Topic: How did Ford keep track of homologation progress?

[DougDyar]

One thing I've never seen explained is how did Ford keep track of the cars that were produced in accordance with the SCCA's build requirements?
For example, I believe that 1000 '69 BOSS 302s were required, which is a percentage of the previous year's total production. 7000 BOSSes were required to be built in 1970.
Looking back now, with production details now known, many of the '70s were built very late in the model year, suggesting that retail/dealer sales would have come up short of the 7000 that were required if they had left it up to customers and/or dealers to buy/sell enough to make the cars legal for SCCA Trans Am racing. With just 7013 (or 7014) built, they sure didn't leave many on the table.
Can anyone shed some light on this subject?
Doug

[cobrajet_carl]

I think it was just 2500 units for 1970, since that's how many Javelins were made.

From the SCCA handbook circa 1970:
"Cars shall conform with the provisions of the SCCA Sedan Category

Automobile Eligibility - SCCA Sedans shall be those makes and models of cars which are recognized and homologated as follows:

1 - Cars over 2000 cc displacement. A - Homologated by FIA in Group 1 or 2 prior to December 31, 1968. B - Recognized by the SCCA in Sedan Category prior to December 31, 1969. C - Recognized by ACCUS-FIA as eligible for SCCA Sedan Category after January 1, 1970.

2 - Cars of 2000 cc displacement or less. A - Homologated by FIA prior to December 31, 1969. B - Homologated by FIA after January 1, 1970, except that SCCA shall not recognize optional equipment or specifications produced in quantities of less than 1,000 units.

3 - Regardless of ACCUS-FIA or SCCA regulation as above, the following categories of cars shall not be eligible as SCCA Sedans: A - Cars with a wheelbase of more than 116 inches. B - Convertibles or sun roofs. C- Independent rear suspension on cars with engine displacement of over 2000 cc."

[J_Speegle]

Not sure I understand what your asking but will try. First to document that sufficient number of cars were built Ford kept records (the stuff Kevin Marti got access to) that documented the number of cars built but that would have been done well after the application and the acceptance. Guess no car company would want to get caught coming up short. That would make future application likely more restrictive and watched allot closer

On the other side after submitting their application with all the pictures and specifications SCCA would send back a recognition letter/form to show it "passed". Below is an example for the 69 Boss. The one I found the quickest in my search

From what I see FIA used different forms and slightly different process. Unlike Trans AM/Sedan racing I don't thing they carried about number of cars built

[67gta289]

A very good friend of mine was the secretary of the Ford racing group starting in the fall of 1966 (after the first win at Lemans) and making it all the way to when they were locked out of the Kar Kraft building in the fall of 1970 and the group was disbanded.  I'll see her tomorrow and will ask if she remembers anything about this.  I do recall that one of the bosses, Joe Macura, was responsible for homologation of the Boss 429 and had his share of setbacks - so they gave him the award pictured here.  I think I've shared this particular picture before, but since this is along the lines of homologation I figured it was worth a second go.

[DougDyar]

I think it was just 2500 units for 1970, since that's how many Javelins were made.

I've read that there was a minimum number required, again figured on a percentage of cars sold the previous year. For '70 it was 2500. Since Ford sold a lot more cars than AMC, Ford had to build 7000, and AMC, Dodge and Plymouth got by with the 2500 minimum. Chevy was required to build more than Ford, since they sold more cars the previous year. I think they had to build something like 9000 Z28s.

Jeff, the SCCA had to trust the manufacturers to build at least the number specified, since the racing season was well underway before the cars were produced. That's why they based the requirement on the previous year's production total. If you look at 1970 BOSS 302 production, for example, there were many cars produced in just the last few weeks of production. Obviously an attempt to meet the 7000-unit minimum that was required. They built barely more than 7000, so someone was keeping track and kicked up production at the end of the model year to ensure that they met the requirement. It would have had to have been during production, not left to chance, as it's unlikely to have been so close to the required number (7013 vs 7000). I'm just wondering how they did it since I have never heard anyone say that BOSS 302 production was artificially inflated near the end of the model year to meet the SCCA's requirement.

[DougDyar]

I edited my first post to show 1000 '69 BOSS 302s were required, not 2500, as shown on the document Jeff posted.