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  1. #1

    Default Australian Muscle Car Issue# 98

    www.musclecarmag.com.au
    Australian Muscle Car Mag has featured the 1985 - 86 Group A Touring Car campaigned by Dick Johnston.
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    There is a 1:18 Scale Model of the Dick Johnston 86 Mustang to be released in March 18, see www.motorfocus.com.au for details.
    A google search - group a touring cars - will bring up a large number of photos of all makes from all over the globe.

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    The DJR Fox Group A Mustang was never a bastard child....it was a 100% American response to the gas crisis, and it used and drew upon every trick the Jack Talenack and Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca had. Jack was the guy who saw the international Ghia influenced hard edge Fords evolve into the 79-86 Four Eyes, and Mike Kranfeuss and Jack Roush were right in the thick of it making sure the performance aspect came through.

    The BMW 5 speed Getrag gearbox, ZF axle and the work the Brisbane Engine Center did to make a very restricted air flow 260 hp engine a 350 to 390 hp firebreather that did 6500 rpm down Conrod at well over 155 mph were key ingredients.

    4-barrel 302 Windsor engines at Mount Panorama were oil surging, main bearing running, block cracking disaster in the 230 hp US import J code engine 1968 500 mile race in Jack Talenacks four Door Falcon GT, not a patch on the 225 hp 289.

    For 1984 and 85, the Blonde Queenslander, his brother and his mechanic Roy McDonald took one H-U-G-E swing at the oil system, the intake manifolding, the cam, addressed the stuff up with the FISA paper work that prevented them runnig the 1984-1/2 Roller cam and tubing headers, the crazy Cologne Capri axle ratios and sourced proper gearing from the Volvo and BMW ratio options, and made the car haul some a$$.

    The whole car got a spring tower brace, and Mitsubishi Starion power steering pump, and a very clever oil cooler at the front and back to look after the running gear. And a varied selection of lovely alloy wheels always holding 265 x 630 slicks that make the car so darned poised.



    Australian Muscle Car is always an awesome read.

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member Mikestang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikes in australia View Post
    www.musclecarmag.com.au
    Australian Muscle Car Mag has featured the 1985 - 86 Group A Touring Car campaigned by Dick Johnston.
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    Name:  dicks mustang 13.jpg
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    There is a 1:18 Scale Model of the Dick Johnston 86 Mustang to be released in March 18, see www.motorfocus.com.au for details.
    A google search - group a touring cars - will bring up a large number of photos of all makes from all over the globe.
    1986 Ford Mustang GT-

    Not much stock stuff left
    347 NA power, CNC ported heads, Extrude honed Trick Flow Intake, Custom Cam
    Suspension, custom k- member, TQ arm/pan hard rod... Much more
    Restored and ready to race, made to go fast while cornering

    1981 Mustang GT-

    Old SCCA A-Sedan National Champ car
    In the middle of rebuild

    1986 LX Sedan-

    Plans to be determined...

    "Every day I learn how much I don't know"

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Car cam...warts and all. Wheel loss, oil cooler breaks.

    Bathurst 1985 - Larry Perkins in Dick Johnson's Mustang - Loose Wheel

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPdpaam2o3U




    Bathurst 1985 - Dick Johnson Mustang In Car and Pit Stop
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJGpsZhpzXw




    Dick Johnson and the Ford Mustang

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUyM-xqG8M8





    Bathurst 1986 - Dick Johnson Mustang In Car

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W-75bdV5yg


  5. #5
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Bathurst 1986 - Dick Johnson Mustang

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCfEKxftWU0




    Electronic art based on Amaroo Park 1986

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTezv3Pzdls&t=8s

    ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTezv3Pzdls




  6. #6
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    5.8 Group C Falcon 351 Cleveland vs 5.0 Group A Mustang 5.0
    480 horsepower with about 3000 pounds verses 260 hp and 2921 pounds.

    For the 1986 ATCC season DJR focused on making up the deficit to their competitors. Naturally, the main focus was engine development. Through more homologation grants, they managed to extract a further 40 horsepower from the tortured 302, making a grand total of 360 horsepower. The axle, always a potential issue, was upgraded from the ZF Atlas to a 9" Ford.

    Quote Originally Posted by Random Access Motorsport Faulty Fox - 1985 DJR Ford Mustang GT Group A
    DJR had been assured by Zakspeed that the car’s 302 (4.9L) V8 produced around 310 (231 kw) horsepower. At its first outing in practice for the 1984 James Hardie 1000, Johnson experienced otherwise. The car lapped a devastating 14 seconds slower than the Group C XE Falcon. Angered by the Mustang’s dreadful performance, he commented the ‘Stang “…would not pull a sailor off your sister“.

