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1968 – The Year of the Snake
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The Brandon and Turnage Cobra Jet
Mustang held NHRA records in multiple
classes. (“FE Bob” Fermier collection)
Sam Auxier, Jr. drove Bondy Long’s
Bowani Mustang in NASCAR
Ultra/Stock competition. (Alan Wood)
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Ford kicked off the 1968 option line-up with a slightly emasculated version of the 427 filling the top
spot. As a street engine, one of the major complaints against the 427 was that with multiple
carburetors and solid-lifter camshafts, they tended to be finicky and required increased attention to
tuning. For the first time in the engine’s five-year history, the 427 would be fitted with hydraulic
lifters. Previous blocks were not even cast with provisions for them. Gone were the medium-rise
intake manifold and multiple carbs. They were replaced by a cast-iron intake more akin to a 390
and a single 4-barrel. The free-flowing cast-iron header-type exhaust manifolds were missing as
well. Low-profile manifolds would provide more engine clearance in the Torino body, for which the
“new” 427 was destined. Even the dual-point centrifugal-advance distributor so often associated
with high-performance Ford engines was history. Instead, a single-point vacuum-advance-unit-
equipped imposter sat at the front of the 1968 engine. And, (GASP!) air conditioning, power
steering, and power brakes were even available. Rated at 390 hp, this short-lived version of the
427 managed to find its way into the engine bays of some Torinos and Cougars early in the
production run.
I’m not aware of any competitors running these cars on a national scale. I can relate that locally, a
young Chevy fan confessed to me that his dad had purchased a new Fairlane formal roof with vinyl
top, air conditioning, power steering, and automatic transmission. The father was foolish enough to
allow his son to borrow it, on a Sunday no less. The errant lad drove directly to the nearest
emporium of quarter-mile competition, no doubt in a quest to prove to himself that 427 Fords didn’t
run. In the process, the young man got quite a shock when dad’s plush cruiser laid down a 13.98
blast through the mufflers on street tires with the air filter left in place. I only saw that car once, but
years later read some “expert” on Fords claim that even though the 427 engine was on the option
list for the Torino, none were ever produced.
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An ad that appeared in the February 1968 issue of Car Craft magazine lists five V-8 engine choices
“from 302 to 428 cubic inches and 210 to 390 horsepower.” Of course, the 390 hp refers to the
427. The fine print of this ad also indicates that the 1968 Mustang would be available with the same
engine options.
The year of the snake officially began just before the NHRA Winternationals in February 1968 when
eight 1968 Mustang fastbacks were shipped sans engines to Bill Stroppe Engineering in Long
Beach, California. Here the cars would be prepared for delivery to Drag Council members and
unleashed on the world at Pomona. The “factory lightweight” Mustangs, which would eventually
have a production total of 52, had all sound deadener and seam sealer deleted from their bodies,
but in all other aspects were identical to standard production models. Each was fitted with a
blueprinted 428-ci Cobra Jet engine conservatively rated at 335 hp and either a top-loader 4-speed
or C-6 automatic transmission.
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The Cobra Jet’s debut was perhaps the biggest drag-racing coup of the decade. It became
apparent very early on in the competition that the only serious challenge the Cobra Jet Mustangs
would face at Pomona came in the form of their own kind. The Super Stock Eliminator final came
down to the Drag Council cars of Al Joniec and Hubert Platt, with Joniec taking the win. Ford had
caught the other manufacturers flat-footed with the Cobra Jet and showing a flash of true brilliance,
the 428 CJ was made available as a regular production option for Mustangs, Cyclones, and Torinos
a short time later. In doing so, Ford demonstrated the true essence of “win on Sunday sell on
Monday.” For the first time during the Total Performance Years, the average guy could walk into his
local Ford dealer and drive off with the hottest street car in town. And should he choose to do so,
he could take her out to Pomona and run with the big guys.
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Sam Auxier, Jr. lifts the wheels in his Bowani II
Mustang at Capitol Raceway. Prolific Ford race
team owner Bondy Long owned the
hard-charging Mustang. (Sam Auxier, Jr.)
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Sam Auxier, Jr. comes off against Bill Jenkins’
Camaro. Bowani II took the Cars magazine S/S
meet title from Jenkins in 1968 with this car.
(Sam Auxier, Jr.)
