Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
Did you identify the Holman Moody Challenger III at speed found in a Facebook racing page?
Identify;
- The race car and driver
The Holman Moody Challenger III with NASCAR veteran Marvin Panch at the wheel.
- Location
The 1962 9th Annual International Bahamas Speed Weeks, which was hosted at the 4.5mi (7.2km) Oakes Field course in Nassau, Bahamas.
- Date
The Bahamas Speed Weeks took place between December 2- December 10, 1962- This particular photo was on December 9, 1962.
- Outcome for this racer at this race
Challenger III was disabled when the fan belt snapped and caused it to overheat.
- Kudos- Identify any other race cars in the photo
A Dailu MKI (left) and 289 Cobra (right), with a Ferrari tailing lose behind
Comments (7)
Congrats to Al Prete, Sebastian D'Agostino, BOB BARAUSKAS, Steve Lucas, Jan Hyde, Mike Carroll, and Art Kleiner for identifying the Bahamas Speed Week.
A full account of the Challenger III history and photos can be seen HERE.
Greg O.
Challenger III at the Nassau Trophy Race between a Dailu MKI and 289 Cobra, with a Ferrari tailing lose behind; Challenger III was leading the event until it suffered a mechanical failure
Challenger III racing at Michigan where it competed in SCCA events in #3 livery
Challenger III on the starting grid at Nassau in #26 livery, December 1962
Under construction: Section line visible at the taillight (left); Note the plywood mold for the fastback roof (right)
Ralph Moody (left) and John Holman (right) with Challenger III before its debut on the show circuit, with Holman & Moody "Competition Proven" front decorative plate and sporting Firestone tires per an agreement for all Ford racing models to wear Firestone rubber
As mentioned, this photo was recently posted on the Glory Days of Racing Facebook page (scroll down). Here are some of the 273 comments posted about the race car.
Michael Duncan: This thing trashed Ferrari 250 GTOs
Shenandoah Valley British Car Club-SVBCC: "Unlike the mass-produced Falcon (which would receive one about a year later), the modified car was powered by a Ford's brand-new Challenger V8 borrowed from the Fairlane. Holman-Moody chose the 221-ci (3.6 liters) instead of the larger 260 4.3-liter (the official Challenger) and transformed it into a 230-hp 244-ci (3.99 liters) race engine - just below FIA's 4.0-liter limit for similar grand touring prototypes." Weight was 2,750lbs.
Michael Lempert: This car got restored because I wrote a detailed article on it, and during my research, accidentally located the car and shared it with the now-owner! It was possibly my most exciting research achievement!
https://mlempert0.wixsite.com/.../fast-backward-the-ford...
Rich Woodward: A totally new one on me. I never knew of a Falcon fastback!
Larry Herman: I don't ever remember a Falcon having a fastback version.
Craig Power: Kinda like a DixieTwister Chevyll
Scooter Kendall: My knowledge of early ‘60s classes is pretty limited. Would “ASR” then be the same as “A Sports Racer” in the ‘70s? If so, this car was so heavily modified that it didn’t fit into a class one would normally find a Falcon.
Greg Oreiro: The Falcon as it sits today after a comprehensive and flawless restoration by Rob Ida at IDA Automotive.
Greg Zibung: How cool is that? Never seen a fastback Falcon before. Looks longer. Built off of a Ranchero?
Michael Harbison: Looks like an early version of what would become the Ford Charger in the 1960s-1970s. Always loved the big sloped sweeping back window.
Steve Bauer: Looks like a Mustang Fastback prototype.
Jack Couche: Was this a Falcon body produced by Ford or an after market modification? That style never appeared in Australia .
Jim Brothers: You can sure see where Ford got the shape for the late ‘60s NASCAR Torino Talladega!
Daniel Hartwig Sr.: Being Holman - Moody, THEY probably made it as a 1 off just for racing. I never saw a FB either.
George Tubbs: Oh nice!! Hardly ever see pics of this falcon, thank you.
Jack Long: That thing made Smokey Yunick’s Chevelle look stock!
Willy Langanke:The body's been sectioned through the waist which is more interesting to me than the roof job.
