Blame the Ford GT?

[EJS2016]

Being the old fart that I am I just wanted to point out that I thought there were a few, and I mean less than a handful of 1967 GT500s that were initially equipped with Fords 427 sideoiler FE prior to switching over to the 428PI and then the 428CJ, if I'm not mistaken. Anybody else remember that?

From what I’ve researched, Shelby planned to build about 3 dozen 427FE-powered ‘67 GT500 Mustangs, I suspect the ones that do show up were installed post dealer delivery.
I believe that that ‘67 Super Snake is the only authentic and documented 427FE Shelby GT500 ever produced
Reportedly, a couple of unknown publications printed a photo of what was described as a “pre-production pilot 427 Mustang, indicating that Ford engineers did produce a 427 test mule or two for 1968.
A handful of W-code (single-barrel/390 hp) 427s were installed into the very early, ‘68 Cougar GTE cars.
Per Kevin Marti’s research, not a single W-code record exists in Ford data for any ‘68 427 Mustangs.
But who knows what those Mustang engineers worked on in their private garages...and unleashed on the streets in 1968?

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[PP0001]

Being the old fart that I am I just wanted to point out that I thought there were a few, and I mean less than a handful of 1967 GT500s that were initially equipped with Fords 427 sideoiler FE prior to switching over to the 428PI and then the 428CJ, if I'm not mistaken. Anybody else remember that?

I remember that rumour quite well in fact I still have an automotive magazine at home from 1966 showing a Shelby advertisement whereby a 427 side oiler was an option for the new GT500 in addition to the 428 PI engine.

That being said to the best of my knowledge there is only 1 documented 1967 GT500 built with a 427 side oiler engine and that was a test vehicle that Carroll had his team build for some high speed tire testing at Goodyear's proving grounds in San Angelo, Texas back in the day.

Carroll personally did the testing himself at the Goodyear track in San Angelo with that vehicle being known as the "Super Snake" and sold at auction about 5 years ago for over 1 million dollars.

I believe that Goodyear still uses that Texas track and proving grounds today for various tire testing.

 

[Flat Plane Drifter]

If BMacIL hadn’t left Ford we’d have the GT500 by now...

lol

 

[EcoVert]

Hacket is to blame

 

[PP0001]

Jim Hackett did not become CEO of Ford until ~June, 2017 therefore all major decisions/initiatives with respect to the Ford GT and the new GT500 were made far ahead of his arrival to Ford in Dearborn.

 

[EcoVert]

Hackett has the power to stop any program he wants witness the Mustang will be the only car left in Ford's line up soon.

 

[PP0001]

Hackett has the power to stop any program he wants witness the Mustang will be the only car left in Ford's line up soon.

I agree that Jim Hackett can stop any program at Ford at this point.

Mustang will not be the only car left that is produced by Ford as they will continue to produce the Focus Active as well.

So with that being the case are you suggesting that Hackett has/will stop the current GT500 program and has/will stop the extension of the current Ford GT programs as well?

 

[EcoVert]

I agree that Jim Hackett can stop any program at Ford at this point.

Mustang will not be the only car left that is produced by Ford as they will continue to produce the Focus Active as well.

So with that being the case are you suggesting that Hackett has/will stop the current GT500 program and has/will stop the extension of the current Ford GT programs as well?

You must not have heard the news the Focus Active was going to come to the US from China but since the US and China have gotten into a trade war Ford said it will not import the Focus Active to the US. Mustang will be the only car in Ford's line up before long.

 

[PP0001]

You must not have heard the news the Focus Active was going to come to the US from China but since the US and China have gotten into a trade war Ford said it will not import the Focus Active to the US. Mustang will be the only car in Ford's line up before long.

Aside as to whether or not Ford will or will not import the Focus Active to the U.S. from China you made a statement that Jim Hackett is to blame.

Just trying to figure out the point that you are trying to make with respect to this thread and what Jim Hackett is to blame for and possibly what impact he has or had on the upcoming GT500 or the continuation of the Ford GT

 

[EcoVert]

Aside as to whether or not Ford will or will not import the Focus Active to the U.S. from China you made a statement that Jim Hackett is to blame.

Just trying to figure out the point that you are trying to make with respect to this thread and what Jim Hackett is to blame for and possibly what impact he has or had on the upcoming GT500 or the continuation of the Ford GT

The point being Hackett has more to do with the GT500's being late and the GT has had no barring at all. With Ford cutting jobs everyone one is keeping their heads down not wanting to do something that might get them layed off.

 

[PP0001]

The point being Hackett has more to do with the GT500's being late and the GT has had no barring at all. With Ford cutting jobs everyone one is keeping their heads down not wanting to do something that might get them layed off.

It is a well known fact that when Jim Hackett replaced Mark Fields as CEO at Ford some ~15 months ago he was given various mandates which included key issues such as increasing top line revenues, reducing and streamlining production costs thus creating more money on the bottom line which in turn would increase profitability, share value and dividends to all of its many valued Ford shareholders.

With just a few of those mandates in mind does it make any economic sense for Hackett to slow down production of the upcoming GT500 which if in production would actually result in additional revenues of ~$2,250,000/day or ~$45,000,000/month for the Flat Rock assembly plant and the FMC.

By the same token Multimatic in Markham is producing just 1 Ford GT per day which adds a total of ~$475,000 to the top line of Ford's revenue every day which is certainly insignificant compared to the potential daily GT500 revenues especially for a company that generates ~$150 billion in revenue each year.

