Ralph Moody 1918-2004
In the '60s and '70s, the names Holman & Moody struck fear in the hearts of many Chevy and Mopar racers. Builders of the most powerful Ford racing engines on the planet, John Holman and Ralph Moody worked with legendary Ford teams like Carroll Shelby's GT40s and Cobras and Wood Brothers Grand National Torinos to take numerous championships. In June of this year, Ralph Moody passed away at the age of 86 ending a legendary time in Ford racing history.
With the partnership they began in 1957, Holman & Moody were the most innovative Ford engine-builders of the time. They ended their working relationship in 1972, but the business carried on the name for many years after Ralph's departure. Their diverse product line-including 427ci SOHC engines for NASCAR and A/FX drag racing, and engines for both the Cobra and GT40s-helped Ford and Shelby "kick old man Ferrari's ass" at the 24 Hours of Lemans for four straight years, raising the highwater mark for American performance.
The list of drivers piloting Holman & Moody cars over the history of the team is like a Who's Who of the best drivers in the world, including Fred Lorenzen, Mark Donohue, Bobby Allison, Ronnie Bucknum, Parnelli Jones, Ned Jarrett, Walt Hansgen, Peter Revson, David Pearson, Nelson Stacy, Al Unser, Joe Weatherly, Cale Yarborough, Dan Gurney, A. J. Foyt, Bo Ljungfeldt, Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, Junior Johnson, Dick Hutcherson, Augie Pabst, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, and Bobby Unser.
If there was a "most famous race car" in the Holman & Moody stable, it was the Wood Brothers' NASCAR Torino with their driver David Pearson. The Pearson team's domination was impressive, culminating in 16 race wins in 1968 by the team of Wood Brothers, Pearson, and Holman & Moody. Richard Petty's short-lived jump from Hemi Plymouths to Ford Talladegas for '69 had to be, in part, related to the success shown with the Holman & Moody Ford engines.
But Holman & Moody were not only innovators of high-performance Fords, they were also leaders in other areas. They innovated the use of safety fuel cells, and driver-side window netting made them a recognized name in non-Ford products as well. The passing of Ralph Moody, the quiet man with so many innovative engineering ideas, closes the book on a great chapter in Ford racing history.
Top 10 Stolen Collector Cars
1.Corvette
2. Impala
3. Bel Air
4. Camaro
5. Mustang
6. Thunderbird
7. Chevelle
8. El Camino
9. Eldorado
10. Caprice
Hagerty Insurance sent us this disturbing little bit of news that's bound to make you think, if not batten down the hatches a little tighter on your musclecar sitting in the garage. "Our 2003 claims data indicates that California, Michigan, and Florida are the top three states in which collector vehicles are most likely to be stolen," says McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance, "with May, June, and July recording the highest number of thefts."
Hagerty's data also reveals that the most dangerous place to leave a collector car unattended was not a public parking lot as in previous years, but at home-in a driveway or garage. If there's good news, your Mercury Zephyr is probably safe-for now.
Edelbrock Scholarship
Brittany Prouty, a senior at South Torrance High School, has been named the recipient of the second annual Vic & Nancy Edelbrock Scholarship for excellence in automotive technology.
Prouty was honored at Vic's Garage in Torrance, with Dr. Steven Fish, Superintendent of the Torrance Unified School District, on hand to help award the $1,000 prize.
"Nancy and I are thrilled to present this award to Brittany. It's always a pleasure to see a new generation of young people grow up with the same passion for automobiles that I felt at their age," says Vic Edelbrock Jr., company president and CEO.