Roush-blown Ford Racing 302 Coyote, Tremec six-speed, DYAD twin disc clutch, and 770 horsepower. Need anything else?
Classic Recreations decided to create its own design of the ultimate 1968 Mustang Fastback, one that would appeal to a variety of enthusiasts, both young and old, with the perfect mix of classic style and modern technology. Its creation is called the “Villain,” and it is a formidable machine. There are no-half measures here. Every detail and every angle has been thoughtfully considered.
Being a shop that is dedicated to building Shelby-licensed recreations that are faithful to the original car, founder Jason Engel approaches all of his projects with a nice helping of modern engineering and technology thrown in. A true Mustang aficionado, he’s known for building the 1967 Shelby GT500 “Eleanor” that gained notoriety in Gone in Sixty Seconds.
When it comes to power and handling, the Classic Recreations “Villain” delivers in spades. A twin-cam, fuel-injected Ford Racing 302 Coyote crate motor puts down 475 horsepower, with an optional supercharger bumping that number up to 770 galloping ponies. That power and torque is managed by a Tremec six-speed transmission and a Centerforce DYAD twin-disc clutch.
In spite of these numbers, the CR “Villain” is not a monster to drive. While it may look like a classic, its underpinnings are thoroughly modern. The 1968 Mustang came with rear leaf spring suspension, which simply doesn’t provide the modern sports car-like handling that Engel wanted with modern power levels.
That’s why he and his team have replaced the front and rear subframes to accommodate the new
Detroit Speed aluminum subframes with modern coilover suspension on all four corners and a Quadralink 4-link system in the rear to help keep all those horses down. Combined with a modern rack and pinion power steering system, it’s easy to see why the CR “Villain” is rather comfortable and easy to enjoy, even on city streets.
The final part of the power and handling package is a set of beefy Wilwood brakes. Massive six-piston calipers grip slotted and cross-drilled 14-inch rotors at all four corners, hopefully keeping drivers out of trouble. While it’s easy to wax nostalgic about the 1960s, there is an entire generation of enthusiasts who weren’t around to experience it.
Classic Recreations is essentially building a 1968 Mustang imagined through a younger enthusiast’s eyes, that eliminates all of the downsides that come from 60-year old engineering while still preserving the visceral driving experience of a classic car. The “CR Villain” is comfortable and compliant, so a grocery run doesn’t have to include a trip to the chiropractor. It’s versatile so that long road trips are as pleasurable as a day at the track. It has air-conditioning and a modern stereo system so that every drive doesn’t become a chore.
Yet no one will ever mistake it for being a new car, simply because it still has those classic Fastback lines, as illustrated by the accompanying photographs of the first production “Villain” from Classic Recreations. At the end of the day, the Ford bloodline flows just as thick and fast through “Villain” as it did in the original 1968 Mustang.
So, whether you have a penchant for burning rubber, chasing lap times on the track, or just want to look cool as you go for a cruise up your favorite country roads, the “Classic Recreations Villain” Mustang should be at the top of your list to fill that coveted spot in your garage. After all, it’s nice to take a break from being good all the time.
