MY FEEDLY

1 Of 3 Prototypes Ever Made: The 200 MPH Ford Torino King Cobra

The Ford Torino King Cobra was developed in secrecy with a single goal in mind – to beat the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird, two cars that were threatening to dominate NASCAR competition.

In the late 1960s the world of NASCAR had begun to take aerodynamics seriously – the cars were approaching 200 mph on some banked circuits and the only viable way to get them to go any faster was to make them more slippery.

Fast Facts – The Ford Torino King Cobra

Just three prototypes of the Ford Torino King Cobra were built, none of which ever entered a NASCAR race as the project was cancelled before the cars were ready.
The Torino King Cobra was a direct answer to the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird, highly aerodynamic cars that had left Ford in the dust in NASCAR Grand National competition.
A team headed up by Larry Shinoda was formed to create an aerodynamic, homologated race car that could beat the Charger Daytona and Superbird, returning Ford to the top step of the podium.
According to period reports, the Ford Torino King Cobra was capable of over 200 mph on long banked circuits, but the lack of a rear wing meant the back of the car would lift. The project was ended before this issue could be rectified.

The NASCAR 200 MPH Barrier

Aerodynamics is a science that was largely ignored by NASCAR teams for many years, until the arrival of the Ford Torino Talladega in 1968 which included a slew of aero modifications to allow higher top speeds.

The unusual long, low nose was the most noticeable change made to the Ford Torino King Cobra, that intake under the front bumper was designed to provide as much cooling air as possible to the radiator for sustained high-RPM operation.

This triggered an aerodynamics arms race and resulted in the creation of the Dodge Charger Daytona in 1969 and the Plymouth Superbird in 1970 – both wild creations with long low front ends and high “goal post” wings in the rear.

Working together these aerodynamic changes allowed the cars to exceed 200 mph for the first time and to remain attached to the asphalt when they did.

The Ford Torino King Cobra

Ford executives realized they needed to do something drastic to reclaim their advantage in NASCAR Grand National competition, they formed a team headed by Larry Shinoda and including Jacques Passino, Ed Hall, Bill Shannon, and Dick Petit.

For homologation purposes they decided to base the project on the 1970 Ford Torino. Many of the changes that were made to the car were confined to the bodywork, and they were clearly influenced by the designs of the Charger Daytona and Superbird.

The interior is almost unchanged from the standard Ford Torino, this car came from the factory with factory-fitted air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and power windows.

An entirely new front end was developed from the A-pillar forwards – a smooth sloping nose with a bottom breather design that allowed ample cooling air to be channeled into the radiator for cooling.

Further modifications were made to fit the prodigious 429 cubic inch Ford V8 into the engine bay, this would be mated to either a 4-speed manual or an automatic transmission.

The No Wing Decision

It’s not known exactly why the team didn’t add a rear wing to the car, whether they thought it wouldn’t need it, or that it might create unnecessary drag at high speeds, but it’s an omission that was felt by the first person to drive the car at speed.

The front end of the car was effective at both providing front downforce and reducing drag, in fact if anything it perhaps produced too much downforce – causing the rear of the car to lift and become dangerously light at speeds approaching 200 mph.

The lack of a rear wing caused the rear of the car to lift at high speeds. It’s likely that a wing would have been added had the project not been cancelled.

Before a wing could be designed and tested the Ford Torino King Cobra was cancelled. Many reasons have been given for this, but perhaps the most likely is that a rule change meant that manufacturers would need to produce 3,000 homologation road cars – up from the original number of just 500.

As it stood, just three prototypes were built in total, one with the Boss 429 engine, one had the 429 Super Cobra Jet engine, and one had the 429 Cobra Jet.

The values of these prototypes has been increasing in recent years, they’re now rapidly approaching a valuation of half a million dollars each.

The 1970 Ford Torino King Cobra Shown Here

The Ford Torino King Cobra you see here is notable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it only has 837 miles on the odometer, it’s the only King Cobra with a production Torino VIN, and it was formerly owned by Bud Moore, Jacky Jones, and Brett Torino.

