New Ford GT to have a V8?

[shelbymann1970]

Shelbydoug, I've worked at GM for 36 plus years now. Now with the Vette I believe we have come a long way since I got hired in 1985. Last summer driving our no air conditioned GT350 vert in 90 plus sunny weather at the Woodward dream cruise while parked at M1 Concourse next to other Shelbys and my friend's 67 390 FB my wife looked at my friend's other car he was driving for the weekend- A dark blue 2014 GT500 tastefully modified(Super snake hood and 50 annv SS wheels)parked across the track. She asked how much for a late model cruiser with air and amenities? I know she is receptive to add a late model but I want it to be a C8-specifically a Z06 after watching our 1/2 hour commercial on it. She thinks they are too low and that bothers her. I have no desire to own a late model Shelby at this time. Hopefully I can get her into a C8 or C6-7 and maybe change her mind. Then I'd have to buy a lift and do some other garage work for it to fit. Gary

Desperate times require desperate measures!

I'm even thinking of selling one of my "Ford's"! But which one?

Hey. Join the club!  I need a lift now just to polish out my wheels!

Here's the plan!  I can raise the garage roof or the carports to get the lift in...but then I'd wind up stacking the cars and it would defeat the purpose.

Oh what to do, what to do? "Discipline 007...discipline!"

I have always had garage problems(1st pic 1990). Lift seems like the answer compared to one sitting outside all the time.

[FL SAAC]

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

[shelbydoug]

YOU hit it the nail right on its head  !

they are catering to people with huge disposable incomes, asking them to go to big events and post ALL the fun they are having on social media with their trailered GTs that roll off the ramps unto the red carpet

See, see, see they do drive them.....LMAO  !

To get back on topic,  I rember seeing the first GT, i said what a work of art.

Then i viewed the engine and said oh noooooooo !

The Ford representative noticed my dismay and came back it's very fast.

I just kept saying over and over in my head oh nooooooo!

My opinion, if it does get a V8 it will then return to the mans world of cars.

As stated previously by other's :

"And lets not forget all the other's out there building silly little V10's, V12's and V16's.  Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Bugatti, Audi and on and on."

What changes with the V8? It's just as crippling of concept as the V6. It's only catering to someone else concept. It isn't going to change the exclusivity of the car or create a greater market.

The free thinking on the part of Ford was the turbo V6. They knew it would take criticism but by doing so they were making a statement that they didn't care what the "peanut gallery" wanted or conceived of because it was their concept. Take it or leave it and that didn't matter because they were only going to build ten or eleven of them? Well maybe twelve?

No. If they change it to a V8, it's for other reasons. Not because that's what we want.

Why are they catering to anyone? I don't agree with that since a V8 isn't going to create a Corvette type of demand UNLESS they are prying to see if it could?

They will sell the same number of limited cars regardless of what engine they put it to it.

The question I raised is simply if this is a feeler to see if there possibly be that kind of a market? After all, the development costs are already paid for and baked into the cake.

It COULD even make an interesting anti-Prius EV IF they can find a place to put all of the batteries? 8,000 AA's take up some room?

[shelbydoug]

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

Because they build cars to sell cars. "That's what they do Bulldog". The more that you sell, the more money that you make.

They are not in the business of making one of a kind Picasso's. I'm sure that in Executive meetings AT Ford, this subject has been brought up? If they didn't they should because the success of the new C8 proves there is a market out there for this kind of vehicle.

They won at Lemans and eventually had a nice series of successes. But just as in any sport, winning is just about glory.

The best speech I ever heard about that is the post log in the film Patton. "ALL GLORY IS FLEETING". You don't build cars for glory. You build them for profits and just let the private market either bury them or makes them martyrs.

That becomes the power of the eye of the beholder. Not the builders.

[shelbymann1970]

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

If you drive your Shelby(s) on I95 during the day and especially rush hour you are a brave soul.

[FL SAAC]

Why thank you not only 95 but 595, 736, 826, I75, A1A and our glorious turnpike many a times to an event, show, meet or repairs.

Question I always ask the wife : insurance is all paid up ?

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

If you drive your Shelby(s) on I95 during the day and especially rush hour you are a brave soul.

