Category: Ford Mustang

Posted in Ford Mustang

Why the 1971-’73 Mustang Is My Preferred Pony – Matt Litwin @Hemmings

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By Matt Litwin from December 2021 issue of Muscle Machines

In This ArticleCategory: Hemmings Classic CarDuring the 2018 AACA Fall Meet, I had the unexpected pleasure of spending some time with retired Ford stylist Gale Halderman, who has since sadly passed away. If you’re not familiar with the name, Gale began his employment at Ford Motor Company in 1954, but within a decade the otherwise unassuming employee was thrust into a path of what would prove to be automotive greatness, at least in the eyes of today’s classic car enthusiasts. It started when Gale submitted his early sports car concept sketch — one of what turned out to be a field of 24 such renderings — to project planners for review. Gale’s drawing struck a chord, and he was subsequently selected by Lee Iacocca, special projects manager Hal Sperlich, and Ford studio chief Joe Oros to oversee the design of a new car that was eventually named Mustang.

Gale’s time with the Mustang didn’t stop with the smashing success of its first year on the market. He was destined to serve as the car’s design chief for another eight years, and his advances led to the development of the 1965 2+2 fastback and 1967 SportsRoof. In 1968, Gale was promoted to director of the Lincoln-Mercury design studio, a stint in the luxury divisions that lasted less than a decade. Why? Who better to oversee the development of the Fox-platform Mustang — introduced in 1979 — than the designer responsible for “the original” pony car?

Despite creating a legacy of automotive design that should register with old car enthusiasts as easily as Darrin, Earl, and a host of others, Gale, it seemed to me, hovered below the radar and remained a humble Ford employee who was simply proud of being in the right place at the right time, throughout his career. You could hear it in his voice that fall afternoon, as he thoughtfully reflected on his time at Ford

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Posted in Ford Mustang

Will it run? Starting up a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 for the first time in 30 years @Hagerty

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Last week you saw us pull this 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 out of a pole barn it had been sitting in for nearly 30 years. Unfortunately, she didn’t start up on the first attempt, but that didn’t deter Davin as he set to work gathering a few parts to get her back up and running. So, join us as we get a little greasy and hopefully hear this classic roar again. Be sure to check out part 1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB4zE…

Posted in 1965, Auction, Ford, Ford Mustang, Mecum, Shelby Mustang G.T. 350R

The winningest Shelby on record – a 1965 G.T.350R – is scheduled to cross the auction block – Matt Litwin @Hemmings

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Serial number SFM5R538 is confirmed as one of just 34 “production” G.T.350R models built by Shelby American in 1965 for racing, which then became the winningest Shelby of any kind on record. All images courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

There are Mustangs, and then there are Shelby Mustangs. But even within that rarified subset of Ford’s pony car, there are special examples that stand out among the herd, such as the car pictured above: A 1965 Shelby G.T.350R that is almost certainly the winningest Shelby of any type ever created. It’s one of many vehicles of special distinction going up for sale during this year’s Monterey Car Week – simply known as either Monterey among vintage vehicle enthusiasts, or Pebble Beach due to the renowned concours d’elegance that anchors the festivities. This particular car will be presented to bidders by Wisconsin-based Mecum Auctions at the company’s usual Monterey location, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa – Del Monte Golf Course.

Like most early Shelby-built Mustangs, this one is known by its serial number, SFM5R538. Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) documents confirmed that its legacy began as an order from Shelby American to Ford Motor Company in March 1965. The basic Mustang’s construction commenced at the San Jose assembly line the following month. Delivered first to the Shelby team, it was assigned Work Order No. 17535, which converted the early pony into a G.T.350R, a process that stretched nearly six months

The conversion to race-ready B/Production trim meant this G.T.350R was equipped with an independent front suspension, with adjustable coil springs and front disc brakes, as well as a live-axle rear suspension with leaf springs. Cooling for the all-important brake system was achieved in part by a special fiberglass front body apron and rear ductwork. A set of American Racing magnesium Torq Thrust wheels allowed for the use of pavement-gripping, wider-than-stock competition tires. Additionally, the incorporation of plexiglass windows aided both safety and weight. Power was derived from a Hi-Po 289-cu.in. V-8 engine fitted with a special 715-cfm Holley four-barrel carburetor on a counter-accessory Cobra high-rise intake manifold. Completing the engine build were Tri-Y headers, an external oil cooler, and a high-capacity Ford radiator. Behind the engine sat a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission.

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Posted in 100 years later, 1967, Ford Mustang

How did this RARE MUSCLE CAR end up HERE?! – @DennisCollins Coffee Walk

Posted on by Charlville
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Another excellent find from Dennis and the team

Welcome to Coffee Walk Ep. 152! This past week we took off from the shop in Wylie, Texas and set out for a 1,000 mile one-day round-trip up to Alton, Missouri to rescue a 1967 Mustang that is said to be in the most desirable color with the two most sought after mechanical options. How in the world did that car end up here?! Well sit back, grab your cup of joe and give it a watch to find out!

