Vehicle Description
With all the merely "pleasant" Pony Mustangs selling like hot cakes
these days, it's nice to see one that walks with a lot more
swagger. Professionally restored with performance and killer looks
as the main goals, this restomod beauty is one of the slicker early
Mustang coupes we've featured here at Streetside, and we've had
quite a bit. Sinister gray paint with silver stripes, a wicked
stance, and a beefed-up 302 V8 matched with a 5-speed manual
transmission, this '66 Mustang Restomod checks all the boxes.
But before we talk about the hardware, let's take a look at how
pretty this sporty coupe is. With a finish that looks borrowed from
a late-model color palate, the killer Gray paint looks just right
on the vintage coupe's bodywork. Miles deep with a great luster
that pops out in the light, it has a great shine thanks to the
professional application that wasn't finished long ago (the 7K
miles on the odometer are reported as 'since built', although
unfortunately we don't have the receipts to 100% prove it), plus an
inviting look that doesn't hide the Mustang's identity behind
excessive flash. Instead, it shows off straight sheetmetal, good
gaps, and a lot of the love that went into the build. But it is a
Restomod after all, and the builders added some custom touches: the
GT350-style chin spoiler, fiberglass cowl hood, shaved door
handles, and the GT350-style side scoops. Clearly, they were
thinking carefully about this car as it was going together, and
when the painters laid down those silver stripes (those aren't
decals), they took them end-to-end for an awesome look that adds to
the already off-the-charts curb appeal. Sure, it's no trailer queen
and some minor imperfections can be found upon closer examination,
but with street presence like this, this higher-end driver-quality
Pony won't find any complaints from me. The billet front grille and
modern headlights complement the car perfectly, and with a racing
gas cap and smooth rear valance, "sporty" doesn't even begin to
define this coupe. Bright chrome trim on the bumpers, window
surrounds, and lights is all quite nice, and the entire car has a
very polished look that hasn't been diminished in the reported
7,184 miles since it was built.
As nice as the exterior is, the upgraded interior will get your
heart racing for sure. Simple black is always a great idea in a
Restomod, and even better when draped around sporty, high-back
buckets like the ones that anchor this cabin. In great shape and
all-day comfortable, they're far more supportive than anything from
1966, and despite the modern threads up front the rear bench and
factory door panels are a great match. The interior also offers a
taut headliner above, plush carpets below, and a super-clean
dash-pad up front, all of which fully insulate the cabin and make
this Pony feel tight and superbly finished inside. A custom center
console with cup holders and extra storage is a great addition to
any Mustang, and it houses a brushed-aluminum shifter topped with
an 8-ball knob that manages the quick-shifting Tremec T5 5-speed
manual transmission below. There's a GT-spec gauge panel ahead of
the driver - filled with original units - and the bright accents on
the gauge bezel, glove box, and door handles really spice things up
inside this sporty interior. Anchoring the cockpit is a beautiful
3-spoke leather-rimmed steering wheel that feels great in the hands
of the driver, and a modern AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit powers upgraded
speakers stashed inside the cabin. The surprisingly spacious trunk
is as neatly finished as the rest of the car, covered in matching
black carpets that look great.
Under the hood is where he party really gets started, where an
upgraded and built-up 302 V8 slides right between this Pony's shock
towers without a lot of hassles. Augmented with Edelbrock aluminum
heads and what feels like a healthy cam inside, it was built to
deliver big performance that can still handle regular driving on
modern roads, offering up great power up and down the throttle.
Torquey, smooth, and virtually bulletproof, the fresh small block
has enough horsepower to embarrass any Camaro that wants a taste,
effortlessly moving the lightweight coupe around town, and the
motor is beautifully presented with Ford Racing valve covers and a
matching Ford Racing air cleaner. Topped with a big Edelbrock
4-barrel carburetor atop an Edelbrock aluminum intake the small
block is well fed, with a Mallory HEI ignition and Hy-Fire 6A coil
it cranks instantly, and with long-tube headers feeding into a
throaty Flowmaster dual exhaust system below, it breathes easy and
sounds fantastic. Shock-tower braces and inner fender stabilizers
help stiffen the body in and out of the corners, while a big
aluminum radiator with an auxiliary electric fan helps keep the
whole show nice and cool despite all the added pop under the hood.
The aforementioned Tremec T5 5-speed manual transmission is the
perfect complement to the snarky V8, with a race-ready clutch and
heavy-duty Ford 9-inch rear end that can handle off-the-line power
and highway cruising speeds alike. The upgraded front suspension
features MacPherson struts, a big sway bar, and rack-and-pinion
steering along with responsive front disc brakes to give it modern
stopping power, while out back upgraded shocks and ladders bars
help keep this Pony planted to the street. Slick 16-inch American
Racing Torque Thrust polished wheels are always in fashion and they
carry 225/50/16 performance radials that fit the car's personality
perfectly.
Given the price of the conversion and the quality of the paint and
interior, we have to call this car a screaming bargain because it
would take considerably more to replicate the build. And like most
Pony Mustangs here at Streetside Classics, we doubt it'll last
long. Call today!