    The sluggish Fox aroused suspicion in the DJR camp, and the decision was made to dyno test the car. There the mechanics found the V8 produced a meager 260 horsepower (193 kw), 50 less than quoted by the money-grabbing Germans. The setback meant the team would have to spend ages developing the engine to get it back to its quoted performance level.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mikes in australia View Post
    www.musclecarmag.com.au
    Australian Muscle Car Mag has featured the 1985 - 86 Group A Touring Car campaigned by Dick Johnston.
    Name:  dicks mustang 28.jpg
Views: 458
Size:  52.5 KB
    Name:  dicks mustang 13.jpg
Views: 458
Size:  152.0 KB
    Name:  dicks mustang 23.jpg
Views: 453
Size:  54.7 KB
    There is a 1:18 Scale Model of the Dick Johnston 86 Mustang to be released in March 18, see www.motorfocus.com.au for details.
    A google search - group a touring cars - will bring up a large number of photos of all makes from all over the globe.
    I wonder what kind of brake setup the used. No mastercylinder visible

    Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Brakes: 1" thick 13.00" front rotors, 11.45" rear rotors with combination AP/Girling 4 pot callipers

    Ferrari 108 mm on four stud knock-on for Centrelock Momo 10 x 15” magnesium wheels...




    and adjustable pedal box with dual master cylinder Triton balance bar, just like the World Rallye Escorts and circuit Zakspeed BDA racers.





    See http://www.nzmustang.com/Images/Hist...s/pinepac1.htm

    Twin master cylinders are in the cabin, with the fluid tanks arranged whereever easiest in the engine bay, and supplied by reinforced lines






    All the AMC and RAM articles are a little difficult for Non Antipodeans to fathom.....because after 1984, Aussies didn't allow any of the "bargining for freedoms" that the Europeans and USA motorsport authorites do. While various sources play the role that Zakspeed and SVO were money gouging, and not being honest over the horsepower claimes....well, a Works Mustang in Belgium, Holland, West Germany, Czechoslovakia (Bruno) or France was allowed to use a crap load of very non standard parts that no Confederation of Australian Motorsport Scrutineer would ever sign off on.

    Zakspeeds Mike Kranfuss was forced to do a lot of extra paper work for Aussie Group A racing that wouldn't even have to be done in Europe. The gearbox ratios and axle ratios were a clear case in point. The advantage with Zakspeed was a non standard LeMans spec brake system came standard, thank Father Xmas for that....

    Look at the simple stuff like the 17" air cleaner lids on the 1984 Belga 23 Mustang,



    and ask yourself....what modifications to the chassis were done so it didn't have to use spring tower baces like all the Aussie and Kiwi Group A Mustangs used.

    In Australia, even the 83 hood bulge was deamed illegal when the 1984.5 homolgation papers were filled. That hood scoop allowed the Europeans to put in a huge low restriction air cleaner bluge....non standard, of course....

    Because the cars were homolgated by Zakspeed, they used common Escort Rally car technology, which initially ment ZF axles, British AP European Touring Car Challenge brakes, and unlike the Europeans, the Australians couldn't cheat with non standard parts and engineeing "substituted in" on the fly. CAMS advisors were die hard club racers who knew too much to be fooled by Factory Cheating. That's why Aussie racers like Dick Johnson and Larry Perkins and also Holdens John Harvey were so smart.

    All the cheats had to be applied for with paper work. It was very hard for Australian or Kiwi racers to go to the Spa and Monza International Group A rounds and see what the Europeans allowed as a stock FIA Group A car. What BMW got away with was very similar to what happened with the TransAm Illegal 1969 Holman Moody Boss Mustangs used by Allan Moffat in TransAm racing,......the whole cars uni body was effectively chopped and channelled with factory looking parts which were actually 100% different and "custom".

  9. #9
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Guess what?

    Proof of the Ferrari 4 on 108 mm stud knock ons. Same as the factory Pinto/Mustang II/Fox 4 stud spacing.

    And look at the non standard front to back axle stagger....some serious alterations were going on underneath, with probably the "Baby Atlas" narrowed 53" rear axle on this speciman with later wider SVO IFS suspension width. It has clear, and very noticable stagger.



    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy View Post
    .....


    Rudof Frieds wounderful Group A racing photos from Czechoslovakia's Brno circuit racing Mustang GT shows he final take on the heavily swaged compomotive / ronal magnesium turbo, this time with different sizes and hole arrangements, and Momo style hex nut, which used the Ferrari/MG 108 mm pitch center studs

    ......

