I just spotted R Model window frames on Gas Ronda's 1965 A/FX Mustang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJaa15Ayfik
I guess it could be expected. Les Ritchey who owned Performance Associates maintained the car and built Gas' engines. He also converted the factory 65-66 GT350 drag race cars for Shelby American. Performance Associates were SoCal's best Ford racers at the time. Just about every Ford dealer who was sponsoring a car had them prep it. I wonder how close Perf Assoc worked with SA on other projects. They used Belanger Headers (another Covina, CA company) on the Dragon Snakes. Belanger was less than 2 blocks from Les Ritcheys shop.
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on July 13, 2020, 12:45:38 AM
I just spotted R Model window frames on Gas Ronda's 1965 A/FX Mustang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJaa15Ayfik
I guess it could be expected. Les Ritchey who owned Performance Associates maintained the car and built Gas' engines. He also converted the factory 65-66 GT350 drag race cars for Shelby American. Performance Associates were SoCal's best Ford racers at the time. Just about every Ford dealer who was sponsoring a car had them prep it. I wonder how close Perf Assoc worked with SA on other projects. They used Belanger Headers (another Covina, CA company) on the Dragon Snakes. Belanger was less than 2 blocks from Les Ritcheys shop.
That is Ronda car #2. The first car ( crashed @ Lions when an axle broke) had roll up windows as did Les's car. When Les's car was upgraded to a '66 , he got "plastic" windows too. Les built the SAI drag race GT350s and was keenly aware of what was available.
Randy
Quote from: gt350hr on July 13, 2020, 11:37:32 AM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on July 13, 2020, 12:45:38 AM
I just spotted R Model window frames on Gas Ronda's 1965 A/FX Mustang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJaa15Ayfik
I guess it could be expected. Les Ritchey who owned Performance Associates maintained the car and built Gas' engines. He also converted the factory 65-66 GT350 drag race cars for Shelby American. Performance Associates were SoCal's best Ford racers at the time. Just about every Ford dealer who was sponsoring a car had them prep it. I wonder how close Perf Assoc worked with SA on other projects. They used Belanger Headers (another Covina, CA company) on the Dragon Snakes. Belanger was less than 2 blocks from Les Ritcheys shop.
That is Ronda car #2. The first car ( crashed @ Lions when an axle broke) had roll up windows as did Les's car. When Les's car was upgraded to a '66 , he got "plastic" windows too. Les built the SAI drag race GT350s and was keenly aware of what was available.
Randy
Yes - Ford gave Gas a second car after the found out the axle broke and it wasn't driver error. I hadn't noticed the windows in Les' car before. I heard his car was still at Holman & Moody where Ford had it sent after he was killed.
I know . I was given the tag off of the wreck. It is now owned by Brent Hajek
Tasca's '65 AFX car also received R-model window frames part way into the season and still has them today...
Has anyone noticed the difference in the two side window frames of the cars in this topic? Gas Ronda's window A frame is much smaller than the Tasca's car window A frame. Did possibly Les Ritchey build his own, or is this an early vs later version thing going on?
John
Quote from: dangcarnut on May 16, 2021, 09:25:46 AM
Has anyone noticed the difference in the two side window frames of the cars in this topic? Gas Ronda's window A frame is much smaller than the Tasca's car window A frame. Did possibly Les Ritchey build his own, or is this an early vs later version thing going on?
John
Not until just now..... Maybe Howard will chime in on the window history. All the photos I've seen (just googled) show the Tasca style window on all of them. The R Models had a slide up window in the channel and it would be easier to control as a square window rather than with the curved area at the top front edge.
Here's another A/FX car in 1968 with "normal" R windows
(https://i.imgur.com/dyCFmDpm.jpg)
The aluminum framed side windows with the smaller sized 'vent' windows are something Holman Moody did (in addition to Gas Rondas second car, ive seen them on the first iteration of the Batcar). The R Model frames are unique to the Tasca car, something they did during 1965. At least one race in 1965, they also had an R Model rear window in it. Bondy Long bought it for 1966, at that point, the standard rear glass was reinstalled but the R Model side windows remained. Carson Hyman drove it in 1966 as Bowani Ford, and Sam Auxier match raced it in 1968 as Bowani II, also drove it in NASCAR Ultra Stock. The R Model side windows were still in it when it turned up a few years ago
Dave
We've spoken several times about Gas Ronda's first car being crashed. Here is the only photo I've ever seen of it. It's taken in back of Les Richey's shop in Glendora. That's his Thunderbolt next to it. Don't get excited those look like Hurst wheels on the car behind it not Cragars.
(https://i.imgur.com/9rD6IbMl.jpg)
What was interesting about that crash was it broke the right side axle , not the left which is more common. This crash caused Ford to redesign the axles, I have a pair of first and second designs.
The windows were added after Rhonda got the car and yes they were one of the first pair used on an A/FX Mustang. They were designed to "look" like a factory window , but the "action" was not "smooth" making them a pain to lower and raise. (Rules required them to be "functional") The H&M improved design was smooth and trouble free.
Any info on these side window frames and 1/4 window Kits I found near LA last year ?
Used first in the competition model 65 GT350.
The box looks like it was for the 66 rear side windows. I'd assume the R Model windows to have as 65 part #. Jim Murieta at OVC recently bought the original tooling for the side windows.
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on November 01, 2021, 10:00:19 PM
The box looks like it was for the 66 rear side windows. I'd assume the R Model windows to have as 65 part #. Jim Murieta at OVC recently bought the original tooling for the side windows.
that's good to know, as I thought cobra automotive had the original tooling, maybe it's the rear window U am thinking of?