[shelbydoug]

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

If you drive your Shelby(s) on I95 during the day and especially rush hour you are a brave soul.

95 is to be avoided at all costs. It's misery stretches the entire east coast. The problem is that all of my "secret driving roads" have been discovered by developers and put suburban blight everywhere.

It's getting so that the ONLY place that you can drive them is at a SAAC high speed event.

I'm not going to bend fenders at the Corvette or BMW events where the generation x geeks think that they know how to drive. They may be able to operate a vehicle but can they drive? Simple answer. No way. They learned on a computer game. That's where they learned the feel of the brakes, the tires, the cornering g-force. Sure. Right. 

I just love three lanes of bumper to bumper at 85mph? Ever race a Ply-mouth mini van at 95? That's as fast as they go you know?

[FL SAAC]

Love it !

Back to the topic GT may get V8...lovely !

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

If you drive your Shelby(s) on I95 during the day and especially rush hour you are a brave soul.

95 is to be avoided at all costs. It's misery stretches the entire east coast. The problem is that all of my "secret driving roads" have been discovered by developers and put suburban blight everywhere.

It's getting so that the ONLY place that you can drive them is at a SAAC high speed event.

I'm not going to bend fenders at the Corvette or BMW events where the generation x geeks think that they know how to drive. Then may be able to operate a vehicle but can the drive? Simple answer. No way. They learned on a computer game. That's where they learned the feel of the brakes, the tires, the cornering g-force. Sure. Right. 

[shelbydoug]

Love it !

Back to the topic GT may get V8...lovely !

The answer is plain and simple,  NO they will not !

Why should they do this if they have an exclusive club catering to people who for the large portion are not car enthusiasts that drive their vehicle as intended ?

Just keep raking in the money

Well here's an additional thought.

What would it take for Ford to start up a Corvette type production line and volume?

Could they justify a reduction in price of the Ford GT to Corvette Z06 competitiveness by installing a V8 and claiming that it reduced the cost dramatically?

Did they initially dismiss the thought of competing with the Corvette because the "Corvette market" was impenetrable and maybe are now wavering at a try?

Is Ford way ahead of you on this Doug? Sorry I talk to myself often. Why? I'm the only one that listens. 



I'm actually a little pissed about all of this. We kick this stuff around for free and the Exec's get paid BIG money to do this for a job? 

They probably regularly insult each other and throw spitballs behind each others backs...just like here!  I could be good at that for money? 

If you drive your Shelby(s) on I95 during the day and especially rush hour you are a brave soul.

95 is to be avoided at all costs. It's misery stretches the entire east coast. The problem is that all of my "secret driving roads" have been discovered by developers and put suburban blight everywhere.

It's getting so that the ONLY place that you can drive them is at a SAAC high speed event.

I'm not going to bend fenders at the Corvette or BMW events where the generation x geeks think that they know how to drive. Then may be able to operate a vehicle but can the drive? Simple answer. No way. They learned on a computer game. That's where they learned the feel of the brakes, the tires, the cornering g-force. Sure. Right. 

Tony. 95 ISN'T the worst road in the Continental US. The LIE west bound is. At one point it goes a full eight lanes wide.

I swear that I've been passed repeatedly there at over 120mph? The NYS pursuit cars are out numbered and the speeders know it.

Bumper to bumper at over 100? Simple answer is yes.

You need to wear competition seat belts because if you don't your ass sweats so much after 20 miles of this, you could slip out of the seat.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

We are talking about Ford's decision to compete with the Euro exclusivity of Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc.
Now if I think about it, going way back in my lifetime, this has been the trend from "the Deuce" all along. He always wanted a Ferrari type offering and played with that on more then one occasion.

A lot of Henry going Euro had to do with social standing and his wanting to impress the new inlaws - Maria Cristina Vettore Austin was an Italian socialite who became better known as Cristina Ford or Mrs. Henry Ford II,

At this point you COULD introduce the GT350 as an argument but it was never really intended by anyone as a Ferrari fighter. It also probably would never have existed if Iococca didn't "commission" Shelby to put more "pizzaz" in the Mustang.

