‘66 Ford Mustang – It’s All Right

When you look through the classic car hall of fame, there are many, many vehicles present. You’ve got cars like the Volkswagen Beetle, the Austin 7, the original Mini, the Model T, all cars that hold deep significance within the ever-evolving tapestry of the story of the automobile. Another car you’ll find, and quite rightly so, is the Ford Mustang. Many would argue that the Mustang, the car championed so passionately by Lee Iacocca was the car that saved Ford. 

It breathed new life into the brand, which in the early 1960s was not as great as it had once been. Back in the days of Henry Ford, when the concept of the automotive production line was popularised, Ford was a powerhouse that couldn’t be touched. By the ‘60s, when grandson Henry Ford II was at the helm, the competition from the likes of General Motors and Chrysler was hotting up. The consumer had choice, and the consumer knew it. Ford needed something new, something exciting and something that would steer the important youth market into Ford dealerships. That something would be the Mustang. 

Of course, it didn’t start life as the Mustang. Before this, as part of a study, there was the ill-fated XT-Bird. Built by the Budd Company the XT-Bird was a weird mishmash of early Ford Thunderbird sat atop a Ford Falcon chassis. Needless to say, Henry Ford II wasn’t thrilled. However, the idea of a smaller, more personal car but with four seats and more practicality (by ‘60s standards) did appeal. As such, Lee Iacocca, then the General Manager of Ford, championed a new model that his engineers had been working on. This new car, a compact four-seater, needed a name. Torino was considered, as was Cougar. Henry Ford II wanted it to be called the T-Bird II (no, really) while others in the team suggested Mustang, both in relation to the fighter plane and of course, the horse. Focus groups made the decision easy – they loved Mustang. 

In 1964, the first cars were introduced. There was a four-seat convertible and also a four-seat fastback, but the latter was a ‘65 model, officially speaking. Even though it was unveiled in September of ‘64. Semantics aside, there has been a fastback car from pretty much day one. And that’s important, because those were the only two body styles you got. They are the only two body styles the Mustang has ever been available as (with the exception of the easily forgotten notchback Foxbody car). The Mustang was not built to be sensible, it was not built to be a family car, it was not built to be practical. It was built to be fun, but for four people. And in the mid ‘60s, Ford needed that. 

Execs shot themselves in the foot at first by only offering the Mustang with a straight-six engine. They soon saw the error of their ways though, and offered an optional V8 from ‘65. This V8 option, combined with the chiselled, handsome styling and the base price of $2,368 sent Mustang sales through the roof. Ford wanted to sell 100,000 units in year one, but the bean counters said it was unlikely. They were wrong. Very wrong. Ford sold over 400,000. Within eighteen months, it had sold nearly a million. The Mustang was a monumental success. 

The Mustang has been in continuous production ever since, but it’s only during the last five years that us Brits have been able to walk into a dealership and buy one. The new Mustang is excellent, of course (we reviewed the Bullitt edition last year), but it’s not a classic. For that, we need to invest in some proper old school American iron. But that brings with it a problem; American cars have the steering wheel on the wrong side. 

Now, we’ve had a few left-handers, and we’ll admit that it’s not the hardest thing to live with. However, there is also no denying that it’s a compromise. Having to crane your neck when overtaking, being in an unfavourable position for junctions or slip roads, not being able to get your Big Mac with ease – it all serves to mar the experience somewhat. If we could have a classic Mustang, but with the steering wheel where it should be – on the right – that would be a definite win. Which is why this stunning ‘66 Fastback that’s currently for sale with Fast Classics has our attention. Yep, this muscly old beast is not only a looker, it’s a right-hooker. Score. 

This particular Fastback rolled off the Dearborn, Michigan assembly in ‘66 as a left-hand drive, 289 V8 car. It was built for the American domestic market and indeed, it lived its life in the States right through to 2013. That’s when it came to the UK, and as soon as its wheels touched our soil, the restoration was underway. 

Well, we say restoration. That’s not really true, as this Mustang is more of what you’d call a restomod, as it’s not original. It’s been ‘hopped up’ significantly, but also for the better. The crowning glory of which is the right-hand drive conversion. This takes the car, for UK buyers, to another level. It’s now a car for us, it’s not just a car that’s been imported, it’s a car that has been worked on and has been rewarded with full-blown citizenship. And you can now use its thumping V8 to overtake without wondering if you’re going to clatter into something coming the other way. Bonus! 

But what else has been done? Well, in broad terms, everything. No nut has been left unturned during this Fastback’s restoration journey. The 289cui V8 has been completely overhauled with aluminium heads and roller rockers, there’s an Edelbrock intake manifold on top of which sits a four-barrel carb. Out the back of the V8 there is a rebuilt automatic transmission delivering power to the rear through a limited-slip diff – no peg-leg burnouts here. 

The body, which has survived exceptionally well thanks to a life in Indiana before the UK, has been completely reworked and restored. Panther Black paint has been splashed over every panel, all the chrome has been replaced or restored and with those big Cragar wheels, it looks ace. It looks how a Mustang should look. 

Inside, there is air-conditioning, new upholstery, digital gauges, new carpets, Bluetooth and lots of other modern niceties to bring this car up to date. It looks, as we’re sure you’ll agree, like a very nice place to be while devouring the miles. 

For us, this is the perfect classic Mustang for the UK buyer. There is, other than the thirst of a V8, no compromise. It’s a car that has been built for us, it’s our slice of genuine American pie, but served with a cup of tea in the form of being right-hand drive. The restoration is also spot-on. The Mustang is still a hugely popular machine, and as such, there is a thriving aftermarket for it. It’s easy to go overboard and over restore such a car, but this isn’t the case here. 

The specification lets you believe that someone laboured over the choices here. This car wasn’t just thrown together. It was built with passion. And that’s fitting, because the Mustang itself is a car that has a passionate following, it was created by passionate people like Lee Iacocca, and because of that, it’s as popular today as it was in the ‘60s. A timeless classic.