A couple of years ago I decided it would fun to build a second car. Looking back it is surprising that it was only two years ago that I had most naive of understandings of cars. Especially project cars. Sometimes I wish I could take myself back to a time when I thought that there such a thing as a "done" car. I would definitely have more money.
All car projects start out innocently enough, mine especially. Seeing as how my dad and I had finished building a Camaro, I wanted a Mustang to go with it. I looked around for several months, searching for a '69 sportsroof. I thought a trans-am inspired Mustang might be a nice counter point for our "sophisticated" - and I use that term loosely - Camaro. Hanging around these websites, and going to SEMA, etc. I tend to get a lot of ideas, not all of which fit on one car.
One day I noticed that Mark of Lateral-Dynamics fame was selling a little '65 Fastback project car. For five thousand dollars, you can't really go wrong. When it comes to buying fastbacks in that price range, something resembling a tear drop shaped roof with some other metal attached is usually all one can hope for. So, I bought it. It needed repair work on the quarters and doors, nothing unusual. It really wasn't terrible. After blasting the car we discovered there was just enough rust though that about every respective corner of the car needs a spot patched here or there.
After blasting it and getting it in etch primer I let the car sit to save up a bit of money. All the while trying to figure out what to do with it. Every time I looked at it, I thought it looked really wimpy, like a secretary's car with a cool roof. First I lived with the look. I told myself as long as it had a cool stance I would be happy. Then I realized I wouldn't be able to stuff big tires under the car. The rear could be mini tubbed, but the front was a problem. I looked at fender flares, I mocked up some off the shelf fiberglass "E2" flares that help make '65s look like bastardized Eleanor cars. Those didn't work. Next I moved on to modeling some out of high density foam. Those still didn't give me the look I wanted. I started paying close attention to Ron S's "$5000 dollar budget Mustang." It is low, wide, and rounded compared to a stock little slab sided Mustang. Campbell Auto Restoration did pair similar to Ron's, and after seeing those I decided that was the direction that I was going to head in.
Off I went to buy sheet metal. I needed quarters and wheel houses, but figured I'd buy another set of fenders just for good measure. Oh, and I should mention now that I did so because I decided this was something that I might as well try and do myself. Having never done this, I figured it might take a couple of tries. $500 later (which seems like a great deal) I was on my way.
The guys at Best of Show were kind enough to give me a little corner of the shop, and let me barrow all of the assorted tools necessary to make a mess of things, and of course, make plenty of noise.
I figure most of you probably probably didn't bother reading my ramblings. That's okay. Mike Casti who is okay at sketching out Muscle Cars helped render things. My skills are limited to pencil and paper. Casti's are pretty much limited to the computer Chrysler sends him for work.
I wanted this car to be a little more obnoxious and racer car looking than the Camaro. Here is a rendering which draws its inspiration from a GT3. Now that I think about, it has to be blue and white!
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
'65 Fastback project
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