Obviously Ford has incurred some R&D, engineering and pre production issues with the new GT500 and with every month that goes by they has lost substantial revenues based on this long delay and would suggest that Jim Hackett would launch the GT500 tomorrow if he could.

Bottom line is that Jim Hackett is not the problem with the delay of the upcoming GT500.

 

[2015LE1260]

WOW
I’ve be away a bit (acct died with website upgrade- old posts there but log on not working—Mustang1260).
Can someone please post pics of the Ford Internal Documents that evidence a shift/delay in the Job 1 date for the GT500.

Ford does not plan cars specifically around Anniversry dates but will gladly use anniversary dates whenever possible for marketing when they can....
1999 - spring release and called 35th anniversary based upon April 1964 dating
2004 - called the 40th
2009- called the 45th
2015- called the 50th based upon original cars (even the 64.5s) legally being 1965 models. 50 is a big anniversary date so they searched for and found an excuse to use it with the new 15s despite it being 6 yrs after the 45th....

Note 99-04-09 being at 5 yr intervals. The 15 as a 50th came 6 yrs after the 45th.....hmmm

When the GT350’s started up Ford just vined the first 137 as 2015s for 50th anniversary marketing purposes.... Again just marketing.

The original Bullitt was a 1968 Mustang. A 50th Bullitt should have been a 2018 but it is not...thus with the 2019 Bullitt they cite to the 50th anniversary of the movie which came out in 1968 for marketing to grab an anniversary date.

And lets not forget the 50th anniversary of the California Special as a 2018 model.. oh wait, they didnt make a 50th anniversary CA Special.

Sorry guys, don’t want to be a downer but I am unaware of any internal documents showing that Ford planned the new GT500 to match up to a specific anniversary date as a 2017. Especially with the GT350 program in full swing. Ford stated the GT500 would be a late 2019 model way back.

But WAIT... the first generation GT500s were 1967s and 1968s. Totally new/redesigned GT500 in 1969.... so the new GT500 as a 2019 would be perfect for matching the anniversary of the 1969s. Sorry guys- you can stretch all kinds of things for marketing.

 

[PP0001]

WOW
I’ve be away a bit (acct died with website upgrade- old posts there but log on not working—Mustang1260).
Can someone please post pics of the Ford Internal Documents that evidence a shift/delay in the Job 1 date for the GT500.

Ford does not plan cars specifically around Anniversry dates but will gladly use anniversary dates whenever possible for marketing when they can....
1999 - spring release and called 35th anniversary based upon April 1964 dating
2004 - called the 40th
2009- called the 45th
2015- called the 50th based upon original cars (even the 64.5s) legally being 1965 models. 50 is a big anniversary date so they searched for and found an excuse to use it with the new 15s despite it being 6 yrs after the 45th....

Note 99-04-09 being at 5 yr intervals. The 15 as a 50th came 6 yrs after the 45th.....hmmm

When the GT350’s started up Ford just vined the first 137 as 2015s for 50th anniversary marketing purposes.... Again just marketing.

The original Bullitt was a 1968 Mustang. A 50th Bullitt should have been a 2018 but it is not...thus with the 2019 Bullitt they cite to the 50th anniversary of the movie which came out in 1968 for marketing to grab an anniversary date.

And lets not forget the 50th anniversary of the California Special as a 2018 model.. oh wait, they didnt make a 50th anniversary CA Special.

Sorry guys, don’t want to be a downer but I am unaware of any internal documents showing that Ford planned the new GT500 to match up to a specific anniversary date as a 2017. Especially with the GT350 program in full swing. Ford stated the GT500 would be a late 2019 model way back.

But WAIT... the first generation GT500s were 1967s and 1968s. Totally new/redesigned GT500 in 1969.... so the new GT500 as a 2019 would be perfect for matching the anniversary of the 1969s. Sorry guys- you can stretch all kinds of things for marketing.

Not here to get into a debate but certainly can tell you that Ford does in fact plan cars specifically around anniversary dates and suggest that if anyone should realize that it would be you.

I could be wrong but do you not own a Limited Edition 2015 Mustang GT specifically chassis number #1260 of 1964 Limited Edition Mustang GT's produced for the 2015MY as this car was specifically built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Mustang?

Another example of Ford planning cars around a specific anniversary date was the launch of the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet cars whereby Ford is producing 68 of these Cobra Jet cars in order to mark the 50th anniversary date for the launch of the 428 Cobra Jet engine in the Spring of 1968.

I also agree with you that Ford used many other models and years to celebrate all things Mustang purely from a marketing standpoint therefore I would suggest that Ford has gone both ways on this issue.

That 428 CJ engine of course launched the 68 1/2 Cobra Jet Mustangs that immediately went drag racing with all kinds of success at the NHRA race tracks along with the launch of Carroll Shelby's 1968 GT500KR's.

BTW, I don't think that anyone was suggesting that Ford promised to build a 50th anniversary GT500 for the 2017MY let alone coming out with a 50th anniversary GT500KR in 2018 but from can tell you from someone that was around when these cars first came out back in the day I was somewhat surprised that they did not build an anniversary GT500 or GT500KR for one of those years. As you mentioned there was probably just too much going on for the 2017/2018MY with the GT350 and Ford GT's at that point therefore just left everything well alone.

BTW, is your 2015 50th Anniversary Mustang GT Wimbledon White or Kona Blue and a 6 speed or automatic?

 

[Hi-PO Stang]

I think Ford passenger cars were doomed when Mulahay dictated Ford build front wheel drive cars instead of rear wheel drive cars. GM made the same mistake years earlier with their switch to front wheel drive cars and went into a sales decline. Mulahay should have learned from the GM mistake.

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