Shelby Ford Mustang “Eleanor” From Gone In 60 Seconds For Sale!

Perhaps one of the worse movies ever.  Horrible acting and on top that…..” five were totaled out during filming…” (see bel0w)
 
Posted by on January 9, 2012 – 1 Comment

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Even people who aren’t Mustang enthusiasts know the name Eleanor as it became a household name after the release of the remake Gone in 60 Seconds featuring Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie. As I’m sure you remember, Nicholas Cage, or Randall “Memphis” Raines, is racing against time with his old crew to boost 50 cars in order to save his brother’s life. The last car on the list is the elusive Eleanor, a Shelby Mustang given a huge personality and is as big of a star, if not bigger, than the big household name actors in the movie. How can you forget that crazy police chase through Long Beach?

You could explain the car you were referring to as, Eleanor, and everybody knows exactly you’re talking about. The Mustang was quite a hit in the remake with it playing the role of the ’73 Ford Mustang Mach 1 in the original film that was released in 1974.

Steve Stanford, famed Hot Rod illustrator, was actually called to draw the concept for Eleanor which was turned into the physical Eleanor shown in the movie.

Chris Routledge Managing Director at COYS said, “The Eleanor Mustang is one of only two original cars in private hands. We are offering an unrepeatable opportunity to acquire one of the cars that actually appeared in the movie and which will undoubtedly increase in value in years to come.”

The “star” of the film, Eleanor, will be hitting the auction block on January 14th and will likely fetch more than £100,000. It is number seven of twelve that were used and this one was apparently used for some of the driving scenes. Can you believe that five were totaled out during filming? OUCH!

The 289-cubic-inch V8 was replaced by a 351 Ford Racing engine with a 700cfm Holley 4-barrel carb and a ‘big’ camshaft. It features a modified suspension plus some Wilwood brakes. The side exhaust was not functional during filming, but is now perfectly functional. It also features wide rear arches, a huge bonnet, deep front valance, side skirts, integrated boot spoiler, new grille, PIAA lights and 17-inch Schmidt alloy wheels.

Driving Difference

Since I’ve gotten the 4 speed ( T-10 from 1967 Shelby) in the Mustang, I’ve been driving it a lot more.  I’m surprised at how much of an improvement it has made in the drive ability.  Of course there is more power going to the ground which is remarkable and the RPMs are put to much better used.  The original three speed top out pretty quickly and nothing left but engine noise.

Of course with more power hitting the ground, my current tires (wide and hard) tend to grip a lot less and spinning them through 2nd gear is common.  That will required some new, softer tread before long.

After driving the Mustang a few days in a row, I took the Vette to work.  Now you would expect there to be a difference, especially with the 120 hp disparagement in power  the Vette (about 420) and the Stang (about 300 – maybe a bit less) , but what I notice is how both cars arrive at top speed.

Both car’s like to launch, but the Vette does so with much less rear hunching then the Mustang.  The Vette feels lighter as it gets up to power – less down force on the road.  The Mustang is much different.  You can feel it, feeling the road.  I can actually feel the power longer and deeper in the Mustang as it move on up through the RMPs and the gears.

I think I’m ready to at a tach to the Mustang, I need to see the RPMs it’s turning out and then I’m going to have it dyno’ed.  It will be a good baseline before I get the  351 CJ head and intake installed.

Thanks for reading

Tim

 

Performance Parts Pout

Well, I’m officially depressed. No it’s not because of the holidays, or the rapidly approaching  June when I’ll move too  far into the 50’s  to be able to fool myself that I’m just barely 50, nope none of those things.

I’m looking at GM’s (bastards!!) Performance Catalog and all the shiny things in it.  Like the ported LS3 heads, and the LS376 – 525…yes  525 hp in a crate engine, drop in and drive.  I realize two things, I need an older Chevy to play with (or upgrade the C6 Vette) and that I’ll need a second job if I even want to touch any of this stuff and where will I live when the better half finds this stuff laying around the garage? (Tell me you aren’t depressed now?!?!!…It’s ok…admin it!!!)

Note:  It’s gonna get worse… I have the Ford performance parts catalog as well…all I can say is thank GOD!!!  I don’t have a Morpar to drive around….oh….the therapy…bills….!!!  Why, OH Why didn’t I drink the family KoolAide when I was a kid..I would have been able to shun the Fords and Mopars and just be a normal one brand car guy??

There is some awesome stuff the Chevrolet Performance Team is put out, everything from small block crates to LSX monsters, to circle track crate engines.

Over the next few post I’m going to cover a few highlights and a couple unexpected – like engines for the Chevy Cobalt and some V6 engines.  (Have just read some specs for the upcoming 2013 Mustang V6 – I want to see what Chevy’s got.)

In fact let’s start with something off the wall.  Like the 900  V6 Intake for a 4 barrel carb!! What???!!!!  It’s an aluminum high-performance for the 3.8 or 4.3 liter V6.  So go ahead bolt on that 390 cfm carb..oh heck….grab that 600 cfm 4150 and drop it on top.

Chevy's V6 - 4 BBL Intake Manifold - about $265.00 (Part 10134390).

That is not a bad price.  Of course it’s not for all heads, like it  won’t fit the 3800 V6 or the 18 degree heads and you might have add a bump to your hood for clearance!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Engine Line Up – 1973 Ford – Mustangs

The engines for the 1973 Mustangs pretty well with the rest of the matched up the other models engines, but with some minor “tweaks”.

