Latest news with #FordMustangFastback
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
ECD Automotive Unleashes ''67 Ghost' Mustang - A Redefined, Bespoke Classic
ECD Automotive Designs, the company known for its reimagined Land Rovers and Jaguars, has branched out into the muscle car realm with the "'67 Ghost." This 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback is a restomod take on Ford's classic icon, with some touches that may impress or mortify, depending on how you like your classic cars. Not only is this the first Mustang that ECD has built entirely in-house, but it also marks the beginning of their custom Mustang lineup, offering bespoke builds across the 1965 to 1970 model years. With a claimed focus on "period authentic engines and modern luxury craftsmanship," ECD decided to stick to gas and worked exclusively with Roush Performance on a refined small-block Ford V8 for the '67 Ghost. The ROUSH 347 IR V8 makes 465 hp through a set of deep, throaty exhaust pipes. "We're not following the crowd," said Elliot Humble, CTO of ECD. "Everyone else is swapping in modern powertrains. We're doing something far more special - taking original Small Block Fords and making them better with Roush. Paired with the RS Spec chassis, these cars are fast, comfortable, and totally reimagined for how people want to drive today." The interior is where this restomod may start to fall apart for some, including yours truly. While the brushed aluminum dashboard and gauges fit the look of a classic Mustang, the black leather heated Recaro front seats with tan diamond-stitched inserts do not. The same goes for the black center console and the unfortunate inclusion of an Alpine touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and JBL audio. Even the rearview mirror has been swapped to a live-feed digital rearview mirror, which, despite bringing a modern touch to the cabin, takes away from the overall feel of a classic Mustang. The Mustang rides on a Roadster Shop RS Spec chassis, with a body finished in High Gloss Mineral White with Santorini Black Metallic rally stripes. The rest of the body remains true to the 1967 Mustang's image, with the glaring exception of those 17" Rambler chrome wheels. In my mind, a muscle car needs big rubber to get the V8's power under control at all times, and the skinny Nitto tires on the big chrome wheels just don't fit that look. At least there are 11" drilled & slotted rotors behind them with four piston red calipers. ECD claims it has multiple Mustang builds already underway, with some inspired by Shelbys and Boss-era styling. According to the company's website, a Mustang build starts at $279,995, cheap, to put it mildly. Whether or not a six-figure price tag is worth it for a modernized 465 hp V8 Mustang is entirely up to the prospective owner, but at least ECD didn't make it electric. That's one thing we can all be happy about. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1969 Mustang with Mario Andretti's Engine to Hit Auction Block
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector A 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, featuring a powerful engine once built for racing legend Mario Andretti's McLaren M6B, is set to make waves at the Mecum Auctions in Glendale, California, on March 22. Dubbed "the Real Thing," this restomod integrates an astonishing 777 horsepower V8, promising to captivate collectors with its blend of classic style and formidable racing history. The backstory of this Mustang is as fascinating as its performance capabilities. The engine, a massive 494 cubic-inch big-block V-8, was initially developed by Holman Moody for Andretti's use in the high-octane Can-Am series back in 1969. This Mustang not only embodies the spirit of that era but also carries a direct link to one of motorsport's most revered figures. Tom Fry, the current owner, recounted how the engine became the centerpiece of this project. Originally acquired by his father in the mid-1990s from Holman Moody, the engine sat in storage until custom-car builder Bodie Stroud was tasked with creating something extraordinary around it. The result was this stunning Mustang, unveiled at the 2010 SEMA show and subsequently featured on multiple media platforms including "Jay Leno's Garage" and in the documentary "The Real Thing" by Julian King. Stroud's modifications to the Mustang are extensive. The vehicle features a lowered roofline, widened body, and a completely redesigned I-beam-stiff ladder-frame chassis to accommodate the immense power of the V-8 engine. It also boasts modern enhancements such as a four-wheel air suspension, Brembo brakes, and Rushforth polished-aluminum rims, ensuring that it drives as impressively as it looks. The interior of the Mustang mirrors the exterior's blend of vintage and modern, with features drawn from the 2011 Mustang, including black leather upholstery, updated gauges, an aftermarket steering wheel, and a cue-ball-style shifter knob for the six-speed manual transmission. As it approaches the auction block, there is speculation that this unique Mustang could fetch as much as $1 million, given its rare engine and the meticulous craftsmanship. The car represents not just a significant piece of automotive history but also a tribute to the golden era of motorsports, embodied by Mario Andretti's storied career. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car of the Week: This Mustang Restomod Has One of Mario Andretti's Race Engines. Now It's up for Grabs.
