FORD MUSTANG & FALCON

CONTINUING V8 SUCCESS

These two American V8s shared some parts, at least to begin with, and passed the BTCC benchmark baton between them from the mid-1960s to ’70.

Perhaps the most recognisable of the Yank Tanks, the original Mustang took Roy Pierpoint to the drivers’ title in 1965, while Jack Brabham and Jackie Oliver were also among the original Mustang-mounted winners over the next two seasons.

Frank Gardner’s Falcon thundered to the 1967 title ahead of all the Mustangs, and the Falcon Sprint was still capable of winning races in ’69, in the hands of Pierpoint and Dennis Leach. Gardner then completed the first Ford V8 era by setting the pace in the Boss 302 variant of the Mustang in ’70, though he lost in the points to Class A ace Bill Mcgovern.