Gas Ronda’s Legendary Mustang Funny Car Restored

Iconic Gas Ronda Mustang Funny Car Finds New Life, Decades Later

We’ve come across a number of Mustang Funny Car restoration projects here at Mustang Forums.

But few capture the spirit of the unique dragsters more than this ’68 Funny Car. Perhaps because it bears the name of the 1967 AHRA Driver of the Year and veteran Ford racer, Gas Ronda. Now, after years of sitting idle, the beloved Funny Car has found new life, thanks in large part to the efforts of Ford collector Brent Hajek.

Hajek was prompted to get the Funny Car restored after running into Ronda himself at a California Hot Rod reunion. Ronda was there signing autographs.

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Legendary Comeback

“I struck up a conversation with him and learned that the car was in pieces. And that the fellow’s brother was thinking about building a sand rail out of the tube frame chassis. I told him I might be interested,” Hajek told  Mustang and Fords, recalling the 1997 encounter.

Hajek wound up buying the car. Then, the Oklahoma native turned to Holzman Race Cars in Wichita, Kansas to return the Ronda Funny Car to its original state. The poppy red paint work was applied by Jason Metcalf. And the gold leaf lettering was done by Steven Friesen. It also features a set of period-correct, magnesium Halibrands.

Even more interesting, the Funny Car’s engine, a 427 SOHC, is believed to be one of two engines that once powered Mickey Thompson’s Challenger II LSR streamliner. Pretty cool, huh?