The Bunkie Knudsen Talladega

[Ghoste]

I was just reading an article about the Bunkie Knudsen Talladega and it raised a q uestion with me.  It was commissioned after the Taladega production run was over, it was converted at a different facility, and it has a number of non-regular Talladega items on it.  My question is should it still be considered a Talladega or is it really just a Q-code fastback Torino with a Talladega nose and rolled rockers?

Personally I think the latter but I wondered what the aero collectors think about the car?

[odcics2]

It's like a "70" Daytona:  not real.

[held1823]

a pretty cool wiki page regarding the aero fords. it's rather amazing they'd crank out more than the minimum number required.

http://wikicars.org/en/Ford_Torino_Talladega

"..It is believed that a total of 754 Talladegas may have been built (although, the Talladega / Spoiler Registry can only account for a maximum of 750). This number includes all prototypes, pilot cars, and production cars built; plus, a special post-production car that was built for the president of Ford Motor Company, Semon Emil "Bunkie" Knudsen in March of 1969."

[Aero426]

Even though the red and white Banjo T prototypes were not built in the regular production run and differ in equipment from those models,  they are still considered "Talladegas".  I would view the Knudsen car in the same way.   The build was factory sanctioned one way or the other, and finished at Kar Kraft, a defacto Ford facility.   As far as I'm concerned, it's a real Talladega and one that would be very desirable to own.

[Ghoste]

But the Banjo cars are prototypes, I would expect those things from them.  I just can`t see this in any different light but executive hot rod.

[Aero426]

But the Banjo cars are prototypes, I would expect those things from them.  I just can`t see this in any different light but executive hot rod.

How is it any less of a Talladega than the prototypes?   Neither of the three fit the mold for a production car.    The Knudsen car came from within the corporation.   It was shown in corporate auto show literature.   It's documented since day one.   The Ford community has always regarded the car as something special.    I would predict that if the Knudsen car came up for sale, it would bring comparable money to the red Banjo car.   

[jonw29]

The real deal as far as I am concerned.

[Ghoste]

Oh I agree it would bring the money, no question of that.  I guess I see it different than prototypes because the prototype is the model used to create the production model.  The parents if you will.  To me, this is a stepchild at best.  Prototypes will evolve into the production model, in this case after production had ended someone decided they wanted a Torino that was a "little bit" like a Talladega but not completely.
Even though I started it, this is one of those ones where I think we end up agreeing to disagree.

[Redbird]

I have an original photograph of the Yellow Talladega at the 1969 New York auto show in one off photo album that the Ford Special Projects Design Office made. In the picture, The Yellow Talladega appears to have a Talladega license plate on it, and the car is displayed next to a Boss 429 and a Mach 1. For me, If Ford featured the car as being a Talladega, built it in 1969, and used it to advertise the Talladega race program; it is a Talladega.