1967 Ford Mustang Fastback
As the original ‘Pony Car’, the Mustang needs little introduction. An immediate success at launch in 1964, the car inspired an American class of automobile that was affordable, compact, highly styled and offered a sporty or performance-oriented image.
This splendid 1967 Mustang Fastback was imported from Hawaii in 2012. Sometime before arriving in the UK, it had a full restoration meaning that when it landed it was ready to be enjoyed.
The idea of stuffing the 390 engine into a car originally designed for an engine less than half that size is pretty wild, and it leaves the way clear for some even hairier engines in the future. The 390 block is the same one used for Mercury’s 410 and Ford’s 427 racing engine and the 428 street engine. (Would you believe the sohc Hemi?—okay, maybe only on the drag strip. But anything’s possible in Motown, so it’s best to get it right in the first place.) The bare bones of the ’67 Mustang are plenty strong enough to take over 400 horsepower, so a measly 320 hp aren’t going to bend a thing.
The cabin features bucket seats, as were the rear bench and door panels. Equipment includes a Kenwood CD player, lap belts, and a removable center console with cupholders.
The wood-rimmed steering wheel frames a 120-mph speedometer and auxiliary gauges.
Tony’s Mustang fastback is a terrific boulevard cruiser because it has plenty of snap on demand. It’s a ride people want to see and explore when it’s parked with the hood open, yet something that didn’t stand out significantly when the car was new. Therein lies the strange irony associated with Tony’s fastback-an ordinary Mustang with an extraordinary option.
Anyone who likes the old Mustang ought to go nuts for the ’67. It’s a much better looking car than the photographs show, and we think the styling is tougher than last year’s. It’s heftier, and more substantial looking. The interior sparkles with a new instrument panel layout, and more luxurious hardware. It looks like Ford has decided the Mustang is going to be around for awhile, so why not invest some money where the occupants can enjoy it? The ride has been improved to the point that it’s every bit as good as most of the intermediates, except over thank-you-ma’ams and the like. One touch that we liked for its refreshing honesty were those louvers in the hood; they’re real! Obviously inspired by the upward radiator ducting on the Ford GT racing cars, these embryonic slits exhaust a small percentage of radiator air, probably improving the cooling plus melting windshield ice. It’s the great muscul car!!!
