HISTORIC TRANS-AM 1968 FORD MUSTANG GETS NEW LIFE AS VINTAGE RACER

Ford Motor Company engineer Ed Hinchcliff raced in the SCCA Trans-Am series as an independent from 1966 to 2003. A member of Ford Motor Company's Special Vehicle Operations family (his other claim to fame was that he was one of the lead fabricators on the team that built LBJ's presidential Lincoln), Hinchcliff was privy to much of the technology and developmental pieces that Ford and Kar-Kraft Inc. created for Ford's factory-sponsored Trans-Am racing programs.

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Although Hinchcliff is widely known for his Grabber Blue 1970 Boss 302 Trans-Am Mustang, that was not by any means his first Trans-Am race car. Pictured for your review is the former Hinchcliff/Ross 1968 Trans-Am Mustang coupe (raced by Hinchcliff as car No. 76), currently owned, restored, and vintage-raced by San Diego, California, speed equipment merchant J. Bittle from the JBA Speed Shop Inc. According to Bittle, this Mustang was an important breakout car in Hinchcliff's storied career.

"Ed Hinchcliff was one of the longest active SCCA Pro drivers in the history of the class, retiring in 2003," Bittle says. "I bought the ex-Ed Hinchcliff and Steve Ross Trans-Am Mustang in 1998, a good 30 years after the car's debut at the July 3, 1968, Paul Revere 250 NASCAR Grand American at Daytona Beach, where the coupe finished in eighth place. Hinchcliff would race his 1968 Mustang for two years, experiencing reasonable success in Grand American, NASCAR GT, and SCCA Trans-Am races [a total of 10] prior to selling the car to Ross, who raced the coupe through 1970 and took it to the 1970 SCCA National Run-Offs at Daytona Beach.

"After the 1970 season was over, the H&R Mustang went to Mexico and was raced in the Pan American Road Races by the Shelby De Mexico S.A. race team driver Freddy Tame," Bittle continues. "After languishing for a number of years, the car was brought back to the States by Rick Nagel and Mark Gillette with intentions of founding a Shelby American Automobile Museum. When that project didn't pan out, the car was sold to Craig Conley and Chris Liebenberg, and I bought it from them."

Up to 1967, Ford had the upper hand in Trans-Am racing with its 289. But GM's entry into the class, with the 302-powered Camaros, meant that Ford needed more power. At that point the Boss 302 engine was little more than a set of engineering blueprints. Ford borrowed a page from its NASCAR engine program and developed a new four-bolt-main, 302W block (C8FE-6016-B) with "tunnel port" cylinder heads (C8FE-6090-A). The term refers to the 3.8-inch, round-shaped intake ports, which took the path of least resistance straight to the combustion chambers, with the pushrod tubes running through the ports. Talk about a heavy breather!

Valve size would also increase. The intake valves went to 2.12 inches in diameter compared to the 289's 1.77 inches, and the exhaust valves would increase to 1.54 inches in diameter compared to the 289's 1.44. These heads used a set of shaft-mounted nodular-iron rocker arms lubricated via specially revised (from the standard Ford 302W) oil passages.

Fuel delivery was handled by two Holley 540-cfm four-barrel carburetors mounted in tandem, while a Ford transistorized ignition took care of the spark. That was essentially the top end of the 302W Tunnel Port Ford engine.Up to 1967, Ford had the upper hand in Trans-Am racing with its 289. But GM's entry into the class, with the 302-powered Camaros, meant that Ford needed more power. At that point the Boss 302 engine was little more than a set of engineering blueprints. Ford borrowed a page from its NASCAR engine program and developed a new four-bolt-main, 302W block (C8FE-6016-B) with "tunnel port" cylinder heads (C8FE-6090-A). The term refers to the 3.8-inch, round-shaped intake ports, which took the path of least resistance straight to the combustion chambers, with the pushrod tubes running through the ports. Talk about a heavy breather!

Valve size would also increase. The intake valves went to 2.12 inches in diameter compared to the 289's 1.77 inches, and the exhaust valves would increase to 1.54 inches in diameter compared to the 289's 1.44. These heads used a set of shaft-mounted nodular-iron rocker arms lubricated via specially revised (from the standard Ford 302W) oil passages.

Fuel delivery was handled by two Holley 540-cfm four-barrel carburetors mounted in tandem, while a Ford transistorized ignition took care of the spark. That was essentially the top end of the 302W Tunnel Port Ford engine.