Great Reading for Blue Oval Fans

Independently publishing a magazine, as opposed to being part of a big publishing group like Source Interlink (formerly Primedia, formerly EMAP, formerly Petersen) is an uphill struggle. So it’s my pleasure to point all you Blue Oval guys and girls to Legendary Fords Magazine (or LFM). It might not be at every news stand or easy to find, but it’s well worth seeking out. More…

The focus (pun intended) is on vintage Fords, naturally, and I’ve got to tell you that the March/April issue is an absolutely great read. What it gives up in the way of sophistication in the way it is laid out (it has a decided retro look about it, but is 100% color, printed on high-quality coated stock), it more than makes up in subject matter. Even if you are a GM fan, or prefer Mopars or even AMCs like me, the thoughtfulness in the material will make it an engrossing and involving read.

As I’ve been blogging here for just a couple of weeks, you already know that I have a yen for things slightly off-beat and out of the box and LFM feeds my need. The current issue focuses in on 428 Cobra Jet-powered cars, but instead of the expected usual subjects, Editor Colin Date has truly sought out some wonderfully wacky and rare cars. The best example is the 1969 Cobra Jet-powered Mustang Grande. While this is a Q-Code 428, 4-barrel carb with no Ram Air motor, it’s the ultimate sleeper with a black vinyl roof over Lime Gold paint with wire wheel covers and white walls! This is a car that will run 1,320 feet in under 14-seconds, which is pretty damn fast then or now.

Another feature looks at scavenging junk yards for hi-po parts in the most unusual places. Looking for a 5-liter HO motor for your Mustang? Start looking under the hood of junked 1988 to 1993 Lincoln LSC coupes (which also have great sport seats to donate). Looking for a console? Contributor Jeff Ford (great name for a contributor to a Ford magazine) points you in directions you might have overlooked, such as 1992 and 1993 Taurus and Sables rotting in your closest Pick-A-Part.

And for those who truly love the off beat, there’s a story on Ford of Brazil. Seems that Ford sent them the tooling for the 1966 Galaxie 500 and from 1967 to 1983, Ford of Brazil produced 77,850 of these classic American land yachts based on the same body shell, changing bumpers, grill and trim (the last Brazilian-built 1983 Ford had exactly the same instrument panel as the 1965 Ford Galaxie 500/LTD). How’s that for maximizing the value of the tooling?

Subscriptions aren’t subsidized or cheap at $28.95, but I bet you’ll agree with me LFM is well worth it, especially if you’re a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury enthusiast. Visit their web site at LegendaryFordMagazine.com for more details.