The Mustang was a successful secretary car - a sexy Falcon that Iococca wanted to broaden the market for - he needed the car to grow a pair.

Now what's my point? There isn't anyone that can argue that the GT40 was intended to be a domestic Corvette market fighter ever. It was in Ford's eyes, a Euro racer, but at some point someone suggested exclusivity to Leddo and they offered 15 Mark III's.

It was never intended to be a Vette fighter - 15 MK III at $18,500 (most expensive car Ford had ever sold) Nearly 4 times the price of a loaded 63 split window Vette ($4,037) - interesting the price ratio is the same today with the C8 vs GT40

Hum? Now wait a minute. Shelby thinks that sure, I want to beat Ferrari into the pavement with the Cobra. I can offer it to the US public for around 1/2 of the cost of a Ferrari? It SHOULD sell like hot cakes here right?

Shelby knew the Cobra he was selling was not going to beat Ferrari. But the sale of street cars allowed him to build a 1 off areo body that nearly won LeMans overall in 64. Ford made CS dump the Coupe race program and when it won the World Championship they were entered by Ford and campaigned by Allen Mann

I don't think that was the initial thought of CS but I do think that he changed his thinking eventually and felt vilafied when used  Cobra prices escalated like a Saturn 5 at liftoff.

Most people didn't want rough/tough Cobras in the period - they were very rare but not appealing to most drivers. Which is why so many of them sat unsold on dealer lots - the Cobra was not an elitist sporty car for the weekend gentleman SCCA racer - it took a very skilled driver to wield it on track. Shelby was upset people were making more money on reselling his cars than he made when they were new. Hence his continuation cars.

Lee had that effect at Ford and at Chrysler as well. At one point under his leadership Chrysler bought Lamborghini. Remember him introducing the Diablo with the Chrysler VIN tags in '91?

That is where they got their 10 cylinder engine. Mopar was never a road race company (their Renault Alliance Cup and Neon series proves that). NASCAR and drag racing was where their customers went.

This present thinking at Ford of exclusivity is just a continuation of this thought process. The "office of the Ford GT" is just an almost independent arm of Ford commissioned to experiment with a bit of creative thinking, seeing where this will all lead to. That's all well and good for the Corp and with their current profit levels is affordable even though if they look at the Ford GT's in any form on a cost per unit basis, a major financial loss.

These are called HALO products - designed to show off the best you can produce using new materials and methods. They also secure free pr by being talked about.

Do you think that GM and Chrysler don't watch what the other guy is doing? Of course not.

I can assure you GM owns at least one of the latest Ford GT - purchased under the table from some influencer. I know of one buyer who presold his. He took delivery and paid for it with OPM and took his profit upfront. The title has already been signed over and post dated by 2 years.

Previous to the Ford GT, Chrysler had decided on offering the Viper. In all fairness to Chrysler, they never could find a design theme or designers to offer anything that didn't look like some sort of a Hemi taxi cab.  A Checker cab of sorts with a Hemi and automatic transmission with push buttons on the dash.

This was the HALO platform for the 10 cyl Lambo engine - and a test bed to try new materials and manufacturing methods

900hp Demons? Sure BUT they are offered to the general public to commit mass suicide in if desired.

Back to their drag racing roots. In VERY limited numbers. - When I was in high school I worked at a Chevy dealer (auto shop work experience) and crewed on a BB Chevy powered Fuel Altered. The cars driver worked across the street as a mechanic at Russ Davis Ford - I was there a lot being a fly on the wall listening to he and Gas Ronda talk about racing. When it came time for my first new car it was a 70 Road Runner - why? Best drag race performance for the $$. Yeah the fact that I as a 19 year old got affordable insurance in a mid-size rather than a Mustang/Camaro/etc played into it. My sister was of course insurable in her 68 Mustang GT-CS since she was 20 and boys were uninsurable until 25.

Now GM's idea is a better point and maybe just because they are in a better position of having established product identity in the Corvette? They can take their product development in the Corvette (AND HAVE), eventually apply it to all GM products in one form or another and marginally offer it to the general public without Italian supercar exclusivity prices.

GM has been able to turn their HALO product into a profit center - something Ford wasn't ever able to do with their GT40 or 2 seat Tbirds.

