Fords best race car?

[au350hp]

I was watching a bunch of hot laps from various Falcons and it got me thinking is this the best Falcon race car & will the Mustang be better again?
https://youtu.be/1jHUjT02OhY

[GO FURTHER]

My feeling is the Mustangs will set a new lap record as they will more than likely handle the corners better.

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

My feeling is the Mustangs will set a new lap record as they will more than likely handle the corners better.

I saw an interview with D.Johnson who said the FG-X is old news & is keen to start developing the Mustang. Seeing many new Mustangs around my area of late, especially sunny weekends. I think I saw a 2018, but maybe it had a custom front bar or something, but it was going way too quick to tell.

[PooDog]

Loved the look of the Moffat XCs , but I never liked to back the dealer cars, HDT, Ford the privateer cars were my favourites DJ , Gricey , etc , Dicks XE was my favourite

[Danny]

Edit.. Best Falcon racecar. It’s certainly not Fords best Race car.

[Rallye Sport]

For me its the XT GT competing in the 1968 London to Sydney Rally.
It finished third in a world class event. Not a bad effort in my books.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Danny

Edit.. Best Falcon racecar. It’s certainly not Fords best Race car.

It's not a Falcon

[Gothefalcon]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

I was watching a bunch of hot laps from various Falcons and it got me thinking is this the best Falcon race car & will the Mustang be better again?
https://youtu.be/1jHUjT02OhY

The short answer is yes & yes ! (for our Ozzy series anyway) Longer answer.. Every year they improve the overall performance of these machines. Each new version would out perform the last... so it stands to reason that once the Mustang body shape is strapped onto the supercar's superstructure, they will have also found further gains with everything else. The gains are only getting more incremental with every year that passes, though. Mustang Supercar will still run the old Whinger 5.0 (Just as the new Commondore still runs the old Chev 5.0)... so don't expect any massive gains.

As for Ford's best race car... In my mind, it has to be any of the Le'Mans winning Ford GT40/Ford GT's

D

[Ford17]

For this to be analysed fairly, it probably needs to be broken down by category; eg:

Australian Domestic Series Eras:

1. 1964 to 1972 - Series production
2. 1965 to 1972 - Improved Production
3. 1973 to 1984 - Group C
4. 1985 to 1992 - Group A
5. 1993 to 1996 - Group 3A
6. 1997 to 2006 - V8 Supercars Part 1
7. 2007 to 2018 - V8 Supercars Part 2

International Series:

1. WRC
3. F1 Engine Programme
2. Nascar
4. LeMans
5. BTCC
etc

.....

Just for the local series, I'd nominate:

1. Moffat's XY Phase 3
2. Moffat's Boss Mustang
3. Johnson's 1984 Greens Tuff XE
4. DJR Sierras
5. DJR 1994 EB
6. Seton's Ford credit EL
7. DJRTP FG-X

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Ford17

Just for the local series, I'd nominate:

1. Moffat's XY Phase 3
2. Moffat's Boss Mustang
3. Johnson's 1984 Greens Tuff XE
4. DJR Sierras
5. DJR 1994 EB
6. Seton's Ford credit EL
7. DJRTP FG-X

Why don't the XA/B/C Hardtops ever get a mention here ?

HOs (2 & 3) won 2 Bathursts, while Hardtops (XA/B/C) won 3.

Also look at the 1977 ATCC, the XB/C Hardtops of Moffat & Bond had arguably their best year ever.

Dr Terry

[Ford17]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Why don't the XA/B/C Hardtops ever get a mention here ?

HOs (2 & 3) won 2 Bathursts, while Hardtops (XA/B/C) won 3.

Also look at the 1977 ATCC, the XB/C Hardtops of Moffat & Bond had arguably their best year ever.

Dr Terry

Agree; and thought about putting the '77 XC hardtops down as being the best of the Group C cars, but ultimately considered the last XE to be the pinnacle of that category.

The thing about Group C was the huge variety of cars involved over its 12 or so year duration, making a clear choice difficult.

I'd encourage others to make their own lists, as everyone has their own ideas; possibly using the same categorised format previously suggested - i.e.:

1. 1964 to 1972 - Series production
2. 1965 to 1972 - Improved Production
3. 1973 to 1984 - Group C
4. 1985 to 1992 - Group A
5. 1993 to 1996 - Group 3A
6. 1997 to 2006 - V8 Supercars Part 1
7. 2007 to 2018 - V8 Supercars Part 2

[Vesper Martini]

And just to clarify. 2007 to 2018 - V8 Supercars Part 2

other than aesthetics don't have a lot to do with the production Falcons from Broadmeadows.

[Vesper Martini]

IMO. Fords best race car - the original GT40

[Vesper Martini]

There was also the dominance of the Group A sierra cosworths at bathurst
they could hit 300kph on conrod Straight. It took another 2 decades for the V8's to reach this sort of speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgIwRpKNCY

[Mercury Bullet]

Setos EL cracked 300 in practice.

It was all downhill from there though when aero became more important.

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

There was also the dominance of the Group A sierra cosworths at bathurst
they could hit 300kph on conrod Straight. It took another 2 decades for the V8's to reach this sort of speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgIwRpKNCY

The Sierra.
A very Interesting & Diverse car that sold just about everywhere (Merkur in North America), except here
It was built in just about all body shapes; sedan, 3 & 5 door hatch, delivery van, estate wagon, & the pickup (South Africa see P100)
It was available in 4x2 and 4x4 formats
Engines available from 1.3 litre petrol 4cyl. up to 5.0 litre v8 (South Africa only) with v6s and turbo 4s in between, 2 diesel engines in there too!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sierra

The RS Cosworth won many Touring car races in many countries and won a world rally championship round in 1988, came 2nd in the 1988 world rally manufacturers championship against a lot of competitive 4x4 rally cars, The RS Cosworth was 4x2 at that time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sierra_RS_Cosworth

An amazing package considering the design and principal was based on a family production car, You can't really call too many of its motorsport competitors at the time, family based production cars?