This vehicle is powered by the original 429 cubic inch 370 bhp Cobra Jet V8, power is sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission.

Power is provided by a 429 cubic inch 370 bhp Cobra Jet V8 mated to an automatic transmission. Inside the car you’ll find factory-fitted air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and power windows.

It has high-back bucket seats, a center console with a floor shifter, and a unique Cobra-branded emblem on the right side of the dashboard.

It also comes with a Marti Report, South Carolina inspection receipts documenting the mileage, the owner’s manual and owner card, and the door jamb has been autographed by Bud Moore.

The car is now due to cross the auction block with Mecum in mid-May with a price guide of $400,000 – $500,000 USD. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can see the listing here.

Images courtesy of Mecum

The post 1 Of 3 Prototypes Ever Made: The 200 MPH Ford Torino King Cobra appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/ford-torino-king-cobra/
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For Sale: A Datsun 280ZX Turbo: An Early 80s Legend

This is an original Datsun 280ZX Turbo, a model developed specifically to boost the power output of the Z series whilst unashamedly taking advantage of the 80s-era turbo craze – a time when even motorcycles were getting forced induction.

In the 80s there was no cooler badge a car could have than one that said “Turbo,” preferably in a futuristic font of course and plastered all over the back, sides, front, and interior of the car so no one could ever mistake it for one of those plebeian naturally aspirated vehicles.

Fast Facts – The Datsun 280ZX Turbo

The Datsun 280ZX Turbo was released in 1981, it was closely based on the standard 280ZX which itself had been released for the 1979 model year.
The turbo version offered a significant increase in both horsepower and torque, with 180 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 203 lb ft of torque – compared to the naturally aspirated car’s 145 bhp and 156 lb ft.
Though they looked quite similar there were almost no common parts between the earlier 280Z and the 280ZX with the exception of the engine. The 280ZX was heavier and more luxurious, more of a GT car than a sports car and it would form the basis of the 300ZX that replaced it.
The car you see here is the 2+2 model, it offers the benefit of two small backseats and it has a slightly different roofline to the standard car. 2+2s like this have long been a popular way for automakers to make sports cars a viable option for people with kids.

The Arrival Of The Datsun 280ZX

When Datsun unveiled the 1979 model year 280ZX it represented a significant shift in the intention for the Z car model family. Whereas the earlier 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z had all been true sports cars, the new 280ZX was a more comfortable grand tourer.

Above Video: This is the complete 1982 MotorWeek review of the Datsun 280ZX Turbo.

What no one knew back in 1978 was that Nissan already had plans underway to develop a new car named the 300ZX for the 1980s and the unibody of the 280ZX would be used for it.

Before the 300ZX was released in 1984 the company offered the 280ZX as the last in the original line of 2xx Z cars, a series that had started all the way back in 1969.

The 280ZX was fitted with MacPherson struts up front and semi-trailing arm independent suspension in the rear, both with standard tubular shock absorbers. Front and rear brakes were discs, with vented discs up front and solid discs out back.

The standard model had two seats but, as with the earlier Z series cars, a 2+2 version was also offered with two small back seats.

The 280ZX would be the last of the Z series cars with the original look, in 1984 the radically different 300ZX would be released.

Performance of the standard 280ZX fell inline with what you would expect from cars in this class from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 0 – 60 mph time was 9.4 seconds and the top speed was a claimed 129 mph.

Nissan would keep the Datsun 280ZX in production from 1978 until 1983, after which time it was succeeded by the Nissan 300ZX – officially retiring the Datsun nameplate from the series.

The Datsun 280ZX Turbo

The 1980s were a time when turbo was king. Early turbocharged cars like the BMW 2002 Turbo and the Porsche 911 Turbo had whet the motoring world’s appetite for forced induction, and Nissan wasted no time in developing a turbocharged version of their halo vehicle – the Datsun 280ZX.

As was common at the time the 280ZX Turbo used a single turbocharger and no intercooler. A Garrett AiResearch TB03 turbocharger (with an internal wastegate) was used and boost was limited to a relatively low 6.8 psi (0.47 bar).