As a just everyday pion at some point in the near future I MIGHT be able to afford the C8 Z06. It is a possibility. It is certainly more attractive to my Walter Mitty-ism then spending $75,000 on a new F150. That simply doesn't cut it.

Apples and oranges - even when comparing the performance vehicles of both Mustang/Vette the Vette still wins unless you need a back seat for a 5 year old.

So that's the thing. The C8 Corvette is affordable with the same wow factor as the Ford GT at something like 1/4 the price of the Ford GT. That's reality. MY REALITY and even if I had a Ford GT, I couldn't park it in the lot in front of Trader Joes. The Corvette I probably could get away with putting it way in the back.

The best improvement to the "new" Ford GT was giving it doors you could open in a parking spot. In my neighborhood people drive everything and park as close to the front door as possible. If a grocery bag will fit they'll take it shopping

In addition, ANYONE SUGGESTING that it was Ford who made their exclusive racing parts available to ANYONE across the counter is simply incorrect AND WASN'T there. Us OLD GUYS were.

Kinda true you had to know the part number and then you just got a part not the knowledge of how to massage it. Of course some parts were "out of stock" when you tried to order them. PS - I'm an old guy

GT40 289 heads '60s XE blocks were simply for the 'Friends of the Program. Whereas I could walk into Byrne Brothers Chevy Parts Department in White Plains and buy across the counter absolutely any high performance part that I could come up with the part number on.

Z28 short blocks for $350 for instance, so stop the crap about Ford making their racing parts available. You absolutely, positively DON'T KNOW WTF (in street racing vernacular) you are talking about! I fought those wars. I'll show you the scars. Make up some other stories that sound good.

Z28 short block was a production engine. You could also walk into Ford and buy a Boss 302 Block ($125) or complete engine. Like you mention "any high performance part that I could come up with the part number on" Same deal at Henry. ALL the performance parts first went to their "friends" but if they make 1,000 of a part and only give away 500 they still have 500 to sell to those fans of their engineering. A lot of Ford stuff would show as D99 when they only made enough for "internal use" or they ran out and wouldn't be making anymore. GM was not always willing to sell you what you wanted. A friend came up with the part number for a 70 Firebird body in white - The dealers couldn't order it for him - he had to be approved by the GM gods.

I guess I'm just not one of their Peeps anymore. It's sad. It's like thinking of an old girl friend. Yea you're right. So what? She's pretty old by now. 

Yeah if your not a woke PC milennial wearing pencil jeans you are no longer Ford's customer.

BTW: Ford has realized the error of it ways by cancelling car production in favor of truck/SUV/Mustang only.  They will be building the Mondeo sedan - too bad you'll have to live in China to get one.

[Richstang]

The rumor is the Fusion is coming back to the states (Mondeo by another name)

[S7MS427]

Tony. 95 ISN'T the worst road in the Continental US. The LIE west bound is. At one point it goes a full eight lanes wide.

I swear that I've been passed repeatedly there at over 120mph? The NYS pursuit cars are out numbered and the speeders know it.

Bumper to bumper at over 100? Simple answer is yes.

You need to wear competition seat belts because if you don't your ass sweats so much after 20 miles of this, you could slip out of the seat.

Every once in a while I drive the LIE while going out to a funeral or some such (in fact that was the case the last five times I drove it).  Now that road absolutely scares me to death.  Don't think I've ever seen such insanity on a highway in my life, day or night.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

How much will the car have to change? Doubtful the Godzilla would fit in the same space as the V6. Nobody wants an NA supercar. Will it be turbo or supercharged? Both have different packaging problems. While we're (ok me) on the space problem the next gen Mustang is being built on the Explorer platform - you know the one the biggest engine fitted is a V6. With current .gov pressure and gas prices I'm pretty sure we are at the close of the V8 Mustang. Maybe they will call it Probe.

[shelbydoug]

We are talking about Ford's decision to compete with the Euro exclusivity of Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc.
Now if I think about it, going way back in my lifetime, this has been the trend from "the Deuce" all along. He always wanted a Ferrari type offering and played with that on more then one occasion.

