I think that your car looks great!, It is yet another car I would be proud to own and to drive, without making any changes.

 

Well, when some people have to pay over $3 a gallon for gas, a built 351C that gets 10mpg is not fun.

 

The only thing that is better is that it's cheaper. A carbureted engine that's making 390hp is not going to be as reliable and get as good gas mileage as an 03-04 Cobra engine. Another thing is that simple bolt ons and a tune will not give you another 100rwhp on a 289/302/351 like it will on an 03-04 Cobra engine. Not to mention the Cobra engine will hold more power than any stock sbf can handle.

 

$3 a gallon my heart bleeds for you try about $7 here

 

then buy an 03 cobra if you want that so bad a vintage mustang is about the feel and experience not about 3 dollars a gallon gas, i am builiding my 427 med riser to 12.5:1 compression and going to run 5 dollar a gallon racing fuel but guess what im willing to do that i mean yeah itll cost me 200 a month just for gas but to me its worth it, if you want 390 hp and 24 mpg go buy a 03 cobra leave a classic out of the equation....

 

let me state that i will not use a 427 fe with 12.5:1 compression as a daily driver but rather to fit an exhaust designed by me to be heard 5 counties away when i drop the hammer into 4th at 5000 rpms on sunday afternoons and for open track events

 

I agree, however, the same can be said about concours cars too, like you said, how many times can you clone a GT350 or Eleanor. The same can go for how many stock mustangs can you look at, i get bored, i want to see something different, i am not agreeing that shelby clones are the answer, i have a 351W and a T5 in my car, i have late model 17 in wheels and all these suspension goodies, i just feel that its a way to express yourself and stand out from the crowd...

 

the way i look at it if you can afford the car you can afford to feed it you should enjoy the car. us americans bitch over gas prices but we still got it cheaper then alot of places canada is like 6 a gallon

 

It’s kind of funny. I have wanted a classic Mustang for as long as I can remember. Ended up buying a used ’95 convertible back in ’96. I went near new because I could only afford one car and needed it to be reliable. Also with my job, I did not have the time to tinker with an older car. My wife had owned a Mustang II back in the 80’s. So the love of Pony’s is in our blood.

Anyway, when we finally started to look for our Mid-60’s Mustang, both my wife and I went back and forth on what the car would look like. We knew we wanted a ragtop and that we were getting a project car. So, we had a choice in its future. We had found a very original ‘66 vert in fairly good condition. Had we got that car, we would have left it original. It would seem a shame to us to change something so close to stock. So, for that car, we would have done a full restoration without any real mods.

We also found some true project cars. You know the kind, rusty needing a whole lot of work. Of course the pricing for each of the cars was comparative to the amount of work they needed. We opted for a fairly straight ’67. Since this car had sheet metal work already completed, as well as replaced doors and a few mods already underway, we decided that it would be ok to take this car down a road different than a stock restoration.

You see, when I would imagine my/our Mustang, I would see it dressed with a look that I did not know from whence the origin was. I love scooped hoods, not the huge snorkel ones, but the nice tight ones (pun). Turns out, they are Shelby hoods. What the heck is a Shelby? Didn’t know. But liked the look. I also like the larger wheels with low profile tires that you see on so many higher performance cars these days, from Vettes to Porsche, and new Mustangs too. Liked these wheels back in the ‘80s and like ‘em even more today.

Also, my '04 Solara has a minor body kit. Nothing radical like you see on so many other cars. Just a simple factory 2” lowering of the entire bodyline. If you see (or is should say if “I” see) the same car without the kit, I like my car 1000% more. That little edge is just enough to make the stance more attractive. So when I see a classic Mustang with its short side profile, I think, a small body kit with a 1” or so lowered suspension on that car would really bring the profile some presence. Now I hear that this look is known as Eleanor.

Heck, I’d never seen the movie until a few weeks ago when I read all the hubbub on the forum. So it turns out the look that the original Eleanor designer Steve Stanford and Mr. Foose, like many of the same things I do. Not to mention that Shelby guy. Hey! At least I’m in good company.

So to me, modernizing and adapting my classic is no different than all my peers did in the 70’s and 80’s when large rear tires and skinny fronts and jacked up rears (remember HiJacker) was the hot look of the day. Back then, that was the look of performance. Today, it’s low to the ground to cut through the wind and large wide tires to handle the road. And the look is not just limited to new cars.

Many of you may not like this look. And that’s ok, but a nicely done classic with this look is pretty sweet to many of us here and out there. Obviously there are those that want to keep their car stock. That’s great. Thankfully you guys are out there too. But please do not sh** on our head when we strive to make our car our own. Today some call it Restomod, we used to call it hot rodding or customizing.

There’s a great quote in the Jan 2007 issue of Mustang Monthly from Dough Hasty, president of Unique Performance regarding their GT500SR Continuation Shelby’s.

I quote “This is the way Carroll would have built an SR in 1968 if had the ingredients we have today”

Although I’ve tried Mr. Hasty, I could not say it better myself.

-Rich

 

I think it just boils down to owner preference. Everyone has thier own view as to what makes a car sexy, from100% stockto a Shelby clone. Restoration will run you roughly the same either way in both cost and time, so you may as well do it so you're happy with the end result.

With that said, I personally agree with the too many 'Elenors' comment ... and man do I hate that people call them that. And feelings on rims as well.