Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA

Bill Harris · 11-04-2008, 05:15 PM

As one of the hopelessly outnumbered blue-oval fans in NHRA racing I would like to acknowledge and thank Colin Wigle for single-handedly taking on the GM juggernaut in GT/AA. His unique '05 Mustang/429SCJ combination is both beautiful and impressively fast. I have no doubt that Colin will continue to refine the combination and will probably be awarded with a HP gift at some point for all his hard work. He should be the poster boy for all those guys out there whose response to those who gripe about every little thing is "go work on your combo."

As someone who runs the 429SCJ engine in stock, and who had looked very seriously at running the engine in SS form, I know all too well what a major effort it has been for Colin to get his car to where it is. He must like to swim against the stream since he started with a body that was not in the classification guide and then went to work on an engine that has not been run in S/S in 20+ years. It took him a long time to get the car in the guide at a realistic shipping weight. Likewise it has taken years to get the S/S HP factor down from 410 to a level that made the R&D effort worthwhile.

The heads on the 429CJ/SCJ engine are extremely scarce and very expensive when you can find them. They were not even on the S/S port volume list until early this year. I had been trying unsucessfully to get the correct port volumes listed for years for my own efforts, even after my stocker heads were CC'ed when I set a record in 2004 it wasn't sufficient. No aluminum heads are approved for the engine (not that we haven't tried). It's Dearborn iron or nothing. Colin had to do every bit of R&D on the heads, from scratch, without official numbers to go by, and no prior R&D to go by. If you have ever seen the hideous exhaust port on these things you know what a major effort it must have been to get it to work worth a damn.

You can't browse through the Callies crank catalog and pick your ultra-lite shaft either. There are NO aftermarket 429 cranks, period. You can use the stock cast crank at nearly 80 lbs or spend a fortune to have an even heavier OEM steel truck crank massively reworked to fit the passenger car block. The NHRA published rotating weight on the 429 is the heaviest in the listings except for some big Chrysler engines. Nothing about building this combination could have been easy.

This post isn't to take away anything from all the other guys who put so much time and effort into THEIR combos, but I think Colin deserves some recognition for being such a maverick (if that word hasn't been worn out by now), keeping a Ford solidly in the game, and keeping the GM guys on their toes.

SSDiv6 · 11-04-2008, 05:24 PM

I agree, when Don Kennedy started his post on the GT/AA, my bet was on Colin.

Not only he runs the heaviest of any rotating assembly, he also has the highest HP factor of any of the cars in the class, which also makes him the heaviest of all the cars.

Ed Wright · 11-04-2008, 05:43 PM

Very impressive car, no doubt.

Kenny Wigington · 11-04-2008, 06:13 PM

Nice words , for anyone, especially coming from a man with a lot of class of his own. Colin's car is very very nice. This is nice to see, for a message board.

SSGN · 11-04-2008, 09:21 PM

Congrats Colin from the north of the border club.Some kids dream of being movie stars my daughter wants to go from Junior dragsters to driving Colins SS.So if you start loosing the driving bug,I have a driver in training for ya.Way to go Kevin

Colin Wigle · 11-04-2008, 11:29 PM

Bill
Although I have not really accomplished anything. Your kind words are flattering to say the least. I would like to take this opportunity to give credit to all the people that have supplied me with great equipment, guidance and services to make the car as competitive as it may appear. Ford Motor Company, Mike Pustelny at MPR race cars outstanding craftsman and even better service, Charlie Evans, Bret Powell, Dennis at A P Motorsports, Adney Brown at performance crankshafts. A great combination for a competitive engine. Tim Ferguson, Randy Gignac at SCM Racing and of course Bill Harris and far to many great racers to mention that I have met along the way.
As with most if not all sportsman racers it’s a team effort.
It feels great to be recognized, as it is human nature. It would be selfish to just say thank you myself

Colin.

joe176 · 11-04-2008, 11:36 PM

Hey Colin....maybe we can get you and MPR back to Columbus next year for some of those great north of the border shishcobobs and Michigan corn. Great job with the car....exciting to watch.

Joe Franco

al wisniewski · 11-05-2008, 07:16 AM

Pustelny has the best corn and kielbasa in Michigan!