    Notice that even in the 1984 Group A racing Mustangs, they had converted to fully customised MacPherson sturt, adjustable spring hanger uprights with those 1" thick AP Racing hubs




    and the later 9 " Differential with Disk rear brakes



    compared to the earlier German Capri 7.5 " axle

    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy View Post
    Some info to share. Didn't want you guys to be ignorant of the Fox variant Diffs we used in the Antipodean and European Group A Mustangs


    I found out all this while I was doing some research on generic Sterling 6.7/6.875" 8 bolt US diffs.

    (3.45/3.08/2.73 ratio light duty Ranger/Fox/Pinto/Mustang II 8 bolt diffs, 23 spline after 1974, other ratios were 3.40, 3.18 and perhaps a 3.55, all non locker diffs sadly.), I found another Factory endorsed Motorsport source for a better light but stronger Fox diffs.



    Internally the Sterling 6.7/6.76/6.875 lookes to be very similar to our 10 bolt European/German Atlas diff used on factory and Works Ford Capris and BDA Escorts, IRS Granada Mk 1,2,and 3 (Cologne engined European). See

    http://www.classicfordmag.co.uk/file...definitive.pdf

    http://www.fordopedia.org/varia/rear...wheel-bearings
    http://www.robs7.net78.net/



    What is the ZF Atlas? To Americans, it's the diff used on the 2.0, 2.3, 2.6 and 2.8 Euro Mercury Capri imports from 1971 to 1978. In your US market import cars, they were normally 3.22, 3.45 and 3.75, but there were also live axle 3.09, 3.44, 3.50, 3.70, 3.89 ratios in RS 2600, RS 3100, 2.8, 2.8i and 2.8 Turbo version made from 1979 to 1987 in the overseas German and British market versions. It first came out in GT German Escorts with the E code diff, and about the same time in Capris and Transit vans. Much later, the similar 4.6 and 5.1 ratio stump puller gears came out in 80's Transits and P100 pickup trucks

    It was also the all conquering World Rally wining RS 1800/2000 Diff in the 1979 Works Escorts.

    Ford of Europe did lots of pivotal development work, and farmed out the axle supply for various models to Zahnradfabrik, (ZF Gear) in 1969 for some versions of the German Escort, the EscortTaunus TC and 1970 Mk I IRS Granada (3.15 and 3.61 ratio in these), and some 2 liter Mk 3 TC Cortinas from 1971 on to 1984 Mk5 TF versions. The result was a very light axle which is smaller than the Ford 8", the 7.25, the 7.5 and 8.8 and 9" diffs, but it puts its 7.5" crownwheel into a very compact housing. It used to be used with mild 302 Windsor and C4 gearbox variants on 1974 Granadas, thw worlds easiest 302 swap. Its the E type diff

    Its not the best diff, it's no 9 incher, and Dick Johnston used to use the 9" Diff in his racing Mustangs instead. What it's got is parts supply ad infanatum, and real light weight, with full floater variants which won't loose wheels in a race, and standard 4 by 4.25" bolt spacing andusually, the standard Fox body width which results in a 56.6" track.

    Over the last 44 years, competition European Ford diff tuners in England have reworked over 5000 units, since they are light and easy to work on. One out fit (http://gartrac.com/shop/atlas-axle-p...l--pinion.html) can supply any other non std ratio from 4.1:1 for £477.93 tax excl
    4.6:1 and 5.1:1 for £309.69 tax excl,
    5.3:1 and 5.8:1 for £477.93 tax excl


    Some centres were homologted for Group 2 /Group A use in the XR4TI Merkur and Sierra Cosworth.

    The 10 bolt Atlas diff was also homologated as a race diff when the MacLaren Mustang came out, and the early Group 2 and Group A papers had it listed from when Ford Motorsport filed the papers to FISA in 1982. See this Atlas homologation diff in a New Zealand rebuild of Dick Johnston Greens Tough No 17 Mustang.

    Race homolgations for the Group A Mustang with turbo 2.3 or 5.0 4bbl were 7.5" Atlas 3.44, 3.75, 3.89, 4.11

    They have 3.09, 3.22, 3.44, 3.45, 3.50, 3.70, 3.75, 3.89, 4.60 and 5.1 ex factory, with some special 3.9, 4.1, 4.11, 4.44, 5.30 and 5.8 options specially made, but like most diffs, the crown wheel size varies from the 7.5" maximum...the case will carry to less than 6.75 inches in some ratios. Funny thing is, on some versions of the German Capri Atlas, the Volvo bits (brakes and outer timkin bearings, for example) from 1 and 2 series 164/264 Dana 30's bolt on to this diff.


    See how its used in the New Zealand and Aussie Group A Mustangs!

