Usually Im a v-8 guy, but this article (stole it from a thread in the 87-96 forum) has really got me thinking. What a cool budget project this would be!

1971 Ford Maverick - Budget 10-Second Turbocharged Maverick Coupe - Car Craft Magazine

 

This lights my fire! It reminds me of a very quick 65 Mustang called the Mad Trapper with a 300-6 that run at our local drag strip years ago that was the talk of town.

 

Yeah Im not huge into the 6 bangers, but its got me thinking.

I recall years ago my dad telling me there was a 6 banger ford car that was racing in kelowna that hauled *** as well. Said it beat out my 289, 327 type cars.

 

Same with the Mad Trapper, because it ran so consistent, which is so very important in drag racing, it would beat the V8`s.

 

Know any specs on the "mad trapper"?

 

No since that was so long time ago, likely back in the 80`s tho I can try to find someone that still remembers it. I think that it would come up in the Saskatoon International Raceway archives.

 

Cool would definately be neat to learn more about it.

I just love how fast this one is. The great expense being the turbo and custom work to get it working, but wouldnt be too terribley hard.

 

The Mad Trapper was alot more simple, no turbo or other modern tricks, just the right combination of wrenching with old school parts.

 

I like the technology of forced induction, that to me is the best appeal.

 

It is now, back then it wasn`t so it`s really amazing how that Mad Trapper went without it. Now smaller engines replace bigger ones.

 

I've always been a fan of big inline sixes...like the 292 cube Chevy, 300 cube Ford.

I understand that one of the best balanced engines is an inline six. Over the years there have been some racers who have used these engines for hot rods or drag cars.

They can get some excellent hp/torque figures...through supercharging, turbocharging...adding custom made (for the most part) intake manifolds with multiple carbs.

An issue with super tuning an inline six like a Ford or a Chevy is that there are not a lot of speed parts available...compared to say a Ford or Chevy small block V8. Much easier, I would guess to soup up a domestic V8 because of this situation.

But that's not because there is anything inherently wrong with the design of a inline six cylinder that doesn't lend itself to performance potential.

Consider Jaguar and BMW....inline sixes were the way to go...BMW still has some mighty fine, high performance inline sixes that can show many a V8 performance car the quick way down a track.

Of course the Jag and BMW sixes are fairly advanced design wise, compared to the old OHV Ford and Chevy straight six...but a talented tuner can get a lot of punch out of a 300 or 292 inline six.

 

My bad, going from old memories isn`t the best! That Mustang was actually called Scrapper and thanks to the SIR`s archives, SIR ARCHIVES 1966-2006 "40 Years of Fury" Photo Gallery by NITROIMAGE at pbase.com
here`s a link to an old picture of it
43-GD.jpg photo - NITROIMAGE photos at pbase.com

 

Very good point about the jag and beamer 6 bangers Less. They can be made to be great high performance engines, guess this guy figured why not a ford?!
Alot of cool info on that link Morris, thanks.

 

I found it very interesting to see what happened in the early years of SIR. Back in the late 60`s Jubilee Ford had a 427 powered 67 Fairlane, too bad it was rolled at the track.

 

Yeah that would have been a cool car as well.