1966 Mercury Cyclone Derale 2015 SEMA booth build

[Derale]

Hello everyone!

We are very excited with this new build and would like to share with everyone the journey we take to celebrate our 60th anniversary at SEMA 2015. We are building a unique race inspired 1966 Mercury Cyclone focusing on the mid-60's era stock car racers. We will be running a Dart 427 and a state of the art TCI suspension. This will be a complete street-legal build and will attend various cars shows and road track events. The entire Derale Performance team will be in on this build and are pumped up for this very cool build.

Here are a few shots of the vehicle right after we rolled it in the shop.
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[TimeWarpF100]

Oh WOW!

My all time favorite car the 1966 Cyclone. My first look at one was on the cover of a comic book way back in 1966. Told myself some day I would build one.

I had a very good start after 15yrs of trying but unfortunate had to sell it a couple years back.

One thing you will find is easy perfect body panel alignment with no welding or fitting.

Not to take away from your post but here are a few shots of mine.

What are plans for car once finished?

Being 7" longer behind axle centerline than the sibling the '66-67 Fairlanes I think they look better.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/66Cyclone033-1_zps4050efd5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/66Cyclone022-1_zps5711627f.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/66Cyclone020_zps886bfc2a.jpg

[TimeWarpF100]

Just in case you were interested in the Comic cover. I happened to have it on my desk . .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/1966DragNWheelsComet001_zpsfa71803a.jpg

My 1966 Cyclone had a 700hp Big Block Ford (92 octane daily driver)

[FETorino]

you know I'm loving this idea.:bump:

[WSSix]

Sounds like an interesting build. Welcome to the site!

[WILWAXU]

Cool car!

[Che70velle]

Two thumbs way up! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Welcome to Lat G.

[Derale]

Here are a few more shots just before we start to tear her down. As you can see she has been sitting around for a while waiting to be resurrected.


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@ TimeWarpF100, We really like that comic book...Way cool! Now I am going to have to go on a hunt to find one...LOL...Your Cyclone looks like it going to be mean at the drag-strip.

[gearheads78]

Can't wait to see what you do with this. I love well done out of the ordinary projects.

[TimeWarpF100]

Here are a few more shots just before we start to tear her down. As you can see she has been sitting around for a while waiting to be resurrected.


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@ TimeWarpF100, We really like that comic book...Way cool! Now I am going to have to go on a hunt to find one...LOL...Your Cyclone looks like it going to be mean at the drag-strip.

My Cyclone may look like a drag car with this stance but actually has a road race style suspension front and rear. Front suspension and steering is from Coleman Machine in Menominee WI. They build roundy round cars.

Also Baer Brakes all around . .

I could scan the comic in a large PDF and or JPEG if you want. I also have a couple other old Comics with 1966 Cyclones in them.

I took them out of storage recently as want to blow up a few covers and frame them, put them up on walls in my shop bathroom.

Really looking forward to this build.

I still have a few '66 cyclone parts hanging around too.

Is your car a original "S" Code?

I have owned a dozen or so '66-'67 Comets including 3 original "R" codes.

[TimeWarpF100]

First 2 pages of Comic story.

Note the 1966 Charger is Running a 900HP Hemi

427 SOHC in comet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/1966DragNWheelsComet004_zps0e8ebdd2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/CalypsoCoralBoss302/1966_511%20Cyclone/1966DragNWheelsComet003_zpsd10f4d96.jpg

[GrabberGT]

Keep the original hood please. It fits the car better than the tear drop.

[Derale]

Time to get dirty, let the tear down begin!

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This Cyclone's towing days are over!


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Helps when you have a forklift with extensions to help.



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Now on to the front suspension.

[Derale]

Before we pull this old engine we wanted to see if she would even fire up after years of sitting.


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Not much of a start up, but she fired! Not sure what we are going to do with it because we are building a new Dart 427 for her.

[Derale]

Time to pull the engine

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Out with the old to make room for a bad 427!

[Vince@Meanstreets]

I can tell that car has history....could have gone a bunch longer with a little carb overhaul and a new gas tank.

cool project

[Derale]

@ Vince, you are absolutely correct. with a little elbow grease and TLC this could have easily turned into a runner.

