Tags: 427 Cobra / Boss 429 / Carroll Shelby / Cobra Daytona Coupe / Flathead / Ford GT40 / FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE / Indy 500 / Kar-Kraft / Le Mans / Martyn Schorr / Musclecars / NASCAR / NHRA drag racing

FORD: TOTAL PERFORMANCE, ROAD & TRACK!

- Minggu, 13 Desember 2015 No Comments

CarGuyChronicles Editor and Ford GT owner, Martyn Schorr chronicles Ford’s rich performance heritage from the 1920s through the golden age of musclecars. And, takes you inside Ford’s Skunk Works.

FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE is 208 slick pages of Ford race and street car history from 1920s Fours, 1930s-1940s Flatheads, 1950s Y-Blocks and 1960s to 1971 big-blocks. It showcases Boss 302-351-429 Mustangs, Shelby GT Mustangs, Shelby & AC Cobras, Pantera, Torinos, Sunbeam Tiger & Lola-Ford GT and GT40s. Plus extensive coverage of drag racing, NASCAR, Indy, Trans-Am, Le Mans, Cosworth F1, Lotus-Cortina, ending with 2005-2006 GT and 2017 GT. Plus a lot of inside info, putting the reader inside Ford’s Skunk Works: SVA & Kar Kraft and the true story of its implosion. Lots of period photography from the author and Ford’s archives, many never seen before.

Here’s what the media has had to say about FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE:

Autoweek EDITOR’S PICK: “In Ford Total Performance, Martyn L. Schorr takes a look at the Blue Oval’s metamorphosis in the 1960s from a company more focused on safety to one concerned with exciting the emotions of baby boomers coming of age, Autoweek, Dec. 7, 2015.



"Even the most devoted Ford fanatic will learn new things about their favorite make, but anyone interested in cars should read this book. Knowing how Ford-powered cars impacted the world racing scene and the evolution of the American muscle car will allow the reader a better understanding of automotive history. This is a must have book for any Ford performance car enthusiast. FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE is a winner," Steve Natale, Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/review/ford-total-performance-is-a-winner

“The book is chalk full of unpublished period photographу, including photos and artwork from designers that compliment the well written text bу Martуn L. Schorr. Schorr was there when it all happened, being the editor of Hi-Performance CARS magazine in the sixties and knew manу of the keу plaуers in Ford ’s racing program. Lee Holman, son of John Holman, wrote the Foreword. Holman & Moodу ’s close relationship with Ford performance is legendary, and his insights are most interesting,” Admin, Newspaper Post. http://www.newspaperpost.com/2015/11/17/ford-total-performance-is-a-winner/

“He thoroughly documents the cars, the people that made it happen, and the process that Ford used to get its performance hardware in front of the public. Martyn also reveals insights and interesting side stories about the era, and facts that weren’t included in the press releases,” Gary Smith, Dean’s Garage. http://deansgarage.com/2015/ford-total-performance-book-review/comment-page-1/

“Many of the images are never before published material from Schorr’s archives. Schorr, who lived the Total Performance era as an automotive journalist (as the editor of Hi-Performance CARS), met and knew many of the stars of the era and was able to reconnect with those still with us for inside stories and additional photography to put together a stellar title that any Ford fan will want on their bookshelf,” Mark Houlahan, Mustang 360/Mustang Monthly/Hot Rod Online. http://www.hotrod.com/news/1511-ford-total-performance-by-martyn-l-schorr-covers-the-heyday-of-factory-racing-support/

"Marty Schorr has fifty years worth of experience with performance cars. He also has fifty years worth of photographs he took during that time. He shares them in this book – some which have been used before and some which have not. For detail freaks it is a treasure trove. There have been a lot of books written about performance Fords. We know, because we have a wall full of book shelves filled with them. We are happy to add Marty Schorr's book to our shelf. If you're reading this review, you will be, too." – (SAAC) Shelby American 



