The Fox Body Porsche Killer: The Story of the 1981 Zakspeed Mustang.

[Markus]

This week seems to be learning week for me - again today....
I knew the story of the Zakspeed Capri but I did not know that there was a knock-off with the Foxbody Mustang.... enjoy.

Especially from 5:40

Under the skin

 

[JP Verweij]

Grp 5 silhouette Capri.
7 where made, 2 where demo cars without engines back in the days and never raced, both still excist, 1 at the Ford Cologne plant (Ford herritage collection) and 1 at Technik museum Speyer/Sinsheim.
5 build to race but one burned down on the first race (the one Zakspeed reintroduced at Goodwood several years ago).
So only 4 ever raced all seasons with differend livery's each race depending on which sponsor the teams found to pay for the race.

They raced two differend classes in each weekend. With just an engine swap and wing settings between the two classes.
1400cc for division 1 & 1700cc for division 2.
Basicaly a 1300 Ford Kent engine with a Cosworth developed BDA head. Zakspeed refined and Turbocharged.

The only part thats actualy Capri is the roofskin and vent panel below the frontscreen.

There was a rumour that the Mustangs where actualy rebody't Capri's but I doubt that.
My guess is that Zakspeed just made a few more chassis and shipped them to the USA.

Zakspeed still has the jigs & moulds and is producing GP5 Capri's on order.

 

[Markus]

JP,
Thanks for the write up.

[QUOTE="JP Verweij,
.... Zakspeed still has the jigs & moulds >

> and is producing GP5 Capri's on order > @8:50
> The only part thats actualy Capri is the roofskin and vent panel below the frontscreen > @18:15
[/QUOTE]

 

[DaveM]

Zakspeed provided 1.7 and 2.1 L engines for Mustangs raced by Roush and Ford in IMSA's GTP category 1983 and 1984. With 600 hp the Mustangs were potent, but not reliable.
I remember being on track with Bobby Rahal in one while I raced in GTU.

1983 Ford Mustang GTP

1983 Ford Mustang GTP IN 1983 Ford entered the IMSA GTP class with a Mustang GTP. Three cars were raced by Team Zakspeed USA with limited reliability for the 1983 and 1984 seasons. At the time Zakspeed has fielded numerous mustangs in the GTO category. Their Livonia, Michigan facility was shared...

www.supercars.net

 

[Ron Earp]

Cool, thanks for posting that! Not much Fox DNA left in those cars at all, other than being called a Mustang/Capri during the years the Fox was produced. I like seeing these old non-NASCAR domestic racing efforts from back in the day.

 

[Markus]

Grp 5 silhouette Capri.
7 where made, 2 where demo cars without engines back in the days and never raced, both still excist, 1 at the Ford Cologne plant (Ford herritage collection) and 1 at Technik museum Speyer/Sinsheim.
5 build to race but one burned down on the first race (the one Zakspeed reintroduced at Goodwood several years ago).
So only 4 ever raced all seasons with differend livery's each race depending on which sponsor the teams found to pay for the race.

They raced two differend classes in each weekend. With just an engine swap and wing settings between the two classes.
1400cc for division 1 & 1700cc for division 2.
Basicaly a 1300 Ford Kent engine with a Cosworth developed BDA head. Zakspeed refined and Turbocharged.

The only part thats actualy Capri is the roofskin and vent panel below the frontscreen.

There was a rumour that the Mustangs where actualy rebody't Capri's but I doubt that.
My guess is that Zakspeed just made a few more chassis and shipped them to the USA.

Zakspeed still has the jigs & moulds and is producing GP5 Capri's on order.

FORD ZAKSPEED TURBO CAPRI | MK Mücke Motorsport Cla...

FORD ZAKSPEED TURBO CAPRI FORD ZAKSPEED TURBO CAPRI Chassis Nummer ZAK-G5C 001/80 (Division 1) + ZAK-G5C 002/80 (Division 2)Baujahr 1980>> PDF ...

www.muecke-motorsport-classic.de

 

[Markus]

Cool, thanks for posting that! Not much Fox DNA left in those cars at all, other than being called a Mustang/Capri during the years the Fox was produced. I like seeing these old non-NASCAR domestic racing efforts from back in the day.

Hello Ron,
yes the good old day's..... we once had the DTM (German Touring Car Championship), not sure if this was familiar in the US?

So the DTM back then was using "regular" street cars which have been modified, later on the OEM's used homologation cars for a basis but as a Joe Average you could always indentify yourself with a car you could "drive" on the street...

Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

However there was also a Foxbody Mustang - hope you like this too

The Coolest Car To Race In DTM Was A Ford Mustang

The 1980s and 1990s glory years of Germany’s DTM were so good they made legends out of its competitors. The BMW M3, for example, was made to dominate this series alone. But no German car that race in DTM was ever as cool as the most powerful car of its time, and certainly the coolest: a Fox...

jalopnik.com

FORD MUSTANG DTM | MK Mücke Motorsport Classic

FORD MUSTANG DTM FORD MUSTANG DTM (FIN: RU02) Motor:Hubraum 4.955 ccm, V8Leistung:540 PSGetriebe:5-Gang manuellGewicht:1050 kg Fahrer:Gerd Ruch -...

www.muecke-motorsport-classic.de

 

[Stephen Ducker]

My favouriite rallycross car & driver, who pioneered using Zakspeed engines in rallycross.

(Love the victory lap in this one !)