Ford Total Performance
Ford's Legendary High-Performance Street and Race Cars
Published on 5. November 2015
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-0-7603-4858-1 (ISBN)
Description
Follow Ford's leap into the 1960s and the performance era--on the streets and on the track!
In the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company underwent a dramatic change in corporate philosophy. Previously, under Ford's young chairman, Henry Ford II ("the Deuce") safety, not performance, was the goal.
But by 1962, even the chairman realized his philosophy needed to change. Ford was nearly invisible to car-crazy baby boomers. Lee Iacocca convinced Ford that he needed to act decisively or risk losing the emerging youth market to the competition.
Thus began Ford's "Total Performance" program. Ford Total Performance is all about Ford's prime racing era from 1961 through 1971. In addition to purpose-built race cars, it also covers production performance cars, specialty models, and unique concepts such as lightweight drag race cars. The book explores the 427 Fairlane Thunderbolt; Mercury Comet; unique V-8 Falcons that competed in the 1963 and 1964 Monte Carlo Rallies; Dick Brannan's 427 A/FX drag car; Ford Indy 500 winning race cars; 427 Overhead Cam SOHC 427 engines as used in A/FX and fuel race cars; Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs for street, drag racing, and Trans-Am; and many more. The Ford-Ferrari war that led to the creation of the legendary GT40 Le Mans race cars isn't forgotten. Featuring unpublished period photographs, plus photos and artwork from Ford designers, Ford Total Performance covers all of Ford's classic race and street cars, including Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. It's a must-have book for any fan of classic American performance cars!
In the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company underwent a dramatic change in corporate philosophy. Previously, under Ford's young chairman, Henry Ford II ("the Deuce") safety, not performance, was the goal.
But by 1962, even the chairman realized his philosophy needed to change. Ford was nearly invisible to car-crazy baby boomers. Lee Iacocca convinced Ford that he needed to act decisively or risk losing the emerging youth market to the competition.
Thus began Ford's "Total Performance" program. Ford Total Performance is all about Ford's prime racing era from 1961 through 1971. In addition to purpose-built race cars, it also covers production performance cars, specialty models, and unique concepts such as lightweight drag race cars. The book explores the 427 Fairlane Thunderbolt; Mercury Comet; unique V-8 Falcons that competed in the 1963 and 1964 Monte Carlo Rallies; Dick Brannan's 427 A/FX drag car; Ford Indy 500 winning race cars; 427 Overhead Cam SOHC 427 engines as used in A/FX and fuel race cars; Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs for street, drag racing, and Trans-Am; and many more. The Ford-Ferrari war that led to the creation of the legendary GT40 Le Mans race cars isn't forgotten. Featuring unpublished period photographs, plus photos and artwork from Ford designers, Ford Total Performance covers all of Ford's classic race and street cars, including Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. It's a must-have book for any fan of classic American performance cars!
Reviews / Votes
"Marty Schorr has fifty years worth of experience with performance cars. He also has fifty years worth of photographs he took during that time. He shares them in this book - some which have been used before and some which have not. For detail freaks it is a treasure trove. There have been a lot of books written about performance Fords. We know, because we have a wall full of book shelves filled with them. We are happy to add Marty Schorr's book to our shelf. If you're reading this review, you will be, too." - Shelby American "...a stellar title that any Ford fan will want on their bookshelf." - MustangandFords.com "Spiced with war stories and insights accumulated through years as a magazine editor, Schorr covers everything from post - WWII hot rodding, time trials and street racing, to oval, rally, drag and Grand Prix competition. You don't have to be a Ford fanatic to enjoy the inside stories..." - Houston Chronicle 'a Ford nut's dream come true! Well written, nicely illustrated and a real nostalgia trip.''a stunning encyclopaedia of the blue oval's attempt (and success) at performance domination on road, track, strip, salt, oval and pretty much anywhere else, complete in its coverage and with stunning period and current photography... Ford fans should be happy to immerse themselves in this' "Featuring unpublished period images, plus photos and artwork from Ford designers, Ford Total Performance covers all of Ford's classic race and street cars, including Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. It's a must-have book for any fan of classic American performance cars!" * Antique Automobile * "Real history is written best by the people who actually experienced it, and in the case of hits hugely anticipated book, Marty Schorr is the author wo was there for all of it. This is not just a collection of old photos. The text springs forth with verve and sharp analysis, the kind of story that can only be written by someone who was front-and-center during the relevant years." * Hemmings Muscle Machines * "Spiced with war stories and insights accumulated through years as a magazine editor, Schorr covers everything from post - WWII hot rodding, time trials and street racing, to oval, rally, drag and Grand Prix competition. You don't have to be a Ford fanatic to enjoy the inside stories..." * Houston Chronicle * "Ford Total Performance chronicles Ford's 1961-1971 racing era and covers production vehicles, unique concepts, drag cars, and the rivalry that led to the creation of the GT40. With 348 photos and illustration to accompany the intriguing history, it's a must ready for Ford aficionados." * Motor Trend * "This lively history encompasses the full breadth of Ford's performance machinery. The book is packed with lots of excellent archival and contemporary photography, plus its written by Marty Schorr who was there when a lot of this happened." * Muscle Car Review * "...a stellar title that any Ford fan will want on their bookshelf." * MustangandFords.com * "Automotive journalist Martyn L. Schorr lived the heyday of Ford's Total Performance period of the 1960s and early 1970s. He not only worked with the Ford folks to get the details behind the program and its cars, he drove the cars when they were fresh out of the wrapper. Now, he's taken all of that experience and knowledge and channeled it into this beautiful book. Not only was Schorr taking notes of Ford's performance program, he was taking pictures. Many of his original images join Ford archival images to complement the story for the complete package on Ford Total Performance." * Old Cars Weekly * "Marty Schorr has fifty years worth of experience with performance cars. He also has fifty years worth of photographs he took during that time. He shares them in this book Aca'?aEURoe some which have been used before and some which have not. For detail freaks it is a treasure trove. There have been a lot of books written about performance Fords. We know, because we have a wall full of book shelves filled with them. We are happy to add Marty Schorr's book to our shelf. If you're reading this review, you will be, too." * Shelby American * "Schorr has steered us through the best of times and the worst of times." * The San Diego Union-Tribune * "Schorr's insider stories are worth the price of admission and many photos from his personal collection add a special touch. An absolute must for Ford performance enthusiasts." * Vintage Motorsport * "For Ford fans, as well as anyone wishing to learn more about a landmark period in American racing history, this is a must-read book." * Vintage Racecar *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc
Illustrations
133 color & 215 b-w photos
Dimensions
Height: 276 mm
Width: 235 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-7603-4858-1 (9780760348581)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Martyn L. Schorr has a history with high-performance cars that dates back to the beginning of Ford's Total Performance era over fifty years ago. He rode with Carroll Shelby and was at the press conference in New York for the debut of the Lola-built Ford GT that became the GT40. Schorr drove the GT40 on streets of New York City and went with Mickey Thompson in 1969 to Bonneville to set a book full of records. He personally knew all the key players from Ford's racing program from his years as a magazine editor. Schorr is the author of Motion Performance (Motorbooks, 2009).
LEE HOLMAN is the son of John Holman and currently president of the legendary Holman & Moody. John Holman's involvement in Ford performance and racing dated back to the 1950s when he worked for Bill Stroppe and continued until Ford's retirement from racing in 1971.
LEE HOLMAN is the son of John Holman and currently president of the legendary Holman & Moody. John Holman's involvement in Ford performance and racing dated back to the 1950s when he worked for Bill Stroppe and continued until Ford's retirement from racing in 1971.