‪"Ford fans are going to love this book...' '...chock full of stunning photos, this is a Ford nut's dream come true. Well written, nicely illustrated and a real nostalgia trip. It's great!' Classic American Magazine, January 2016, UK



FORD TOTAL PERFORMANCE is available from Motorbooks: http://www.quartoknows.com/books/9780760348581/Ford-Total-Performance.html and Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Total-Performance-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760348588/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429561181&sr=1-1&keywords=Ford+Total+Performance%2C+martyn+Schorr

Tags: Anatoly Arutunoff / HANS device / Indy 500 / Indycars / Justin Wilson / Nomex / Plymouth Speedway / Stephen Cox / Stirling Moss

SAFETY: THE REAL RISKS OF AUTO RACING!

- Senin, 07 Desember 2015 No Comments

If we actually did eliminate all danger from auto racing, would we really like what was left, blogs Stephen Cox?

                                                  Ed Carpenter, 2015, IMS

I began driving racecars in 1985. In the thirty years since, I've had a total of one serious neck injury while racing. It was at Plymouth Speedway in the summer of 1995. I have not had another neck injury since. It is true that this injury has had lasting effects that I would be pleased to live without. It is not my intent to minimize the severity of neck injuries. They are not fun.



However, they are not nearly as common as some would like us to believe. As amateur road racing champion Anatoly Arutunoff told me a while back, “The HANS device is a good solution to a very, very... very small problem.” Fact is, serious neck injuries are a relatively rare occurrence.

                                         Nelson Piquet, Indycar Nationals, 1992

Likewise, following the death of Justin Wilson at Pocono last August, one would watch the public reaction and think that racing Indycars is a dangerous and potentially fatal enterprise. In fact, only four drivers have lost their lives racing Indycars this century. Compare that to the five people who died in the first weekend of auto racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August of 1909 and it becomes apparent that the sport has shown immense progress in safety over the course of its history.



But all of this safety has brought us to an interesting junction. We are approaching the point where auto racing has become so tame that the concern for physical safety is no longer a limiting factor for the driver. “I better slow down or I might get killed” is simply not a thought generally entertained by even the fastest racing drivers.



That is a drastic change in the character of the sport. Formula 1 legend Stirling Moss said in a recent interview, “I remember going to Porto in Portugal with these really fast sweeping curves screwing down a hill with trees on the side. And when you're going through there it's difficult not to think 'If a wheel comes off, I'm going to get killed here.' That's a very daunting thought.”

                                              USAC, Lawrenceburg Speedway

But that thought rarely occurs to today's drivers. Instead of personal safety, the limiting factor for modern drivers is crashing the car and tearing up equipment. This vacuum of imminent physical danger allows less skilled participants to drive beyond their abilities with minimal physical risks.



As a result, one could make the argument that the sport's obsession with safety has in some cases actually created a new form of danger unknown to drivers of previous eras. I'm not sure it's a winning argument, but the fact that it can be made at all is perhaps its own lesson.



Now don't get me wrong. I'm all for safety: Helmet, triple-layer Nomex, neck restraint... I wear every gadget they make. But from a broad perspective, racing just isn't very dangerous anymore. And, that's a good thing!





Stephen Cox is a racer and co-host of TV coverage of Mecum Auctions (NBCSN), sponsored by: 


 http://www.boschett-timepieces.com/    http://www.mcgunegillengines.com/

Tags: Indianapolis Motor Speedway / Indy 500 / IndyCar / Justin Wilson / NASCAR / Stephen Cox

ASSOCIATED PRESS' PAUL NEWBURY: BAN INDYCAR FOREVER!

- Senin, 21 September 2015 No Comments

‘After the latest tragedy in Indycar... it's time to shut down this ridiculously dangerous form of racing,’ says Paul Newberry in the wake of the tragic death of Indycar driver Justin Wilson.

