It makes a change to have some nice weather in the UK for a change and that itself brings a noticeable change to the work load. There hasn’t been much chance to work on all the projects this week though, it has been busy with the all important services and MOTs of cars. The yard looked pretty full at one point; on seeing that sight, what can be better than looking across a yard full of Mustangs?

Behind the scenes we have Paul “The Paint” has got round to spraying his own Mach1 ’72 ready to come back to us. So we thought we would share some more of those rare behind the scenes pics of the painting in progress. Thanks for pics Paul. 🙂

The bare metal prep work with the fine filler after Adam delivers the car to paint shop.

First of primer coats and blocking

More primer.

Base coats and top coats on the panels.

Base coat and then clear coats to the shell.

It shouldn’t be too long before we can start some work on this little lady too. It will have to get in the project queue though. But I’m sure we will be updating you on the progress of this car.

Customer Cars

We have been asked how the French car is getting on. We can say that the owner has been asked to do three weddings so far and what a place to do it. We have been sent a pic recently and thought it’s only right we share with you.

Ford Facts

The meaning:

Mustang:  early 19th century: from a blend of Spanish mestengo (from mesta ‘company of graziers’) and mostrenco, both meaning ‘wild or masterless cattle’. Later a type of small, wild American horse.

Maniac: early 16th century (as an adjective): via late Latin from late Greek maniakos, from mania…. ( ˈmeɪnɪak) an obsessive enthusiast, fan, addict, devotee, aficionado…..

Ford GT

The win at Le Mans has for Ford’s GT has certainly made the headlines, and we have been pointed to a nice article on just what goes on behind the scenes and level of commitment put into their projects. we start with the main Ford headquarters in Dearborn Michigan had the building spell out “GT Wins at Le Mans.”

Continuing with the GT car theme:

Allen Park, Mich., July 13, 2016 – Development of the all new Ford GT continues unabated, with the carbon fiber supercar expected to go on sale before the end of this year. An innovation showcase in efficient EcoBoost engines, lightweighting and aerodynamics, the Ford GT is a study in functional design and active airflow management.  Ford engineering supervisor Nick Terzes takes is behind the scenes at Wind Tunnel 8 in Allen Park, Michigan, where a Ford GT pre-production verification prototype undergoes wind tunnel testing. The footage is of just one of multiple sessions to prove out the extensive computer aided aerodynamic models with physical wind tunnel data, at airspeeds approaching 125 mph (200 km/h). Part of working on a program with compressed timing, Terzes and the Ford GT engineering team were in the Allen Park facility in the early a.m. hours of a Monday, demonstrating the non-stop nature of vehicle development. “Being the GT program,” Terzes said, “we effectively test 24/7.”

“The prime reason we come to the tunnel is to get the actual physical data on the vehicle,” Terzes explained. “We’ll look at interior wind-noise acoustics, and the aerodynamics of the vehicle.”

Footage in the clip below demonstrates the active rear wing, part of a suite of active aerodynamic features on the 2017 Ford GT, designed to improve performance, stability and efficiency.

“One of the great things about this car, as dynamic and beautiful as the design is, every single opening has a purpose on the car. So If you see a large grille, if you see a scoop, it’s wasn’t just put there to look good,” Terzes said. “It was put there because it has a function.”

“In the end, all these late hours, all these weekends that we work, are absolutely worth it to be a part of a program like this, and to create the ultimate GT.”

Ole Yeller

•Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang bred from Shelby GT350® – the most track-ready and road-legal Mustang ever produced

•Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang pays homage to the famous North American P-51D Mustang which served as the official pace and safety plane at the Reno National Championship Air Races

•Bob Hoover, renowned United States Air Force fighter pilot and air show performer, piloted “Ole Yeller” for more than 20 years making more than 1,000 air show performances
•Donation and sale will benefit EAA’s youth education programs, including Young Eagles
•Unique Ford Mustangs have raised $3 million for EAA youth education programs, including Young Eagles

DEARBORN, Mich., July 15, 2016 – Ford Motor Company has created the most track-ready and road-legal Ford Mustang to benefit Experimental Aircraft Association’s youth education programs, including the Young Eagles. The aviation-inspired Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang will be donated and sold via auction at the Gathering of Eagles charity event – the ninth straight year Ford has donated a car – on July 28 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.

The Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang features a custom yellow exterior finish with “Ole Yeller” accents and badging, unique carbon fiber components and mirrors projecting images of the aircraft. The interior incorporates specially designed Recaro seats, sill plates, floor mats with unique logos and aviation inspired gauges.

Bred from the ultra high-performance and limited production, Shelby GT350® Mustang, it features a 5.2L Ti-VCT V8 engine with Flat Plane Crank. Boasting the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine Ford has ever produced, the Shelby GT350 generates a heart-pounding 526 horsepower and exhilarating 429 lb-ft of torque. This powerhouse is mated to a TREMEC® 6-speed manual transmission and features a specially tuned sport suspension, making it the most track-ready, road-legal Mustang ever produced.

“This year’s one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang honours two aviation greats, the iconic and historic P-51D Mustang fighter plane, and highly decorated fighter pilot, test pilot, and air show performer, Bob Hoover, who is referred to by many as one of the greatest pilots ever to have lived,” said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors. “The Shelby GT350 Mustang, with its nimbleness, speed and aerodynamics, provided us with the perfect platform to create this tribute to the P-51D aircraft.”

“Ole Yeller,” with its bright, eye-catching yellow exterior, is one of the most recognizable P-51D Mustangs in the world. It still holds the prop plane record for coast-to-coast travel at 5 hours and 20 minutes, set in 1985. R. A. “Bob” Hoover, known as a pilot’s pilot, will be forever linked with “Ole Yeller.” Hoover is widely considered the founding father of modern aerobatics and thrilled airshow fans piloting “Ole Yeller” for more than 20 years. In 1997, Hoover sold “Ole Yeller” to his good friend John Bagley of Rexburg, Idaho. “Ole Yeller” still flies frequently and is based at the Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg, Idaho.

The auction of the Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang will be the pinnacle of the EAA Gathering of Eagles gala. The event annually draws more than 1,000 aviation enthusiasts in support of EAA’s youth education programs, which inspire young people to become engineers, aviators, astronauts, scientists and innovators – the aviation pioneers of tomorrow.

All proceeds from the sale of the car will benefit EAA’s youth education programs, including the Young Eagles, which has provided free introductory flights to 2 million young people since 1992, helping grow the next generation of aviators. “We’re truly grateful Ford is, and has been, such a committed sponsor of EAA and AirVenture for more than 16 years now,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman of the board. “With its ninth Mustang donation, Ford has definitely delivered something exceptional that any auto or aviation enthusiast would love to own. The Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang will allow EAA to provide support to our valuable programs helping us grow the next generation of aviators.”

The Ford “Ole Yeller” Mustang joins eight other one-of-a-kind Mustangs created by the Ford design and engineering teams for the auction in support of EAA youth education. Ford vehicles donated at EAA AirVenture events have collectively raised $3 million.

Previous years’ unique aviation themed Mustangs created to support EAA’s youth education programs, including Young Eagles, were:
•2008 – Mustang AV8R, with cues from F-22 Raptor, which helped introduce the glass-roof canopy and delivered an auction contribution of $500,000
•2009 – AV-X10 “Dearborn Doll” Mustang, crafted in honor of the World War II aircraft
•2010 – Two automotive icons – the late Carroll Shelby, former U.S. Air Force flight instructor, and Jack Roush, longtime P-51 pilot – collaborated for the first time to create the SR-71 Blackbird Mustang inspired by the legendary reconnaissance jet
•2011 – Blue Angels Mustang, created to celebrate 100 years of U.S. naval aviation
•2012 – Red Tails Mustang, to pay homage to Tuskegee Airmen – courageous squadron of P-51 Mustang pilots who were the United States’ first African-American military airmen
•2013 – U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition Mustang, built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team
•2014 – F-35 Lightning II Edition Mustang, which featured design cues from the world’s most advanced multirole fighter jet – the F-35 Lightning
•2015 – Apollo Edition Mustang paid homage to the Apollo spaceflight program, which delivered astonishing innovations in technology and landed the first human on the moon.