MUSCLE CAR PROFILE
1970
Cyclone Sp oiler
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID TRAVER ADOLPHUS
MORE SLICK THAN THE TORINO,
THIS MERC IS STILL A RECORD HOLDER
Ford had ended sponsorship of
their NASCAR program for the
1970 year, but following up on
Mercury’s big success in 1969, there was
a Grand National Cyclone Spoiler too
far along in development to kill it. The
base package was an 11.3: 1 compression,
429-cu.in. Cobra Jet and Ram Air, and
there wasn’t much room to improve on
it—an available Super CJ got you an oil
cooler, Holley carburetor in place of an
Autolite, solid lifters, different rear-end
ratio options, different rear springs, and
it may or may not have put out another
5hp, depending upon whom you believe.
Either way, the 370hp rating was notoriously conservative, because even though
it was listed at 3, 400 pounds, putting
one on a scale in street trim yields better than 4,000 pounds of Mercury. So
when it effortlessly gets up to triple digits without feeling strained, you know
there’s real power going to the ground.
Compared to a General Motors 454, it’s
not a real high winder, but that doesn’t
stop it from making a quarter-mile time
in the 13s.
The adjustable wing, nosepiece and
chin spoiler aren’t there for show, either:
“Many teams raced the Montego once
it was determined the Torino fastback
was slower at speed,” said the Cyclone
Montego Torino Registry’s Robert Day.
So when you hit 100 MPH at the end of
your 1, 280 feet, the ride is comfortable
and relaxing, unlike most muscle cars,
which can get very squirrely at that
speed. The modern rubber formulations
in Goodyear Polyglas tires, as equipped
on Don Fezell’s feature car, are capable
of more than you’d give them credit
for, so that played into our experiences
behind the wheel.
Mercury’s performance credentials
are nonexistent today, but going into
1970 they were unimpeachable, with four
outright Grand National wins for Mercury teams in 1969, running the Cyclone
Spoiler and Torino Talladega. They performed so well that Ford worried Mercury would ruin their chances at the
manufacturer’s title, and even without
factory support, “The Wood Brothers’
#21 1971 Montego still holds the record
for 18 wins out of 32 races entered—by
the same car,” said Robert. “The likes of
David Pearson, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones
and Donnie Allison all drove #21 from
1970-’ 73, before this more aero-than-planned car was too old to race.”
24 HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS • JUNE 2009