The interior is well-preserved. It’s unmistakably a 1970s-1980s era interior and the first owner of this car ordered it with the leather and digital interior packages.

The engine itself was largely the same as the unit used on the non-turbo version, it’s an inline-six with a single overhead cam and two valves per cylinder. The displacement is 2,753cc and the engine uses electronic fuel injection.

One key difference between the two engines, other than the addition of the turbocharger of course, was the fitment of lower compression dished aluminum pistons with a 7.4:1 compression ratio.

Both versions of the 280ZX were offered with either a 3-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual. The 3-speed was criticized for its slowness compared to the 5-speed, however this was a common issue given the state of automatic transmission technology at the time.

A number of external changes were made to the car to let people know you had the desirable turbo model including turbo alloy wheels, uprated tires, and plenty of turbo badges. The suspension was also slightly stiffer than on the standard car.

The non-intercooled 280ZX Turbo produces 180 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 203 lb ft of torque thanks in no small part to its Garrett AiResearch TB03 turbocharger.

The 1983 Datsun 280ZX Turbo 2+2 Shown Here

The car you see here is a well-preserved Datsun 280ZX Turbo 2+2 from 1983 – the final year of production before the release of the 300ZX in 1984.

Fortunately the original owner of this car ordered it with the desirable 5-speed manual transmission, as well as both the leather and digital interior packages.

In the style of the era the car has a T-bar roof with glass panels, and for everyday driving comfort it’s fitted with climate control, cruise control, headlights washers, and the “Ambience” sound system.

It’s currently being offered for sale in a live auction on Bring A Trailer, at the time of writing there are still a few days left to bid and you can see the listing here.

Images courtesy of Bring A Trailer

The post For Sale: A Datsun 280ZX Turbo: An Early 80s Legend appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/datsun-280zx-turbo/
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For Sale: A Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution – The Street-Legal “King Of The Dakar”

The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution was released in 1997 as the Japanese automaker’s latest Paris-Dakar Rally challenger. 2,500 road-legal versions were made for homologation purposes, internally codenamed V55W, and today they’re highly collectible.

Mitsubishi still holds the Guinness World Record for having the “Most Dakar Rally Wins by An Automobile Manufacturer.” In total the company has 12 victories and 150 stage wins, as well as a slew of class wins from 1985 to 2007.

Fast Facts – The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution was released in 1997 and sold until 1999, just 2,500 road-going versions were made for homologation purposes.
By the time of the release of the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, Mitsubishi already had a long and proud history of Paris-Dakar and rally raid participation, with a number of wins under their belt.
The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is powered by a 3.5 liter 24 valve DOHC V6 6G74 engine with MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system) and a dual plenum variable intake.
This engine produces 276 bhp at 6,500 rpm, most are paired with a 5-speed tiptronic automatic transmission, however some cars did get a 5-speed manual.

Mitsubishi – “King Of The Dakar”

Mitsubishi’s exploits in the Paris-Dakar Rally are the stuff of legend, the first Pajero took part in the Dakar back in 1983, by 1985 the model took its first win. It would be the first of a dozen outright wins and many more class wins over a period of 22 years from 1985 to 2007.

Above Video: This is the official review of the 1998 Paris-Dakar Rally, Mitsubishi would win again, this time with their new Pajero Evolution.

The 1997 Paris-Dakar Rally would be won by Mitsubishi however the new Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution hadn’t been officially homologated yet and so the previous generation vehicle was used – the Pajero T2.

Despite the fact the Pajero T2 was a little long in the tooth it still won the event, thanks in no small part to the driver Kenjiro Shinozuka – the first non-European driver to win the event. Shinozuka had an incredible career that began in 1967 and continued to 2007, he would also become the first Japanese driver to win a WRC event.

