Ford Factory Lightweight Muscle Cars – Muscle Car Of The Week Video Episode 344
On this episode of Muscle Car Of The Week, we’re checking out some Ford white lightning! All the cars in this special episode are from the Brothers Collection, and they were all built with one thing in mind.. winning drag races! Our journey starts with a purpose-built 1962 Ford Galaxie featured in episode 331. This car was built in response to the speedy Chevy 409s and 413 Dodge Super Stock drag racers, and it’s powered by a hot 406-cubic inch V8. The 406 was stout at 405 HP, but Ford needed every advantage going after the competition, so they gutted the car of all luxury and non-essential items, and then added special aluminum and fiberglass parts for even more weight reduction. It was the beginning of the factory lightweight Super Stockers, with the Galaxie losing over 400 lbs.! See more in episode 331 of Muscle Car Of The Week!
1. 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 Lightweight Episode 331
https://youtu.be/OvLxoP-W6CA
Big news for the 1963 Galaxies was the new 427 cube V8, which added 21 cubic inches and an advertised 22 horsepower pushing the claimed numbers to 425 HP and 480 lb. ft. of torque, but many believe that number was much higher than that. Super Stock racing was getting hotter than ever, and the new ‘63 lightweight Galaxie again featured fiberglass fenders and hood, with aluminum bumpers, a gutted interior, and not much else. You can see the whole ‘63 car story in episode 61 of Muscle Car Of The Week!
2. 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Lightweight Episode 61
https://youtu.be/LW6E3jhKOVo
Things changed a bit for 1964, as the big Galaxie platform gave way to the smaller – and lighter – Ford Fairlane chassis to be more competitive at the drags. And to fuel the fire, the big high-riser 427 was custom-stuffed into the engine bay of the Fairlane, and the Thunderbolt was born! But they didn’t stop with the engine, as Dearborn Steel Tube – the subcontractor hired to build the 100 or so Thunderbolts – also used the lightening tricks used on the big cars to slash mass from the body with aluminum and fiberglass once again. The results were cars that run mid 10s in the quarter, and won events like the NHRA Nationals in ‘64! See more of this one in episode 188.
3. 1964 Ford Fairlane 427 Thunderbolt Episode #188
https://youtu.be/lP39CkG3WOg
The Fairlane was redesigned for 1966, and the new car was a bit bigger than the Thunderbolt, but it now was available with the 427 under the hood from the factory as a regular option. What was NOT a regular option was the lightweight version of the ‘66, once again using a rubber floor mat interior, seats from a van, glass fenders, hood, and deck, and aluminum bumpers front and rear. Only 57 diet Fairlanes were built for ‘66, and we featured this one from The Brothers Collection in episode #56 of Muscle Car Of The Week, go check it out!
4. 1966 Ford Fairlane 427 Lightweight Episode #56
https://youtu.be/XLzhtVyYopk
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White LIGHTning Ford Factory Lightweight Muscle Cars – Muscle Car Of The Week Video Episode 344
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