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World's fastest Montego

44K views 163 replies 34 participants last post by  Mario 
#1 · (Edited)
So I decided to start a build thread here to document what I'm doing with my Montego GT.

For those who aren't familiar, here's a little background.....I found this car in 1996 sitting in a field behind a truck stop up in the mountains. It had been there for 14 years at the time and the weeds around it were as tall as the car. I saw the fastback roofline through the weeds and decided to take a closer look. After some negotiation with the truck stop owner, I had it towed to my house and attained title on it.

From what I've been able to gather, a woman was driving the car in the dead of winter when the radiator hose blew and she kept driving it until she arrived at the truck stop. After being given an estimate to repair the car, she never returned, so the car was parked out back and forgotten.

It was also around this time I started hearing about open road racing, where a stretch of public road 50-100 miles long is shut down for people to run at speeds that would result in felony charges under any other circumstances, so I decided to build the car to run in these events.

The thread title is a play on the movie World's Fastest Indian, and because I've been seeing people call out their cars as fastest (insert make/model). My goals for the car are to have the world's fastest street legal 72/73 Montego GT. At this point, I don't know if anyone has been faster than my 150.7 mph run at the Colorado Mile, so I'm laying claim to being the fastest. Fastest meaning top speed, not 1/4 mile time.

Link to a picture gallery on the car:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.203153679719987.43849.199531240082231&type=3







Current specs on the car:

Engine:
528 CID (4.300x4.420)
D1VE block
Eagle crank, Scat rods
AFR 280cc heads
Lunati roller rockers
Hyd flat tappet - 224/234 .538/.562 112LS
10.9:1 forged pistons
Torker II intake
Custom built 9 quart baffled pan

Trans:
C6 rebuilt with red clutches, etc.
Edge racing custom low stall converter ~1800 stall
Broader Performance full manual reverse valve body
B&M Pro ratchet floor shifter

Rear:
Stock 9"
3.25:1 track-loc was stock, and I run that at times, but also have 3.00, 2.75, and 2.50 third members that I switch out depending on the event.

Suspension:
Mostly stock
Cut coils
Circle track adjustable shocks
Urethane bushings
Boxed control arms
Larger than stock anti-sway bars

Wheels/tires:
255/50R17 Nitto NT555's, W-rated (168mph), 300 treadwear
Black Rock 17" aluminum type D

Brakes:
Stock disc/drum with ceramic pads

Exhaust:
Hooker headers
Dr. Gas X-pipe
3" flowpacks (like a glasspack but smooth inside)
3" Warlock mufflers
Custom side exits

Other:
Custom 6 point roll bar
Kirkey racing seats
22 gal fuel cell
Quick release steering wheel
Driveshaft loop
Trunk sealed off from passenger compartment
 
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#42 ·
Hooker Header questions; what part number? Is that same chassis as Galaxie or Torino?
Same as Torino, not sure about the Galaxie. Hooker 6126 is what I'm running. Knowing what I know now, I'd be tempted to build my own if I had it to do over again.
 
#44 · (Edited)
Finally getting the heads wrapped up. Machine work and port work are all done. Decided to try out a package using unusually small diameter springs (for a big block). It's a combination for an entirely different application, but it all just happened to fit with the combination of parts I'm suing here. As an added bonus, the small springs bring the weight down to a level that's comparable with titanium parts on larger diameter springs.

Final pressures are set to 130 on the seat and 354/359 over the nose. With the inner springs removed for break-in, pressures are 90/205.



 
#51 ·
Thanks guys. Painting the car has been a long time coming. It's interesting how different people's reactions are now even though it's the same old loud, smelly, obnoxious car. I pulled into a parking lot the other day, and people litterally started coming from all directions to take pictures of it.

The new engine is on the way-way back burner. Had an issue with the cam grinder and getting it resolved has delayed things enough that wrapping it up and installing it in the car before the races this summer is out of the question. Maybe if I had nothing else going on but I'm also swamped with work, which I'm grateful for, so the old 429 will be staying in the car a while longer.


.
 
#55 ·
That is awesome a 1/2 mile and on a airstrip that is being used!!!!

That little t/a got the hit and still got passed lol!! The car looks like it runs, great work on it Carl.
 
#57 · (Edited)
Please don't PM me crap like this..

"""Hey, if you want to run your car at triple digit speeds on public roads, that's your business, but I'd prefer that you delete it from my thread.

Thanks,
Carl ""




the pot calling the kettle black...Ill get right on that :rolleyes:
PS: if you bothered to read the caption at the bottom where my video is, it states that I did that on a private/closed road!! JUST LIKE YOU DID

puhleeeeese
 
#58 ·
Please don't PM me crap like this..

"""Hey, if you want to run your car at triple digit speeds on public roads, that's your business, but I'd prefer that you delete it from my thread.

Thanks,
Carl ""

the pot calling the kettle black...Ill get right on that :rolleyes:
PS: if you bothered to read the caption at the bottom where my video is, it states that I did that on a private/closed road!! JUST LIKE YOU DID

puhleeeeese
Perhaps Carl didn't see the caption part because you have to click "Show More" in order to see what you are talking about. It isn't immediately obvious. It took me 3 or 4 minutes to figure it out and see what you were talking about. It is there but it is well hidden. Had this NOT been a closed course I'd say his concern was valid. So I'd chalk this up as a misunderstanding.
 
#59 · (Edited)
gents, the event was awesome! everything you thought you new about racing the quarter did not mean anything here.
......the effort put into pulling this off with the airport officials must have really been something.
......well time to get off the internet and go run my car at brainerd, lol. bob


ps, carl the beast really looks good both standing still and in motion!
 