There's a little bit of Mario Andretti in this one-of-a-kind Mustang. Back in 1969, the team at North Carolina–based Holman Moody developed 10 massively powerful 494 cubic-inch, big-block Ford V-8 motors for Andretti's McLaren M6B Can-Am-series racer. Fast forward to 2010, when California hot-rod enthusiast Tom Fry commissioned famed Los Angeles–based custom-car builder Bodie Stroud to create a uniquely reimagined 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback. One caveat was that he'd like to incorporate a special V-8 sitting in his garage. It was one of the 10 Holman Moody motors. More from Robb Report Mansory Gave the Tesla Cybertruck a Garish Makeover, and That's the Point Why the Original Ford Mustang Has Never Lost Its Swagger First Drive: This Restomod Is a Loud and Challenging Racer That Would Make Steve McQueen Smile Stroud's creation, which was dubbed 'the Real Thing' and revealed at the 2010 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, went on to became one of the most-celebrated custom Mustangs ever. In addition to appearing on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine, it featured on the TV show Jay Leno's Garage, and was the subject of a documentary film by director Julian King, called, not surprisingly, The Real Thing. Now, the renowned 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, with its equally famous engine, will be offered at the upcoming Mecum Auctions sale in Glendale, Calif., on March 22. While there's no official estimate, word is that, because of that iconic engine, the vehicle might fetch as much as $1 million. 'I remember being at SEMA in 2010 and seeing my dad's face as the car was unveiled, and watching as Mario Andretti himself signed the valve cover of the engine. It was a special day,' Tom Fry Jr., the car's current owner, tells Robb Report. 'Why am I selling? My dad passed away a couple of years ago and the car has become so precious to us that it's just not driven. And that's a waste,' says Fry. 'The car is such an amazing piece of artistry and craftsmanship that it needs to be exercised and shown.' Fry explains that it was the engine's Can-Am connection that got his father's attention back in the mid-nineties. Drivers who competed in the beloved Can-Am series from 1966 to 1974, and again from 1977 to 1987, included such racing heroes as Phil Hill, Mark Donohue, Bruce McLaren, AJ Foyt, Jackie Stewart, Dan Gurney, and Mario Andretti. They drove insanely fast race cars powered by engines delivering up to 1,500 hp. 'My father somehow persuaded Holman Moody to sell him one of the last remaining 494s built for Mario's McLaren Can-Am car,' says Fry. 'It sat forever in a corner of his race shop before he asked Bodie to build a car around it.' According to Fry, only two of the 10 V-8s still exist, with his father's engine being serial No. 002, which is stamped on its cylinder block. As for the car's design, it seems Tom Fry Sr. was a fan of the iconic 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, so had that model variant be the starting point. Yet he also admired the so-called 'funny car' dragsters, especially the 1969 Blue Max Mustang, so elements of that machine had to be included in the styling as well. 'I found a '69 Mustang body up in Oregon to experiment on, and just started chopping it up,' explains Stroud. 'Tom wanted a lower roofline, so we made a whole new roof from a jigsaw puzzle of metal. We made it around two-and-a-half inches lower than stock, with a more angled windshield. The entire body was widened too.' During the design process, Stroud quickly concluded that the stock Mustang chassis was not going to be able to contain the 777 hp produced by the Holman Moody V-8. His solution was to design and build a completely new I-beam-stiff, ladder-frame chassis. The car also features four-wheel air suspension, a four-link rear end, Brembo brakes, and Rushforth polished-aluminum rims. The rears are 15 inches wide. During construction of the body, the Holman Moody V-8 was shipped off to Los Angeles–based tuner QMP Racing Engines for a full rebuild. The work included fitting such go-fast components as a Crower billet crankshaft, Manley titanium valves, an LSM custom camshaft, Kaase Boss cylinder heads, and a McLeod clutch and flywheel for the Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed manual transmission. Inside, the car was given a completely new interior loosely based on the design of the latest-at-the-time 2011 Mustang. It came with ubiquitous black leather, modern Mustang gauges, an aftermarket steering wheel, and a cue-ball-style shifter knob. How does it drive? Take a look at Julian King's The Real Thing video to see Stroud hammering the car along the canyon roads around Los Angeles, accompanied by that throaty, big-bore exhaust soundtrack. As for Fry, his experience with piloting the car has been admittedly limited. 'I've driven it only a few times—the car has less than 250 miles on the clock. But it sounds amazing, and experiencing that 777 hp, you can't help but grin,' he says. 'There were definitely ghosts of Mario in his Can-Am McLaren swirling around my head. This really is the Real Thing.'Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
