Happy Birtday Mustang! And a special milestone.

April 17th, 1964. That was the day that the automotive world was turned on it's ear. It was on this day that Ford Motor Company unveiled the all new 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang. Launched at the New York Worlds Fair, the Mustang quickly rose to be Ford's best selling car since the Model A. It also launched the pony car craze that led to the muscle car. Ford sold over 400,000 Mustangs in 1964. 100,000 of which were sold in the first 3 months of production.

That leads us to today's milestone. 49 years to the day of the introduction of the Mustang, Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan plant produced it's 1 millionth Mustang. Production of the Mustang was moved to Flat Rock from the famous Rouge factory in 2004 for the launch of the redesigned 2005 Mustang. Since 1964, over 8.5 million Mustangs have been tearing up American roads.

The car, a ruby red 2014 convertible was driven off the line by Raj Nair, Ford's Vice President for global product development. The production of the 1 millionth Flat Rock Mustang also helps to launch the 50th anniversary year of the Mustang. 


Source: Ford Motor Co.

Press release:

FLAT ROCK, Mich., April 17, 2013 – Happy Birthday Mustang! Forty-nine years to the day after its 1964 debut in New York, the iconic sports car celebrates another milestone: One million Mustangs have rolled off the line at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant since production moved there in 2004. Ford is celebrating this milestone as year 50 of continuous Mustang production gets under way at Flat Rock Assembly.

 

Raj Nair, group vice president for global product development, today rode off the line at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in a Ruby Red 2014 Mustang convertible. Nair was riding shotgun with Ed Salna, material planning and logistics manager at the plant. Salna is a 27-year veteran of Flat Rock Assembly, starting work there more than a year before the plant produced its first car.

 

“Mustang is one of the most beloved nameplates in the industry, with fans around the world and throughout Ford Motor Company,” said Nair. “The team here at Flat Rock Assembly has built an outstanding reputation for quality while producing one million Mustangs over the last nine years, and we expect that to continue for many years to come.”

 

Ford has built Mustangs near its home base in Dearborn, Mich. for 49 years. The car was built at Ford’s famous Rouge factory, just a few minutes from company headquarters, for four decades before moving a few miles south to Flat Rock in 2004.

 

Introduced in April 1964, Mustang proved to be far more popular than anyone expected, prompting Ford to add production capacity outside Michigan. By early 1965 plants in Metuchen, N.J. and San Jose, Calif. were also building Mustang. Less than two years later, on Wednesday, March 2, 1966, the one-millionth Mustang rolled off the line in Dearborn. To date, Ford has produced and sold more than 8.5 million Mustangs.

 

The launch of Mustang production at Flat Rock coincided with introduction of the then all-new fifth-generation model – first in the series to get a dedicated platform. In addition to the standard V6 and the V8-powered GT model, Mustangs coming out of Flat Rock Assembly Plant have included several special editions and race cars:

 

• In 2006 Flat Rock built a limited run of black and gold Shelby GT-H coupes for Hertz rental fleets to commemorate the 1966 Shelby GT350H rental car
• 2007 brought the debut of the Shelby GT500 Mustang developed by SVT with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 producing 500 horsepower, the most ever for a Mustang then
• For the 2008 and 2009 model years, the Mustang lineup included the Bullitt, inspired by the car driven by the title character in the 1968 film of the same name
• For the 2012 and 2013 model years, Flat Rock built the track-optimized Boss 302
• The Flat Rock line has produced numerous competition versions of Mustang including the FR500, Boss 302R and the extremely successful Cobra Jet drag racer

The Flat Rock factory has been producing vehicles since 1987, when it opened as Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA and built the Mazda MX-6. In 1992 Ford purchased a 50 percent share in the plant and it was renamed AutoAlliance International. Over the years Flat Rock Assembly has produced the Mazda 626, Mazda6, Mercury Cougar and Ford Probe. In addition to Mustang, Flat Rock will add production of the Fusion sedan later this year.