[roddy1960]

Ford has a great tradition in racing . To have official Ford backing in Supercars again next year will be fantastic .

Hard to decide on an outright best re. the Thread Topic but right up there for me are the incredible Rally cars over several decades , locally numerous eras that we can identify with , Sierra's of course. Two special years back to back though stand out for me. .

Those years 1966 and 1967 saw the Ford GT won Le Mans (1966), then dominated for a time AND the mighty Falcon GT (1967) heralded some iconic racing here in Australia with the arrival of that race orientated XR Falcon GT.

[FTE217]

Ford17 hope you don't mind I've used yours as a template re our beloved locals :

Just for the local series, I'd nominate:

1. Moffat's XY Phase 3
2. Moffat's Boss Mustang/Geoghegan Mustang
3. MFD's Coupes
4. Johnson's 1984 Greens Tuff XE
5. DJR Sierras
6. DJR 1994 EB
7. Seton's Ford credit EL
8. DJRTP FG-X

I have invested deeply my time and heart on the list from 1-3, I'm a Moff man through and through and yes DJ then comes into the picture and I admire greatly but behind Moff.
Greens Tuff was a absolute beast might I add and shame at the end of those times I feel Mastertons last XE was probably the best ever but all too late never to race much.
Loved Seto, incl AU times.
FPR cars especially Frostys winning year Falcon should get a mention as well.

Yes you can't not admire the early GT40 win and even the late ones (heck I looked at one up close at the Detroit museum last year amazing) BUT I have no heart invested in those, they are american they are not in my Aussie blue blood.

[Rob 351]

Since we're talking Falcons..... Top 10 imho & in no particular order....

*Tru Blu XD. 2 titles and a Bathurst
*Ambrose BA. 2 titles
*XY GTHO Ph 3 Bathurst 71
*XW GTHO Ph 2 Bathurst 70
*888 BF. 2 Bathurst wins and a title.
*Moffat XB/XC. 2 titles and a famous 1-2 at the mountain.
*Seton EB. 93 title
*Shell FAI EF. 95 title
*Moff's 73 XY Atcc Ph 3
*Gibson's XR GT. Bathurst 67.

Couple of smokey's.....
*Mastertons 84 XE. 84 Amscar series and super tough!
*Geogheans GTHO.. What a beast!!
*Greens Tuf XE. 84 title and just because

[Blue Roo]

Another Ford is John Goss's XA GT Hardtop. The Privater lead majority of the 73 Bathurst race. Until he had to retire with mechanical problems. Gossy went back to Bathurst in 74, with the same car and against the odds. Won the race.

[Ford17]

Originally Posted by Blue Roo

Another Ford is John Goss's XA GT Hardtop. The Privater lead majority of the 73 Bathurst race. Until he had to retire with mechanical problems. Gossy went back to Bathurst in 74, with the same car and against the odds. Won the race.

Love this image of an injured KB sitting in the passenger seat of the 1974 winner (pre-race win), discussing things with JG; with his walking cane resting against the door:

[CyberWasp]

The Ford (Falcon) Universe was in total alignment on this day.
Finishing 1 & 2 with matching Race Car numbers.
(What are the odds of it happening at Bathurst when you think about it)
Total domination.
To rub it in, they had time for a last lap leisurely Sunday Drive to stroll across the finish line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iZLztevmf4

[Giant Cranium]

I’m calling it. Best ford race car is my Ute from the forums drags at Heathcote

[Burnout]

And Lakeside, last year:

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Burnout

And Lakeside, last year:
image

I'll raise your Lakeside, to a wet Lakeside in my Sierra! Awesome Fords, they are!



But this is shifting away from the newer cars getting faster, bit by bit.

[Mont5.0]

Just waiting for a mate.
In Pit Lane.

[FTE217]

I'll never forget '77 as the best ever in our Fords racing history.
A day in a life experience !
You young brigade I can understand don't feel it as much BUT nothing beats doing it the 1st time nothing.
Seeing those big coupes eating up Bathurst was to die for - how god damn sexy so those coupes look, incl Gossy's winner as mentioned and the many other coupe entries.
They were just a HORN/Beast of a Falcon !

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by FTE217

I'll never forget '77 as the best ever in our Fords racing history.
A day in a life experience !
You young brigade I can understand don't feel it as much BUT nothing beats doing it the 1st time nothing.
Seeing those big coupes eating up Bathurst was to die for - how god damn sexy so those coupes look, incl Gossy's winner as mentioned and the many other coupe entries.
They were just a HORN/Beast of a Falcon !

As a young kid, seeing that finish is something I'll always remember. Dad started off with Holdens, (FB-HR), but changed to Falcons from the XW up till he had an EL. The two XC Hardtop's finishing together was goosebump material back then for me.

[MITCHAY]

GT40 /end thread

[hackney]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

GT40 /end thread

Yup,most certainly.Coming 1,2 & 3 in 1966 in those GT40s (and winning in subsequent years.)Supercars is not even in the same room,& doesn’t rate in my book.And also @ the same time “grinding” Ferrari works teams into the ground.Cheers