    See
    http://www.rallyanarchy.com/phorum/r...?1,70674,70861

    http://livethedreamgroupa.blogspot.co.nz/


    Due to the problem with finding good Fox 7.5 and 8.8 diff housings at a competitive price down here, I was going to use the Borg Warner 9 Bolt GM F-car M78 Rearend or "78 series". 7.625/7.875" BTR diff found in Falcons, Valiants, Commodores, Camaros and Firebirds, Centuras and Aussie Cortinas, Pintaras and Skylines. They are basically a Salisbury diff, used internationally since GM's Holden subsidary was able to organise it for the F cars when the PBR braking system was also outsourced for F cars and 84 onwards Vettes. That Australian brake and axle content allows a Fox body owner to pick up Commodore VK to VP Panhard rod four link diffs and SVO style brake kits to be made using the US M78 F-body axle.

    So I looked into it a bit more

    http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/...pscc5823ff.jpg


    (A lot of very tricky US Fox body axle conversions are actually enginering precedents from early NASCAR and Works Rally Escort practice which GM copied on the V car, and in turn this technology has filtered into US Fox body practice via Australian Touring Car and AVESCO based systems. A lot like the Panther Watts linkage being a Works 1979 WRC Escort/Toyo Koyo RX-7/ Aussie 1982 to 2002 Falcon set up).

    I found out that the picture I copied off Ken Hoppers Atlas diffed Group A Mustang



    was a catalyst in getting more Atlas Mustang info from the net...


    The Atlas is fairly common down here, my old V6 Cortina had it, all 3 liter Capris, and a few station wagon Cortinas too. Lots of Works and Ford Motorsport Escorts had the diff too. Not hard to get ratios or housings if your good friends with the old rallye Escort people. The Fox Mustang runs a Escort/Capri/Cortina stud pattern, and a 4.6 or 4.1:1 limited slipper ratios suit me just fine when the US AOD autos turn those into 3.08 or 2.75:1 over ratio tops, just great for highway cruising and drag race or circuit bruising.

    And here is the earlier German ZF Atlas 7.5" axle in braced up Escort Rallye Works RS 1800 FORM



  10. #10
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    PM'd MadMike

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...cecar-for-sale
    Quote Originally Posted by madmike View Post
    Stumbled across this car while surfing the net.
    I didnt know any four eyes raced in Europe back in the day.
    Maybe Michael Kranefuss had something to do with it, or someone else at SVO.
    Ad says it started life as a 1982, but it has 1983 sheet metal in the first picture, then an 86 nose. The youtube video of the car racing in 1987 shows 1982 tail lights.
    I wonder if it was a 2.3 Turbo



    http://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Det...ng-group-a-dtm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xmqnvBJQ1k

    Categories Race Cars Historic Race Cars

    € 100,000
    Ford Mustang Group A DTM

    Description:
    For Sale,
    1982 Ford Mustang Group A
    Build by Vince Woodman (GB)
    CC Racing


    Driven by Philippe Martin /Jean-Michel Martin /Vince Woodman
    in 1983 24h of Spa-Francorchamps

    Driven by Belmondo / Feitler / Felder
    24h Spa-Francorchamps 1985

    DTM in 1985/1986/1987 by Reinhold Gröpper
    https://youtu.be/7xmqnvBJQ1k

    Driven by Bert Moritz
    Group A at Zandvoort

    Car is totally disassembled
    New engine must be build

    Price is including rebuild of the car.
    ex. the engine

    Contact Patrick Moritz
    +31 (0)6-48251631 for more information
    Website:
    http://www.moritzracing.nl
    Video:
    Details:
    Seller: moritzracing
    John Moritz
    Country: Netherlands
    Phone: 0031206862709
    Currency: EUR
    Seller: Private
    Price: €100,000
    Added: 02/05/2015
    Views: 1039

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  12. #12
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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  13. #13
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Gearbox was non over drive, ex BMW and Volvo, with a really cool set of close ratios, (2.33, 1.68, 1.35, 1.15, 1.00) but hooked in against three of the worst axle ratios for a car with 25" tall tires.


    Race homolgations for the Group A Mustang were with either the turbo 2.3 or 5.0 4bbl, and oddly, had a 7.5" ZF Gears 'Atlas' diff in

    ratios
    3.09, (Capri 3.0/2.8 )
    3.22 (some Capri 2.8's with 5 speed)
    3.44, (2.3 V6, 2.0 V6, 2.0 manual
    3.75, (C3 auto 2.0
    3.89 (some others)
    or 4.11 (some Escorts) .

    Michael Kranefuss again, with Zakspeed.

    There were only three Atlas ratios with the V8....3.09, 3.22, 3.44, the Capri V6 ratios.

    It was over geared until the August 1984 Homologation process to legalise the T5 axle ratios, 3.55/3.73/3.9/4.11 and the headers and roller cam. The peak valve lift was 11 thou over the maximum stock valve lift for the of 444 at the valve, or 455. It then went 60 thou over that to 515 thou lift "lofted".

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