 

“Flat Rock has gone through an amazing transformation over the past year,” said Tim Young, plant manager, Flat Rock Assembly Plant. “We’ve invested $555 million including a state-of-the-art, fully flexible body shop and an upgraded paint shop to make sure we’re continuing to build the best of the best for the next one million Mustangs.”

 

“The one-millionth Mustang is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of the Flat Rock Local 3000 membership,” said Tony Bondy, UAW Local 3000 chairman. “It’s been great building an iconic American car since 2004, and with the introduction of Fusion along with our new plant upgrades, we will keep building world-class quality in Flat Rock for years to come.”

 

Ford is adding 1,400 jobs and a second shift at Flat Rock Assembly Plant to support new Fusion production as part of its plan to add 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States through 2015.

Hurricane Sandy vs Collector Cars

Ok, first it's Hurricane Sandy, not Super Storm Sandy. No matter how you slice it, it was still a hurricane that rocked the east coast of the U.S. in October. And the one thing that drives any car guy crazy is to see vehicular damage. We cringed at a photo floating around facebook that was also the cover shot of Automotive News magazine last week of a fleet of Ford Crown Victorias and a few Transit Connect taxis sitting in a lot flooded with water. Turns out they were brand new cars sitting at a Ford owned dealership in Manhattan. So it turns out not only were they Crown Vics, they were some of the LAST Crown Vics built.

From our friends over at Hemmings comes these photos snapped by a reader of two Aston Martins that weren't so lucky last month. Makes you want to cry.


See all the photos here.

Source & Photos: Hemmings Blog

Officially licensed: 1940 Ford coupes

Want to build your dream 1940 Ford coupe hot rod, but don't want to feel guilty about cutting up an original '40 Ford? Well now you can build your dream rod thanks to Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts. Just in time for SEMA, Ford will display a bare metal body and a hot rod built using the new preproduction body. The bodies can be bought fairly reasonably at about $12,000. Which is not bad when compared with finding, buying, shipping, and then repairing an original body. 

 

The 1940 Ford is just one of many classic cars gaining the support and blessings of their original manufacturer for a full reproduction. It joins the classic 1932 Ford and 1964-1970 Mustangs. I've also included a picture of an all original '40 Deluxe Coupe spotted in Hershey.

 

Source: Ford Motor Co. 

 

Press release:

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 26, 2012 – One of the most cherished and collected classic cars of the pre-World War II and hot rod era – the iconic 1940 Ford Coupe – is the latest addition to Ford Motor Company’s growing stable of officially licensed all-steel reproduction car bodies.

 

Available now for ordering, and complementing the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, the 1940 Ford Coupe body is also constructed of modern, high-strength steel and is assembled using modern welding techniques. The new body comes rustproofed from the factory and is ready to be assembled as a custom hot rod or as a faithful tribute to the original.

 

At the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Ford will display a custom 1940 Ford hot rod built using a reproduction body and a new bare body shell that demonstrates the high-quality construction. Prices start at $11,900 plus shipping. The full body shell as well as individual steel panels are available through Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, http://www.dennis-carpenter.com.

 

 

The fully built, copper-colored SEMA show car sports a new 5.0-liter V8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission and Mustang II front suspension. The roof has also been chopped or lowered to give the car an even meaner look.

 

“Like its older 1932 Deuce Coupe and younger Mustang siblings, the 1940 Ford is a bodystyle and design that represents Ford at its best,” said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager. “The 1940 Ford Coupe has always been highly sought after and collectible. Unfortunately, good, solid restorable examples have become hard to find and expensive, so this faithful reproduction is bound to prove popular.”

 

The ’40 Ford: Part of American culture

The 1940 Ford has had a major influence on post-World War II America, said Detroit automotive historian Joe Cabadas, author of “’40 Ford: Evolution * Design * Racing * Hot Rodding.”

 

“Bootleggers down south always wanted to know who had the fastest car,” said Cabadas. “Because of its lightweight V8 engine, they started racing them on Sundays, and that is the beginning of stock car racing.”

