There will be hundreds of collector cars going up for auction at Barrett-Jackson this month, but few will be as interesting as this custom creation nicknamed the “Lockheed Lakester”. The car, registered for road use as a 1917 Crow Lakester Custom, was hand-built from the wing tip tank of a Lockheed Super Constellation and uses a mix of automotive and aircraft parts. Wedged inside the tank is a 1.8-liter turbocharged Hemi four-cylinder mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and the two-person cockpit features gunner seats and an air-speed indicator in lieu of a speedometer.
We’ll be bringing you live coverage of Barrett-Jackson later this month, so be sure to check back for more photos of the “Lockheed Lakester” and more in just a few weeks.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m going to rebuild the old 3 speed transmission that I took out of my ’70 Mustang coup and I’ll do it in stages (average guy, average time to spend on a project…especially one that isn’t going to benefit my cars). The rebuild kit is on it’s way.
This the first time I’ve attempted this, so who knows how it’s going to go.
First I’m going to give myself a transmission anatomy lesson, which I’ll share here.
I hope you can view this article. Has some great cars – although the saying “keep the shiny side up” doesn’t really translate – these just don’t have one.
I’d love to spend time wandering around Cuba, just to look at the cars.
Any Alice Cooper fans out there? If you worship Mr. Cooper plus love classic ‘Stangs, the best of both worlds is about to cross the auction block at Barrett-Jackson this month. A red 1965 classic Ford Mustang with a 4-speed automatic 289 V-8 and only 35,915 miles. Supposedly fit his golf clubs in the trunk perfectly!
Here is an opportunity to own Alice Cooper’s 1965 Ford Mustang fastback with 35,915 original miles. Alice used this car for the Golf courses, going to the mall and dinner from time to time. We will include a set of Calloway golf clubs for the new owner of the car.
Dec 16, 2011 the last produced Ford Ranger. This isn’t just the end of the Ford Ranger, its the end of the Cologne V6 and the closing of a plant that has been producing car since 1925 – over 25 million. The last Ranger was a fleet car going to Orkin Pest Control – yawn – couldn’t have been a Raptor or and F150 Harley Davison version.
2012 V6 Ford Ranger - The last one.
The plant produced armored cars during WW II and 50’s Fords, early Crown Vics and Galazies. It also produced one of my favorite cars the Ford Sunliner.
1973 was a good year, I was a still in high school and big engines weren’t extinct yet. Ford had a big assortment. We are talking 10 to choose from if you didn’t count the Mustang engines.
Ford Pinto (this will be a parking log spot light coming up)
On small size 6 cylinder were still king but 4 cylinder was available for the Pinto. For the larger engines displacement was large and the horse power small.
There was only one 4 cylinder available, reserved for the ill fated Pinto. It sported an overhead cam and iron block. It displaced a whopping 122 cubic inches and as one would expect had the smallest bore and stroke – 3.58 x 3.03. The compression ratio was 8.2:1 and it tore up the street with 86 hps. (No I didn’t for get the “1” in front of that.) It was topped with a Ford/Weber 2 barrel carb.
2.0 Pinto Engine
The six cylinders came in 2 varieties and were used in the Maverick and Torino. The first was dubbed the Maverick 6 cylinder. It was configured with overhead valves and a cast iron block. With the bore and stoke 3.68 x 3.13 it was able to displace 200 cubic inches. The compression ratio was slightly higher than the 4 cylinder at 8.3:1 but it was fitted with a 1 barrel Motocraft carb resulting in only 84 hp.
The second ‘big brother” six cylinder was called the Maverick/Torino. Again it had the overhead valves and cast iron blocks, same as its little brother, but it had a greater stroke 3.91 (3.68 X 3.91) compared to the its sibling 3.13. The compression ratio was lower (8.0:1) and topped with the same single barrel carb it managed 88 hps.
The Torino was not a small car so it really need those 4 extra hps!!!
Ford 6 cylinder - nicely restored!!!
V8s for 1973 coming up and then the Mustang engines.
These are some of the best styled cars for that year. ( I really like the convertible for 1963 Merc as well). The ’64 Comet looked like it was moving, while standing still.
1964 Mercury Comet Cyclone
The engine line up for the 1964 Mercury came in 3 flavors. The Comet, the Cyclone and Mercury versions.
The Comet engine was a 6 cylinder, overhead valve with a cast iron block. 170 cid with a bore and stroke of 3.50 x 2.93 and combined with a compression ratio of 8.7:1 it produced 101 hps. Well not actually a powers house with the one barrel carb, C3YF-9510E.
Now the Cyclone engine was a bit of a bump. It was a V8 with overhead valve and a cast iron block displacing 289 cubic inches. The compression ratio 9.0:1, bore and stroke of 4.00 X 2.37 and hooked up to a 2 barrel carb (C5MF-9510A) helped produce 210 hps.
The 3rd option was the most powerful, producing 250 hps and matched up to the cyclone engine, except where it matters. Displacing – 390 cubic inches with the bore and stroke 4.05 x 2.37, 9.4:1 compression ratio and topped with the Ford C4MF-9510D two barrel carb.
Fords 2 Barrel C4MF-9510D Carb
1964 Mercury Colony Park Station Wagon - carried the 390.
People love to talk about car sounds. We even mimic them. They can bring back memories of a car you or a family member owned. They can refresh visual memories of a race you attended or even participated in. They also bring back memories of a not so nice incident.
I can recall each sound in separate wave lengths in my first car accident, I was actually on my way to take my drivers test. I was driving my father’s brand new Ford Granada (he worked at a Ford dealership as body shop manager). The car was totaled, the other driver ticketed. A quick car swap and I went on to pass my test.
There are a few more sounds I remember. I remember my high school buddy’s 1973 Mach I, normally as he dusted me in my ’66 Chevy Impala an awesome noise that Mustang made. There was there the sound of the V8 under the hood of my Chevy – smooth but still throaty. (I don’t know if that’s even a work..but I’ll hustle over to Wikipedia and add it.)
But the other day was watching one of the Jason Borne movies and of course the there are the normal car chases. He was driving a little mini cooper and within all the metal crunching and tire squealing, there was one sound, at pause in the chase when he shifted that Mini and the sound the transmission made, triggered a memory.
In 1982 I was stationed in Germany and when I eventual got my European drivers license, the first car I could afford was a 1970 European Ford Escort. It was a 3 speed manual, shift on the flour and the sound of the transmission shifting in Jason’s Mini Cooper brought back that memory of my first European car.
My First European Car
Of course it didn’t have the pep that the Borne Cooper had, but it got me around.
Post up a note about a car sound that sparks a memory for you. Best one wins a free gift.
Coming up will be a series of posts as I rebuild the original 3 speed transmission. This is the original 3 speed transmission from my 1970 Mustang. I’ve replaced it with a rebuilt 1965 4 speed transmission from a Shelby Mustang. (See that in a post coming up.)
I’ll start the tear down after the Christmas holiday.