11-04-2008, 05:15 PM	#1
Bill Harris Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ooltewah, TN Posts: 421 Likes: 13 Liked 26 Times in 13 Posts	Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA As one of the hopelessly outnumbered blue-oval fans in NHRA racing I would like to acknowledge and thank Colin Wigle for single-handedly taking on the GM juggernaut in GT/AA. His unique '05 Mustang/429SCJ combination is both beautiful and impressively fast. I have no doubt that Colin will continue to refine the combination and will probably be awarded with a HP gift at some point for all his hard work. He should be the poster boy for all those guys out there whose response to those who gripe about every little thing is "go work on your combo." As someone who runs the 429SCJ engine in stock, and who had looked very seriously at running the engine in SS form, I know all too well what a major effort it has been for Colin to get his car to where it is. He must like to swim against the stream since he started with a body that was not in the classification guide and then went to work on an engine that has not been run in S/S in 20+ years. It took him a long time to get the car in the guide at a realistic shipping weight. Likewise it has taken years to get the S/S HP factor down from 410 to a level that made the R&D effort worthwhile. The heads on the 429CJ/SCJ engine are extremely scarce and very expensive when you can find them. They were not even on the S/S port volume list until early this year. I had been trying unsucessfully to get the correct port volumes listed for years for my own efforts, even after my stocker heads were CC'ed when I set a record in 2004 it wasn't sufficient. No aluminum heads are approved for the engine (not that we haven't tried). It's Dearborn iron or nothing. Colin had to do every bit of R&D on the heads, from scratch, without official numbers to go by, and no prior R&D to go by. If you have ever seen the hideous exhaust port on these things you know what a major effort it must have been to get it to work worth a damn. You can't browse through the Callies crank catalog and pick your ultra-lite shaft either. There are NO aftermarket 429 cranks, period. You can use the stock cast crank at nearly 80 lbs or spend a fortune to have an even heavier OEM steel truck crank massively reworked to fit the passenger car block. The NHRA published rotating weight on the 429 is the heaviest in the listings except for some big Chrysler engines. Nothing about building this combination could have been easy. This post isn't to take away anything from all the other guys who put so much time and effort into THEIR combos, but I think Colin deserves some recognition for being such a maverick (if that word hasn't been worn out by now), keeping a Ford solidly in the game, and keeping the GM guys on their toes. __________________ Bill Harris ex 2172 STK ex 2272 S/S

11-04-2008, 05:24 PM	#2
SSDiv6 VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Glendale, Arizona Posts: 3,036 Likes: 710 Liked 1,538 Times in 575 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA I agree, when Don Kennedy started his post on the GT/AA, my bet was on Colin. Not only he runs the heaviest of any rotating assembly, he also has the highest HP factor of any of the cars in the class, which also makes him the heaviest of all the cars.

11-04-2008, 05:43 PM	#3
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Very impressive car, no doubt. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

11-04-2008, 06:13 PM	#4
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Nice words , for anyone, especially coming from a man with a lot of class of his own. Colin's car is very very nice. This is nice to see, for a message board. __________________ 2894 STK

11-04-2008, 09:21 PM	#5
SSGN Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 644 Likes: 129 Liked 140 Times in 51 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Congrats Colin from the north of the border club.Some kids dream of being movie stars my daughter wants to go from Junior dragsters to driving Colins SS.So if you start loosing the driving bug,I have a driver in training for ya.Way to go Kevin

11-04-2008, 11:29 PM	#6
Colin Wigle Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 50 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Bill Although I have not really accomplished anything. Your kind words are flattering to say the least. I would like to take this opportunity to give credit to all the people that have supplied me with great equipment, guidance and services to make the car as competitive as it may appear. Ford Motor Company, Mike Pustelny at MPR race cars outstanding craftsman and even better service, Charlie Evans, Bret Powell, Dennis at A P Motorsports, Adney Brown at performance crankshafts. A great combination for a competitive engine. Tim Ferguson, Randy Gignac at SCM Racing and of course Bill Harris and far to many great racers to mention that I have met along the way. As with most if not all sportsman racers it’s a team effort. It feels great to be recognized, as it is human nature. It would be selfish to just say thank you myself Colin.

11-04-2008, 11:36 PM	#7
joe176 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NY Posts: 601 Likes: 36 Liked 41 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Hey Colin....maybe we can get you and MPR back to Columbus next year for some of those great north of the border shishcobobs and Michigan corn. Great job with the car....exciting to watch. Joe Franco

11-05-2008, 07:16 AM	#8
al wisniewski Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: auburn,mi. Posts: 56 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Thank You Colin Wigle GT/AA Pustelny has the best corn and kielbasa in Michigan!