There's no doubt we've witnessed a tremendous surge in vintage Mustang popularity over the past five years or so. Prices for Mustang musclecars have blasted through the roof, Mustangs are starring in blockbuster movies, and even at a local level we can't stop for gas without onlookers crawling in and around our cars. It's a good time to own a '65-'73 Mustang.
There's also no doubt the restomod trend has played a major role in boosting the Mustang's popularity. While we all love and admire the vintage Mustang's nostalgic lines, I think most of us can agree that driving older Mustangs, with their worm-gear steering, drum brakes, and sticking chokes, leaves much to be desired now that our everyday cars feature rack-and-pinion, four-wheel discs, and high-tech electronic fuel injection. The restomod movement has made it OK, and even easy, as manufacturers introduce parts and kits to add modern updates to older Mustangs, allowing us to combine the vintage appearance with today's performance and convenience.
Over the past couple of years especially, the level of restomod Mustangs has ratcheted up another notch or two as the street-rod market has steadily encroached into the '60s, making cars like the '65-'68 Mustangs and other '60s cars prime fodder for buildups with 4.6L engines, six-speed transmissions, and other modern equipment. At the same time, many enthusiasts are taking a more traditional route to restomod with stroker small-blocks, supercharging, and Shelby-type handling upgrades. Over the next few pages, we're taking a look at some of the Mustangs that have made an impact, not only in the Mustang market but some also in the street-rod market.