Ford and NHRA Pro-Stock (1 Viewer)

[Rat]

Why is it that the last heavily successful ford vehicle team was the one and only Bob Glidden in the mid to late 80's? I guess one answer is 2 words: Bob Glidden. The other answer I would love to discuss.

I remember about 10 years ago or so when ford came back into the sport with the Mustang no team could make it work as most stated that it was as aerodynamic as a mack truck. The best performance after the Glidden legacy that I can remember was out of a nitrofish team with a Ford and the late, great Scott Geoffrion. His I believe 2 event mustang, 22 event escort, I am not sure if he won a race and I think a bottom top ten finish, was the best I can remember.

Enders was the first ever I think to run a 60 last season in a Mustang, then Morgan came out and made the progress to a 56. It's not a ford jinx, but does it possibly cost more to make a ford run that fast or is pro-stock all cookie cut cost? Does the nhra have a tougher rule book for the ford's?

Mopar has never won a championship since the great early 90's seasons. (cheating or not and the whole shop scandle let's leave that out) Mopar has certainly came back and can play with the big boys with no issues at all. What about ford?

 

[none]

For many years there was no factory commitment from the Blue Oval group and that certainly held them back. GM developed the DRCE then the DRCE2 and 3. While the die hard Ford guys were still running many generations old technology. MOPAR got a big boost with the HEMI99 that is now on it’s third or fourth generation. Ford just recently got back into the mix with the new engine. (Thank you Jim Cunningham) and now they are getting closer. Also there have always been at least a half dozen engine shops dedicated to the GM development while to my knowledge MOPAR never had more than two, and for a while Ford didn’t really have any.

Alan

P.S. MOPAR had it's share of issues getting to the point where they are now. Remember that HEMI engine was first introduced over a decade ago.

 

[Rat]

Thanks Alan that clears up a lot. I do remember the whole semi-hemi deal back then

 

[cantdrive55]

One aspect that detered Pro Stock racers was that Ford dropped their involvement with Pro Stock after 1996 to focus on John Force Racing. I'm not blaming Force, but that is what happened. At the time Bob Glidden was in the middle of developing a new wedge headed engine when the plug got pulled. Bob was unsuccessful in securing funding to continue racing. So, that new engine essentially went undeveloped to its full potential. Also at the time, Ford had a new head of Motorsports, Dan something, who wasn't really keen on drag racing. Not to mention that any team wanting to run a Ford would've had to spend a lot more to be competitive with the GM dominated field. There were a few independent teams that tried running a Ford, Robert Patrick, Hurley Blakeney, Scott Geoffrion, & Jim Cunningham. But, until Cunningham got Ford's attention a few years ago they didn't have a real interest in returning to Pro Stock. No Ford has won in Pro Stock since Englishtown '95, Bob's 85th win.

 

[Professor Dave]

Alan,

It seems to me Ford has put a lot of attention to its Cobra Jet Stk/SS program-that probably didn't require a lot of resources and since folks paid a lot of money for those cars, that program probably has had a good return on investment (even if it and Mopar's Drag Paks have pissed off a lot of stock racers). And given how well Ford has done recently in NASCAR, if they decide to devote more to Pro Stock, the Blue Oval should get competitive very quickly in that class.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Always thought if Ford were serious about PS they'd head to Mooresville and throw a lot $$$ at the Anderson/Line combo and say we want back in. Just a thought.

 

[Rat]

Always thought if Ford were serious about PS they'd head to Mooresville and throw a lot $$$ at the Anderson/Line combo and say we want back in. Just a thought.

you got a point tho but throwing money to a team is not always the answer. Sure Anderson if one of the few pro-stock genius's to win but if it's too lacking it wont happen. It would be like telling Lance Armstrong to run the tour de france with a huffy mountain bike.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

you got a point tho but throwing money to a team is not always the answer. Sure Anderson if one of the few pro-stock genius's to win but if it's too lacking it wont happen. It would be like telling Lance Armstrong to run the tour de france with a huffy mountain bike.

I guess I underestimated the overall inferiority of Ford's Pro Stock ability. Figured if Ford has a baseline, then needed to add the right ppl. Cool

 

[Rat]

I guess I underestimated the overall inferiority of Ford's Pro Stock ability. Figured if Ford has a baseline, then needed to add the right ppl. Cool

ford needs to be as involved in pro stock as they were with the boss 500 motor they so i hear developed with john medlen. It would be nice if ford finally put up the money and had a top 10 team in pro stock. I have only seen the pontiac, chevy, and mopar dominance in my fan career.

 

[70AARCuda]

ford needs to be as involved in pro stock as they were with the boss 500 motor they so i hear developed with john medlen. It would be nice if ford finally put up the money and had a top 10 team in pro stock. I have only seen the pontiac, chevy, and mopar dominance in my fan career.

Ford Boss 500....LOL

 

[Rat]

Ford Boss 500....LOL

ok the force clan calls them the ford 500 motor

 

[BigDaddyB]

I think that Ford would be in a competetive position in Pro Stock if they could run that 427 SOHC engine. It was bad a hombre back in the day. A number of big time racers used it as their prime mover.

 

[Smiley]

I think that Ford would be in a competetive position in Pro Stock if they could run that 427 SOHC engine. It was bad a hombre back in the day. A number of big time racers used it as their prime mover.

To that point, how much of the Ford "Good Stuff" was outlawed over the course of Glidden's dominance?

The last time I saw a Ford Wedge PS motor and a GM PS motor on stands side by side, there wasn't a helluva lot of difference. But that was 10 years ago.

 

[Ron E]

The current mirror-port Ford P/S head is very much like the hemi 99. I remember Larry Morgan saying he had gained "25 aero HP" with the Mustang over the Stratus. I think the 99'ish Ford head was LM's idea to cut his development time.

I head the other Ford P/S head went through some casting issues that have since been worked out. It looks like a very capable design. Of course it takes very deep pockets to develop a new engine to P/S levels.

It's funny (and probably over simplified) how any new casting seems to require 2, 3, 4 revisions. This can't help in getting a new engine up to speed. Maybe they should do like the DRCE I and II castings. Cast them as basically 70 lb. bricks (I.E. THICK!) and let the various teams handle the development.

 

[Rat]

6.54/211 making progress for sure and another ford holding up the field at a 6.581. It's still about 500ths and a little less off from where the prize is, but there qualified and still have a good shot at it and kinda making my point seem not as big as a factor as it was this weekend. It's safe to say the DRCE Motor is killing the record books but the hemi and the ford's are waking up. At least there in the same ballpark now.