The 1970s was a decade of retraction. Horsepower levels dropped like temperatures, emissions had to drop because the air was thicker than tomato soup on bad days, and physical car sizes were going smaller in the name of making the most out of low-horsepower engines. Well, that and they were a nice change of pace from an 18-foot-long full-size car that had the turning radius of an aircraft carrier undergoing sea trials. The first wave of the subcompact cars, the Chevrolet Vega, Ford Pinto, Dodge Colt, and American Motors Gremlin, found popularity thanks to their size and their economy offerings. Hey, if we were on a budget in 1972 and didn’t want to park the U.S.S. Caprice every night, we’d look at them too.
For the Ford camp, the only name that anybody really needed to know was Gapp and Roush. Known for such cars as the “Tijuana Taxi” Maverick and the “Sudden Death” Mustang II street racer, the combination of Jack Roush and Wayne Gapp was absolutely deadly. While a Pinto fresh from the dealership was a knife in the gut, a Pinto fresh out of their shop was proof that everything would be okay. Taking advantage of new rules that favored compact cars, what would be an unlikely candidate was soon a hero on the strip. This is not a clone, but the actual 1976-77 car that was campaigned. Any car can be built into a badass!
A couple of years ago I was working on a project with Roush Industries in Dearborn, MI. Being a life long Mark Martin fan (my son’s name is Martin), it was a cool experience for me. On the wall next to the conference room that we regularly met in was an extremely cool oversized photograph of Jack Roush with standing with one foot up on the front of this car while talking on his wall phone. The picture was so cool due to the intensity on Jack’s face, the shelves stocked with lots of rare Ford racing parts, old wheels and other items. We weren’t supposed to take any pictures while there…but, I had to take a picture of that photo.
To own a vintage pro stock would be a dream, unfortunately only a dream. Mine would be a Sox and Martin or Roy Hill Duster. Maybe even a Grumpy’s Toy Monza!
If I have any quibble with the restoration, its what looks like non-period correct rear deck lid spoiler tabs. Here’s a photo from Indy 1973:
https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=3&_bqH=eJwLLUorczQyCUl3SXKOzNNNNTA0LvU0SbLwNDKxMrEyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybnlhQoAZmxjv6udiWANmhwa5B8Z4utqEgZUam6cVeKU6mXh6eavGOziG2pcVFwamJRckZau4gRWrOIBIAmYchpQ–&GI_ID=
The picture you posted is from Indy 1976. The car went through many different rear wing configurations through the year and what is on the car now is how they ran it by 1977 in AHRA.
Michael Schwartz the picture you posted is from indy 76. The rear spoilers went through many different versions throughout the year and next. I asure you they are the original pieces that came with the car.
Totally cool. Wow, an 8.75 at only 148 mph. Pro Stocks have always been the best at getting the most out of a given HP level. I will never forget the first time I saw a Pro Stocker in person. It was around 1974 and the one driver I remember for sure was Grumpy Jenkins. I believe he was driving a Vega at that time. I had never seen a door car anywhere near that fast. It made a lasting impression for sure.
The picture you posted is from Indy 1976. The car went through many different rear wing configurations through the year and what is on the car now is how they ran it by 1977 in AHRA.
Doug, as far as the picture goes, the file name is given as “1973USN_Wayne Gapp.jpg” on the Auto Imagery site, so that is what I went with. After looking at Draglist.com and Gapponline.com, I know that your car is the 76 Pinto used from “76 to mid-77” (<Gapponline).
My comment on the spoilers was also based on the incorrect date of the file name. I later searched on Bing and found period pictures with two other versions of the current spoilers: one with just the triangular bases, and one with lower extensions. My mistake.
Love that Cleveland engine sound, it’s an amazing thing of how Pro Stockers of that day used lots of OEM parts.
Now that is Pro Stock!!! …not the boredom we have now!!