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IMSA Tribute: 1978 Ford Fiesta Track Car

I don’t know if I need to say this, but box flares can make pretty much anything look like badass. Take this homely Ford Fiesta and marvel in its heaps of attitude made possible simply with the addition of tack-on fender flares and a huge front air dam. The description is a bit vague as to its history, but the seller mentions that this was a Ford-built track car, presumably for the awesome Camel GT presented by IMSA. These were incredible years in motorsport, back when racing was pure and essentially any production car sitting on a dealer lot could be seen in the paddock, suited up for duty the following week. Find this unusual Fiesta here on Hemmings with an asking price of $8,500.

The Fiesta looks incredible with its huge fender flares and mesh wheels, which apparently aren’t even the dedicated track wheels the seller mentions are included with the sale. These are just for rolling around the yard on, but even these rollers add to the awesomeness that is a track-prepared Fiesta. The Camel GT Championship featured some of the most desirable track cars ever made, replete with the sort of exaggerated aerodynamic enhancements seen here. Flares, spoilers, air dams, fat wheels – all of it wearing the appropriate IMSA logos and Joe Camel stitched onto the driver’s suits. It was a great time to be a racing fan, especially when guys like Bob Sharp got into the mix.

This Fiesta has been upgraded inside and out, with a full roll bar inside. The bulk of the modifications are to the chassis and drivetrain, with the seller noting that the Fiesta was conceived with big brakes, high performance shocks, and upgraded components ranging from the brake master cylinder to the calipers. Now, the odd thing about the description is when the seller says the “…suspension and brakes are dead,” which I can only assume means tired or otherwise past their expiration date. Now, if the suspension was some sort of custom adjustable setup, I could see major component failure rendering it useless, but the brakes would like just be in need of a rebuild to work as intended once again.

That’s the tricky aspect of a car like this, as the one-off equipment Ford installed was rare when new and certainly extinct now. The good news is the engine is basically the same 1600 CC four-cylinder found in any other Fiesta, albeit upgraded with twin DeLlortos carbs. The seller claims it did run in 2014, but it hasn’t been used regularly for quite some time. Check out the period air horns in the engine bay – this Fiesta is loaded with period goodies. The one aspect of its history I can’t quite discern is whether it ever ran at an IMSA event, or was just modeled after the cars that did – that part of the description is particularly confusing. Still, it’s a rare bird and a wonderful artifact of what racing used to be like.

Comments

  1. Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

    In the early ‘80’s while out for a ride through Reno with my girlfriend we passed by the Centennial Coliseum and saw a bunch of cones in the parking lot. As we rode by a blue Fiesta S went screaming around the far hairpin. My girlfriend said “Hey isn’t that your brothers car you co-signed for?” I whipped around and into the paddock where my brother was getting out of the car. “What are you doing?” I yelled.
    He calmly said “2nd, working on first place.”
    We stayed to watch as he did just that; my brother and I started as a team the following weekend and met some terrific people (some lifetime friends) there at the Reno SCCA.
    Had a great deal of fun with that car especially on tight courses but more so especially whipping inept Porsche owners who thought they were all that and a bag of chips…😆

    Like 21
    • Avatar Derek

      It’s fun being unexpected, isn’t it? My autotest car was a bog stock Skoda 120 saloon.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar 8banger Member

    Ya, I had a ’79 Fiesta S with a 4-speed back in the early 90s, and while basically stock, it was a quick and excellent-handling little s**t….

    Like 5
  3. Avatar henry

    looks it BMW wheels from the late 80s or ’90s

    Like 0
  4. Avatar James West

    Cross flow head…might be a great buy for to right person

    Like 3
  5. Avatar angliagt Member

    While looking at a couple of Cortina GTs ( & a ’93 Fiesta),
    I was shown a Fiesta Sport that was built as a road racer.
    After owning at least a dozen of them,I’m having a hard time
    not thinking about buying it.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

      angliagt-
      “We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take.”
      Michael Jordan

      Like 2
      • Avatar angliagt Member

        I really want it,but don’t have any room in the garage,
        & don’t really need a project car right now.

        Like 1
  6. Avatar Billy1

    angliagt Like a Chastain Mercury Capri II, there can’t be too many of these still in existence. I would jump on it if I were you. Offer him $7,500.00 if it runs well.

    Like 1
    • Avatar angliagt Member

      It appears to be rust free,but the engine is disassembled.
      On the plus side,there’s lots of extra parts.I was told to make a “fair & honest offer”.I just want to see someone save it,& use it.
      Here’s the other cars that were out front.

