Daily Slideshow: 2013 Mustang GT All Dressed Up in 1969 Clothes
Check out just what it takes to bring a 1969 Mustang into the 21st century, and prepare to have your mind mangled. The classic shell of a gorgeous specimen on the powerful and pristine platform of a 2013 Mustang GT is just what Tom Welle and his good friend Barry Dohrmann created.
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1. The idea of a lifetime
A few years ago, Tom Welle invested in a broken-down, 1969 Mustang Mach 1. As a gift for his granddaughter, he had the idea to crossbreed his purchase with a newer model Mustang. The pair would be the best balance of traditional Mustang beauty and modern Mustang power the world of 'stang has ever seen.
2. The search for the perfect platform
Tom had the idea, and he already had the 1969 Gulfstream Aqua Mustang body. The next challenge was to find the perfect platform from which the crossbreed would be born.
As luck would have it, after a short search of several used-car auctions, Tom came across a wrecked 2013 Mustang GT with a Coyote 5.0 V-8 engine and five-speed transmission. The vehicle was listed as is with no promise of a running engine, but after a big of price haggling, he chose to take a chance.
3. The roll of the dice
Tom purchased the wrecked Mustang and had it shipped to Barry Dohrmann's Custom Automotive shop. Tom's talented friend quickly discovered what an excellent roll of the dice Tom had taken.
Immediately, Barry could see that the vehicle was not in as bad of shape as the pictures may have suggested. The driver's side door and front fender had a few minor dents, and for some weird reason, paramedics had used the Jaws of Life to cut the driver out from the top.
4. The stuff that dreams are made of
Otherwise, the suspension and engine bay of the vehicle looked unscathed and perfectly intact. On a hunch, Barry looked under the driver's side floormat and found the keys to the vehicle's ignition. After installing a new battery, he turned the key, and the engine started with no hesitation.
If the engine working wasn't surprising enough, Barry also noticed that the digital display read only three numbers long. The wrecked 2013 Mustang Tom had purchased had a working Coyote V-8 5.0 engine with only 204 miles on the odometer.
5. Getting to work on the crossbreed
Setting the 1969 fastback shell onto the 2013 platform required a creative mind. Surprisingly, only a few minor alterations were needed to aesthetically mesh the two Mustang models. Barry added an inch and a half to the left and right side rocker panels, but most of the crossbreed was fairly basic as you can see from the image.
6. Working out the kinks in the design
Every smart builder works through a mockup before putting the whole vehicle together, and Barry is a great builder. After a mockup, he quickly saw a major issue with the tires. The front and rear tires were not fitting correctly. As a result, the tires were coming in direct contact with the body panels of the vehicle. Tom and Barry both felt strongly about the integrity of the 1969 body shape, so they chose to narrow the rear suspension by cutting the housing and installing shorter axles. The front suspension was doctored to a perfect fit using adjustable struts.
7. Modern interior and a classic body
Builder, Barry Dohrmann, had no trouble fitting the modern dashboard into the old-model shell. No major structural changes were needed to create a seamless interior.
8. The finished product
The finished product was undeniably a masterpiece. Dohrmann Custom Automotive definitely scores expertise points for this fantastic crossbreed creation.
For help with service of your car, check out the how-to section of our sister site MustangForums.com