Jon Nichols: I like it
James Spina: I truly suggest anyone even vaguely interested in racing history take an opportunity at some point to see this amazing car owned by Howard Kroplick and incredibly restored by Rob Ida.
Paul Cooke: Comstock Racing Team had a Holman and Moody Falcon originally prepared for Walt Hansgen for Daytona/Sebring.
Scott Woodward: NOW YOU KNOW WHERE FORD GOT THE IDEA FOR THE 68 TORINO FASTBACK !!!
Gene Fielder: Awesome photo
John Falkenstine: look at the diameter of those wheels!
Bob Mcl: Dang! Ford should have built those. Thanks for sharing, as I had never seen that model from H&M.
Norbert Bries: Looks like a stretched wheelbase
Eric McClune: That's the funkiest looking Falcon I've ever seen.
Bruce Caswell: Very Creative body work !
Jeff Clark: Trent Stephens something to ask about with the people you know?
Donald J Lamb: That’s cool too bad they didn’t produce it
Lee Holder: Falcon fastback !!
Manny Papandreas: I think the term that describes the bodywork is "Chopped, channeled, sectioned and slightly bent!!"
Larry O'Donohue: What a great piece of history
Rex Carrs: Driving the wrong direction at Daytona? I think NOT
Howard Vari: That’s a good looking car.
Steven Vilardi: What is with the flat black paint job?
Robert Myles: Rob Ida had a hand in restoring this recently.
Johnny Alibi: COOL !
Eric Janik: This is what I expected the '63 Falcon Sprint to look like.
Comments
Holman-Moody Challenger III at the 252-Mile Nassau Trophy race in the Bahamas on Dec. 9, 1962. Driver was Marvin Panch. The car finished 52nd out of 63. After only 17 laps out of 56, it had to drop out due to a snapped fan belt and overheated engine. No. 3 is a Ferrari Dino, and no. 106 is an AC Cobra.
The center front car looks the same as Howard Kroplich’s eight-cylinder race car he purchased. It was a very light weight race car, built in the 60’s or 70’s.
The car was the Holman Moody Challenger III, the driver was Marvin Panch.
The race was held on December 9th, 1962.
Records indicate that Challenger III competed in five separate events as part of the 1962 9th Annual International Bahamas Speed Weeks, which was hosted at the 4.5mi (7.2km) Oakes Field course in Nassau, Bahamas. The car ran under in #26 livery with NASCAR veteran Marvin Panch at the wheel throughout. Results were mixed, beginning with a class win (5th place overall finish) in the 5-lap Preliminary Nassau Tourist Trophy on 2 December 1962, followed later the same day by an underwhelming 34th place in the 25-lap Nassau Tourist Trophy proper. Similarly, on 7 December 1962, Panch pushed the Challenger III to a 9th place finish in the 5-lap Preliminary Governor’s Trophy, but only 28th place of 42 cars in the 25-lap Governor’s Trophy proper [08].
Challenger III at the Nassau Trophy Race between a Dailu MKI and 289 Cobra, with a Ferrari tailing lose behind; Challenger III was leading the event until it suffered a mechanical failure [05]
That’s the 1962 Holman & Moody Ford Challenger III (in the center) being driven by Marvin Panch at the Nassau Trophy Race in Nassau, Bahamas on December 9, 1962. Panch did not finish due to overheating caused by a broken fan belt during the race. To the left of the Challenger III is a Dailu MKI with a 289 Cobra on the right. Behind the Cobra is a Ferrari. All of this info (and additional photos) were obtained from the attached article.
Your shorty Ford leading Ferrari SWB. Shelby Cobra on the right. Ferrari 1961 Shark Nose Testa Rosa on left. Looks like Grand Bahamas.
Holman Moody Challenger at the 1962 Bahamas Speed Week.
Driver Marvin Panch
DNF Blown engine
Cobra, Ferrari
I went to several of these races but probably not this one do not remember the rain
1962 Ford Falcon - the Holman Moody Challenger III
Nassau, Bahamas
Driver: Marvin Panch
December 9, 1962
Finished 52nd after becoming disabled after 17 laps.
#3 - Ferrari Dino 268 SP
#93 - Cooper Monaco T57 Climax
#106 - AC Cobra