 

After World War II, the 1940 Ford was at the forefront of another major cultural movement – hot rodding. The ’40 Ford got noticed by World War II veterans, who began buying up the cars and turning them into hot rods by adding performance equipment to the car’s flathead V8 engine.

 

The 1940 Ford has been a fixture in Hollywood, appearing in countless TV shows and movies such as “American Graffiti,” “Bugsy” and “Mulholland Drive.”

 

“With their big fenders and integrated headlights, the 1937-40 Ford was one of the first streamlined cars from Ford Motor Company,” Cabadas said. “Edsel Ford had a hand in its style. He wanted a family look for Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and so you can see some Lincoln Zephyr in it. The 1940 was also one of the few cars in its price class with a V8.”

 

Reproduction body: A blank canvas

Hobbyists looking to build a hot rod using the new 1940 body are limited only by their imagination and budget. The new body is available with a stock firewall that accommodates the original flathead V8. However, for those looking for greater performance from a modern powertrain, the new 1940 Ford body can alternatively be ordered with a recessed firewall that will allow much larger modern engines to be installed.

 

As with the officially licensed reproduction parts available for the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, Ford also supports the 1940 Ford with an array of correct mechanical and trim restoration parts. To see what is available for the 1940, visit www.fordrestorationparts.com.

 

Dennis Carpenter, owner of one of the nation’s largest classic Ford restoration parts companies, owes his start in the business more than 40 years ago to the 1940 Ford.

 

Carpenter was having trouble locating a good used set of dash knobs for a car he was restoring – and still owns – so he approached Ford and obtained permission to reproduce the knobs using original factory blueprints and designs. Today his company, Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, produces many Ford-licensed parts for the 1940 Ford. With the body now back in production, Carpenter is gearing up to add even more trim parts for the car.

 

“When you see a beautifully restored 1940 Ford, it is like a piece of jewelry,” Carpenter said. “People just really love the lines of that car. It is timeless and appeals to all ages.”

 

# # #

 

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

For when Zombies attack! Get back with a 6x6 F250

This is just the thing for a zombie apocalypse. What's better than a diesel powered, 6x6 driven, quad headlight, Ford F250 crew cab for you and your family to cruise in? I spotted this behemoth on the back of a flat bed trailer parked on the side of the road outside of Zelienople Pennsylvania. No one was available at the shop it was outside of to get details as to what exactly this truck was built for. A few friends on facebook have said they've seen it at mud bogs and tractor pulls in the area, but no one has ever seen it run. Here's what we can tell though. Whoever built it, really took their time to create something that doesn't really look home built. The bed has been professionally finished to look like a factory piece. Same with the grille and second set of headlights which instantly make you think of a pickup from the fictitious "Wagon Queen" brand from the National Lampoon movies. Even to the point of adding the fender and hood edges from the donor truck to make a finished front fascia. They were likely added for height limitations for lights so the truck can be driven on the road.

The body appears to be resting on a military style 6x6 chassis and and powered by likely the same diesel engine from the view I had through the fender well. And of course there's the air horn trumpets and the twin giant fuel tanks mounted in between the axles and the the twin big rig exhaust stacks in the bed. The truck also appears to have an air suspension added to raise and lower the truck. When I initially spotted this truck I first thought it was an old monster truck, and then an F150 mounted to a big rig frame, but closer inspection revealed the 6x6 chassis.  I'm trying to dig up some more details on this truck as it's just too cool to look away from.

Ford unveils 2013 GT500 tribute to Carroll Shelby

Ol' Carroll Shelby may no longer be with us. But his name and legend (good or bad) lives on. As part of this weeks events in Monterey, California, Friends of Carroll Shelby has unveiled this special four wheeled tribute to Shelby in the form of the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra. Packing the punch of 663 horsepower, a Whipple supercharger ups the output to over 850 horsepower.