In making his demand, Newberry is typical of the paternalistic, safety-at-gunpoint class of pundits who seem to have taken over the Land of the Formerly Free. Newberry's rant, which appeared on ABC News on August 28th, goes on to say, “It's time to end a sport that has destroyed too many lives.”



Note the odd form of morality upon which Newberry relies: On one hand, he claims,”This is about doing what is right to prevent anyone else from meeting an untimely end.”



On the other hand, Newberry specifies that Indycar should be shut down by force rather than through voluntary choice. In his own words, Newberry wants Indycar “shut down” in a decisive action to “end (the) sport.” Rather than peaceful persuasion, Newberry appears to advocate using the force of law to ban Indycar out of existence under threat of fines or prison. Although Newberry makes no mention of legislation, there is simply no other way to interpret his article.

And this is what passes for morality these days?



The simple fact is that very few people die racing Indycars. So far this century, Indycar has suffered a total of four driving fatalities.



During that same time period, approximately 600,000 fatalities have occurred on US highways and 3.2 million have died from medical mistakes, yet Newberry makes no demand to shut down hospitals or roads.



Above all, Newberry wants to ban the use of open wheel Indycars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Instead, he claims that “the Indy 500 could become an event on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule” thereby making the race safer. Trouble is, NASCAR has suffered nine fatalities since 2000 compared to Indycar's four. Oops!



There is a real temptation to succumb to knee-jerk reactions and use the threat of force against others to do what feels good at the moment while attempting to moralize the result. I understand that temptation. But somewhere along the line we have an obligation to think, and to show some semblance of respect for others.

If Indycar drivers are willing to risk their lives to fulfill a dream, who are we to take that dream away in a fit of self-righteous aggression thinly disguised as piety?



Since 1992 more than 1,100 journalists have been shot in war zones and beheaded by terrorists while on dangerous assignments in every corner of the globe. A journalist who calls for a ban on Indycar racing because it's “too dangerous” is a shining monument to hypocrisy. If you really want to save lives, Mr. Newberry, ban your own vocation first!



Words by Stephen Cox. Photos are used by permission and credited to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway via Chris Jones and Chris Owens.

Stephen Cox is a racer and co-host of TV coverage of Mecum Auctions (NBCSN), sponsored by: http://boschett-timepieces.com/ http://www.mcgunegillengines.com/

Tags: Bill France / Dale Earnhardt / daytona 500 / Duke Nalon / Indy 500 / NASCAR / race safety / racing

LESSONS LEARNED: THE HISTORY OF DRIVER SAFETY IN NASCAR!

- Jumat, 04 September 2015 No Comments

When Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR in 1948, driver safety wasn’t exactly a primary concern. That first generation of drivers showed up on race day in the fastest cars their teams could build. There was a general understanding that auto racing was a dangerous endeavor, and that any measure to increase safety might decrease your chance of taking that checkered flag first.



But it didn’t take long for these ideas to change. In an http://www.dish.com/dig/sports/motorsports-hof-of-america-nalon-leads-detroits-last-class/, Alison Ingles Daly Sr. traces the events surrounding Duke Nalon’s historic crash in the 23rd lap of the 1949 Indianapolis 500 — just a year after the league’s inception. When Nalon’s car caught fire in the third turn, he had no flame-retardant suit to protect his body or quick-release seat belt to expedite his escape. He survived, but only after suffering severe burns and smoke inhalation-related lung damage.

That he was able to return to racing a mere two years later was a small miracle, but the league he returned to had already started to find ways to ensure the safety of its drivers. From that point forward, you can basically trace the history of accidents in NASCAR racing to the history of driver safety. Here is a brief timeline of some of racing’s most memorable crashes, and the safety upgrades born in their wake.

