Ford Mustang in Nascar

SPF2245 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 06:05 PM

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/head...ate/index.html

Looks like Ford is going to offer the Mustang body in the Nationwide Series. About time, IMO, that Ford has a RWD car as the model for a RWD series. Maybe we'll see the Camaro version soon, then the fans might have more interest in the vehicles.

Dan40 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 06:37 PM

That looks like a C.O.T. with mustang painted on it and a sort of mustang looking grille and lights also painted on it. Like all other NASCAR "stock" cars, there is likely not a single factory part, metal or plastic on the entire car.

Mark IV · #3 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan40

That looks like a C.O.T. with mustang painted on it and a sort of mustang looking grille and lights also painted on it. Like all other NASCAR "stock" cars, there is likely not a single factory part, metal or plastic on the entire car.

Do you mean to say that I cannot but a rear wheel drive, two door, V8, carbureted, pushrod Toyota Camry!?!?! The b@stards, they lied to me!!!!!

Bill Bess · #4 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 08:24 PM

I love NASCAR....but the Indy 400 was so boring I went and took my Cobra for a spin down Hwy. 95 at 100 mph for about 5 miles.
I came back home and watched the last 100 laps.....it got a little better as expected near the end.
It would be very cool if the Camaros's and Mustangs actually looked like the cars the represent. How about a Dodge Challengerr and a Toyota landcrusier.

Bill

427sharpe · #5 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 09:40 PM

To make NASCAR interesting again, kill the 'unibody' bs, and ditch restrictor plates. If you wanna slow the cars down, lower displacement. Nothing today runs 358, so go to 4.6L (280 CID or so) and bring in fuel injection and computers.To make compliance w/ rules better, let NASCAR supply the ecm's so they can add or kill hp whenever they want. Make the racing 'RACING' again!

VRM · #6 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 11:22 PM

They actually ran real Mustangs in Nascar back in the early 70's or so. I think they stretched a production body and put it on a Torino chassis or some such thing.

Also, Falcons ran Nascar back in 1960/61 in the compact car series, but they (and everyone else) got their tailpipes kicked by the Plymouth Valiants. If Nascar had been smart they could have turned this into Trans-Am.

Steve

fsstnotch · #7 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 11:41 PM

Car looks good. Making a camaro, mustang, challenger car would be cool. But still, not near a stock car. I'd like to see these cars usung engines based on the car they resemble. Using 100% of the drivetrain, beefed up of course. Seems like it would be cheaper than the current situation.

I've always wondered why everyone hated on the mustang??? I assumed it must have to do with wheelbase or somehting because even in the class i race on dirt, camaro, monte, thunderbird... nobody races a dodge really and it's rare to see anything with a ford in it just because a 350 is cheaper to build and maintain than a 351. I've been pondering the idea of selling my g body monte and building a thunderbird, it'd cost more but I'd feel better behind the wheel of a ford!

Ron61 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 04:25 AM

Not bad, but I would prefer they brought the Trans Am series back and ran real cars. Just buy them from the dealer, put in the safety equipment and let them race. NASCAR should change it's name as it has not represented anything that a person can buy for years. I look for road races to watch.

Ron

427sharpe · #9 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 12:16 PM

Steve, are you sure on that one? Only cars I remember ever being in NASCAR were the full and mid-sizes. Galaxies (60's), Torino Talledega's and later, the T-Birds. Maybe you are thinking of the BOSS 429? They used the hoss to homologate the motor for NASCAR, but the car never ran in the series.

Mark IV · #10 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 427sharpe

Steve, are you sure on that one? Only cars I remember ever being in NASCAR were the full and mid-sizes. Galaxies (60's), Torino Talledega's and later, the T-Birds. Maybe you are thinking of the BOSS 429? They used the hoss to homologate the motor for NASCAR, but the car never ran in the series.

NASCARan a series called Grand American in the late sixties-early seventies that had Mustangs, Barracudas, Javelins etc. Usually run as a support event to Grand National events.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_American

rustyBob · #11 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 01:39 PM

The long turm plan for NASCAR is to run the Mustang,Challenger,and Camaro in the nationwide series to save the teams money and get back to the "stock car look" and if that actually happens like it suppost to MAYBE those races will be worth watching.I loved the old T/A series that was raceing............

Dan40 · #12 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

The long turm plan for NASCAR is to run the Mustang,Challenger,and Camaro in the nationwide series to save the teams money and get back to the "stock car look" and if that actually happens like it suppost to MAYBE those races will be worth watching.I loved the old T/A series that was raceing............

And those cars went to left turn school AND right turn school. They learned about uphills and downhills and off camber turns. You built a car, loaded in all the spares you could afford and went racing.
Today's NASCAR team's have 2 [or more] short course cars, 2 long course cars, 2 superspeedway cars w/$30,000. carbs, and 2 road course cars. And enough spares to build 25 xtra cars. Total number of factory parts??? Ah, well, never mind there aren't any.