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This is exactly what Bob Tasca, Sr. had been preaching all along. Before long, the critics of Ford
Performance were singing a new song as magazines clamored to get their hands on any version of
the hot new offerings from Dearborn. Hot Rod magazine had gotten their hands on a pre-
production Cobra Jet Mustang. Based on performance numbers in the low 13-second range on
street tires, the magazine called the car one of the quickest street cars they ever tested. There was
some speculation (as was often the case) that the Mustang provided for testing was a “ringer” in
that it had been specially prepared at the factory to provide better performance than the standard
production model.
It didn’t take long to dispel any doubts as the 428 Cobra Jet-powered Mustangs, Cougars, Torinos,
and Cyclones came right off the showroom floor capable of amazing street performance. With the
addition of headers and 7-inch-wide slicks, the Mustang could run right down into the high 12-
second range. All this go power was available to the consumer for an additional $420.96 over the
base engine option in a 1968 Mustang. The nearly indestructible top-loader 4-speed transmission
added $233.18 and the Traction-Lok differential was a bargain at $63.51.
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Ford seized the opportunity to throw a little dig back at Hot Rod magazine by posting an ad for the
1968 Cobra Jet Mustang with the title “Hot Rod sees the light.” It quoted the magazine’s impression
after their performance test of a new Mustang in March 1968: “The Cobra Jet will be the utter
delight of every Ford lover and the bane of all the rest because, quite frankly, it is the fastest
running Pure Stock in the history of man.” The test car ran the quarter-mile in 13.56 seconds at
106.64 mph.
Popular Hot Rodding magazine tested a 428 Cobra Jet Torino GT for their April 1968 issue and with
the addition of headers and slicks blistered the track to the tune of 13.27 at 108.30 mph.
While all the magazines were singing their praises, 428 Cobra Jet-equipped cars were setting the
streets and drag strips of America afire. Ford was exploring the feasibility of replacing the long-
serving FE-series engine with the next-generation powerplant, the 429. Charlie Gray reported the
results of quarter-mile tests conducted using a 1968 Torino GT. The car was alternately fitted with
both the 428 Cobra Jet and the 429 in order to obtain a performance baseline over a 24-hour
period with favorable weather conditions.
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The 428 test engine had been removed from one of the DSO-built Super Stock Cobra Jet Mustangs
and was equipped with an aluminum intake manifold and a dual-point distributor, and had the
Thermactor (air pollution pump) disconnected. The test car weighed 3,742 lbs with a full tank of
fuel, and had 3.00:1 rear gearing with shift points of 5,500 to 5,600 rpm. On F60-15 Goodyear
Polyglas tires a quarter-mile elapsed time average over six runs was noted as 14.20 seconds at
99.55 mph.
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A 1968-1/2 428 Cobra Jet
Mustang drops yet another GM
muscle car. With little more than
a sharp tune-up and the
addition of a set of 7-inch wide
slicks, a 428 CJ could run the
quarter mile in under 13
seconds. The Cobra Jet
Mustang was so quick that even
the most GM-biased automotive
publications were forced to
admit the prowess of what many
consider the most successful
high-performance engine ever
to roll out of Dearborn.
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Race-prepared Cobra Jets continue to set records in both Stock and Super Stock drag racing
classes almost four decades after their introduction.
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When fitted with a 429-ci engine with a Rochester carburetor, the car’s weight was 3,822 lbs. Shift
points were listed at 5,600 to 5,700 rpm and the quarter-mile average was reported at 14.35
seconds at 99.9 mph.
Additional tests were conducted with the 429 engine using an aluminum intake manifold and three 2-
barrel carburetors and a fuel-injection system. When V-6-equipped, the test car weighed 3,786 lbs
as it recorded an average elapsed time of 14.08 seconds at 101.92. With fuel injection (Gray’s
report does not give details on the system used) the car’s weight dropped slightly to 3,818 lbs and
delivered an average of 14.11 seconds at 100.46. At this point the venerable 428 Cobra Jet was
holding its own, and Ford had some work to do on the next performance engine.
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In a memo to Jacques Passino dated September 12, 1968, John Cowley suggested that Boss 429
Mustangs (50 with 4-speed and 50 with automatic transmissions) be prepared for competition in
NHRA SS/C and SS/CA, along with the same number of 428 Cobra Jet Mustangs modified with 427
Tunnel Port cylinder heads to compete in NHRA SS/D and SS/DA. Mr. Cowley outlined an
alternative to this plan that would “perhaps be more appealing in the long run,” being the
construction of Fairlanes powered by the Boss 429 engine.