FIRE-RETARDANT UNIFORMS

When Nalon hit the wall in turn 3 at Indy, NASCAR had no standard uniform requirements for its drivers. Safety, in general, was considered a personal preference. A cautious driver might implement some foam padding into his car’s chassis to soften the blow in the event of an accident, or he might wear a DIY full-body mechanic’s suit to at least put a few millimeters of distance between his skin and the elements. But as races got faster and accidents started to occur with greater regularity, the need for a standard uniform became a necessity.



Enter DuPont, which introduced the first generation of http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/nascar-nation/nascar-edu/mobil1-technology-hub/nascar-mobil1-technology-fire-suit-fuel-cell.html in the late 1960s in response to the shocking deaths of Eddie Sachs and David Macdonald at the 1964 Indianapolis 500. By the end of the decade, the uniforms were no longer a preference. They were a league requirement.

WINDOW NETTING

By the time the '70s rolled around, a new series of high-speed accidents had shifted the focus away from the driver and onto the car itself. The http://bleacherreport.com/articles/202274-joe-weatherly-1964-and-nascars-not-so-good-good-old-daysin 1964 had certainly started the conversation. Weatherly died instantly when his car struck the outside wall at Riverside International Speedway. Ironically, he wasn’t wearing a safety harness because he was worried about becoming trapped in a burning car.



His death was caused by blunt force trauma to the guardrail — an accident that could’ve been easily prevented with window netting. After a horrifying rollover accident caused Richard Petty’s arms and head to hang outside the car during the 1970 Rebel 400, window netting became a mandatory feature of all cars.

SEAT BELTS

Seat belts have been evolving since the early days of racing and each new generation of car brings with it yet another advancement in seat belt technology. The original seatbelts were single straps of rope or leather with a single purpose: keep the driver from being ejected from the vehicle in the event of an accident. Yet as safety engineers gained a greater understanding of high-speed collisions and their effect on the human body, seat belt design became far more nuanced. By the late '60s, all drivers were wearing a two-strap harness that dispersed the shock of a sudden collision away from the body.



To assuage the fears of drivers like Weatherly, a single-release latch was also developed so that drivers could easily remove themselves from a burning car. Today, drivers wear a six-point harness that was developed after the http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=hinton_ed&id=6116145during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

Tags: Bobby Rahal / Brickyard Vintage Invitational / C7 FIA Corvette GT3 / Corvette Sting Ray / Don Yenko / FIA Cobra / Indy 500 / K-Code Mustang / Mike Matune / SVRA / Tom Sneva / Trans-Am / Vintage Racing

INDY: BRICKYARD VINTAGE RACING INVITATIONAL!

- Sabtu, 20 Juni 2015 No Comments

SVRA enjoyed a second year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with its Vintage Racing Invitational. Mike Matune was trackside for the Chronicles.

Clark Howey’s ‘66 Corvette won its class at Daytona. After more than 20 years and numerous owners, it is once again owned and raced by Howey. So much more than just racing, the event encompasses a car auction, car show, Jaguar exhibit and autocross and an enactment of the very first event at the Speedway - 1909 hot air balloon race. To us, the signature event is the Indianapolis 500 Legends Celebrity Pro-Am that matches 33 former Indy 500 starters with vintage drivers in stunning examples of American Muscle. ’65 Mustang, right, of Davey Hamilton & Frank Marcum awaits the race on the pre-grid. Hamilton is an eleven-time 500 starter with three Top 10 finishes to his credit. 

Pro Bob Lazier and Amateur Jim Caudle in Caudle’s ‘68 Corvette, below, took home the victory and bragging rights. They bested all comers and survived an active race; our congratulations on their well-earned victory.

Set appropriately at the “Yard of Bricks” a group photo shows the 33 Pro-Am teams along with distinguished guests like Honorary Stewards Janet Guthrie & Tom Sneva. As you walked through the crowd gathered in pit lane, you were struck by how close the racing community is and how much respect they have for each other.

Racing included events run on both Indy’s road course and oval. Here James Webb’s March 86C looks right at home at speed on the oval. This car finished second in the 1986 Indy 500 driven by Kevin Cogan.

