'63 Falcon: Patriot Missle

Owner/driver: Bill Sherman, Huntington Beach, CA

Make and model: 1963 Ford Falcon

Engine: 377 cubic inch Cleveland designed small-block 357



Engine/Transmission Modifications:

SVO 357 block, stock 4-inch bore, Scat billet 3-3/4-inch stoke crank, Manley aluminum rods; 6-inch long, JE pistons; 8.2:1 ratio, JE rings, Comp Cams roller cam, specs: 254/259 duration at 0.050-inch lift, Isky roller lifters, Manley push rods, T&D shaft roller rockers, Ford tall valve covers, Danny Bee cam belt-drive. Stewart Components NASCAR water pump, Peterson external oil pump with a vacuum pump, belt-driven off of the balancer, BHJ balancer, homemade pulleys, homemade oil pan, intake manifold, exhaust headers, fuel injection, hand-formed intake runners, dual Turbonetics T076 turbos going to Turbonetics water-to-air intercoolers, homemade exhaust system (4-inch diameter), from turbos to Magnaflow 4-inch mufflers; entire exhaust system is stainless steel. Fuel injectors are 160 pounds per hour, Turbonetics wastegates are controlled by an Innovative Turbos multi-stage boost controller. Engine is capable of 30 pounds of boost, and 1900 horsepower. Holley 58 mm throttle body. Transmission is a Powerglide by Mike’s Transmission with a Dedenbar case, Neal Chance torque converter, and a B&M ratchet shifter. Brodix BF200 heads ported by Joe Sherman Racing Engines. Machine work done by Mike McDaniel at Engine Supply in Santa Ana, CA. Engine dyno’d by Joe Sherman Racing Engines in Santa Ana, CA.

Interior Modifications:



Stock dash, Auto Meter gauges, Painless wiring harness, aluminum seats. F.A.S.T electronic fuel injection that is sequentially controlled, laptop tunable, Race Pack data acquisition system to analyze each run and record information. Crow Enterprises harness and belts. Stroud parachute.



Chassis/Suspension/Brake:

Chrome moly roll cage; homemade. Strange strut front suspension with Strange 4-piston caliper front disc brakes, Art Morrison front and rear frame rails. Rear suspension is 4-link from Morrison, with a 9-inch housing narrowed by Currie Enterprises. Home-fabricated housing brackets, Mark Williams 40-spline rifle drilled axles, Mark Williams Pro Mod aluminum third member with a 3.89:1 ratio, Inland Empire aluminum drive shaft with 1350 u-joints, Strange dual caliper rear brakes, 8-pistons per caliper. Center Line wheels with Mickey Thompson tires; 3-1/2x26” front, 10-1/2 x 32” rear.

Time it took for modifications/restoration, and unique stories/highlights:

I started building the car in 1995. It has been, and is still, street legal. I have license plates that are current on it now. I’ve had approximately 18 different engines in the car; from a 580-horse pump gas engine, to the current 1900 horse unit. Transmissions range from a Jerico 4-speed tranny to the current Powerglide. I was the number one qualifier for 3 years in a row at the Super Chevy event in Pomona where they had a special event for street cars. I didn’t win, but it was fun being the top qualifier at a Chevy meet with a Ford! I’m still modifying things on the car to harness all of the power. Gil Navarez in Las Vegas, NV, did the initial tuning on the chassis dyno. He has been extremely helpful in tuning the turbo motor so as not to damage anything, yet have enough power to race. Thanks to my crewman George Derrington who attends all of the races with me. I thank my God for the opportunity to be able to play at this level, and for each safe pass I make.

Race history (where car has been raced, best ets, mph, etc.):

Been raced at Pomona, Carlsbad Raceway, Palmdale, Bakersfield, Irwindale and Las Vegas. Best 1/4 mile time with a normally aspirated combination is 9.41 at 147 mph. With the turbo, 5.16 in the 1/8 mile at 136.88 mph. I’m still tuning and expect to be able to run 7.50 at around 175 mph (in the 1/4 mile) before the year is out.