Ok, enough with the horsepower. How about the trick wide body thanks to Ice Nine Group of Detroit, Michigan. And of course there's the classic Shelby GT350 hoot scoop and a few other retro Mustang touches. Then there's the 20x10 and 20x13 wheels to fill out the wheel wells. Now I'm not usually a fan of 20 inch wheels, but they just seem to really work on this car. The Cobra was painted classic Shelby Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White dual racing stripes, one of my all time favorite color combinations and really shows off the lines of the new Mustang.

Now of course, this car is technically a concept car. I wouldn't expect to see this on dealer showrooms any time soon.


Source: Ford Motor Company

Press Release:

MONTEREY, Calif., Aug. 17, 2012 – Friends of Carroll Shelby, including Ford Motor Company, Shelby American, Ford Racing and many others have built a unique 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra as a tribute to the late Carroll Shelby.

 

Ford is also announcing a renamed road at its Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., as a tribute to Shelby as well. Cobra has been the consistent performance label as Shelby worked with Ford for most of the last 60 years, and Shelby was instrumental in the creation of Ford performance vehicles including Cobras, the GT40 and Mustangs since the mid-1960s.

 

2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra

The unique tribute car was unveiled by Ford Motor Company board member Edsel Ford II, Ford’s group vice president for sales and marketing Jim Farley, and Shelby American president John Luft at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion where Cobra is the marque of show for 2012.

 

“Even at 89 years of age, Carroll was an inspiration to us all,” says Farley. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra. The one-off car we have created represents the very idea he had about making the 2013 Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra.”

 

Using the 662-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 as a foundation, “Friends of Carroll” created the one-of-a-kind 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra wide-body Mustang that now generates more than 850 horsepower with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger.

 

Putting that much power to the ground requires plenty of traction, so the 13-inch-wide rear wheels are wrapped in massive 345-section high-performance tires for extra grip.

 

Ford Motor Company teamed up with Shelby American for several key components on the Carroll Shelby tribute car. Shelby American provided a specially designed hood, new rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20x13-inch rear and 20x10-inch front wheels. The bodywork is finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced so many of the Cobra roadsters built in the 1960s.

 

“Carroll Shelby changed the performance world forever,” says Luft. “And while he was proud of Shelby American’s achievements, Carroll was far more interested in the next car we would build. You will find the spirit and influence of Carroll Shelby in every future vehicle we build just as you’ll find it in the rear wide-body kit and hood integrated into the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra.”

 

“You might also know that Carroll was a philanthropist, noted for supporting causes that moved him,” adds Farley. “In that spirit, this car will be taken on tour around the country, and hopefully will be used in a special way at the end of its tour –  a way Carroll would appreciate.”

 

Before the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra hits the road, it will be shown at the Ford display in the expo area at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this weekend.

 

Carroll Shelby Way

For more than half a century, Carroll Shelby inspired designers and engineers throughout the extended Ford family. As a teenager, Edsel Ford II worked for Shelby doing a variety of jobs including cleaning transmission parts.

 

Countless engineers crossed paths with Shelby over the years, from those who crafted the original GT40 to those working on the 2013 Shelby GT500. Up until his death, Carroll Shelby remained committed to developing great performance cars. Even at the age of 88, he spent more than five hours driving the most powerful production Mustang ever during engineering validation sessions at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds in late 2011.

 

During and after test sessions, Carroll spent hours discussing with engineers what he liked and what needed improvement. No one who worked with Carroll will ever forget it, and his lessons in vehicle dynamics will be passed along to coming generations.

 

Ford product development engineers now will get a daily reminder of Carroll’s way as they traverse the newly renamed Carroll Shelby Way through the heart of the Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., to the entrance of the proving ground.

 

“Sadly, Carroll Shelby is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on with the designers and engineers he interacted with over the years and he will continue to influence Ford performance cars for many years to come,” says Farley.

14th Annual All Ford Powered Car Show

On June 10th, the Greater Pittsburgh Mustang Club held their 14th Annual All Ford Powered Car Show at Shults Ford/Lincoln in Harmarville, PA. It was a beautiful day for a car show with hardly a cloud in the sky and the blue oval well represented across the board. The show has been renamed the Tom Cavataio Memorial Show in honor of GPMC longtime member Tom Cavataio who passed away in late 2011. Tom's beautiful Grabber Blue 1970 Mach 1 was prominently displayed by his family. And anyone who knew Tom, knew he shared a great passion for anything blue oval. I entered my 2009 Mustang Bullitt for the 3rd year and brought home 2nd place for 2005-current Mustangs. Here's some pictures from the event as well as a full album of pictures taken throughout the day.

Ford to the Rescue!!!

Ford dropped some huge news yesterday, announcing a new Special Service Vehicle Package for the F-150. This means in the near future when you are pulled over for speeeding or cited by the fire marshall for having too many people in your restaurant, an uber-cool F-150 might be part of the process.

According to Ford, the SSV package will be available in a variety of cab configurations, and with a variety of engines--including the highly popular EcoBoost powertrain. Making the deal even sweeter, the package comes at no additional cost. The marketing boost from having its trucks constantly in front of the public, just like the old Crown Vics, will undoubtedly more than make up for it. Besides, Ford is the only one out of the big three automakers that didn't get a huge government bailout and it is flush with cash.

It's a good time to be Ford, for sure.

California Highway Patrol switching to SUVs

When you think of a highway patrol car, you instantly think Ford Crown Victoria. And usually in California Highway Patrol black n' white trim. Since the Crown Vic went out of production last year, you see a few older models out on the roads that have been slowly replaced by the Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, or the Chevrolet Caprice (I know we haven't seen one yet either). But Ford also produces the new Explorer in a police package, and that's what the California Highway Patrol is leaning towards to replace their fleet and to keep it in the Ford family. The CHP maintains a fleet of 4,000 vehciles (give or take a few) and each year, they replace 1/3rd of that fleet with new vehicles.

Due to the ammount of gear that a trooper has to car with him or her on any given day is always increasing. And now with gear mandated by the Department of Homeland Security, the smaller patrol cars offered by the big three just won't cut it.

Of course they'll still be black and white....


Source: California Highway Patrol.

Old Nascars rock!

Kind of like the saying that some things get meaner as they get older. Vintage Nascars were much cooler than their counterparts of today. Take a look at this photo from the fine folks over at Hemmings Motor News. This shot taken in 1956 at the Holman-Moody shop in Charlotte, NC. This shows the then new, and essentially stock 1956 Fords campaigned that year. Two sedans and two convertibles. This was when stock car racing was really exciting since you could go and buy the same cars you saw tearing up the tracks. Things were so much simpler then.

Source: Hemmings Motor News

Saabs or our lives: Saab NA Hertiage Collection up for auction

Many of you may remember our posts from a few weeks ago concerning the Saab Museum in Sweden going up for liquidation sale and the subsequent saving of the collection.

Now the same fate awaits the North American end of Saab's Heritage Collection. The Saab Club of North America and Hemmings Motor News are reporting that Saab North America's collection will all hit the auction block this week. .However, this sale is being conducted a little bit different. The Saab museum has a vast collection of cars, where the Saab North America's collection consists of only 11 cars that are all significant in their own right. As such, the entire collection of 11 cars will be sold as a lot rather than breaking the collection up. This is unfortunate, but it will for at least the time being preserve the collection as a whole. And what the collection lacks in size, it makes up for in variety. There are production cars, race cars, and even a prototype convertible.

McTevia & Associates is handling the sale and all bids are to be submitted by noon on Friday February 10th. All bids are to be submitted to the attention of  Dennis McTevia. The Saab Heritage Collection is located in Sterling Heights, Michigan and are being sold as is, and on bill of sale only. So you would have to be creative in order to license any of the cars for road use.

Here's a sample of some of the cars in the collection. Well, at least the ones I really like.

There were only 6 Saab Sonetts built in 1956. So this is probably the most significant car in the collection. This was the second car built that year.

 This 1960 Saab 96 is a genuine rally car. It won the 1960 RAC Rally of Great Britain and was driving by Saab and rally legend Erik Carlsson. I don't think you would want to submit this car to vintage rallies today.