Cogan was beaten in 1986 by Bobby Rahal in this March 86C. Rahal caught and passed Cogan very late in the race on a restart. It’s owned and driven by Patrick Ryan, shown here on Indy’s road course.

Casey Putsche takes his tube frame Corvette through the hard left-hander at the end of the back straight.  Putsch’s car has history as a GT1 racer. The car is crewed by the Genius Garage, a group of engineering students getting valuable hands on, real world experience. Their collective efforts would net a fourth place finish in one of the Group 10 races in the car’s inaugural competition appearance.

Before Ike Keeler returned it to the configuration of its Trans-Am glory days, his Old’s Cutlass followed a path so common with vintage racers. It had been a front running car campaigned by Darin Brassfield. Then it worked its way through a re-body or two as it moved to other teams in Trans-Am and eventually into SCCA Club Racing. Today it displays all of the features of its initial configuration including a ChevyV-8, tube frame and fiberglass “silhouette” body.

Janet Guthrie and fellow female racing pioneer Lyn St. James were there, competing in the Pro-Am. Adding to the historical perspective of women in motorsports was this car, Donna Mae Mims’ Yenko Stinger (YS-085). Today it is owned and raced James Schradt. 

With a production life of something like 65 years and with over 20 million produced, you would think the sight of a Type 1 VW “Beetle” in competition would be more common. Victor Frazzell has taken on that challenge, actively racing his 1968 version. The car pays tribute to a VW raced in the under 2.5-liter Trans-Am in period by Allen Treuhaft.

Chris MacAllister’s Cobra is steeped in history. Bearing chassis number CSX 2323, the car is one of a handful of FIA roadsters raced in FIA events in pursuit of the World Manufacturers Title. Making its debut in the Targa Florio driven by Grant & Gurney, the car would next appear with Ireland at Spa before a crash at the Nurburgring by Enzo Arena would end its Shelby racing career. Rebuilt, it soldiered on back in the U.S. at Daytona, Sebring and around the Southeast in the SCCA.

Tom Weglarz and friends built this Camaro in 1981 for the Kelly American Challenge. It started as a 1970.5 Camaro body of undetermined origin and was assembled using pieces from GM racers of the Trans-Am era. Updated to 1981 body style, it has fiberglass panels from the then current IROC Camaros. Interesting is that in its post-Kelley racing life, it ran the “Hot Rod Power Tour” with Olds power and was featured in the November 2010 issue of Hot Rod. Today it’s powered by a 331-inch Chevy.

Benneton would finish third in the 1997 Formula 1 Constructor’s Championship behind Williams and Ferrari with its Renault powered B197 chassis driven by Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi. At Indy, we see Brian French in his B197 hugging the curb on another quick lap around the circuit.



Words & Photos: M.M. “Mike” Matune, Jr.



Special thanks to Jan Hyde, Registry of Corvette Race Cars and Tim Sullivan & Taylor Clauson at the Speedway for their help with credentials.



For more information, please visit http://www.svra.com/

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/

Tags: 3Dog Garage / Amelia Island Concours / Bill Warner / Chrysler / Concours / Corvette L-88 / Ferrari / GM Motorama / hot rods / Indy 500 / Kellison / Mercedes-Benz / Mike Matune / Packard / Stirling Moss / Stutz / Virgil Exner

2015 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

- Minggu, 22 Maret 2015 No Comments

The Amelia Island Concours was graced with sunny skies, warm temperatures and the most eclectic assortment of important cars – from hot rods to classics.

Who would have thought that original gathering of 160 cars just 20 years ago would double in size to include a show field chock full of rare, fun, interesting and significant cars? Our congratulations to event founder and chairman Bill Warner, his staff, volunteers, supporters, judges and entrants who helped turn a dream into a reality. The East vs. West battle as it applies to the classic hot rod will always be the subject of spirited debate. Our friends at 3Dog Garage entered cars on both sides, including the ’32 Ford, above, originally constructed by Ray De Fillipi. It appeared on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet with sons David & Ricky. When they wanted to buy the car, their father famously quipped, “No 1932 Ford is worth $3,000”.

