Description
Author: Martyn L. Schorr, Hardbound, 208 Pages, ISBN: 9780760348581
1st Edition, 2015
Ford Motor Company underwent a dramatic change in corporate philosophy. Previously, under Ford's chairman, Henry Ford II ("the Deuce"), safety—not performance—was the goal. But by 1962, even he realized his approach needed to change. Ford was nearly invisible to car-crazed baby boomers, and Ford Division general manager Lee Iacocca convinced the chairman that he needed to act decisively or risk losing the emerging youth market to the competition.
Thus began Ford's "Total Performance" program.
Ford Total Performance is all about Ford's prime racing era from 1961 through 1971. In addition to purpose-built race cars, the program also spawned production performance cars, specialty models, and unique concepts such as lightweight drag race cars.
The book explores the 427 Fairlane Thunderbolt; Mercury Comet; unique V-8 Falcons that competed in the 1963 and 1964 Monte Carlo Rallies; Dick Brannan's 427 A/FX drag car; Ford Indy 500-winning race cars; 427 Overhead Cam engines used in A/FX and top fuel race cars: Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs for street, drag racing, NASCAR, and Trans-Am; and many more.
The epic Ford-Ferran war that led to the creation of the legendary 0T40 Le Mans race car is covered as well.
Featuring unpublished period photographs, plus photos and artwork from Ford designers, Ford Total Performance covers all of Ford's classic race and street cars, including Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. It's a must-have book for any fan of classic American performance cars!
