up parking lot they've never had to use before in the NMRA's 11-year history to handle the influx of spectator parking. We can only fathom that the attendance was partly due to the fact it was the final event of the season and that winter would soon dampen the motorsports activities of many Mustang and Ford enthusiasts, and that goes for the show car attendees as well. Within a few weeks it would soon be time to put their show cars into a winter slumber and keep them off of the salted northern roads as well. Whatever the reason for the huge turn out, the race pits, show car field, and the grandstands were completely packed with Ford fans of all ages and walks of life at the NMRA World Finals. It was most likely the best event weekend many have had this year.
The 11th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA World Finals
It was most likely the best event weekend many have had this year. The race pits, show car field, and the grandstands were completely packed with Ford fans of all ages and walks of life
Joe Wall's '65 Falcon Ranchero...
Joe Wall's '65 Falcon Ranchero was easy to spot in the middle of the packed show field with its bright yellow topcoat. The Ranchero features a well-dressed 289ci small-block with body color details, Magnum 500 wheels, and more, making it a great cruiser. Joe took home 1st Place in Best Ford Truck.
Like many shows, the NMRA...
Like many shows, the NMRA All-Ford Auto Show parks the show attendees as they come through the gate, so we knew there must have been a little bit of planning and forethought into the Fairlane Club of America guys all parking their gorgeous rides all in a row together. Whether you like the early Fairlanes or the later "Coke bottle" body style, you would have had several to choose from to add to your photo collection.
We really dig the shows that...
We really dig the shows that have Under Construction and/or Young Owner classes because you get to see projects like Tommy Wright's '66 Mustang coupe, which is in the middle of bodywork...
...but sporting a Terminator...
...but sporting a Terminator Cobra (that's an '03-'04 Mustang Cobra for those just tuning in) 4.6L 32-valve modular under the hood. Tommy walked away with the Under Construction award for his efforts.
Dean Bomar's 351W-powered...
Dean Bomar's 351W-powered '67 Mustang fastback had the classic look of a slight rake with Magnum 500s at all four corners, and the sinister black paint and matching black interior certainly helped set the mood as well for one tough-looking classic Mustang.
Love 'em or hate 'em, the...
Love 'em or hate 'em, the Eleanor Mustang re-creations are always a big hit with casual Mustang fans and it took us a solid five minutes of patiently waiting on the crowd gathered around Dude Burba's perfectly executed version of the film star to snap this photo. Dude's Eleanor garnered a Top 20 Ford award.
We often wonder if people...
We often wonder if people with the last name of Ford have always been Ford vehicle owners from the beginning of their driving careers due to their last name or if it just happens to be a fluke. Nonetheless, Jimmy Ford owns one well-maintained and unrestored '66 F-100. The original 352ci V-8 is still underhood with a scant 50,000 miles on it.
How's this for cool. If Clark...
How's this for cool. If Clark Griswold had this '67 Country Squire he might have actually caught Christy Brinkley driving that Ferrari. The 390 FE-powered wagon sported fresh paint, Foose wheels, power everything, and even a surfboard on the roof rack.
Get this, there wasn't just...
Get this, there wasn't just one Grabber Blue '70 Boss 302 at the NMRA World Finals All-Ford Auto Show, but two! One of them was Denny Alvey's Mustang shown here next to Denton Bagby's '70 Mach 1. If you're a fan of Boss cars both of the Grabber Blue examples we saw were top notch examples. Denny took home a Top 20 Ford award.
The first time we walked past...
The first time we walked past Mike and Becky Golliver's '66 Mustang we noted how clean it was; but a second pass and a better look and we started noticing the mods to the little drop top that make it special. From the high-back seats to the Sanden A/C system, and finally the way cool tri-power setup hidden under the body color Cobra oval air cleaner the car was eat-off-it clean with some very subtle mods. Their trip to Bowling Green wasn't wasted, as they went home with a 1st Place in Best '64-'70 Mustang and a Top 20 Ford award.
The vendor midway is always...
The vendor midway is always packed full of great new products, apparel, and more, but for those who like to haggle or are possibly looking for a hard to find classic part, then the swap meet area is the place to be. The Bowling Green swap meet area was overflowing with everything from used wheels and tires to complete project cars ready for you to load onto your trailer and take home.
It's a little hard to see...
It's a little hard to see under that huge domed hood, but Howard Russell's '56 F-100 is motivated via a 5.0L Mustang engine swap with a few go-fast goodies added like a Professional Products Typhoon EFI intake, a custom cold air system, and more. Howard grabbed a Top 20 Ford award for the Effie.
One of the more interesting...
One of the more interesting cars on display during the event weekend was this recently finished creation from Classic Restorations. The '70 SportsRoof features loads of custom body touches, such as stretched rear wheel arches to fit those monster wheels, an interior that looks nicer than most people's living rooms...
...and a spanking-new Ford...
...and a spanking-new Ford Racing 460ci big-block crate engine underhood wearing a hand-formed one-off air cleaner assembly. Look for more on this wild ride in a future issue.
Modified Mustangs & Fords Editor's Choice
Brett Russell's '65 Falcon Futura
Walking the show field first thing Saturday morning, we spied a huge crowd around one of the cars in the front row of the show. As we moved in for a closer look we imagined this might be one of those jaw-dropping situations where someone wrinkled some sheetmetal on the way to an event. But once we got close enough to slip through the crowd and get a look at what was stopping everyone in their tracks we were relieved to see it was "only" a super clean Pro Street-looking Falcon. We don't know if it was the stance, the super wide rubber out back, the killer paint, or the fully finished street interior in the car, but once the hood went up the crowd only got thicker trying to get a better view of the blown EFI small-block motivating the Falcon. Once we found Brett Russell, the owner, we had to learn the details.
Having owned well over a dozen Mustangs over the years Brett's last purchase was a '96 Mustang Cobra. After dropping a blower onto the 32-valve modular, throwing some gears out back, and having some fun, the car got a little too well known if you catch our drift, and the insurance premium on the Cobra was too much to bear with the weight of all those tickets on Brett's license. It also didn't help that you couldn't swing a crankshaft without hitting another SN-95 Mustang that looked just like it-not what some people call original. Brett decided to build something dif-ferent; still fast, but something that got a ton of looks too and you wouldn't see on every street corner or parked next to him on the show field. That's when he found the Falcon.
Brett, shown here with his dad, Howard, spent 5 years building the Falcon. It was a very solid car when he found it, allowing him to put more money in suspension and engine upgrades instead of dumping a lot of cash into metal repairs. Some of those upgrades include wheeltubs situated over a 3x2 back-half chassis with coilovers built by Green County Speed, which allow the huge Mickey Thompson's out back room to breathe when the go pedal hits the carpet. Up front, a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II assembly, also using coilovers, was installed by Brett himself.
Under the hood resides a small-block machined by King Performance and screwed together by Brett. Displacing 347ci and helped with a set of Trick Flow Twisted Wedges force fed by a Vortech V-2 pulled for 12 psi of boost, Brett uses the Anderson Ford Motorsport Series 4 PMS to control the EFI to his liking.
Inside, a full interior using late-model Cougar sport seats and cut down rear seats, Vintage Air A/C, a full stereo, carpeting, and more make the car a pleasure to ride in. Finished about two years, it might look wild, but the Falcon is actually a very tame car if you stay out of the boost. Brett even takes the family in the Falcon to Sunday church when the weather is right.