A lot of Henry going Euro had to do with social standing and his wanting to impress the new inlaws - Maria Cristina Vettore Austin was an Italian socialite who became better known as Cristina Ford or Mrs. Henry Ford II,

At this point you COULD introduce the GT350 as an argument but it was never really intended by anyone as a Ferrari fighter. It also probably would never have existed if Iococca didn't "commission" Shelby to put more "pizzaz" in the Mustang.

The Mustang was a successful secretary car - a sexy Falcon that Iococca wanted to broaden the market for - he needed the car to grow a pair.

Now what's my point? There isn't anyone that can argue that the GT40 was intended to be a domestic Corvette market fighter ever. It was in Ford's eyes, a Euro racer, but at some point someone suggested exclusivity to Leddo and they offered 15 Mark III's.

It was never intended to be a Vette fighter - 15 MK III at $18,500 (most expensive car Ford had ever sold) Nearly 4 times the price of a loaded 63 split window Vette ($4,037) - interesting the price ratio is the same today with the C8 vs GT40

Hum? Now wait a minute. Shelby thinks that sure, I want to beat Ferrari into the pavement with the Cobra. I can offer it to the US public for around 1/2 of the cost of a Ferrari? It SHOULD sell like hot cakes here right?

Shelby knew the Cobra he was selling was not going to beat Ferrari. But the sale of street cars allowed him to build a 1 off areo body that nearly won LeMans overall in 64. Ford made CS dump the Coupe race program and when it won the World Championship they were entered by Ford and campaigned by Allen Mann

I don't think that was the initial thought of CS but I do think that he changed his thinking eventually and felt vilafied when used  Cobra prices escalated like a Saturn 5 at liftoff.

Most people didn't want rough/tough Cobras in the period - they were very rare but not appealing to most drivers. Which is why so many of them sat unsold on dealer lots - the Cobra was not an elitist sporty car for the weekend gentleman SCCA racer - it took a very skilled driver to wield it on track. Shelby was upset people were making more money on reselling his cars than he made when they were new. Hence his continuation cars.

Lee had that effect at Ford and at Chrysler as well. At one point under his leadership Chrysler bought Lamborghini. Remember him introducing the Diablo with the Chrysler VIN tags in '91?

That is where they got their 10 cylinder engine. Mopar was never a road race company (their Renault Alliance Cup and Neon series proves that). NASCAR and drag racing was where their customers went.

This present thinking at Ford of exclusivity is just a continuation of this thought process. The "office of the Ford GT" is just an almost independent arm of Ford commissioned to experiment with a bit of creative thinking, seeing where this will all lead to. That's all well and good for the Corp and with their current profit levels is affordable even though if they look at the Ford GT's in any form on a cost per unit basis, a major financial loss.

These are called HALO products - designed to show off the best you can produce using new materials and methods. They also secure free pr by being talked about.

Do you think that GM and Chrysler don't watch what the other guy is doing? Of course not.

I can assure you GM owns at least one of the latest Ford GT - purchased under the table from some influencer. I know of one buyer who presold his. He took delivery and paid for it with OPM and took his profit upfront. The title has already been signed over and post dated by 2 years.

Previous to the Ford GT, Chrysler had decided on offering the Viper. In all fairness to Chrysler, they never could find a design theme or designers to offer anything that didn't look like some sort of a Hemi taxi cab.  A Checker cab of sorts with a Hemi and automatic transmission with push buttons on the dash.

This was the HALO platform for the 10 cyl Lambo engine - and a test bed to try new materials and manufacturing methods

900hp Demons? Sure BUT they are offered to the general public to commit mass suicide in if desired.

Back to their drag racing roots. In VERY limited numbers. - When I was in high school I worked at a Chevy dealer (auto shop work experience) and crewed on a BB Chevy powered Fuel Altered. The cars driver worked across the street as a mechanic at Russ Davis Ford - I was there a lot being a fly on the wall listening to he and Gas Ronda talk about racing. When it came time for my first new car it was a 70 Road Runner - why? Best drag race performance for the $$. Yeah the fact that I as a 19 year old got affordable insurance in a mid-size rather than a Mustang/Camaro/etc played into it. My sister was of course insurable in her 68 Mustang GT-CS since she was 20 and boys were uninsurable until 25.

