Update on #88 Daytona that was found...

[nascarxx29]

Different topic but related the Gale Porter 1970 letter about the #88 museum car switch.I ran across this about Bob Mc Curry donating the car in 1973

[Aero426]

Just to clarify the above,  the car that EVENTUALLY became the #88 Daytona was initially running as a Charger 500 race car in November 1968.   See note about "car being constructed at Nichels under direct engineering supervision"  (of Larry Rathgeb).  

[Aero426]

Furthur to the above are the results of the test which clearly calls out the new Engineering car (093) versus the old car 046 (the Cotton Owens 1968 Charger converted to a Charger 500).   Conversion of 093 to a Daytona came later.    There is nothing to suggest there ever was another test car in between the old Engineering car 046 and the new car, 093. 

http://aerowarriors.com/cda/cda_09_120968.html

[tan top]

interesting  read !!  

[odcics2]

Stumbled across this old thread!  Was prior to me being onboard.  Lots of questions being answered lately, but the ones that asked are MIA.   

[Ghoste]

Wow, ten years ago.

[odcics2]

Wow, ten years ago.

Time flies. I was surprised to see the view count.

[aerolith]

Wow, every little things adds up!

One and a half degree 'floorpan', was that was even measurable in 1968?
Or was it 'not' measurable by the officials, so it was altered to see if it had any advantages?
Ford had outrageous rocker mods that they were allowed to get away with...

192mph was getting close to the BIG 200mph.
Would it have been possible without the Nose and wing mods...

[Aero426]

Wow, every little things adds up!

One and a half degree 'floorpan', was that was even measurable in 1968?
Or was it 'not' measurable by the officials, so it was altered to see if it had any advantages?
Ford had outrageous rocker mods that they were allowed to get away with...

192mph was getting close to the BIG 200mph.
Would it have been possible without the Nose and wing mods...

Chrysler performed shaved rocker panel modifications on several 1968 mid-season Dodge and Plymouth race cars.    They were caught during inspection and forced to raise the cars.      When they were caught,  George Wallace, a Chrysler engineer cheerfully pointed out to NASCAR that Ford was doing the same.        The 1969 Talladega and Spoiler II street cars that followed came with the rerolled "short" rocker panels so they would be legal on the track.   A smart move by Ford.  

Remember that when Baker set the 200 mph record at Talladega,  that was with the best available car, with their best engine running as fast as it could.    He did not leave anything on the table.    Getting a Charger 500 to 200 mph at Talladega would have taken a significant horsepower increase (17.5 HP per mph) that was not there.   And the handling would be an unknown.   With engineering development between December 1968 and mid-1970,  they could have gotten a little closer.      No one ever got close to 200 at Daytona where the 192 mph C500 test was run.    

[odcics2]

As mentioned by Doug, to get to 200 required less drag.
The old 426 hemi, designed in 1963, was tapped out !!