Sometimes folks own fun cars they’d just like to make more fun. For those enthusiasts, it’s not about polished trinkets and 6-figure builds, it’s about optimizing the quality of the time they spend participating in one of their favorite pastimes. This 1967 Ford Mustang was a sorted pony that just needed to be cleaned up and professionally hot rodded. And since the DEO Performance Center is a full-service facility that works on all kinds of classics, we were happy to oblige!
In the world of muscle cars, fun begins with power. And we’re pretty sure we have that covered thanks to our expert install of a 347 cubic inch ATK Stage III stroker motor that kicks a solid 450 horsepower. Created as a plug and play package, the Stage III already sports a roster of great components like a nodular crank, I-beam connecting rods, forged pistons, a hydraulic roller cam and aluminum heads. But, we figured we’d wake it up even more with a few choice ancillaries. For starters, MSD Atomic Fuel Injection provides reliable pep that simply can’t be matched by a traditional carburetor. Long-tube, ceramic-coated headers ensure the engine provides every bit of its advertised 440 lb./ft. of torque. A DeWitts aluminum radiator, complete with two electric cooling fans, makes for a stress-free summer. That tank is backed by a VIPS Turbo Trac serpentine drive, which spins a polished alternator opposite a polished AC compressor. And that drive joins a Scott Drake air cleaner and Ford Racing Proform valve covers to provide plenty of show worthy shine.
Of course, you can have all the power in the world, but it doesn’t mean a thing unless you can put it to the ground. That’s why we installed a fresh Tremec TKO500 5-speed, which uses a 10.5-inch hydraulic clutch to kick a Currie Ford 9-inch that’s finished with 3.55 gears. The car’s stance was perfected thanks to a full Hotchkis Level II suspension kit, which is cornered by big disc brakes courtesy of The Right Stuff Detailing. And all that mean performance is previewed by a mean soundtrack thanks to 2.5-inch pipes that follow an X-shaped crossover with throaty Magnaflow mufflers.
By now, you’ve probably noticed a common theme of improving the car’s existing virtues as opposed to, in so many words, fabricating new virtues. That means appearance stays mostly factory, with cut and buffed paint hiding undercoated floors, an undercoated chassis and a fully repainted engine bay. Inside, new TMI buckets frame a new factory console, which frames a short-throw shifter. And Classic Instruments telemetry joins Custom Autosound audio and Old Air air conditioning to make this Ford infinitely more livable.