      Like 1
  7. Avatar Skorzeny

    I had an ’80 Ghia, and even though it only had 66hp, it was a lot of fun. I was very young at the time, and if I had had more knowledge and money, I could have added a few hp. I really miss that car. 1.6L Kent was a really tough motor.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Bunky

    “Incredible” would not be my cosmetic descriptor.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Greg Millard

    PURRFECT cost effective FUN

    Like 1
  10. Avatar John Walsh

    I have a Dutton Phaeton with the same crossflow engine but 1700 cc, 4 branch headers and big Webber and it flies due to next to no weight. Pity I have to sell it due to lack of use and these are built to be used.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Marko

    Now if someone had a somewhat totaled Ford Taurus SHO laying around, one could do a mid engined transplant in the rear seat, like a Renault R5, and make a fairly lethal road burner outta this Fiesta.

    That would be fun.

    Like 4
  12. Avatar Jose

    The Sho-gun wasn’t built using the Fiesta, they used the Festiva, which was Korean built. I remember when the news came out about this car. People couldn’t believe it, they were shocked. One of the magazines did a road test on it and were just in awe. Jay Leno, I think, was one of the first to buy one. If I remember correctly, they weren’t cheap for the time.

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Grid

    This whole issue hurt me to the core: destitute from a divorce, I swapped my ’57 Bird for a ’78 Fiesta so I could come back home, take over a marina, bring it to profitability then lose the marina on the 3rd recession. The Fiesta lasted 115,000 miles, engine still as strong as original, but the holes in the driver’s floor forced another swap to a 74 Chrysler T&C wagon. Nearly melted my Shell card with that one!

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Peter Member

    I just bought this fantastic, wild car.

    Originally an S-model US spec car with body and chassis modifications by Automotive Development in Orange CA and featured in HOT ROD Magazine. Built and raced by Ron Wright of Compact FORD of Campbell, CA in the late 70’S.

    Powered by a race-prepped engine with twin 40MM Webers riding on a Compomotive 13″ x 9″ front & 13″ x 9.5″ rear wheels with Sachs shocks, 7/8″ sways bars front & rear and CRIO XR2 rotors with Sierra calipers.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

      Keep us up to speed on your progress,Peter! Personally I’d like to see the finished product barking in anger if that’s what you’ve got in mind.
      Regardless keep us in the loop I’d you don’t mind.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Peter Thelin Member

    Several days of intense cleaning and removing the rusted and sun destroyed Webasto sunroof and the Fiesta is being returned to its former glory.

    Built by Automotive Developments, the “Freaky Fiesta” was intended to be a IMSA-style dealer-supplied race car available in 4 different stages of tune.

    This car appears to be either stage 3 or 4 and in the ’70’s and ’80’s, was raced by Ron Wright of Performance Ford of Campbell California.

    Amazingly rust-free, the Fiesta mostly needs detailing and new tires.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

      Thanks for the update, Peter Thelin!

      Plans (SVRA, VARA, etc.)?

      Like 0
    • Avatar David Johnson

      I was the third owner of this car it was formally owned car by Ronald Wright previous owner to me, as new it was built by owner of Compact Ford in California. Call me five1zero3zero3eight9two0… I’ve got spares that should go with this car …

      Like 2
      • Avatar Peter Thelin Member

        That’s fantastic, thanks David! I will definitely call.

        Actually, Ron called me last weekend and we had a great conversation. He told me that he bought the Fiesta new, and purchased and installed the stage III kit 4 months later. The car was intended to showcase performance parts for his new business, though he did commute in it for a while. He also autocrossed it.

        Ron said the car was originally turbocharged–this was 1978! He said back then there weren’t many turbos on the market and the one he installed was too big for the car–it didn’t kick in until high revs, but then it was like a kick in the back.

        Ron said he often wondered what happened to the car and was pleased to hear it had surfaced and to keep him updated.

        Like 1
    • Avatar David Johnson

      This is the car when I posted it for sale, 2007

      http://www.race-cars.com/carsold/ford/1087557734/1087557734pa.htm

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Peter Thelin Member

    One step at a time…

    I’m also putting the finishing touches on a Meyers Manx SR which was in extremely sad shape when I found it. I just picked up a blueprinted, 2 liter VW motor for it and got all the body panels back from the paint shop.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

      Very cool. Don’t know that I’ve seen one before!

      You have a research source to identify “dune buggies”? A friend of mine has one she needs to sell & she has no idea what it is insofar as body manufacturer.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Peter Thelin Member

    While Bruce Meyers invented the iconic “dune buggy”, many people knocked off his work. As a result, today, Meyers Manx has an authentication service to verify actual Meyers cars.

    I got a certificate of authentication from Minnie Meyers a couple of months ago, even though the SR model wasn’t really knocked off.

    Tell your friend to go to meyersmanx.com to check it out.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

      I’m surprised they didn’t copy that one! Nice lines.

      I appreciate the link, Peter. I’ll send it on to her, tho i believe she’s got is definitely not a Manx.

      Nevadahalfrack

      Like 1

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