Sir Stirling Moss served as this year’s honoree, just as he had done for the first event in 1996. Lady Moss and he were seen throughout the weekend graciously greeting his innumerable fans. On the show field was gathered a collection of over 25 cars he raced during his illustrious career. Among them were these two examples of Mercedes’ championship winning W196. Mercedes-Benz Classic’s short wheelbase car, foreground, was used on shorter circuits such as Monaco. At the rear is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation’s streamlined car originally seen on high-speed GP circuits like Monza.

To convey an image of raw power, it is hard to top a Corvette L88 racer and the AICE presented a collection of these cars. Mike Yager’s 1972 example has all the styling cues, such as endurance headlights, scooped hood, front spoiler, fender flares, etc. Originally converted from a wreck, this car would hold the honor of being the highest-finishing Corvette at Le Mans for a number of years. Thanks to Mike for spending time explaining all of this to us.

As America prospered in the 1950s, automakers turned to the concept car to bolster their appeal to the motoring public. Designs usually tended toward creating the impression of a car as more than transportation. The red coupe is the DeSoto Adventurer ll, designed by Chrysler stylist Virgil Exner, featuring bodywork by Ghia. The silver convertible is the Packard Panther Daytona, styled by Dick Teague and constructed by Mitchell-Bentley.

Judy & J. C. O’Steen in costume with their ‘14 Stutz raceer. Stutz entered three of these beasts powered by 434-inch, T-head, four-cylinder Wisconsin engines at Indianapolis. Barney Oldfield was at the wheel of #3. Harry Stutz married the cars’ racing success to his road cars.

Production of Chrysler’s Town and Country line extended from the early-1940s to the early-1950s. Wood had been used structurally since the start of automobile production. Chrysler used it more as a styling element, pairing a car’s color and lines with the rich, warm feeling of wood. Loren Hulber further conveyed that aura by exhibiting the fashion of the day along with his ‘47 Town and Country sedan.

 When enthusiasts couldn’t get what they wanted, ingenuity took over to fulfill sports car dreams.  Legions of enthusiasts along with countless entrepreneurs combined to create what AICE titled “Forgotten Fiberglass”. The Neidell’s Kellison J-5 Roadster serves as an example of the genre, representing a “factory” car built over a bespoke frame. It serving as a Bonneville racer, street car and drag racer. Today it's street driven and vintage raced. 

In 1954 Chevrolet showed this Concept at Motorama shows in New York and Los Angeles. While production Corvettes were all open roadsters, this fastback coupe showcased a variety of styling innovations for Corvettes. Called the Corvair, its roof tapers back to a chrome trimmed panel with the license plate. It wouldn’t be until 1963 that GM would add a coupe to the line. Brett Henderson and Mike Terry built this recreation, crafting numerous custom panels.

So much attention is paid to compact and intermediate Musclecars, that we almost forget about full-size muscle. Donna & Don McCullen’s ‘60 Chrysler 300F is a great example of a big performance car. This 300F is powered with a 413-inch V-8 with a twin-four-barrel. crossram induction system. The 300 “letter series” were built from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s.

Trying to edit more than 2,000 photos for this feature was a daunting task. Single photo, above, contains a small portion of the show field, with Ferrari F1 cars, racers and classics. Car Guy Chronicles editors thank Nina Snopkova and Bill Warner for the courtesies shown to the Matunes during the Concours.  On behalf of a grateful public, thanks to all involved for helping raise more than $2.5-million for those in need over the Concours' history.



Words & Photos: Maureen K. Matune & M. M. “Mike” Matune, Jr.



For more information, please visit: https://www.ameliaconcours.org/