You couldn’t get a Mustang with a 4 cylinder (yet) but you could get with the standard 6.  This was the 250 version, (250 cubic inches of displacement) the bore and stroke was 3.68 x 3.91 also used in the Torino.  Topping it with a single barrel Motocraft carb and coupled with a compression ratio of 8.0:1 gave it a ground pounding horse power rating of 88 (Oh don’t worry, it gets worse in 1974).

302 remained the same for the Mustang and was the standard for the Mach 1.  The 351’s (Cleveland and Windsor were available and they really remained the same as those for the other models.

Now you might be saying, ‘Well Tim, seems like you typed yourself in to a corner here.  Those engines are the same.”  But here is what made the differences  – options!!!

With special intakes, valve springs, dampers, large 4300 D carbs, 2.5 inch diameter dual exhaust outlets and modified cam, you now talking increased breathing and exhaling capacity. Which we all know means…say it with me…..”MORE HORSE POWER!!!!!”   But how much? I’m glad you asked.

The 351 with these types of option produced between 246 and 266 horse power.  The 302 doesn’t show being configured with anything other than the stock options.

1973 351 Cleveland 2 barrel Intake

'73 351 Windsor 4 barrel intake.

Why didn’t they put the 400’s in the Mustang????

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Engine Line Up: 1973 Fords Part I

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.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Photos: New Ford Mustang 5.0L Falls Three Stories From Parking Garage

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parking garage 2

There has been a lot of parking garage incidents lately but I think this one takes the cake. This isn’t some guy losing control on the nearby road and landing IN the parking garage. Not this time. This time the driver apparently went through the concrete wall of the third story of the parking garage in Lugano, Switzerland, and fell all the way down upon some parked mopeds and a tree. The 24-year old driver was only injured slightly after flying off of the third floor. You can say that this brand new 5.0 suffered a tragic death, though.

If you look up into the parking garage, you see exactly where he fell from as there is a guy looking down and a nice chunk of wall missing. It gives you a good perspective of how far this car actually fell!

1970 Mustang Coupe for Sale – Project car.

1970 Coupe – automatic – desirable 289 engine  – (all there).  $2,600.00

Kim’s husband passed and she’d really like this car go to someone who will restore it and not part it out.  Car will need some work.  If you purchase this car I’ll help project manage the restoration. Might even have some spare part for ya.  Car is here in Tucson.

“1970 mustang coupe for sale. It was my husbands, but he passed away and I don’t have the money to fix it up the way he wanted it to be. I don’t want to sell it for a parts car, I would like to sell it to someone who will restore it and take care of it. It did run at one point, but it has been sitting under a cover for the last 7 years or so so it won’t start. He was in the process of replacing the vinyl roof, so that is why the top is rusty. It probably needs to be replaced. The engine is a 289. All the parts he had bought comes with the car. Extra doors, windows, hood, tail lights…and a few other things. This car is a definite project car!! Any questions, please feel free to email.”

 

There's your 289

Going to need a little work.

Automatic

Thanks”

Here is Kim’s link.

http://apps.facebook.com/marketplace/browse/-/-/usa:az:tucson/?cm_mmc=FB_Friend_Email-_-111206ade03f0aa8c5ed0e10f68f1ddb1ccebf-_-Summary_Local_City-_-100000356349979

Thanks for reading.

 

Tim

Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing – International

This blog is gaining popularity.  It’s being followed on Digg, StumbleUpon, Twitter and the Facebook page.

There are car nuts from 18 different countries hanging out around here.  That’s pretty good for an non-commercial blog.

What’s that mean?  Means I’m going to set it up a bit.  More to come on that.

So thank you all and please submit your pictured and stories and I’ll get them posted up.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

Mustang Project Guy’s Slice of Heaven

“Honey…I found our next vacation spot..hear they got a  nice Motel 6 nearby!!!”  “Honey…can we  go now?!!! The Turkey will keep until next week!!!”

Photos: World’s Largest Ford Mustang Salvage Yard

Posted by on November 21, 2011 – 2 Comments

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Everybody knows that saying “I’ve died and gone to heaven”, and this applies to most enthusiasts in this junkyard full of old decrepit Ford Mustangs. Especially, the project guy that has an old classic sitting in the garage. I’m sure it could go either way, though, as some might consider this a sore sight with so many wrecked and rusted ponies. This is the Colorado Mustang Salvage Yard.

Soooo, anybody down for some campin’?!

Colorado Mustang Specialists, Inc. began in a two-car garage in 1972. Mustangs were as numerous as hippies on a Boulder park lawn, easy to buy, fix and sell. So, a would be University of Colorado student found a lucrative way to pay his rent and tuition. After graduation the diploma went in a drawer and the horsing around got serious. Wrecked, junked and abandoned Mustangs were cheap and plentiful, so the collection started that eventually led to the worlds largest Mustang salvage yard.

Most recent and exciting to us is the addition of modern fuel injection conversions, for 64-1/2 to 85 models. These conversions and related parts let the novice enthusiast bring his early Mustang into the new millennium with a computer driven, fuel-injected, V-8 power train, meeting todays standards without changing the Mustangs classic design. We predict these conversions will open a fun and exciting new era of Mustang enthusiasm.

Engine Line-UP: Lincoln 1953

As you may know Lincoln was its own brand at one time, then picked up by Ford.

 

The 1953 Lincoln came with only one engine.

The V-8 Overhead value was a cast iron block.  It was able to displace 317.5 cid and had a bore and store of 3.8″x3.5″.  The compression ratio was: 8.0:1 and bushed out only 205 hps and that was breathing through a Holley 2140 4 barrel carb.

This a pic of a 1954 317 engine which is exactly the same as the '53

1953 Lincoln

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim