Ford Performance Clinic

69postss · Veteran Member

Ford Performance Clinic

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Wow! I wonder where that's been hiding all these years?

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

My friend Charlie is a drag racer from decades back. He knows and has run against Barrie Poole. Barrie used to run a couple of candy-striped Mustangs, a '68 2+2 & a '69 coupe. He also ran a '69 Mercury Montego MX convertible with a 428 SCJ, the convertible because of the handicap in class racing. Many decades ago (40?!) I saw for sale in a London Autotrader a Montego matching that description. Those cars are rare to begin with, SW Ontario, coulda been... What that provenance would bring to the crazed big-named auctions nowadays. $$$$

Here's Charlie's 1971 Torino drag car powered by a 428 FE (not the 429) when he brought it out occasionally to our weekly club get togethers. Circa 2006.

Picture 918r.jpg

That is not Charlie, but Peter standing by the car, who has since had a stroke & is confined to a wheelchair.

Look closely at the cars in the background in the pic below from the 1970 Mercury Meteor brochure. With a quicky paint job they could have been Barrie's cars. Probably taken at a Performance Clinic.

Ford Performance Clinic 70 Merc brochure.jpg

NOS · Poncho Master!

Saw that rig at Rankin Ford in the summer of 1970. Was also a 'Boss' Mustang there . I think the 'Boss' might have been Rankins' competitive wheels at the time.

Dale

-- Edited by NOS on Friday 3rd of March 2023 08:37:11 PM

-- Edited by NOS on Friday 3rd of March 2023 08:39:21 PM

-- Edited by NOS on Sunday 5th of March 2023 10:35:52 AM

Gillis · Addicted!

It is very cool, but lord those cars have a face only a mother could love

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Gillis wrote:
It is very cool, but lord those cars have a face only a mother could love

Subjective. I've always liked the '70-'71 Cyclone, and I'm not a mother (though perhaps I've been called that at times with another word after it...).

mike667 · Poncho Master!

I like the look of the Cyclones as well. I miss my 71 Ford LTD too. I always keep an eye out for one. But I like them. Even those Torinos are sharp looking.

a421cat · Guru

Had a 70 Ranchero back in the day 351 Cleveland 4V. Went like stink but a total rust bucket. Sported the Torino front clip. Even had a fake hood scoop but no hide away headlights. Amazing what you could get for a few hundred dollars back in the late 70s.

Cheviac · Guru

If memory serves me, I read somewhere, probably in the "old Autos" newspaper, there's some Pontiac influence on the ford noses of that era. Due to John Delorean maybe?

Cheviac · Guru

Found the article with the reference to Pontiac styling on the ford nose. pontiac montego 001.JPG pontiac montego 004.JPG

69postss · Veteran Member

74 miles........a brand new car.

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Cheviac wrote:
Found the article with the reference to Pontiac styling on the ford nose.

Thanks for posting that. Very interesting. No wonder I like the styling!