Don't believe this has been posted before?
Scanned this from my copy of the August 1968 issue of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated magazine.
It's the issue where "Dyno" Don wrings a 13.23 1/4 mile time out of a Cobra Jet 1968 XR-7 GT Cougar.
There is also a test of a '68 GT500 with this shot of the engine. Photo is printed small in the mag so I made a hi-res scan and enlarged it.
- Phillip
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/134-231223093131.jpeg)
Oh now we have to figure out the car number !
Can you post the date and text?
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 23, 2023, 10:15:20 AM
Oh now we have to figure out the car number !
Can you post the date and text?
You're great at that. ;D
Thank you, Phillip, for this early engine photo.
1968 GT500 Fastback
Built before 2/15/68 (most likely January or first two weeks of February)
4 speed transmission?
Large letter Goodyears / Marchals / Front Mount Antenna
No AC / Black Interior/
Most likely Red, Blue or possibly Dark green Car
Distributor vacuum advance is single diaphragm so is likely an automatic.
All GT500s used the single vacuum advance in 1968, but good observation
I will post the entire article later today.
They state that this car has a C6 with a standard 3.50:1 rear. Tires are plain-wall Goodyear E70-15's.
- Phillip
Yes C6 trans. If you look closely the vacuum hose for the modulator is visible back by the RR of the carb
1968 GT500 Fastback
Built before 2/15/68 (most likely January or first two weeks of February)
4 speed transmission? Automatic Transmission
Large letter Goodyears / Marchals / Front Mount Antenna
No AC / Black Interior/
Most likely Red, Blue or possibly Dark green Car
It looks to have tilt hose?
1st page of article.
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/134-231223141309.jpeg)
2nd page.
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/134-231223141403.jpeg)
Last page - with ads ;D
- Phillip
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/134-231223141433.jpeg)
Thank you
Yes on tilt. That almost looks like a Koons decal on the decklid.
Where was this magazine published?
You are welcome Pete - It is my aim to be a mindful contributor to this sight and to add useful information.
- Phillip
I just looked up Capitol Raceway. It was in Maryland. That probably is Koons Ford. Getting closer....
1968 GT500 Fastback
Built before 2/15/68 (most likely January or first two weeks of February)
Automatic Transmission
Large letter Goodyears / Marchals / Front Mount Antenna
No AC / Black Interior / Tilt / Koons Ford delivery / Tested at Capitol Raceway, MD
Most likely Red, Blue or possibly Dark green Car
Quote from: propayne on December 23, 2023, 02:17:20 PM
Last page - with ads ;D
- Phillip
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/134-231223141433.jpeg)
Under 'Help Wanted' ---- Langhorne speed shop ad , spend a few bucks there back in the day :) Very cool.
I put all this information in the Coralsnake mainframe and came up with 6 possible cars.
One car stands out and I will post some pictures of it. It is car number #1653. Thank you Phillip for playing along
Looks like I am good at this 😉
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 23, 2023, 02:32:32 PM
Thank you
Yes on tilt. That almost looks like a Koons decal on the decklid.
Where was this magazine published?
It's Super Stock and Drag Illustrated. It was part of Petersen Publishing but the cars and articles came from all over. So the 428CJ Cougar was tested in Michigan, but the Shelby could be from anywhere. Judging by the smog system it likely was from LA or Arizona. My guess would be LA.
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/8-231223153835.jpeg)
Antenna and remains of zip ties
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/8-231223153808.jpeg)
Automatic Transmission
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/8-231223153742.jpeg)
As found
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/8-231223153717.jpeg)
Still has the original smog
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/8-231223155114.jpeg)
LOL - Awesome!!!
- Phillip
Super Stock & Drag Illustrated was headquartered in Alexandria Virginia next door to the graphics business where I worked.
Went out for lunch one day and there was a big dumpster filled with back issues as they were moving.
Spent lunch digging through and grabbing any Cougar related issues I came across.
- Phillip
Winning! Sent a note to the car's owners, with a link to this thread. Enjoyable
Quote from: Royce Peterson on December 23, 2023, 03:31:56 PM
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 23, 2023, 02:32:32 PM
Thank you
Yes on tilt. That almost looks like a Koons decal on the decklid.
Where was this magazine published?
It's Super Stock and Drag Illustrated. It was part of Petersen Publishing but the cars and articles came from all over. So the 428CJ Cougar was tested in Michigan, but the Shelby could be from anywhere. Judging by the smog system it likely was from LA or Arizona. My guess would be LA.
Not a Petersen publication. SSDI was headquartered back east somewhere. I knew Jim McCraw (the article's author.) He later worked for Motor Trend before being hired by Ford's west coast PR office in the early '80s. He passed away quite a while ago.
Any idea at what drag strip the runs were made?
The article says Capitol Raceway
Thanks, I was looking at it on my phone and couldn't read much of the article.
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 23, 2023, 04:08:30 PM
Winning! Sent a note to the car's owners, with a link to this thread. Enjoyable
A fun thread!
Amazing how original that car looked - and still with the Koons decal. Like they garaged it soon after that article.
- Phillip
I think that fact that it was largely unmolested, helped a lot.