#62 · (Edited)
Update:

Got the car out to run the Sandhills Open Road Challenge a couple weeks ago. Drove it six hours to get there, drove the standing mile and road race, drove it home, all without a single hiccup.

New personal best top speed of 137 MPH was achieved during the road race on the return leg. The tech speed (speed limit) for my class was 140 mph. I ran the 100 mph class where the winner is the person who averages closest to 100 mph over the 55 mile course without exceeding their tech speed, and I totally blew it. Only 95.8 mph going north, and 98.9 mph on the return leg. 55 seconds slow overall. The top three were all within a second of the perfect time. In the standing mile, I ran 135.0 and 135.8. Winner is the person who runs the most consistent speed. The top three were all within .2 mph.


-My accommodations for the weekend.


-GPS after the south leg of the road race.



-Full photo album from the weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.709289375773079.1073741829.199531240082231&type=1

-Video from the 1-mile shootout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRZkYfri8hk




:D
 
#63 ·
Sometimes you get lucky.

I've been wondering if these valve covers were going to clear the brake booster when the new engine is installed, so I decided to try them out tonight on the old 429. It might be hard to see in the picture, that rear brake line would have been in the way, but the cutout on the cover clears it perfectly! Not exactly earth shattering, but I'm sure you guys all know how it usually goes when you're messing around with these old cars most of the time.

:D
 

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#64 ·
Haven't been on since June . Good work Carl.. If you haven't done open road or airport event's its hard to understand how difficult it really is. Street tires are not drag slicks.. Hooking up is the hard part.. Why my Ranger weighs 4500#. Busy converting mine to full tube frame with real suspension gonna really surprise the 'vettes. No more 60mph around corners they can do at 140..No longer a A/PP...but real race truck..gonna to be fun..If your registered see you at BBORR.......RDW
 
#65 ·
Thanks! Not doing the BBORR this year, but might at some point. The SORC with standing mile and road race in the same weekend makes it hard to justify the extra travel for BBORR.
 
#69 ·
Roll center

If I may suggest som reading, follow the link to a Hotrod/Circle track article.

Buy raising the upper ball joint by way of the 1/2" taller spindle, this lowers the roll center and in most cases will improve the handling of the vehicle. Keep in mind that one change in parts or adjustments will change how other parts work. Such as roll center, bump steer, akerman, anti dive, caster gain or loss, camber gain or loss and static toe adjustment to name a few.
:eek:
The attached pic is of a 1970 Ford Holman Moody USAC chassis set at ride hieght. Check out upper control arm angle. The spindles are 10-1/2" tall

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassi...l-center-discussion-moment-center-technology/
 

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#70 ·
If I may suggest som reading, follow the link to a Hotrod/Circle track article.

Buy raising the upper ball joint by way of the 1/2" taller spindle, this lowers the roll center and in most cases will improve the handling of the vehicle. Keep in mind that one change in parts or adjustments will change how other parts work. Such as roll center, bump steer, akerman, anti dive, caster gain or loss, camber gain or loss and static toe adjustment to name a few.
:eek:
The attached pic is of a 1970 Ford Holman Moody USAC chassis set at ride hieght. Check out upper control arm angle. The spindles are 10-1/2" tall

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassi...l-center-discussion-moment-center-technology/
Thanks for the link. I added that to my library. I know you can have a myriad of changes in suspension geometry with one small change. That is why I'm trying to find out as much information as I can on this.

I just bought a Mustang II crossmember for my Fairlane. I don't like doing things twice if I can prevent it with a little diligence.

Those upper control arms look to be about 45 degrees! :eek:
 
#73 ·
Weight is definitely an issue. I've probably got 2500+lbs over the front axle, but all the aftermarket options and flexibility are appealing. It'll be several years before I do anything with it, IF I do anything with it.
 
#75 ·
Dont remember how your front suspension is set up my 87 is upper and lower control arms. Frot weighs in at 2500 lbs and rear at 1500. Using QAI double adjustable shocks for coil ovrs up front but using 1000# STREET STOCK SPRINGS UP FRONT 12.5 inch ones. lowered the front about 1.5 inches. GOAL WAS TO HAVE THE LOWER ARM PARREL to the road. Rear used station waggon overload springs for a bit. Converted to QA1 double adjustable with coil overs installed starting with 225# coils then 250# then jumped to 350# handles a lot better now. Looking into 3 piece sway bar front and rear as well as a watts link.
 
#76 · (Edited)
Figured it was time for a little update....

The new engine is broken-in and ready to go. Have about 30 minutes run time on it, and everything looks good. idle vac came in at about 11" at 1000 rpm, so that hurdle is cleared - the brakes will work. It's been sitting on a dolly next to my desk for a few weeks. The car is up in the air, and I'm in process of pulling the trans and engine.

Ordered up a rebuild kit for the trans from Broader Performance including all the needle bearing conversion stuff, increasing the number of clutches, and a 4 pinion planetary. The trans has been fine, but I figured it would be a good time to make some improvements.

Nailed down this year's race schedule. Registration has been locked in for two in-state events.

1/2 mile racing out at the airport:



http://www.pikespeakairstripattack.com/


And a road race / hill climb up in the mountains



http://pitrally.com/

Promo video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDAZUVrEJCQ

In-car video from last year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlnJl-8CsAg


:cool:
 

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#78 ·
Sure. It might be worth mentioning that the oil pan in the photo was only used for break-in, and I have a custom built 9 quart deal with trap doors, windage tray, etc. in the car that I'll swap out while swapping engines.


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