Other Ford or Ford Powered CarsTomaso PanteraShelby Cobra ReplicasThis is a replica of one of the fabled Shelby Cobras from the mid 1960's.It has badges for the 427 engine, and that's what's inside it. I didn't make a note of what kit this was made from. Note the roll bar is only on the driver's side. As Dogbert says "It's only cost effective to protect the buying decision maker." My daughter saw this at the local Fourth of July parade. She thought this was cool, until it was pointed out to her that there isn't room for Mom, Dad and her. Again, I don't recall what kit this was made from. This owner recommended using a small block (302 or 351) instead of the 427, but up here in New England, the car's not practical for a daily driver anyway, so why not go with the 427? Shelby Sunbeam TigerThis was basically the same concept as the Shelby Cobra: put an American V8 into an English two-seater. In this case, the engine is the 260 cubic inch Ford, the predecessor to the 289. Ford GT40 ReplicaThe GT40 was arguably the best of the various Shelby Fords, sweeping 1-2-3 at Le Mans. This is just a replica, and I didn't take any notes of what kit it was built from. Unfortunately, the engine picture is a bit blurry. I think this was a 351 or even a 302, not a 427 like the original. What really doesn't show in this picture is how low to the ground the car is. I think the roof was only a little more than waist high (Note: one story says that name was chosen because the car is 40 inches high.) Ford PrefectThis showed up at the Town of Harvard Fourth of July Parade a few years ago. I confess that the main reason it interests me is because of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book and the "Nicely Inconspicuous" name "Ford Prefect". The joke doesn't travel as well from England to the US and modern times -- Ford Escort would get the point across better here. Anyway, this looks like it's in stock form, although they make a good starting point for a credible hot rod. Early Ford V8'sFord introduced the "flathead" V8 in 1932. While it was not the first V8 used in production cars, it was the first low cost V8 using a block cast in one piece. The flathead was used in the US until 1952. This is a 1936 convertible in stock form. Ford Model TA real Model T is shown above. Famous for being the first volume produced, low cost car, "any color you want as long as it's black." This picture was taken in 1997. A year later, the model "Model T" showed up for the town Fourth of July parade. This go-kart is now an antique in its own right since it was built in 1962. |
All pictures taken by the author unless otherwise noted
Tom Teixeira