Tasca's new car

[Mike_in_Toney]

Looks like a Chevy to me.
https://autoweek.com/article/nhra/f...-new-mustang-nhra-funny-car-ahead-pomona-test

 

[turbo ken]

Just different decals for the headlights, grill, taillights, and the make/model on the windshield is all you need.

 

[R.I.P. O.C.I.R.]

the flopper bodies all look the same from the grandstands, and we now have a safety concern with f/c body parts landing in the grandstands. solution? drop f/c and bring back aa/fa.

 

[Cliff]

Well, the grill looks like a 2020 Stang, but the roof looks like 20 years ago. "Funny cars are just streamlined, front engined, short wheelbase Top Fuel Dragsters".

 

[turbo ken]

the flopper bodies all look the same from the grandstands, and we now have a safety concern with f/c body parts landing in the grandstands. solution? drop f/c and bring back aa/fa.

Tim Wilkerson can make one run!

 

[mike]

Well, the grill looks like a 2020 Stang, but the roof looks like 20 years ago. "Funny cars are just streamlined, front engined, short wheelbase Top Fuel Dragsters".

I was thinking the same thing in regards to the roofline - it looks identical to the first Mustangs Force and T-Ped ran.

 

[Just Paul]

I’m just glad Ford is back in the game after pulling out a few years ago.

 

[none]

What I find interesting is that everytime a new body comes out most people here will talk about how they're all the same, the only difference is decals, you can't tell one from the other, etc, etc, but the teams don't think that.

Every time there's a new body the other manufacturers complain that they were allowed to throw out the rulebook and build something that gives them an obvious advantage. I've heard it from the Dodge teams, the Chevy teams, the Toyota teams, and the Ford teams. While you may not see it from the stands, Ford would not spend a pile of cash on a new design if they didn't think it would help them win.

I'm certainly not claiming that they all look exactly like their street versions, but there are subtle differences that identify them as well as subtle differences that help them perform. I for one am just glad that there are four manufactures that see the value in NHRA and want to spend money racing with us.

Alan

 

[Nunz]

I’ve been saying this for a long time, I don’t care that FCs don’t look like street cars. They shouldn’t, they’re a different animal than when the class started. Everybody enjoyed the decades of performance gains that got us here, but somehow FCs are still supposed to look similar to the street versions. We have a ton of classes with really fast cars that look somewhat stock. JMO

 

[ironpony]

I’ve been saying this for a long time, I don’t care that FCs don’t look like street cars. They shouldn’t, they’re a different animal than when the class started. Everybody enjoyed the decades of performance gains that got us here, but somehow FCs are still supposed to look similar to the street versions. We have a ton of classes with really fast cars that look somewhat stock. JMO

None of which are Pro classes, none of which are on TV.

 

[P-Dogg]

"Bob Tasca III says it’s structurally stronger than the old car to prevent warping, which can disrupt its aerodynamics."

 

[Cliff]

So how do they test the designs of the bodies now? I heard that you can build a virtual body on the computer, then put that design thru a virtual wind tunnel, and that will tell you pretty much what you need to know w/o building a real body. I remember years ago that some guys would build a scale model body and they actually built a scale wind tunnel. Got good results from that. It is interesting to see how the bodies have evolved over time to what they are today. You know what is also interesting to me is the nostalgia funny car class. Those folks are running bodies that are more or less like the 60's & 70's, but are running waaaay quicker than back in the Daze. So even those "old" designs have a certain amount of streamlining and seem to function well.

 

[Z28LT1]

None of which are Pro classes, none of which are on TV.

LODRS is on TV all the time...

there are subtle differences that identify them as well as subtle differences that help them perform. I for one am just glad that there are four manufactures that see the value in NHRA and want to spend money racing with us.

Alan

The new Mustang doesn't look that much different than the old Mustang body. I'm surprised they didn't put that big lip on the front like the Camaro's and Charger's have. However, you and @Paul Songas are right, I'm glad to see another manufacture investing in the sport. It's their body, the can do what they want with it inside the rules.

 

[TSK]

Comparative pictures of the 2018 and 2019 Mustang FC bodies are in this story:

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/new-ford-mustang-funny-car-ready-for-2019-nhra-season

 

[ironpony]

What I find interesting is that everytime a new body comes out most people here will talk about how they're all the same, the only difference is decals, you can't tell one from the other, etc, etc, but the teams don't think that.

Every time there's a new body the other manufacturers complain that they were allowed to throw out the rulebook and build something that gives them an obvious advantage. I've heard it from the Dodge teams, the Chevy teams, the Toyota teams, and the Ford teams. While you may not see it from the stands, Ford would not spend a pile of cash on a new design if they didn't think it would help them win.

I'm certainly not claiming that they all look exactly like their street versions, but there are subtle differences that identify them as well as subtle differences that help them perform. I for one am just glad that there are four manufactures that see the value in NHRA and want to spend money racing with us.

Alan

one other time when we were discussing FC bodies, I was corrected and told that the "team" paid for the body development and anyone else that wanted to run one had tp buy it from them. So which is it ?.

 

[camaro]

the mold /model for all nitro funny cars

 

[sammi]

Ford, GM, Fiat and Toyota would be wise to spend their drag racing $$ in factory stock, super stock and stock. It makes no sense to support a class that has no relevance to a dealer or its customers.

 

[none]

one other time when we were discussing FC bodies, I was corrected and told that the "team" paid for the body development and anyone else that wanted to run one had tp buy it from them. So which is it ?.

Tasca a couple of years ago built his own. Ford paid for the engineering for the JFR bodies when he was running them, but JFR had exclusive rights to them. So I guess the answer is "It depends"

Alan

 

[none]

Ford, GM, Fiat and Toyota would be wise to spend their drag racing $$ in factory stock, super stock and stock. It makes no sense to support a class that has no relevance to a dealer or its customers.

One of the basic rules of advertising is to put your name in front of the most prospective customers. And more people watch the Funny Car "Billboard" than the others you mentioned.

And Ford, Chevy and Dodge are all investing heavily in Stock, SS, and Factory Stock. Toyota doesn't have a car in that category.

Alan

 

[Sandman]

What I find interesting is that everytime a new body comes out most people here will talk about how they're all the same, the only difference is decals, you can't tell one from the other, etc, etc, but the teams don't think that.

Every time there's a new body the other manufacturers complain that they were allowed to throw out the rulebook and build something that gives them an obvious advantage. I've heard it from the Dodge teams, the Chevy teams, the Toyota teams, and the Ford teams. While you may not see it from the stands, Ford would not spend a pile of cash on a new design if they didn't think it would help them win.

I'm certainly not claiming that they all look exactly like their street versions, but there are subtle differences that identify them as well as subtle differences that help them perform. I for one am just glad that there are four manufactures that see the value in NHRA and want to spend money racing with us.

Alan

Alan, as always I respect your viewpoint. I too am thrilled to see multiple manufacturers involved in F/C and I'm sure they are all doing their part to help their teams win. But did anyone in the know at NHRA ever think that the reason people are saying they all look alike is that to the fans, they all look alike? I love funny cars and always have, but today's appearance doesn't do it for me. There's no way that anyone can tell me the racing would be on bit less exciting if the noses were in a stock location, the greenhouse wasn't half the width and they didn't have rear spoilers the size of 1/2 ton pickup beds. But then again, I'm not making those decisions. But if I ran a store and all the customers told me they like Coke over Pepsi, I wouldn't be shoving Pepsi down their throats.