Ford's “Going Thing” from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s is going again, thanks to an Atlanta-area entrepreneur and former racer with a deep respect for two legendary Georgia drag racers. Mike Langston, who raced for a time in the ARCA stock car series, is the driving force behind the limited-edition Platt and Payne Ford Mustangs that honor Buford's Hubert Platt and Rome's Randy Payne. The success of Platt and Payne in Ford-sponsored drag race cars decades ago led to the once-popular “Going Thing” slogan. The cars are being prepared by Pure Power Motorsports, which is run by Langston and Dick Koch. The Platt and Payne edition honors one of five modification packages offered by the company, which takes a running Mustang - ‘05 through ‘07 model - and turns it into a high performance street machine known as a Shadrach Mustang. Modifications done to some cars are mostly cosmetic, but others include the addition of a 700-horsepower engine, racing transmissions and rear ends and suspension enhancements including an adjustable front sway bar, adjustable track bar and subframe stiffener and coil-over double-adjustable shocks. Prices range from $37,000 to more than $136,000. Local Ford dealers, including Riverside Ford and Jacky Jones, are participating in the program. Langston explains that the idea for the cars first surfaced during a mentoring program for kids in Powder Springs. “Every Thursday night, we'd bring kids to our shop and teach them how to work on cars,” he said. “We had ARCA cars, some old cars and a drag car.” In time, more than 400 kids participated in the program, and there were about 25 volunteer teachers, among them Hubert Platt and Randy Payne. Platt, who campaigned several cars known as “Georgia Shaker,” was picked by Ford in the late 1960s to head its Eastern drag team and campaign a Cobra Jet Mustang. Platt picked Payne, who raced a Torino Cobra and was known as “Mr. Big Stuff,” for his teammate. The two traveled the country; racing their cars and helping Ford market its line of high-performance cars and parts. “We took the approach of if they built that car today, how would it look and what would they do to it,” Langston said. “We wanted to build a car that somebody could take to the drag strip or to a road course and have fun and then drive it home. “That's what I always wanted. It's the closest thing I can get to an ARCA car, but you can take this one to a car show or just have fun with it.” Initially, Langston and his group tried to build the cars themselves, but after completing six, decided they needed help. So, Panoz Automotive Development was hired to do the chassis work while Garry Grimes, a long-time engine builder and drag racer, handles most of the engine and drive train work. “We've been down a long road getting these things developed to where we'd have something to sell, but we're there now,” Langston said. Payne, still a car dealer in Rome, couldn't be more pleased. He's amazed at the workmanship and the way everything from the cruise control to the air conditioning works to perfection. But what means the most to him is seeing his and Platt's name on the door. “I'm very humbled that they thought enough of Hubert and myself to do this,” he said, adding that the very sight of the car almost brings tears to his eyes. “My own family really doesn't fully understand how much it means to me.” - Cox News Service __
