1971 FOMOCO Trans Am Prototype Mustang

[SMKZ28]

I found this ad in the back of the November/December 2014 edition of Vintage Motorsport: The Journal of Motor Racing History.  Does anyone have any more information on this particular car.  I know about the 1970 "bodies in white" used by Bud Moore during the 1971 series and the one just recently put together and sold at auction but I don't recall ever seeing a picture or reading any information about a factory 1971 bodied Trans Am Mustang. 

The seller states in the ad that this "Mustang is 1 of 1.  Construction began at R&D department for 1971 team.  The car was orphaned when Ford dropped all racing in the Fall of 1970.  Later acquired by engineer and raced for 11 years."

Thanks

[69Z28-RS]

That would be a good 'ford' to follow up on with the seller...  find out what documentation he has, get copies of it, etc...?

[BULLITT65]

I agree you would think someone that worked at ford could provide a ton of legit docs to prove it.

[ta22]

The car is legit.  It is pretty well known among the Ford community.  It is actually 1 of 2 Kar Kraft cars built to be campaigned by Bud Moore in 1971.  The cars were never fully completed or raced by Ford or Bud Moore.  This car was purchased in the mid 70s by Ed Hinchcliff, a Ford engineer.  It was raced from approximately 1976 to 1981 in both the SCCA Trans Am and IMSA GTO.  It ran with a 351 Cleveland Bud Moore type engine.

The car has been owned for many years by an Illinois collector (the VM ad was listed by this individual) of vintage Trans Am cars -- among the cars he previously owned were the #77 1070 Challenger and the #6 1971 Championship Javelin.  This car has been marketed for near 20 years-- at a very high price.  $200K plus. 

The second car was purchased and raced by Warren Tope (his father was a Ford VP).  It also raced in the mid 70s in both the Trans Am and IMSA GTO.  After Tope's untimely death in a street race in Pontiac MI in a McLaren Can Am car, the second car was purchased by Bill Maier and raced side by side with its sister car in again, both the Trans Am and IMSA.  Hinchliff and Maier are good friends.

The Tope/Maier car was purchased in the 80s by a Southern California Ford collector and has not see the light of day since......at least publically.

Attached are period photos as run by Hinchliff and Maier

[1109RWHP]

I have never heard of this story either but I have seen the pictures you posted before. I just thought they were independent cars. I never could picture a 71 mustang as a good road racer.

I found this video of the race Warren was killed at. Looks like there were plenty of things to hit along side the course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx1v_dUoPYA

Read the comments below the video.

[ta22]

It is my understanding the street race where this accident occurred had a Le Mans type start.  The fact that Warren was not securely belted was a contributing factor in his tragic death.

If anyone on the forum is interested, I can post additional period and current photos of this car.

[1109RWHP]

The video does show the Lemans start.  I would love to see the pictures.

[oldtransamdriver]

I got to know Ed Hinchcliff some - we usually had a few laughs in the paddock.  Our first T/A race was the Glen in 68 for both of us.

Google   Trans-Am Mustang GT history  Ed Hinchcliff

Robert Barg

[SMKZ28]

Thanks for the info.  Any ideas what it did between late 1970 and 1976?  Was it sitting at the Moore shops uncompleted?  I also remember seeing the pictures but didn't realize that it was a stillborn factory built car.  I found a few more pictures of the car at the Molson Trans-Am that took place on September 11, 1977 at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada.  See them here: http://autocourse.ca/index.php?file=photos.html 

[SMKZ28]

I also found a few pictures of the car at the Grand-Prix Molson de Trois-Rivières that took place on August 23, 1980 at Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada.  These came from here: http://autocourse.ca/index.php?file=photos.html

[BULLITT65]

Great pics. Kinda looks more like a bigger javelin after its been race prepped, IMO.

[ta22]

current photos

[ta22]

more current photos

[ta22]

last two current photos

[BULLITT65]

very cool! Since this car has ben raced from the start would it even have a title?