- Joined
- Feb 12, 2011
- Messages
- 3,150
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- Location
- in a VAN down by the RIVER !!!
- My Car
- 71 Mustang Mach I
351c 2v
highly optioned
67 Mustang Convertible
1 of 35 Diamond Blue
Survivor
Okay!! My apologies for not making myself clear. My intent wasn't to drag up all the political drama, nor the economic woes from the 1970s. My intent was: if Ford had kept the '71 to '73 body style until 1980 or '81, what would likely have appeared to compete with the GM "F" bodies? Pontiac had the 455SD; an amazing engine with nice manners and killer performance. When the 455 engine was retired, the Pontiac engineers stepped up with the W72 400. Performance increased every year until 1979. Pontiac also worked wonders with suspension and brakes. Over at Chevrolet, when the Z28 was brought back in mid '77, it had a much improved suspension, and good 4 speed teamed with a 3.73 rear axle ratio, then in 1980, cold air induction made a comeback. The 350 engine in the Z28 was only the LM1, not the L82 option from the Corvette, not even the L48 standard Corvette engine.
How do you think Ford would have responded, or even better, led? Example; Granada/Monarch/Versailles could be had with rear disc brakes, before the option was available on a GM car. Don't see why the Mustang couldn't have had them in 1975. Ford had better catalytic convertors than GM, (And eventually in 1986 came out with the first true dual exhaust system equipped with convertors. This may only have been possible due to the use of EFI, but you get the picture).
How would the Mustang suspension have evolved to compete with the Trans Am and Z28? Perhaps an Export brace for our cars may have been developed. The rear steer set-up would have been a limiting factor, yes, but who says they couldn't change that?
How do you think engine options would have played out? Hopefully not a 351W unless the GT40 heads were brought forward 15 years. (Not as much of a stretch as you may think.) The 335 series engines would actually run cleaner with their flat poly-angle valve combustion chamber than a wedge engine. The low block 351 was discontinued after 1974 in an effort to consolidate. When Ford abandoned the 400cid class, the 351M naturally went with it. However, the low deck 351 continued in production in Australia until 1982. Could Ford have made a 460 that would have been competitive with Pontiac's 455SD? How would Jack Rousch have faired compared to Herb Adams?
I'm sorry did I BREAK your concentration????? there are no what "IF's" here. Ford clearly fell for the political movement!!!! GM and Ponitac by your own admission produced low powered conservative performance autos. Some would say with good styling with great suspension and the allure of power as in the SD455 or in later years the 79 4.5 liter Trans Am. But for the record I had one of the Olds and one of the Pontiacs and for the record they were powerful in badge name ONLY!!!! ....they were WEAK. The only what if i can concede is WHAT IF Ford didnt hand us the POS Mustang II ( sorry if some of you guys consider that a MUSTANG) what would it look like other than that roller skate piece of crap? That said ....the answer to me is they wouldnt have had to invest 20-30 year reviving the Mustang against the likea of a fairly decent ascension of the Camaro and Ponitac Firebird and cousins that out performed and handled better than the FORD product hands down. Therefore forcing FORD to rely strictly on the Ford truck to salvage their reputation through a marketable product that was unnoticed by the liberals because we all know we need trucks to haul and build things and even the liberals know
So as we seek what if.... it would be proper to note that Jack Rouch had to partner with a German firm to continue his legacy or interest in auto performance for years knowing that FORD let him down ...which led to his return later to the race scene of American Performance after the "POLITICS" . Let's concede that the Chevrolet today...40 years later carries MORE VALUE than our beloved Mustangs nearly two to one, and undisputed fact. Most of us are simply hold outs to a design and a power of yesteryear that frankly was 3 rd to Chrysler and Chevrolet at its best...yet we still love them for style mostly. For me .... "WE" are the what if's!!! Recreation and improvement of a classic we loved improving it one horse power at at time......