I have always been a huge fan of the Saab 99/900 Turbo coupes. This 1978 99 Turbo was a one year only car and had a production run of less than 4,500 units. This example shows less than 40,000 original miles and has been meticulously restored to like new condition.

Following on the success of the 99/900 comes the 1986 900 Turbo convertible prototype. What's really col on this one is the rear spoiler has been carved out of wood rather than the molded rubber of the production model.

This 1987 9000 Turbo sedan was one of three cars built for the FIA Saab Turbo In The long Run challenge at Talladega Raceway (Save me Tom Cruise!) in October 1986. The three cars featured sealed engines and transmissions, a full roll cage, and six point safety harness. The cars were treated to 20 days and 20 nights of straight driving and the only repair parts that could be used  would be 179 pounds of spares carried in the cars during the challenge.  During this time, each car racked up over 100,000 kilometers and averaged between 130 and 133 miles per hour and covered over 3,000 miles per day. Quite an endurance test. All 3 cars still exist. One in Saab Museum, one at Talladega, and the car pictured here. These cars also beat Talladega's average speed record set by Ford of 132.5 miles per hour. Saab also set 21 International and 2 World Speed Records.

Saab would again return to Talladega in 1996 with a fleet of new 1997 900 coupes in an effort to break their records set in 1986. The cars were set up no different from the 1987 models and followed the same strict guidelines set by the FIA. At the end of the challenge, 18 of Saab's records were beat and an additional 22 International Speed Records were set. For more info on the Saab Talladega challenges, check out this great article over at Hemmings.  

We'll keep you updated as we hear more about the sale and potentially where the collection will end up. 

Source: Hemmings Motor News

Picks from the Pittsburgh World of Wheels: Round 1

This past weekend saw the 51st annual Pittsburgh World of Wheels come to town. I spent the weekend at the show as I had a car entered so I had the opportunity to spend a LOT of time looking at all the eye candy on display. Here's some of my choices of cars and trucks that were on display.

This 1965 Corvette was shown by Ron Champe. This car was a retirement project that took over two years to complete.

Bob Liberatore brought out this awesome 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 light weight replica. Gotta love the old factory racers and this one had all the looks, plus the punch thanks to a motor from Ford Racing. Bob had the 64 hooked up via a tow bar to his equally nice 64 Galaxie convertible. 

Atomic Orange is one of my favorite recent GM colors, it's also a favorite of Jim McGruder from Ohio. He brought his mildly customized 2007 Corvette which is themed around Orange Crush soda.

Here's another food themed entry. This 1955 Chevy Pickup owned by Gary & Flo Garman of Mt. Wolf, PA. Called Home Grown. The color theme of this tasty ride is watermelon. And interesting touch is the slight patina purposely placed on a few raised edges and the tail gate. And you have to love the watermelon shaped and painted air cleaner cover. 

Tammy Rayof Dahlonega, GA brought the 2011 Ridler Award winning 1933 Ford Phaeton to Pittsburgh. It's hard to hide that this is a Chip Foose designed hot rod. This one will be back in Detroit in a few weeks to defend it's title.

Dennis Mascari, owner of Mascari Auto Body brought two cars from his collection to the show. This 1957 Chevy Nomad carries factory fuel injection and genuine Corvette knockoff wheels.

Hot Rod of the Day

This awesome 32 Ford Sedan was spotted over the weekend at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California. While I'm a fan of a traditional style featuring full fenders, I do really like the overall look of this one. Period mid 1960s.

