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Dick Brannan (SWB) Bob Ford
MIA: This is Dick Brannan's early-66 short wheelbase test car, shot at Ford's Dearborn test track. It was the replacement for the similar looking Bronco, was quickly became obsolete. Brannan was now sporting Hilborn fuel injection. This car saw limited race duty, but it did win the AHRA Winter Nationals at Irwindale in January, 1966.
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This car was flipped at Detroit Dragway the day this photo was shot. Brannan was using a race-prepped C-6 automatic transmission that was developed in his old '65 AFX test car. |
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Another shot from Detroit Dragway. Subsequent history of this car is unknown. Where is this car today? |
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Dick Brannan Backup/Test Car |
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Destroyed: This was Dick Brannan's backup/test car in April, 1966, pictured at US-131 Dragway in Martin, Michigan. Brannan had planned to test a nitro and fuel injection combo at Ford's Dearborn test track, but it was already in use by others. So, he booked a match race with Dave Koffel at US-131 to do his testing. Brannan's car was destroyed in a horrific crash at the race after it flipped end over end at over 150-mph. It's been rumored to have been rebuilt into a 1966 stretch-nose car, but Brannan reports it was scrapped. |
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US-131 track crew help Dick Brannan from the wreckage of his car. He was then transported to the hospital to be treated for serious injuries. This accident, along with the May '66 crash that killed Les Ritchey, eventually contributed to Brannan's decision to give up driving midyear. |
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One seriously wadded-up SOHC Mustang. Minimal rear downforce, air getting under the car, and a partially deployed parachute were the causes attributed to the crash. This accident led to wind tunnel tests at Ford, which then led to rear spoilers being fitted to the subsequent stretch Mustangs. |
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The tow truck hooks onto the wreck. |
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March 18, 1966 News Article about the accident. |
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Dick Brannan/Hubert Platt - Bob Ford/Paul Harvey Ford
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MIA: Dick Brannan and his wild stretch 1966 Mustang. Dick was retire from driving midyear, Huert Platt would take over driving duty in this car. |
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Hubert Platt and his ex-Brannan Mustang at Lions Dragstrip in 1966. This car would next go to Larry Coleman after Platt was done with it. |
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Hubert Platt's former car now driven by Larry Coleman and lettered with Holman & Moody on the doors. This shot is from Detroit Dragway in 1967. |
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Larry Coleman's ex-Platt car re-lettered as "Super Ford Jr." |
Larry Coleman's Super Ford Jr., now sporting a supercharger, driven by Sidney Foster at Lakeland International Raceway in Memphis. The whereabouts of this car are unknown today. |
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Al Joniec "Batcar" Rice-Holman Ford
Survivor: Al Joniec's wild 1966 Batcar began life as a production line steel-bodied 105" wheelbase 1965 A/FX Mustang.
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The Batcar was "stretched" to this long-nose configuration after a crash in early 1966. It retained it's 1965 steel "tub." |
Joniec renamed his car "The Hairy One" some time after 1966. Oddly enough, it was flocked was some sort of blue "fuzz". This shot is from 1968. |
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The Batcar was found and restored to it's 1966 configuration by Curt Vogt at Cobra Automotive. |
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done
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