Hubert Platt’s Ford Drag Team Mustang
Georgia Shaker was born in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina in 1931. Not exactly drag race central for someone with Hubert’s skills but in the mid-1950s, there was as much demand for fast cars and good drivers as there was plenty of bootleg liquor to be transported. Hauling moonshine earned Hubert a few bucks but the one last haul cost him his car and a hefty fine.
Want to learn more about this History Article? Check out, HUBERT PLATT: FAST FORDS OF THE “GEORGIA SHAKER”. For a comprehensive history on this entire subject you can visit this link:
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE
SHARE THIS ARTICLE: Please feel free to share this article on Facebook, in Forums, or with any Clubs you participate in. You can copy and paste this link to share: https://musclecardiy.com/drag-racing/drag-racing-warriors-hubert-platts-ford-drag-team-mustang/
Hubert poses proudly with his eastern Ford Drag Team match racer. The ’69 Mustangs received 1970 sheet metal when the new year rolled around. Hubert headed the East Coast drag team while Ed Terry spearheaded the West Coast team. There were six cars in total: The eastern cars were blue with white accents and the West Coast cars were the opposite, white with blue accents. (Photo Courtesy Jerry Heasley)
Late in 1958, he moved to Atlanta where he discovered his real talent was on the quarter-mile. He caught the attention of Don Nicholson in the early 1960s and teamed with him in 1963, running Chevys before General Motors pulled out of racing. The first car to carry the Georgia Shaker name was a Z-11 Chevy but it was all Ford after that.
A Frank Vego Ford–sponsored Thunderbolt preceded the now-famous Georgia Shaker Falcon, which debuted in 1965. Hubert earned a factory deal in 1966 and ran the gamut of Ford-backed cars, starting with a long-nose Holman-Moody Mustang followed by a 427-powered Super Stock Fairlane. He took delivery of one of the original Cobra Jet Mustangs that debuted at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals.
Late in 1968, Ford decided to follow in Chrysler’s footsteps and start a drag clinic program of their own. The idea, similar to Chrysler’s, was to create two “Drag Teams” with each visiting dealerships during the week, pushing the manufacturer’s muscle parts, drawing crowds, and setting up Ford drag clubs. On the weekend, they’d visit the local strip for some match-race or Super Stock action. On the West Coast, the program was headed-up by Ed Terry in conjunction with Dick Wood while Hubert led the East Coast team with Randy Payne. Ed and Hubert each campaigned a Cobra Jet Mustang in Super Stock and a second SOHC Mustang for match races. Dick and Randy each wheeled a Super Stock Cobra Jet Torino.
Even though the cars fared well in Super Stock competition, the match-race cars were the ones that really turned heads. The February 1970 issue of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated reported that Hubert’s match racer was good for 9-second 140-mph quarter-mile times. Not your typical drag ’Stang by a long shot. The Holman-Moody– prepped 427 car was built around a 428 CJ, sport roof body, and featured such lightweight items as fiberglass fenders, hood, Boss scoop, doors, trunk lid, and lightweight side-window glass. Of course, the car was delivered sans radio, heater, and all those other ET-robbing add-ons.
Hubert’s 427 featured a Crane cam, ForgedTrue pistons, 12.5:1 compression, Mallory ignition, and Doug’s Headers. Helping to drop some of the 427’s 680 pounds were factory-supplied aluminum heads, water pump, balancer, and tunnel ram manifold. The Georgia Shaker’s original SOHC engine disappeared years ago; current owner Bob Perkins went to Ohio George Montgomery for a replacement. Backing the 427 is a rare, close-ratio Toploader transmission and a 9-inch rear end containing 4.86 gears.
The SS/HA Mustang was powered by a 428 Cobra Jet that Hubert drove to a class win at the 1969 NHRA Winternationals. Seen here at the later Nationals, Georgia Shaker failed to repeat. (Photo Courtesy Jerry Heasley)
The Drag Team Mustangs were given a face-lift in 1970; they took on the new Mustang front clip and taillights. Hubert ran the Mustang in the new NHRA Pro Stock category through spring 1970 before debuting his purpose-built Maverick at the Nationals. When Ford pulled the plug on its racing activities in 1970, Hubert sold the match racer and focused his attention on his Pro Stocker.
Nicely restored, Hubert’s match-race car retains all of the factory-installed lightweight components including fiberglass doors, fenders, hood, and trunk lid. Current owner Bob Perkins has noted that the fiberglass panels were formed using factory sheet metal and even the stamped date codes transferred into the fiberglass pieces. All the team cars sat on classy American Torque Thrust rims. (Photo Courtesy Jerry Heasley)
The twin 4-barrel race-bred 427 SOHC produced an estimated 675 hp and propelled the match-race car to ETs in the high-9-second range at more than 140 mph. Even though the original engine was long gone when purchased by Bob, Gasser legend Ohio George was able to provide him with what he needed. Holley 780-cfm carburetors feed the hungry beast. (Photo Courtesy Jerry Heasley)
Today’s Cobra Jet drag cars have nothing on Georgia Shaker. This car looks flat-out mean and has performance characteristics to back it up. In its day, the match racer faced and defeated many top Chevy and Chrysler opponents. Inner headlights were replaced with air tubes feeding the Holley carburetors. (Photo Courtesy Jerry Heasley)
Goodyear 12 x 15 Blue Streak slicks in conjunction with Holman-Moody & Stroppe ladder bars helped get the power to the ground. Rear springs are heavy-duty Ford. The paint is pearl white and blue matched to Gordon Smith’s original. (Photo Courtesy Jeff Heasley)
The Mustang went to Tom Sutton of South Carolina, who continued to race the car into the late 1970s with a 428 Cobra Jet. Bob Perkins purchased the car from Ford enthusiast Jacky Jones who, with word from a truck driver hauling new cars, discovered the car wasting away in Tom’s shop. Bob has owned the car since the mid-1990s and completed the meticulous ground-up restoration on the rust-free body. Bob got lucky with this one as many of the factory trick parts and original race parts remained with the car.
Through Tom, Bob was able to retrieve the original tempered windows, tach, and formula race seat. Through Hubert, Bob was able to obtain the original headers and tunnel ram manifold. In 2012, the restoration was completed and Georgia Shaker made its debut at the Mustang Club of America Grand Nationals held in Mustang, Oklahoma, of course.
Written by Doug Boyce and Posted with Permission of CarTechBooks
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK!
If you liked this history article, you will LOVE this full book.