We are going to have a lot of extras we will not use. All the suspension, 351 Cleveland, 4 speed top loader. If anyone is interested feel free to PM me or send me an email at [email protected]

[Craig67]

I saw this car at my buddy's shop in Pomona. Bad deal there but cool car. Good luck with the project.

[Lowfast]

Very cool, can you give us a rundown of the plan specifics for the car.

[Derale]

This is a true S code Cyclone. We plan to build a dart 427 for it. We are going to install a complete Total Cost Involved suspension. We are going to build a roll cage for it and plan to take in to road course events. The car will be debuted at SEMA 2015 to help celebrate the companies 60th anniversary. After SEMA the car will hit the track and show scene.

In the next few days we will have the concept drawing completed. I will post it in the thread so everyone can get a better idea of what we have planned for it.

[Derale]

Here we go removing the front suspension.

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There was a crude hole cut out to clear for headers here.


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Thanks to TCI we won't be needing this anymore!


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[Derale]

We are pulling the trim and glass getting her ready to send out for stripping and primer.

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Just a shell now....Looks a lot smaller for some reason.

[Derale]

Knocking out most of old grime before taking her out to get stripped and primed.


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Made a quick stand so we can easily move it around.

[TimeWarpF100]

Nice!
Still waiting to see the rendering.

Please do keep the scooped hood. Mercury also made a functional ram air version but getting hard to find.

[jarhead]

This will be fun to watch!

[slow4dr]

*paranoid*


*subscribed

[JB400]

Are you doing any era correct chassis modifications or just leaving it factory correct with your modern suspension goodies bolted to it?

[Al Moreno]

Here is the original rendering but I believe some things have been and will be changed.

Here are some pics I took last week while I was visiting the Derale facility.



:EmoteClueless:...... I mean Slow4dr :_paranoid ......, it might just be me but :headscratch: I think they were trying to post pics in sequential order...... :warning: way to go letting the cat out of the bag :thumbsup: :clap:






LOL, just messing with you Bro :lmao:

[Derale]

Yes, Thanks Al. That is what we were intending to do, It's all good. We will still keep it rolling forward to keep everyone up to date with the build.

Al introduced us to this site, we actually started the build a few months ago.

Al's Camaro will be our booth vehicle at SEMA this year. Very cool car and an outstanding build!

[slow4dr]

:peepwall:

[Derale]

We started welding up the cross member.


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A lot of work ahead of us still.

[Derale]

We are mocking up for the 351W. You can see all the extensive work we have already done to the front end.


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[TimeWarpF100]

We are mocking up for the 351W. You can see all the extensive work we have already done to the front end.


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Looking good!

[Derale]

Thanks, We are putting in a lot of man hours on this. But it is coming along nicely.

We have the old 351C up on craigslist in the Inland Empire if anyone is interested.

[TimeWarpF100]

Thanks, We are putting in a lot of man hours on this. But it is coming along nicely.

We have the old 351C up on craigslist in the Inland Empire if anyone is interested.

Any more updates or info?

[Derale]

We built a dual aluminum fan shroud and custom core support. We attached one of our High Performance oil coolers next to it to get maximum natural airflow to keep it cool.

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I think the welding rod will be good enough to support that cooler when all is said a done...LOL.

[waynieZ]

Awesome job and sweet looking shroud setup.

[jarhead]

Any progress pics?

Really interested in the TCI rear suspension...

[slow4dr]

Any progress pics?

Really interested in the TCI rear suspension...

I guess I'll step out of line again. They have been posting a bunch of pics lately on Social Media with the lead up to the SEMA reveal.

Here is one undercarraige shot they had posted that shows some of the mods they made to mount the T/A.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/ae297/TotalCostInvolved/Derale%20Cyclone/14322449_1690641771257330_8440048846356344587_n_zp sffzyndz2.jpg (http://s981.photobucket.com/user/TotalCostInvolved/media/Derale%20Cyclone/14322449_1690641771257330_8440048846356344587_n_zp sffzyndz2.jpg.html)

-J

[jarhead]

Thanks!

[slow4dr]

A little video from SEMA.



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