Now GM's idea is a better point and maybe just because they are in a better position of having established product identity in the Corvette? They can take their product development in the Corvette (AND HAVE), eventually apply it to all GM products in one form or another and marginally offer it to the general public without Italian supercar exclusivity prices.

GM has been able to turn their HALO product into a profit center - something Ford wasn't ever able to do with their GT40 or 2 seat Tbirds.

As a just everyday pion at some point in the near future I MIGHT be able to afford the C8 Z06. It is a possibility. It is certainly more attractive to my Walter Mitty-ism then spending $75,000 on a new F150. That simply doesn't cut it.

Apples and oranges - even when comparing the performance vehicles of both Mustang/Vette the Vette still wins unless you need a back seat for a 5 year old.

So that's the thing. The C8 Corvette is affordable with the same wow factor as the Ford GT at something like 1/4 the price of the Ford GT. That's reality. MY REALITY and even if I had a Ford GT, I couldn't park it in the lot in front of Trader Joes. The Corvette I probably could get away with putting it way in the back.

The best improvement to the "new" Ford GT was giving it doors you could open in a parking spot. In my neighborhood people drive everything and park as close to the front door as possible. If a grocery bag will fit they'll take it shopping

In addition, ANYONE SUGGESTING that it was Ford who made their exclusive racing parts available to ANYONE across the counter is simply incorrect AND WASN'T there. Us OLD GUYS were.

Kinda true you had to know the part number and then you just got a part not the knowledge of how to massage it. Of course some parts were "out of stock" when you tried to order them. PS - I'm an old guy

GT40 289 heads '60s XE blocks were simply for the 'Friends of the Program. Whereas I could walk into Byrne Brothers Chevy Parts Department in White Plains and buy across the counter absolutely any high performance part that I could come up with the part number on.

Z28 short blocks for $350 for instance, so stop the crap about Ford making their racing parts available. You absolutely, positively DON'T KNOW WTF (in street racing vernacular) you are talking about! I fought those wars. I'll show you the scars. Make up some other stories that sound good.

Z28 short block was a production engine. You could also walk into Ford and buy a Boss 302 Block ($125) or complete engine. Like you mention "any high performance part that I could come up with the part number on" Same deal at Henry. ALL the performance parts first went to their "friends" but if they make 1,000 of a part and only give away 500 they still have 500 to sell to those fans of their engineering. A lot of Ford stuff would show as D99 when they only made enough for "internal use" or they ran out and wouldn't be making anymore. GM was not always willing to sell you what you wanted. A friend came up with the part number for a 70 Firebird body in white - The dealers couldn't order it for him - he had to be approved by the GM gods.

I guess I'm just not one of their Peeps anymore. It's sad. It's like thinking of an old girl friend. Yea you're right. So what? She's pretty old by now. 

Yeah if your not a woke PC milennial wearing pencil jeans you are no longer Ford's customer.

BTW: Ford has realized the error of it ways by cancelling car production in favor of truck/SUV/Mustang only.  They will be building the Mondeo sedan - too bad you'll have to live in China to get one.

The Boss 302 short block was a PRODUCTION BLOCK, not a SK secret, only in a GT40 block. 

The FIRST sk block available over the counter was the 351c "Australian" SK block in '76 or so. Something like $775 or so.

The phrase that applied to MOST Ford racing parts was "it's made out of unobtainium.

D99 became my middle name. DD also. You can imagine what for I suppose? 

I tried those pencil leg pants and I can't understand how I just don't fit into them any more?

...and oh yea? I'll bet I'm older then you so just watch it Buddy! 

[FL SAAC]

Just like Sam said, lots of changes coming

Watch "Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video)" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/wEBlaMOmKV4

How much will the car have to change? Doubtful the Godzilla would fit in the same space as the V6. Nobody wants an NA supercar. Will it be turbo or supercharged? Both have different packaging problems. While we're (ok me) on the space problem the next gen Mustang is being built on the Explorer platform - you know the one the biggest engine fitted is a V6. With current .gov pressure and gas prices I'm pretty sure we are at the close of the V8 Mustang. Maybe they will call it Probe.