Scottsdale 2012: Ford selling 2013 GT500 durability car

Every auction put on by Barrett-Jackson, has at least a half dozen cars that are auctioned got charity. Be it a 69 Corvette for the Chip Miller Foundation or a pair of electric powered dragsters for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. It's a huge part of what makes Barrett-Jackson what it is. This one was kept under wraps until a few days ago but the folks over at Ford SVT and Carroll Shelby will be auctioning this 2013 GT500 Durability mule for the benefit of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This car was assembled by hand by the SVT team and tested at Sebring Raceway and Ford's Arizona proving grounds. As with any mule, it's a little rough around the edges. There's mismatched equipment, bumpers, etc. But it is a truly special car. It's been signed by the STV test team and probably will be by Carroll Shelby too. Unfortunately though, you can't register this machine for the road. Look for it tonight live on Speed at 8:30 tonight.

Source: Barrett-Jackon, Ford

Scottsdale 2012: Gooding & Co. selection

Here are my picks from the 2012. Again Scottsdale fails to disappoint, there are some absolutely fabulous machines consigned to Gooding & Co this year. Of course my number one pick is the 1963 Herbie that I posted about here. Since 2008 Gooding & Co. has secured the top sale of the week every year. This shows the attention to detail that the folks at Gooding go to to get the creme of the crop of collector cars for their Scottsdale auction. Last year, Gooding & Co. had total sales of almost $35,000,000 million dollars. Very impressive.

1953 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. I have a soft spot for station wagons and 50s Buicks so this one really caught my eye. This was the last of the era for real wood station wagons. And with only 679 of these built in 1953, it would be a pretty safe be that there aren't many wagons still around. Gooding & Co. estimates this one at $75,000 to $95,000. There's also something to be said about the stunning black with red vinyl interior and those Kelsey Hayes wire wheels wrapped in white walls. This car just screams classy.

There is a real "cool factor" to this 1916 Ford Model T delivery truck. This one has a fresh restoration with only 25 miles on it. A genuine delivery truck from the period, the body on this T was created by Abresch Auto Body, Ltd. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the restoration was completed, a little flight of fantasy was taken in the form of labeling the truck as a Harley Davidson delivery truck. Who knows, Harley Davidson may have used trucks like this and it certainly fits the theme finished in the early HD colors. And it's nice to see a Model T that isn't all black.

I love the styling of the 1960s super cars. One of my favorites is the Rivolta Iso Grifo. This 1969 7 Litri model was the show car for the 1969 New York Auto show and was one of only 6 imported to the U.S. This car from new carried a 7 liter Chevrolet V8 for power, producing over 400 horse power. Only 66, 7 Litri's were built making them extremely rare. This example was treated to a seven year, no expense spared restoration and has earned Best in Class honors at Concorso Italiano and Avila Beach. This one is American muscle wrapped in a suave Italian body with coachwork by Bertone.

Another stunningly beautiful car is the Jaguar XK 120. I love the side profile of these cars, especially in racing trim with a set of wire wheels. This 1952 XK 120 is a fascinating example of the model as it is almost entirely original and has covered only 15,000 miles since 1952. Even the tires are original. This is a superb preservation car that can be used to show how these cars looked when they were built. And it can also be driven and enjoyed a the same time.

Continuing with un restored cars, here is a 1953 Hudson Hornet sedan. This car has just under 70,000 original miles and is largely un restored. Finished in black with a lovely light blue/gray interior. This Hornet represents one of the finest big sedans of the early 1950s. In 1953, Hudson won 22 Nascar races and earned 13 AAA competition awards. This particular model was also owned by former Nascar driver Bobby Gerhart. There's certainly no Driving Miss Daisy in this car.

The original 289 powered Cobras were really neat cars. They don't have the rip your face off look that the 427 Cobras have, and they have the look of a proper vintage sports car. I like the narrow fenders and the wire wheels.  1965 serial number CSX2570 was purchased new by the same family that held on to the car until 2011. Like several of the other cars I have featured, this is another example that is almost entirely original in condition. This car was also used by Shelby at the 1965 New York Auto Show. Gooding & Co. estimates $650,000 - $850,000. I have a feeling this car will go higher than that.A college professor of mine was a Ford dealer at the time of the introduction of the Cobra and he said the 289s were the best handling car he had ever driven, and that the Cobra was ruined once they started putting 427s in the street cars.


Source & Photos: Gooding & Co.