Its the pro wrestling of auto racing

Wes Tausend · #13 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 08:57 PM

...

SPF2245,

OK. That does look good. NASCAR is due for a revamping.

==================

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsstnotch

Car looks good. Making a camaro, mustang, challenger car would be cool. But still, not near a stock car. I'd like to see these cars usung engines based on the car they resemble. Using 100% of the drivetrain, beefed up of course. Seems like it would be cheaper than the current situation.

I've always wondered why everyone hated on the mustang??? I assumed it must have to do with wheelbase or somehting because even in the class i race on dirt, camaro, monte, thunderbird... nobody races a dodge really and it's rare to see anything with a ford in it just because a 350 is cheaper to build and maintain than a 351. I've been pondering the idea of selling my g body monte and building a thunderbird, it'd cost more but I'd feel better behind the wheel of a ford!

Fsstnotch,

I'm thinking the reason late Fords aren't used much for dirt track could be the OEM suspension geometry. The Fox body cars, Ford Fairmont, Mustang, Cougar and T-Bird, all used a combo strut/A-arm front and rear four-link live axle that binds during body-lean. Factory-Five addressed this serious shortcoming with their 3-link rear option on their Roadsters (Cobra's).

On the contrary, the Camero, and possibly the Monte rwd, used a torque-arm/panhard live rear and long-arm/short-arm front A-frame geometry that works really well in factory configuration. I have a 2600 pound, 3.8 Buick powered 1980 Monza (H-platform, Vega etc) that even has this type of OEM geometry at both ends. Somebody at GM still cared to send the very best during their worst years.

Otherwise, the Ford Windsor smallblock should be economically competitive in the power department. I believe the popularity of the 5.0 Mustang made them neck-and-neck.

My 2 cents, anyway.

==============

I have to agree with Dan40 on the "Its the pro wrestling of auto racing" NASCAR comment. I'd much rather watch local dirt track than modern national "asphalt" stock car.

Wes

...

Rick Parker · #14 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 10:33 PM

Yea.......that looks JUST like a Mustang..........

VRM · #15 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 427sharpe

Steve, are you sure on that one? Only cars I remember ever being in NASCAR were the full and mid-sizes. Galaxies (60's), Torino Talledega's and later, the T-Birds. Maybe you are thinking of the BOSS 429? They used the hoss to homologate the motor for NASCAR, but the car never ran in the series.

I am 100% certain about the Falcons in Nascar (around '61 I think?). I have photos and entry lists somewhere.

I am pretty sure about the Mustang - the post after yours seemd to have a bit more info and is probably correct. I'm not really a Nascar fan - I'm a little dangerous in the early '60s era, but that;s where my interest really ends. I've seen pics of Nascar Mustangs - I should probably go find them and post here.

I've even got photos of a '66 AMC Marlin that raced at the 24 hours of Daytona, driven by guys from a small Nascar race shop, and the Jaguar FHC that raced in the early 50's.

Steve

Buzz · #16 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

The long turm plan for NASCAR is to run the Mustang,Challenger,and Camaro in the nationwide series to save the teams money and get back to the "stock car look" and if that actually happens like it suppost to MAYBE those races will be worth watching.I loved the old T/A series that was raceing............

Rusty, that would be the cat's a$$ if they actually go in that direction. Is this actually on the table or some committee member's hopeful suggestion? Keeping my fingers crossed...

Ron61 · #17 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 07:07 AM

I believe that in the early 60s they did run Mustangs and others. I know that in 57 they had some 57 T-Birds and all kinds of makes of cars. I think it was around 1962 or 63 that they went to the full sized cars only for safety. But of this I am not positive.

Ron

rustyBob · #18 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 09:03 AM

Buzz.......I read an article at the first of the year that said NASCAR was leaning that direction and with the other manufacturers jumping on the retro muscle car look it would be the best direction for NASCAR to go and put more rears in the stands.I am fed up with NASCAR makeing up the rules as they feel necessary.....what they did to Wallace and the other kid in the Nationwide race last week was BS it was NASCARS fault on that one and when they nailed Juan Pablo that was totaly a fix for Jimmy to win that race at the Brickyard........Jimmy will win 4 in a row .....the FIX IS ON.

rustyBob · #19 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 09:05 AM

Oh and dont forget that will give Gordon 8 titles,4 as a driver,4 as a car owner,more than Petty and Dale,sr...............

VRM · #20 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

Buzz.......I read an article at the first of the year that said NASCAR was leaning that direction and with the other manufacturers jumping on the retro muscle car look it would be the best direction for NASCAR to go and put more rears in the stands.I am fed up with NASCAR makeing up the rules as they feel necessary.....what they did to Wallace and the other kid in the Nationwide race last week was BS it was NASCARS fault on that one and when they nailed Juan Pablo that was totaly a fix for Jimmy to win that race at the Brickyard........Jimmy will win 4 in a row .....the FIX IS ON.

I don't really follow Nascar - but I am an F1 fan. What happened to Montoya?

Steve