1969 FORD TALLADEGA CUSTOM

Details

LeeRoy Yarbrough 1969 Ford Torino Talladega re-creation. This build began with an original Talladega. The car was in very good original condition. The car showed no signs of rust or prior damage. There are no patch panels or rust repair on this car. All panels are the originals. The base Wimbledon White paint was very straightforward. The accompanying lettering and decals on the car were a labor of love. From volumes of original literature, the best photographed of LeeRoy's cars was chosen. From

these photos slides were made and the fun began. A professional air brush artist was hired. The slides were then projected onto the car in full size so the layout would be exact. Each of the original numbers and letters was reproduced on the car exactly. Even the roof numbers are correct. The decals were reproduced and laid out in the correct positions. The end product is as near of an exact reproduction as possible. Perhaps the most impressive and hardest of all the processes was the acquisition of the 'Gurney Flap' (rear spoiler). Extreme efforts were made to find an original with no success. Since these consisted of three pieces of gas-welded aluminum, done by hand, not just anyone could make them correctly. After much research, one of the original Holman & Moody fabricators was found. He still had the correct measurements and not only produced the flap, but also made the Cowl Induction pieces, too. Since this time he has passed away and this craft has died with him, never to be produced again. The other tinwork on the car was done by a current NASCAR Truck series tech, using photos of the original cars. The roll-cage was reproduced as close as possible to the original, with the exception of adding a passenger compartment. The double door bars, hoop, halo, etc., all were replicated very tastefully. As for the interior, the seats originally used were from the '67 Mustang. These low-back seats were acquired and re-covered as the originals in black leather with the correct pattern and stitching. The 'side-bolsters' needed to keep the driver in place with matching head rests were painstakingly reproduced and covered in the matching black leather. In the race cars a sheet-metal dash replaced the original. Staying true to the original cars, a correct dash was fabricated using original measurements. The correct Stewart Warner gauges were acquired and installed in the car. Perhaps one of the coolest pieces on this car is an original tachometer from one of David Pearson's Talladegas. It is one of the earliest 'tattle tale' tachs.