 #212777 at Lime Rock 1970 Picture Ford Media  #212777 at Laguna Seca 1970 PJ first raced one of the newer cars with the triple-link suspension in practice, but switched to the backup car #212777 for the race, Picture FORD Media  Air intake of #212777 at Lime Rock 2002 Picture Sam Colman/David M. Bauer  Engine bay of #212777 at Lime Rock 2002 Picture Sam Colman/David M. Bauer  #212777 driven by Tony DeLorenzo in 1971 Picture from a T/A race picture gallery - (sorry, I forgot the source)  #212777 driven by Tony DeLorenzo in 1971 Picture courtesy www.mlodeent.com  #212777 in 2003 at the Monterey historic races Picture courtesy Hansjoerg Angele Still actively vintage raced today. Appeared at Goodwood 2002 in England. Appeared at the Monterey Historic Races 2003. Displayed at International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Talladega/Alabama.
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The History of the T/A Mustang Racer #9F02M212777This is the schoolbus yellow 1970 Bud Moore (intended backup) car #15 driven by Parnelli Jones. The car was delivered to Ford's racing division, Kar Kraft, in June 1969 as a 351 Mustang, not a Boss 302 to be prepared for the Trans Am. It was the last of 12 serial numbered Kar Kraft Mustangs. #212777 can be distinguished from the main Bud Moore cars #775 and #776 as the one with a black with gray paint, while the main cars had gray paint interiors. #777 also did not have the higher shelf in the rear window area. Subsequently, the car was delivered to and further prepared by Bud Moore. It was then driven by Parnelli Jones for the last two races of the 1969 Trans Am. Parnelli did not like the rear suspension (3-link) of his main car #775 and proved it with setting faster times with this back-up car (777). Although intended in 1970 to be one of two backup cars to Moore's two primary cars, it was driven by Parnelli Jones in 9 of the 11 Trans Ams and qualified on the pole, but not raced, for the final two. Jones drove this car in 3 of his 5 1970 Trans Am victories and earned 124 of his 142 driver's championship points. Race Results 1969 Trans Am
The car was then sold in 1971 to Tony DeLorenzo who campaigned it as the #3 Troy Promotions Boss 302. It competed in 9 of the 10 Trans Ams in 1971, placing in the top five 4 times, including 2nd at Lime Rock and 3rd at Donnybrooke. After competing in the 1972 Lime Rock Trans Am, the car was sold to Vince Sandridge of Ohio. Sandridge and George Gunlock raced the car until 1975 and it was then stored until 1982. In 1983 it was purchased by Dale Sale of Alabama.  "This is a photo I took in the mid 80's at Road Atlanta during a Walter Mitty event. I photographed this particular car because I got a ride in it around Road Atlanta (2 laps at speed!)." Scott A.Lathrop Note the modern stickers on the windscreen, which were a bit disliked by purists amongst the Trans Am guys during that period, but we are not here to judge on this. At least they serve to identify the car in the 80ies. After this shot Dale put other stickers on like 'Pace Trailers' and '1-800-xxxxxx' (*xxxxx to avoid phone calls to this number) As of 1995 it was unrestored, owned by Dale Sale and being vintage raced. Dale Sale put it for sale in 1995-1996. It was listed then for $175,000. Harry Lipetz purchased the car in October '96 and restored it to its present condition. This car retains much of its original body work and mechanicals. "The original seat was removed in 1971 by Tony DeLorenzo. When we restored the car in 1996, we had to fabricate a new seat from scratch to precisely match the original 1970 seat." (Dan Lipetz) It appears today as it did in 1970 at Mid Ohio where Jones drove it to its 3rd victory and Ford's 4th straight that season. In August 1997 at Laguna Seca Parnelli Jones and the car were reunited. Jones raced the car (#777) to a nostalgic victory in the historic Trans Am race. Jones has also raced it to two second place finishes at the 1999 and 2001 historic Trans Am races. 
The Watts linkage box. This and the following pictures were taken by Steve Francis during a Historic Trans-Am Reunion race, while crewing on the car. The car was underneath in unrestored condition at that moment. 
The oil cooler - noteworthy also the brake cooling ducts Picture Steve Francis  The roll cage bars and unique shock mounting Notice the black Zolatone rather than grey showing that 777 started as a 69 T/A season car. Picture Steve Francis
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