It was recommended that it was not worth Ford’s while to build vehicles for competition in NHRA
SS/B and SS/BA against the special-built Hemi Barracuda and Dart since it would not represent a
“saleable car.”
Ford would field the 428 Cobra Jet Mustangs in revised class competition in 1969 without Tunnel
Port cylinder heads, and the Boss 429 Mustangs would appear at a later date in very limited
numbers.
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Previous | Next
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This has been a sample page from
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Total Performers: Ford Drag Racing
in the 1960s
by Charles Morris
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The 1960s was arguably the most important decade for
drag racing. It had exciting cars, thrilling races, and most
importantly, factory participation. Among the best high-
performance cars and engines were those coming from
Dearborn, Michigan. Ford Motor Company’s “Total
Performance Years” saw a breakthrough as drag racing
helped the younger, performance- and style- conscious
consumer to begin receiving some recognition.
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Factory participation in drag racing pushed the
envelope for high performance developments. Ford's
FE-series engine, Police Interceptor, GT 390, Single
Overhead Cam, Cobra Jet, and Boss 429 are all
covered in detail. See the cars and the drivers that
made them famous – Dick Brannan’s Goldfinger, Bill
Lawton’s Mystery Mustang, “Dyno Don” Nicholson’s
Eliminator Comet, Gas Ronda’s stretched Mustang, Al
Joenic’s Batcar, and more.
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Click here to view sample pages from
each chapter.
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Chap. 1 - 1960 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 2 - 1961 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 3 - 1962 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 4 - 1963 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 5 - 1964 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 6 - 1965 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 7 - 1966 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 8 - 1967 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 9 - 1968 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 10 - 1969 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap. 11 - 1970 Fords in Drag Racing
Chap 12 - Ford of Canada Drag Racing
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Accomplished journalist and life-long Ford aficionado
Charles Morris takes you back to the Total
Performance Years through first-hand accounts as well
as over 400 rare photographs. A drag racer since
1966, Morris has run cars in both Stock and Super
Stock classes. He is currently the owner of the original
Norristown Ford 1963 _ lightweight Galaxie and races
the car in Nostalgia Super Stock as part of the 422
Motorsports Drag Racing Team. This book is a must
read for all drag racing fans, not just Ford enthusiasts.
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Hardbound
10 x 10"
192 pages
130 color & 290 b/w photos
Item # CT407
Price: $Discontinued
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Click here to buy now!
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This is a great book any Ford
enthusiast will love!
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Other items you might be interested in
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Gasser Wars: Drag Racing's Street Classes: 1955 to 1968
Author Larry Davis combined his own image archive with many rare,
never-published images from racers, fans, and track photographers all
over the country. He also did extensive research and interviews with
former drag racers. The result is a comprehensive, entertaining, and
nostalgic look at drag racing history.
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Price:
$22.95
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Factory Lightweights: Detroit's Drag Racing Specials of the '60s
Among racers it has never been a secret that a lighter car is a faster
car—particularly in drag racing. When Detroit’s automakers got
involved in organized drag racing, they paid heed to this principle,
issuing a series of rare race-only cars that became legends in their
own time. Factory Lightweights: Detroit’s Drag Racing Specials of the
‘60s chronicles these rare cars that still inspire admirers and imitators
today, like the Ford Fairlane 427 Thunderbolt.
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Price:
$22.95
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Mustang Muscle Portfolio 1967-1973
Road and comparison test, specifications, and model introductions on
the Shelby GT 350 & 500; 390 GT; 428 Cobra Jet; Tunnel Port; Mach
1, 351, 428, 429; Boss 302, 351, 429; Grande; and 351 HO. 140 pgs.,
over 250 b&w photos. Sftbd.
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Price:
$22.95
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Ford Torino Performance Portfolio 1968 - 1974
This 136 page book includes road & comparison tests, performance
data, full specifications, model introductions, historical information &
restoration advice. The 34 articles in this book are sourced from Car
and Driver, Car Craft, Car Life, Cars, Circle Track, Classic American,
Ford Motor Co., Motor Trend, & others.
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Price:
$22.95
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MRE
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