[Wheelman]

If you haven't seen the February issue of Motor Trend magazine they have given the front cover to the 2010 Mustang .... and they LIKE it! On page 34 they recognize the 2008 Bullitt as inspiration for the new 'Stang.... "Beneath the fancy new skin of the 2010 Mustang GT is a chassis and V-8 powertrain pulled directly from the 2008 Bullitt." They tested the 2008 Bullitt at 0 to 60 in 5 sec. flat and 1/4 mile e/t of 13.7 They get the 2010 to 60 in 5.2 with the same e/t of 13.7. Pretty cool huh!

 

[DavidMidgley]

Yup! I always have this thing in the back of my head that there isn't much that Motor Trend does not like...maybe it is just me being the cynic.

 

[Lambo]

I used to read Motor Trend as a kid in the 1970's. I started to wonder what was up when they named the Vega the "Car Of The Year" in 1971. Even as a 13 year old I knew the Vega was a piece of crap. Many years later I figured out that the whole car of the year was bogus, and was open to the highest bidder.

I switched to Car and Driver many years ago, much more objective, other than their total infatuation with BMW.

 

[BlackFink]

You want to hear something funny ?
I LIKED THE VAGA

 

[fox1x]

I still keep looking at MT at the news stand's ... .... however, I also believe they are bias. At least some of the editors are. Can't bring myself to subscribe.

 

[DavidMidgley]

You want to hear something funny ?
I LIKED THE VAGA

When it came out, I too thought that it was a pretty slick design. I know that the engineers at GM were "high fiving it". At least till the realization hit that it was truly a POS. My girl friends parents were GM lovers, and they bought her one for her first car. Boy were they PO'd! I knew her two years, and it was new in 70. By the time I was history the entire front clip had rusted out. Her dad used to rag me about my 3-4 year old Ford with rust on the quarters...let's just say they fed me well to make up for the things they said to me about my choice in cars.:lol:

 

[VIC-TIM]

I had a brand new Vega GT, and like all my cars, couldn't leave it alone, header, upgraded distributor, air cleaner, etc. Problem was it was like a dark cloud for me, wrecked it three times, not my fault, but I thought I need to get rid of this thing before I get hurt. First date with my ex was in that car and was the first wreck....shoulda listened about her too lol:

 

[JackDW - 852]

Back in the 70s, NASCAR had a series called the "Baby Grand" (the big series was called the Grand National at that time). This series raced Vegas and Pintos. As a NASCAR engine builder at that time, we built a couple of the Vegas and I was very impressed on how much power that could be make out of those engines. It did require a lot of extra work to make them durable (steel cylinder liners, etc) but once put together correctly it make a lot of power and were durable. GM could have applied those updates to the Vega engine and it would have been an engine before it's time.

 

[Mus408]

Always wanted the Vega,with the 350 V8 conversion. Baldwin/Motion,and several other dealers were doing them. Almost ordered one from Scuncio Chevrolet,believe that was up in Rhode Island. Anyway, they had a deal on them,in 1973 for $3600,which included the good LT-1 360HP 350.

 

[Mus408]

Back to the 2010 Mustang...To bad Ford can't really ramp up the performance,for the base GT,to a higher level than a 2008 Bullitt. I mean,it's like yesterdays news,wrapped in a shiny new cover. Ford deals out the HP a drip at a time.
At this rate,I'll be in Hot Rod Heaven,before a GT comes standard with 375 HP!

 

[Bullitt 736]

Always wanted the Vega,with the 350 V8 conversion. Baldwin/Motion,and several other dealers were doing them. Almost ordered one from Scuncio Chevrolet,believe that was up in Rhode Island. Anyway, they had a deal on them,in 1973 for $3600,which included the good LT-1 360HP 350.

You've probably heard of Don Hardy Race Cars in Floydada, Texas then? He made Vegas cool!

 

[bifs08]

Not to steal a thread on MT; but we bought a new 1971 black Pinto, 2000cc, 4spd. Stock Vegas were not in the same league as far as power was concerned. Stock Chevys had enjoyed a certain street advantage over Fords since the mid-fifties; and it was kinda like swimming upstream to be a Ford fan (on the street anyways). In this environment, it was such a treat for me to demonstrate the superiority of the optional 2000cc Pinto OHC (short srtroke/crossflow head) engine against the rather weak Vega setup. They would always have to shift into second while that little Ford just kept reving. The 2000cc engine, derived from European Fords went on to make a name for itself in various racing venues. One particular area was limited hydroplane racing where it practically became a spec engine. The 2000cc engine was superceded by the more familiar 2.3 OHC Ford (not the same engine). Initially, I think that most Pintos were powered by the smaller 1600cc "Kent" OHV engine which had also enjoyed quite an aftermarket racing history in European motorsports during that era.

 

[marichardson]

Not to steal a thread on MT; but we bought a new 1971 black Pinto, 2000cc, 4spd. Stock Vegas were not in the same league as far as power was concerned. Stock Chevys had enjoyed a certain street advantage over Fords since the mid-fifties; and it was kinda like swimming upstream to be a Ford fan (on the street anyways). In this environment, it was such a treat for me to demonstrate the superiority of the optional 2000cc Pinto OHC (short srtroke/crossflow head) engine against the rather weak Vega setup. They would always have to shift into second while that little Ford just kept reving. The 2000cc engine, derived from European Fords went on to make a name for itself in various racing venues. One particular area was limited hydroplane racing where it practically became a spec engine. The 2000cc engine was superceded by the more familiar 2.3 OHC Ford (not the same engine). Initially, I think that most Pintos were powered by the smaller 1600cc "Kent" OHV engine which had also enjoyed quite an aftermarket racing history in European motorsports during that era.

Reminds me of my red Ford Pinto with the 2000cc engine I drove while in college. Afterward, since I could not afford to drop the 302 V8 motor into it, I had a guy named AK Miller in Pico Rivera install a turbo good for 13sec 1/4 mile time until I blew up the engine later on...
My first Ford...

 

[bifs08]

I read a lot about Ak Miller back in those days. He was the official "Ford Performance Advisor", and had quite a background in early hot rodding (he helped form the NHRA and was president of the Southern California Timing Association). He was featured in the late sixties/early seventies Ford "Muscle Parts" program as a technical advisor and perfromance parts developer. I also remember columns in the mags titled "Ask Ak" where he would answer Ford performance questions sent in by readers (no internet in those days).

 

[tbone65]

My first couple cars were 71 Capris with the 2.0 liter 4...a Holley 5200 carb, header, and dial up some timing and that little rig was fun to drive...this was in the 80-81 years, and many a wheezy domestic late model V8 was suprised to see Capri taillights at a stoplight drag......

 

[AC3874]

The Vega was great when you droped a 350 in it, at least in a straight line.

 

[BiteTheBullitt0793]

vega.... i got rear ended in 1979 by a metro park commissioner in nashville. he was driving a vega. i was in my 75 ford granada. those granada's were tough cars. solid. unlike the vega who's front end was compressed acordian like to about 2 feet. even though the granada was totaled, i drove her home. the vega----history!