Bud Moore Trans-AM "body in white" in Trans Am Racing
© Sam Colman, David M. Bauer, Don Hodges, Ed Ludtke, Brian Ferrin, Wolfgang Kohrn 2002 - Last updated August 2023

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Picture courtesy Brian Ferrin
The engine of 2-1971 in 1972



Picture courtesy Brian Ferrin
Brian Ferrin showed up with 2-1971 at Willow Springs 2003
All above pictures courtesy Brian Ferrin


Picture courtesy Jim Harris
Actual engine picture courtesy Jim Harris at the Coronado 2003 race

More on the car and its nose drop by Brian Ferrin himself here on 
www.brianferrin.com/dropnose.html


The History of the Body in white #2-1971

Body in white 2-1971 racing as #15 in 1971

In addition to the three new T/A cars built by Ford, Kar Kraft, and Bud Moore for the 1970 Trans Am season, four extra chassis/bodies were assembled late in the 1970 production run. Delivered unpainted, they became known as "bodies in white".
Body in white #2-1971 was the last car completed and run by Bud Moore. Replacing chassis #212775 at St. Jovite on August 1st, George Follmer qualified and raced it to 2nd.
He repeated this at both Watkins Glen and Michigan (Sept, 6th). Follmer had driven with car #16 the prior 2 years, however, Bud Moore always preferred the #15 for his number one driver/chassis combination, and for 1971 that was Follmer.
At the end of the season of 1971, #2-1971 (along with #1-1971) were sold to Marshall Robbins of Indiana, who painted them red and white, converted them to dry sump oiling and power brakes, and ran them in T/A and A/Sedan for a few years.
#2-1971 was Robbins primary car, and only suffered damage once in 1972 at Lime Rock.

The car was next sold in 1974 to and raced by Mike Lovejoy of Indiana in select SCCA Regional races through 77 before being sold to Bob Bishop, George Boyd, and Don Hodges. Hodges returned the car to its 1971 appearance and sold it at auction in 1989 to Andy Baptista, who ran the car in a couple vintage races before selling it to Juan Gonzalez in 1995, who displayed it unraced in his private collection.

Brian Ferrin purchased the car in early 2003, and has returned it to vintage race events.

Other than the 1989 repaint, the car is an original, unrestored car, and has remained remarkably intact throughout its life. Most of the sheet metal is original, including most of the lightweight panels used in its initial construction. The original drydeck motor with S/K heads (not currently in the car) is intact with the mini-plenum with large air cleaner and ductwork, as are the specially geared toploader transmission, full floating rear axle assembly with watts link and upper radius rods, special steering linkage, and Kelsey Hayes full floating brakes along with the original Monroe race shocks. It has the correct radiator and shrouding, front suspension with K.K. hubs and spindles, boxed lower control arms, rollerized idler arm. It has all the correct coolers (diff and trans), including the lines and pumps.

While perhaps not the most sparkling example of the few surviving factory Trans Am Boss 302 Mustangs, it remains perhaps the most original
Additional information:
Although legal for 1971, a dry-sump motor was not used by Moore. The dry-sump system was installed by noted Indy car mechanic Bill Spangler in 1972 for then car owner Marshall Robbins.



Jim Robbins with #2-1971 in 1972

During Marshal Robbins ownership, the car was numbered 24 and - entered in several '72-'73 Trans-Am and A-Sedan races - driven often by Jerry Thompson.


"I got the body in white #2-1971 for Rick Cole in 89 and did a quick clean up and paint and raced it for a couple of years for owner Andy Babtista.
Andy sold the car in 1995."

Don Hodges




#2-1971 as it appears in 2003. Picture courtesy Brian Ferrin

Update May 19th
Brian Ferrin appeared with 2-1971 at the Knotts Berry Farm Fabulous Ford show in May 2009


3 cars at least got a lot attention at the Knotts Berry Farm this year, one of them certainly being Brian Ferrins Body in White 2-1971, on display with signboard explaining the history. 





#2-1971. Picture courtesy Rich Truesdell/Automotive Traveler

2011 under restoration. Picture Brian Ferrin

Note: History put together by Brian Ferrin, George Boyd, Richard Rodeck, Don Hodges, Ed Ludtke

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