Honorable Mention
1966 Mercury Station Wagon 429 cu in 4BBL Holley
Loaded with college kids, that wagon *beat* a 1969 Camaro SS 396 cu in Rochester QuadraJet
In a 5 mile straight run along an old route in the midwest.
The Mercury wagon’s 429 engine mounts broke under the strain.
I don’t believe that I ever explained the specifics to my parents, only that, I mentioned to them that a strange sound would come from the engine compartment whenever I tried to get the car to go faster than 55 mph.
That, turned out to be the metal, belt-driven cooling fan ... meeting up with the back side of the radiator, as the engine would surge forward, un-checked by the formerly-working engine mounts.
In another match, demonstrating how young and stupid a kid can be, I again raced that Camaro SS ... but this time, in at least 1 ft of fresh snow, and using “my” 1966 Ford Thunderbird 428 cu in 4BBL Holley.
It was dangerous but a beautiful thing, as the moon was out, and in the rear view mirror the snow wake trailed.
The snow made the ride very quiet though the engine firmly kept the pace.
It was a not-so-straight run that time, north to south, about 8 miles over country roads in the same area of the midwest.
Great cars.
I had the exact same reaction of the engine in a 61 Olds. I bought it from Billy Graham, (not that Billy Graham but a football player at Troy U.). If I revved the engine even a little, the fan would hit the shroud and made a huge racket.
Billy told me it was just a loose engine mount and I took his word for it and bought it. I got under the front with a Crescent Wrench and sure enough, that was all that was wrong.
It took me around a minute or less to tighten the mount and it never gave any trouble again. I never could understand why he didn’t fix it himself.
I’ve started admiring the ‘67 to ‘71 suicide door, 4 dr Thunderbirds. Heck of a car, very distinctive. The alligator pattern vinyl roof on some of them is a little much, and the huge “Landau Bar” behind the rear doors on all of them is definitely a little much, but very cool in general. Nothing else like it at all, from any manufacturer in this country. A dead stock, loaded out triple black one with a factory sunroof, probably a ‘68 since they messed up the look of the sequential taillights on the ‘69, would be cream of the crop.