PDL Mustang 1

[nzboss]

Just going through some of my PDL Mustang stuff, and came across a photo of PDL 1 and 2 together in their yellow/orange livery and it got me thinking.....

What engine combo would PDL 1 have been running at this stage?
Previously, in it's 'electric blue' guise it ran the injected 351C Gurney Weslake combo,
but this engine ended up in PDL 2.
So what engine did PDL 1 have fitted at this later time?

I believe this was when a Baker was driving PDL 1, with Leo driving PDL 2.

Anyone know?

Cheers.

[Rod Grimwood]

Quick bet, photo is at Wigram as I think it was one of few times they ran together in that colour. and Baker was driving.

[Jac Mac]

If it bears OSCA stickers anywhere it would have had one of the Falconer & Dunn Boss 302 engines I think [ Classic driver,Dec 2010/Jan 2011, Page 36 ], Lyall does not say that PDL 1 had one but the context of the last paragraph & where the five engines went suggests that one did, if that makes sense..

[Kiwiboss]

I remember as a kid seeing it in the pits at Baypark with the green lace paint work!! thought that was real cool back then!! remember trying to figure out how they done that!!! offcourse we all know these days!!

"NZboss"(Rodney) i would say that this PDL car would have had soo many engines over the years that trying to get a engine time frame would be quite difficult!!! they probably needed "wingnuts" on all the bolts, LOL

Would luv to see it restored back into its early 70's racing history

Dale Mathers

[Jac Mac]

Dont know that restoring 'that' shell back to '70's shape & livery would be clever, my understanding at the time was it got fairly 'hot' in the fire.
IIRC it did not have many if any engine problems while running the F&D 302 in OSCA with David & Graham Baker, couldnt say the same about the 351c based stuff though, I remember a 'row' of perforated or cracked blocks stacked along the fence in the yard beside dyno room, if it rained you could walk to the truck on 351c pavers without getting wet feet.

[Lee Tracey]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/leetra/wigram78engines.jpg
Wigram 78.

HTH Lee

[Rod Grimwood]

Thats the day Lee, got some photos somewhere of that day. Ther was a black Trans Am Firebird parked alondside (think it was Bakers road car)

[Steve Holmes]

By the time PDL I was painted yellow, it was racing mostly in OSCA, so would have had the cast iron block as you guys have pointed out. In the above photo shot with PDL II, if that was taken in 1978, PDL II only did this one event all season, as MANZ had introduced a 2 litre engine limit following the 1977 season. My understanding is the Wigram organisers let PDL II compete in the final OSCA race for no points. Leonard was given a 2km handicap after the rest of the field had been flagged away, and he still came through and won the race by 9 seconds!

Heres a question for the anoraks. Graham Baker purchased the Brent Bullivant V8 Capri in 1980. When he bought the car it had BBS wheels fitted, but Baker fitted a set of McLaren M10 wheels to it, and sold it with these wheels to Bob Cullinane. When Steve Ross was restoring PDL I back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, he was advertising looking for a set of McLaren M10 wheels for the car as this is what it had fitted from 1974. Given Bakers connection with the car, were the wheels fitted to the ex-Bullivant Capri by Baker off PDL I?

[Jac Mac]

Anoraks, thats what you arklanders wear when you venture south of the bombay hills isnt it:)

At what was my last OSCA outing @ Levels, Timaru, the PDL 1 was driven by Graham Baker, in the flying farewell race my Cortina MKIV & the PDL1 touched as we entered the start/finish straight, The touch was light, but enough to put my car of line & create a gap between both cars, unfortunately that gap was seen as an opportunity by a wide Camaro driver...the Camaro hit the RR wheel of mine & did considerable damage to the flares & LHS of PDL1, It also removed the whole front end of the Camaro bodywork plus leaks in radiator & coolers etc... with all three cars now locked together & aware that the remainder of the field were due to arrive on the scene I vacated the car & climbed up on the spectator banking, IIRC Baker had the same idea a bit further along, however the Camaro driver, now very aware of the pickle he might be in was standing in the middle of the track praising me for my efforts in apparently causing the incident [[ his thoughts, not mine]]... not satisfied with that he gave an impromptu display of ten pin bowling with his skid lid on the track... the crowd by this time were being less than helpful....:)
However I digress, Due to the damage to PDL1 I wonder if that was its last OSCA outing & prompted the purchase of the Bullivant car, Im sure it had the McLaren wheels on it at that time, this would be 78 or 79...

