Spotlight: 1969 Mustang Fastback 428 SCJ Drag Pack
Based on the 428 FE engine, the Cobra Jet used different cylinder heads with enlarged intake ports. Heavier connecting rods and an uprated crankshaft also distinguished the engine. Officially rated at 335 hp, reports suggest that the actual output exceeded 400 hp. Ford executives had been worried about high HP ratings affecting insurance rates, but their understating output had a secondary consequence. The Cobra Jet Mustangs raced in C/SA, SS/E, SS/EA classes, all of which used lbs per advertised horsepower as a class criteria. Mustangs made it to the finals in all classes entered, of course. Al Joniec won both his class - defeating Hubert Platt in an all-CJ final - and the overall Super Stock Eliminator title. Building on those kinds of very public successes, Ford introduced the Super Cobra Jet engine during the 1969 model year. Updates included tougher-yet connecting rods, modified crankshaft, flywheel and crankshaft damper. An external engine oil cooler was also added. 147.60 鈥楧rag Pack鈥? Ford described the option鈥檚 content as, 鈥淚ncludes traction-lok differential, 3.91 or 4.30 high ratio axle, and the following 428 CID engine modifications: engine oil cooler, cap screw connecting rods and modified crankshaft, flywheel and damper.
Available only with 428 CID 4V Non-Ram or Ram air engines. When ordered in the Ram Air version, the engine was assigned the famous 鈥淩鈥?engine code. Non-Ram Air engines were Q-code. The CJ鈥檚 cylinder head improvements came alive when fed from a Ram Air system. On street or strip, this model appeared to be the pinnacle of Ford Performance through the muscle car era. Ford Drag Team鈥檚 western Captain, Ed Terry, would campaign one during the 1970 season, continuing to dominate the competition. 29,160 - certainly not a generous amount, even for five years ago. Significantly restyled from the previous year鈥檚 model, the 1969 Mustang was lowered by a half inch, the body was longer and wider, with particularly aggressive front end sculpting. It was the only year that the Mustang would use four headlights. As well, the windshield angle was flattened by 2.2 degrees yielding an even sleeker look that worked to perfection on the fastback body style.
Both radial tires and intermittent windshield wipers became available as optional equipment for the first time. With Ford鈥檚 emphasis on that year鈥檚 Mach 1 Mustang, as well as the BOSS variants, production of the SCJ Mustang was relatively limited, with just 52 R-code coupes built in 1969. On delivery, they were somewhat plain to look at. Painted wheels with 鈥榙og dish鈥?hub caps were standard. Owners often upgraded to the styled steel wheels for that year, or went aftermarket - usually to Torque Thrust models. The particular car shown here is one of just eleven built with the 4.30 axle and C6 automatic transmission. The numbers-matching car is completely original, save for cylinder head replacements in 1970 and a more recent concours-quality paint job. The car is slated to go to auction in January at the Mecum Auctions鈥?Kissimmee, FL, event. The five-day auction runs January 26 - 30. Additional information is available on the company鈥檚 web site. Gordon's background stems from the print media world. He has extensive knowledge of the entire motorsports industry.
VW ID.3: nope, not planned for the U.S., specs are not nearly as good as the Mach E anyway. VW ID.4: nope, factory just got started a few days ago. 2021 at the earliest. Nor are the specs good enough. Rivian: the specs match, but they have no factory and no battery supply yet, plus the Ford partnership is rumored to be about a pickup truck - the F-150E? Ford R&D invented a time machine and stole their own EV tech from 2030, which by then will match 2020 Tesla tech. This is my second best guess. Assuming the Mach E specs are truthful, which probably got leaked inadvertently. If they hadn't gotten leaked then the suspiciously Tesla-alike specs would normally not have been in news after the unveil event today, assuming Ford partners with Tesla. Anyway, given that there's only a few hours until the unveil, this post might age incredibly poorly.
Some unreal upside here that hasn't been priced in, regardless of potench partnerships. Care to share TSLA stock price when you were there? Well, what EV platform will Ford use in late 2020 for the Ford Mustang Mach E? VW ID.3: nope, not planned for the U.S., specs are not nearly as good as the Mach E anyway. VW ID.4: nope, factory just got started a few days ago. 2021 at the earliest. Nor are the specs good enough. Rivian: the specs match, but they have no factory and no battery supply yet, plus the Ford partnership is rumored to be about a pickup truck - the F-150E? Ford R&D invented a time machine and stole their own EV tech from 2030, which by then will match 2020 Tesla tech. This is my second best guess. Assuming the Mach E specs are truthful, which probably got leaked inadvertently. I.e. the suspiciously Tesla-alike specs would normally not have been news after the unveil event today, if Ford partners with Tesla. KarenRei is very silent today.