Posted in 1990's, Ford Mustang, Ford Mustang, Fox Body, Hagerty

The Fox-body Ford Mustang is the best blank canvas pony car | Buyer’s Guide – @Hagerty

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Hagerty’s Editor-at-Large Sam Smith takes a look at the Fox-body Ford Mustang and offers a general overview of the highly affordable but highly variable third-generation pony car. With an easy-to-modify structure, Sam not only covers the pluses and minuses of the Mustang’s massive aftermarket, but also the nuances of owning, buying, and maintaining this iconic classic.

Episode chapters:

Posted in drag racing, Ford Mustang, Hemmings

Even an expert Mustang restorer had the challenge of his career with Bill Goldberg’s “Lawman” Mustang – David Conwill @Hemmings

Posted on by Charlville
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Dreams seem to have their own mass, derived from the devotion of the dreamer. Cherish one long enough and hard enough and its gravity will draw you in. Sometimes it’s a lot of work and a long time before that trajectory becomes apparent.

Take the Lawman Mustang on these pages. You saw it last month and learned its story. How Ford used it as a morale booster for troops serving in Southeast Asia, improved road safety among returning vets, and sold a few new cars in the bargain. The way it wound up restored is a testament to how dreams can work out in unlikely ways.

Marcus Anghel, owner of Anghel Restorations in Scottsdale, Arizona, has long been a fan of the Lawman.“I followed this car for years.

I never thought I’d have the opportunity to restore it.”

As delivered to Anghel Restoration, the Lawman showed only 829 miles on the odometer, but they’d been hard miles. Not only was the engine blown and out of the car, but the wiring harness was a mess, and the car was just generally worn out.

Nor is Marcus the natural choice for such a restoration. He’s a Mustang guru, yes: A Mustang Club of America National Gold Card Judge and National Head Judge for the Shelby American Automobile Club. He’s renowned for his knowledge of 1969-’71 Boss Mustangs. Thanks to that, he has his choice of projects to take on. Typically, he restores these Mustangs back to stock—which is how his clients generally like them. People, as Marcus says, who “want them Day One, the way they were in the showroom.

”Admittedly, 21st-century circumstances being what they are, he’s had to embrace certain departures from showroom-stock for cars meant to be driven extensively. These are always hidden things, though, like a five-speed where a four-speed once resided, or a vintage radio rehabilitated with a Bluetooth receiver concealed inside.

A heavily worn drag car was a pony of a different color, as it were.

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Posted in 1970's, Ford Mustang, Hemmings, Mustang II

WATCH THIS: A zen moment with a Deuce – Dan Stoner @Hemmings

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Sometimes, we just want to lay our eyes and rest our tormented souls on a simple car walk-around video. Just fire it up, lift the hood, let ‘er idle and walk the camera around it and let us enjoy. We’ll turn off the ringer, put the email dinger on mute and turn up the volume, just to keep ourselves centered and force us to remember what’s important in life.

If the car up for review is a drag car, that’s awesome. If that drag car is an unexpected jewel, even better. And if that jewel is a rare model of a car that’s oft-times forgotten or maligned, well, now you’re pulling at our blackest, thinnest, hardest-to-find heart strings.

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Posted in 1968, Ford Mustang, Hemmings, Matt Litwin, Shelby Mustang GT500 Prototype

From street racing to 11-second timeslips: Dad’s Shelby G.T. 500 kept racing after he sold it – Matt Litwin @Hemmings

Posted on by Charlville
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Bride-to-be mom alongside dad’s 1968 Shelby G.T. 500 shortly after its purchase. Photo courtesy of Ray Litwin.

Twenty-four months. That’s essentially the duration my father shopped for, negotiated the purchase of, and owned his brand-new 1968 Shelby G.T. 500. On paper, the last 12 months of that timeframe doesn’t seem like one could accumulate enough enjoyment out of a dream car he financed for close to $5,000, yet he did. As discussed previously, once in his possession, the Shelby was enhanced with an aftermarket carburetor, was used as a daily commuter, burned through untold tanks of Sunoco 260 with alarming regularity, and, as I recently learned, was street raced to a perfect 3-0 record.

Dad drove his year-old Shelby G.T. 500 to Simon Ford, where it was traded in for a special-ordered 1969 Ford LTD loaded with every option, save for a 429-cu.in. engine. The G.T. 500 then appeared in this ad listing it for sale. In today’s money, that $4,195 asking price equates to $30,780.

It also was a hot ride—we’re talking engine heat—on top of already looking more and more like an impractical car for a young couple who were about to marry and buy their first house. It was enough to prompt Dad to trade the car in for something completely different: a 1969 Ford LTD Brougham. It was a car he and my mom owned for four years, which then started an endless buy/sell phase of car ownership that has been a part of the family legacy. Despite the variety of steeds, though, the one consistent question has always been, “Whatever happened to the Shelby?”

Almost immediately after the Shelby appeared in a local newspaper ad, Lilyan McGary—a resident of nearby Fitchville, Connecticut—arrived at Simon Ford to purchase the high-performance car for her son; according to lore, it was to be his first car. Over the course of the next several months, my dad remembered seeing the new owner(s) scooting along the area roads in the Shelby on several occasions before it slipped into the realm of former-car obscurity. How often it was driven, or the nature of its use when in the hands of the McGary family, is anyone’s guess to this day. Records make it clear, however, that on April 5, 1973, the G.T. 500 was purchased by nearby Canterbury resident Cliff Williams.

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