[Steve Holmes]

Well I've been called a lot of things in my life but never an Aucklander!

Yeah you could be on to something there Jac. Interestingly, Baker wasn't allowed to race the Capri in OSCA, it didn't fit the rules. He raced it a bit in the NI and he raced it in the flying farewell races in the SI which weren't OSCA points races.

[Shano]

Anoraks, thats what you arklanders wear when you venture south of the bombay hills isnt it:)



You're quite wrong. We can be identified because we wear a raincoat as it never stops raining south of the Bombays, gumboots because the streets are ankle deep in cow dung, a chastity belt to protect against those southern boys who've spent too many hours alone in the cowshed pullin' tits, and towing a 44 gallon drum of latte because you can't get a decent coffee down there. Not that we would ever stereotype the area SOB.

Thread hijack over, back to PDL1.

[markec]

I will send a link of this page to Murray Baker who built the engines at one point and also to Steve Ross who has the car now. Murray may answer to the thread if I prod him enough.

[thunder427]

......I personally feel 'shano' is trying to give us a Bumsteer!!!!!!!!.........
Feeling blighted!.......and back to PDL.......regards thunder427/MJ:):rolleyes:

[kiwi285]

Does anyone have any photos of this car in its current colour scheme. I haven't seen a photos of the car since its heyday.

[Rod Grimwood]

Yes, will post when I get home, and send to you as well.

[Rod Grimwood]

This as last seen, may have changed but don't think so. Still a classic car, what a history.

[markec]

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[markec]

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[markec]

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[camaroman slp]

Dave Baker did a massive rebuid of the Mustang 1 after its heavy crash which just about ended its racing also changing to yellow copy cat colours of the Mustang 2

[George Sheweiry]

I believe Steve Ross has a 750 hp nascar engine and jerico in the car now, apparently he does have the weslake heads, wouldnt it be neat if he put it back to how it was and with the electric blue color scheme and brought it up to run with us in HSS

[Leon Hallett]

Hi George, I know Steve quite well and have constantly badgered him to get this car back on the track where it belongs. The car is electric blue, but hasn't been finished with the dark blue and yellow pin stripe detailing.

The HSS series looks great and it's amazing to see these old big bangers back out there. It would certainly be a real crowd pleaser to have the Sidchrome and PDL cars back out there together. Thanks for getting us halfway there.

[Racer Rog]

Does the Sidchrome Mustang still exist, have seen one that looks like it, but different name?
Roger

[Steve Holmes]

Hi George, I know Steve quite well and have constantly badgered him to get this car back on the track where it belongs. The car is electric blue, but hasn't been finished with the dark blue and yellow pin stripe detailing.

The HSS series looks great and it's amazing to see these old big bangers back out there. It would certainly be a real crowd pleaser to have the Sidchrome and PDL cars back out there together. Thanks for getting us halfway there.

I agree with those sentiments whole-heartedly Leon.

[Steve Holmes]

Couple pics I snapped while visiting Roy MacDonald recently. The Mustang has no motor at present. Roy and Steve pulled the motor from this car and put it in the ex-Rob Kennard Cortina OSCA car, as it more closely fitted the motor that the Cortina raced with in period than the Mustang. They're wanting to build an alloy block motor for the Mustang, as it raced in period with an alloy block motor, which then went into PDL II when that was built. Roy was also saying they're keen to get the car back on track soon. I told him how a lot of people in the North Island would also love to see this car again, and he said it will happen.

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[Steve Holmes]

This awesome photo of PDL I was posted on Facebook. Looks like it was during one of its Australian races.

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[Jac Mac]

I just happen to know where there is/was one of those alloy block clevo's for sale if they are looking hard!

[Steve Holmes]

That would be a nice thing to own Jac. The Stewart family have one out of the old one out of PDL I and II on display at their workshop/conference room. Its the one that broke in 1979 at Wigram in the PDL II.

[Jac Mac]

That would be a nice thing to own Jac. The Stewart family have one out of the old one out of PDL I and II on display at their workshop/conference room. Its the one that broke in 1979 at Wigram in the PDL II.
Not sure that I would want to use one of the 'originals' that they used in the day though, originality has its price. Cast in alloy from the factory cast iron patterns and lacking in material around main bearing webs- story I got was they were meant to be scrapped.

[John McKechnie]

Nows a suitable time to mention that Arrow in Aus are making brand new cast Cleveland 351 blocks. Good for 1200-1500hp.
Dont worry about period incorrect Darts or 40 year old alloy.