In 1998 it was the turn of the new Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution to compete in the Dakar, unsurprisingly it won first time out with French driver Jean-Pierre Fontenay at the wheel and co-driver Gilles Picard on navigation.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution – Specifications

The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution was released in 1997 and sold until 1999, the only reason a street-legal version was offered was to homologate the vehicle for the Paris-Dakar Rally, and other rally raid entries.

The interior is the largely the same as the standard two-door Pajero, most were sold with 5-speed automatic transmissions however a small number of manuals were made.

It was based on the second generation Pajero but included a wide range of changes to make it better suited to high-speed off-road use.

The two-door body has wide flared fenders, a look that became a signature of the model. It has two fin-like spoilers on the back of the roof, a hood scoop, Recaro front seats, and vents on the rear side of the front fender flares.

The Pajero Evolution has independent front and rear suspension, with double wishbones up front and multi-link independent suspension on the rear that was unique to this model.

The vehicle was also equipped with limited slip differentials, a locking centre differential, and underbody protection to avoid damage from rocks and debris off road.

Power is provided by a 3.5 liter 24 valve V6 engine with MIVEC, Mitsubishi’s variable valve technology – the acronym stands for “Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system.”

This V6 produces 276 bhp at 6,500 rpm and power is sent back through either a 5-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission, though the manual box is relatively rare.

This is the 276 bhp 3.5 liter 24 valve V6 engine, it’s fitted with MIVEC which was Mitsubishi’s variable valve technology at the time, it stands for “Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system.”

With just 2,500 made the Pajero Evolution is now highly collectible, perhaps the biggest issue being that good examples come up for sale relatively rarely.

The 1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution Shown Here

The Pajero Evolution you see here is from 1997, the first year of production. It has a number of rare options including front spotlights, a heavy-duty fuel filler cap, and a carbon fiber-trimmed gear selector.

It currently rides on a set of OZ Racing rally wheels, which certainly suit the model very well, but the original alloys come with it as part of the sale. It’s accompanied by its original toolkit and its most recent service was in December 2021, the fluids and battery were replaced, and the undercarriage was inspected.

It’s being offered for sale in a live auction on Collecting Cars out of Sydney in Australia. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

The post For Sale: A Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution – The Street-Legal “King Of The Dakar” appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/mitsubishi-pajero-evolution/
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Vintage Documentary: Is This The Car Of The Future?

This short film, titled “Is This The Car Of The Future?” is part of the BBC Tomorrow’s World archive from 1971. In the film James Burke takes a look at what was probably the most technologically advanced car in Britain at the time.

By modern standards the technology used in the car is now commonplace, things like cruise control, traction control, electronic fuel injection, and an onboard display to alert the driver to problems with the engine.

Back in the 1970s of course it was a very different era, the vast majority of cars were still using carburetors and analog gauges at this time, things like traction control and even cruise control were still in the distant future for most people.

In this episode of the BBC series “Tomorrow’s World” from 1971, presenter James Burke takes a look at a revolutionary new car from Triumph.

The host of this series, James Burke, is one of the best known and most beloved broadcasters in British history. Burke was the host of the Tomorrow’s World Series on the BBC from the 1960s into the 1970s, he later the popular TV series Connections, followed by The Day the Universe Changed.

He has been called “one of the most intriguing minds in the Western world” by The Washington Post, and many of his predictions about things that may happen in the future have come true in recent years.

Among his many predictions of things to come include: the use of computers for making business decisions, the development of databanks for storing vast amounts of information about people, and more personal things, like people changing their behavior over time to become more willing to share personal information.

Is This The Car Of The Future BBC Film 1

All of the technologies used on this car, that were so amazing to people back in 1971, are now commonplace. Things like traction control, cruise control, engine warning lights, and electronic fuel injection.

Looking back on this episode of Tomorrow’s World today over 50 years later it’s easy to laugh at the marvel with which such commonplace technologies were once greeted.

It does almost make you wonder what far off technologies are currently being developed that’ll blow out minds in the not too distant future.

If you’d like to see more of James Burke’s remarkable films, we’ve included the first episode in his groundbreaking series Connections from 1978 below. There are many more available in full on YouTube and the BBC if you’d like to see more.