Posts Tagged: Ford
Introducing the 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1, where horsepower meets nostalgia! This beast roars with a 351 Cleveland V8 engine and an FMX 3-speed auto transmission, making it the envy of every muscle car enthusiast. It’s got more options than a buffet, including AM/FM Radio with Cassette (for those retro mixtapes), power everything, and seat belts because safety first, right? Wrapped in vinyl interior and riding on raised white letter tires, it’s a blast from the past on four wheels!
In the world of Caterham, power is not just an option—it’s a lifestyle. From the 1972 Lotus twin camshaft origins to the record-setting 1993 JPE Special Edition, these lightweight speed demons have evolved faster than a caffeine-fueled cheetah. The R500 series, with a Rover K-series engine, rockets from 0-100 mph in just 8.2 seconds, leaving even high-end Ferraris in the dust. These cars are so light, they might just float away if not for their blistering speed!
In the world of Ford’s FE & FT engines, names are as interchangeable as a chameleon at a disco. One moment it’s the “Marauder” in a Mercury, next it’s moonlighting as the “Interceptor” or “Thunderbird Special V8.” These engines are like celebrities with stage names—flexible and market-savvy. With block designs strong enough to lift Thor’s hammer and carburetor setups as diverse as a buffet, these engines are the embodiment of versatility in the muscle car universe.
The Ford Thunderbird, named after a mythical bird, first flew onto the scene in 1955 as a two-seat luxury sports car, taking a cheeky jab at the Corvette and outselling it 23 to 1. With a design reminiscent of the era’s Ford beauties, it sported nonfunctional hood scoops and exhaust pipes that exited through the rear bumper guards. The ‘56 model brought a flashy Continental kit and a porthole hard-top roof. But while sleek in aesthetics, its hydraulic roof system was prone to comedic, unexpected leaks!
In 1968, Ford revved up the Mustang GT/CS, a California dream on wheels. They planned for 5,000, but 4,118 hit the road, with 251 going rogue in Colorado as “High Country Special ’68.” The GT/CS, a Mustang with a beach vibe, featured fog lamps, hood pins, and stripes in a palette of primary colors. Lee Gray, Ford’s SoCal sales guru, crafted this beauty to combat the Camaro and Cougar. And the name? Could stand for “California Special,” but some say it’s a nod to Carroll Shelby’s magic touch.
Get ready to feast your eyes on the legendary 1931 Ford 5 Window, a vintage beauty rocking a 350 V8 engine with an automatic 3-speed transmission. Imagine cruising down memory lane with this classic car, where the only thing faster than its engine is the rate at which jaws drop as you pass by. Thanks to Gateway Classic Cars, we’ve got a visual treat of images showcasing this automotive gem. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself daydreaming about taking this beauty for a spin!
The 1970 Plymouth 426 Hemi ‘Cuda wasn’t just a muscle car; it was the automotive equivalent of a peacock, strutting its stuff with bright colors and a shaker hood that screamed “look at me!” Under the hood, a 426-cubic-inch Hemi engine made this ‘Cuda a beast, admired even by die-hard Chevy and Ford fans. At $3,164 MSRP, it was a steal—until you added the Hemi for an extra $871.45. Throw in an AM radio with an eight-track for $196.25, and you’d be cruising in style, albeit 1970s style.
The 1965-66 Shelby Mustang GT350, affectionately known as the Cobra, was a beast on wheels with only 562 units in ’65 and 1,378 in ’66. Its 289 cu in engine roared with 306 hp, making it more “zoom-zoom” than “comfort-cruise.” With quirks like a trunk-mounted battery that caused fume complaints and a spare tire cozily sitting where the back seat should be, these models were the epitome of “race first, comfort later.” And let’s not forget Hertz’s “rent-a-racer” GT350-H models—return them with fewer parts, anyone?