Latest news with #MercuryCyclone
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rare 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Rescued After 40 Years in Basement
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A rare 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler, forgotten in a basement for over 40 years, has been fully restored to its original condition after being rescued in 2021. The highly collectible Dan Gurney Special edition is now turning heads once again thanks to a meticulous rotisserie restoration. Originally purchased new in 1969, the car was driven sparingly before being parked in 1980 and subsequently forgotten. Its remarkable story came to light in a recent episode on Lou Costabile's YouTube channel, where car restorer Everett Rutledge and current owner Steve Breedlove detailed the car's decades-long disappearance and stunning revival. Breedlove acquired the vehicle after locating it in the basement of a private residence, where it had remained undisturbed since the Carter administration. The Cyclone's confinement may have preserved its integrity: the car was discovered in extremely low-mileage condition, retaining its original 5.8-liter (351 cubic-inch) Windsor V8 engine. Only 1,025 Cyclone Spoilers were produced in 1969, and just 131 of them were Dan Gurney Special editions, named for the American racing legend. Even fewer—only 114—came equipped with the same interior/exterior color combination and factory AM radio, making this example one of the rarest surviving Cyclone Spoilers. Following a comprehensive frame-off restoration, the Mercury was returned to its original showroom appearance, complete with factory-correct details and paintwork. From its signature red-white-blue livery to its preserved drivetrain, the Cyclone now stands as a rolling tribute to late-1960s NASCAR-inspired muscle. 'It's an incredible piece of Ford performance history,' said Rutledge, who helped oversee the restoration. 'To find one this original and this rare—especially with such low mileage—is almost unheard of.' The story of this Cyclone's resurrection is not just about preserving a rare car, but about honoring the legacy of American muscle and the enthusiasts who bring it back to life.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Talladega Superspeedway to honor Bobby Allison ahead of NASCAR Cup Series race
TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) — Talladega is a magnet for racing fans. The Talladega Superspeedway is an iconic track that many have come to know and love, along with its iconic racers like the Alabama Gang. Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race will start with a special tribute to the late Bobby Allison, one of the founding members of the Alabama Gang. Allison died in November, and this is the first Cup Series race at the Superspeedway since his death. Allison's grandson Robbie will be leading the racers around the track in his famous 1969 Mercury Cyclone. The car Robbie will be driving is the exact car Allison won in at Talladega in 1971. 'Talladega is built on history. It's built on tradition,' track president Brian Crichton said. 'It's a really core, authentic racetrack in NASCAR. So to have one of the 1969 iconic racecars from way back in the day going around the racetrack is just special. We've done it before for some others as well, and so it's obviously a fitting tribute to Bobby.' Cause of fatal Moody fire revealed It takes some work to get a car from 1969 in running order again. 'It was in a museum up in North Carolina,' Crichton said. 'They had to put some new tires on it. They had to do some different things with the engine, but it pretty much fired up when they were ready to go. So it's going to be a beautiful, beautiful sight down here going around the racetrack.' Around 125,000 race fans are expected to fill the grandstands and the infield Sunday. Exterior groundwork has been done for campers arriving Wednesday. Crews are working on the infield to have everything ready by Thursday. Fans can look forward to some improvements in the infield this year as well. 'Talladega Garage Experience is a $50 million renovation that we did to our infield,' Crichton said. 'The number one question we get is 'How can I be in the garages?' And of course, we can't put all the fans in the garages, but what we did is we built this amusement park around our garages. Fans walk into one side, racecars and teams come in the other side. The only thing that separates you is about a four-foot-high fence and about five feet off the nose of the car, so you're right there in the middle of everything.' Practices and qualifying races will start Friday, and the NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
