1966 Mustang GT For Three

We met Glenn, Theresa, and Sean Edwards at the Mustangs Plus Fall Display in Stockton, California. Since Mustangs Plus is a real enthusiast’s Mecca for parts, accessories, and shop talk for classic Mustangs, it should come as no surprise that MP’s biannual display typically yields anywhere from 80 to 100 cars for each show. It’s a nice, intimate Mustang gathering where virtually everyone knows your name.

The Edwards’ bright red ’66 Mustang GT coupe stood out at the display because it’s a textbook example of what restomod is. Restomod is modifying a Mustang without taking away from the car’s classic lines. It’s a tasteful approach using your imagination. What’s more, it’s a whole lot of fun. Restomod begins as a car project with an unknown direction. And this is the way it was for the Edwards.

It started with Glenn’s brother-in-law, Brian Rusher, who purchased the car as a project. It sat for two years. Glenn approached Brian and bought the car for $1,500 including parts. The original game plan was to build a driver. Like most projects with a modest plan, it snowballed into a full-scale restoration. Glenn, Theresa, and a friend, Mike Galvin, tackled the project with vision. The car debuted at the Mustangs Plus spring display in 2001. With appearances in 13 shows in 2001, the Edwards have come home with 12 awards. Not bad for the first time out.

Netting awards for a job well done takes a sizable amount of talent, because building an extraordinary ride isn’t easy. It takes persistence. And it means never giving up when the going gets tough. Not everyone makes it. Because Glenn and Theresa aren’t ones to give up easily, they stayed with a classic Mustang, building it into an extraordinary restomod.

What makes this car extraordinary is craftsmanship and imagination. That’s Ford Performance Red over a Palomino interior. It’s warm. And it’s just downright hot. Inside—the Interior Decor Group most of us know as the “pony” interior. Those galloping ponies were conceived by the late Ford stylist, Damon Woods, who was killed in a car accident in the late ’60s. He left us with a legacy that brings pride to any Mustang enthusiast.

The Edwards family feels pride because they did the bulk of this project themselves. They built a healthy 289 with 1.94/1.60-inch valves, roller cam and rockers, forged pistons, Edelbrock Performer induction, an MSD ignition, Jet-Hot-coated headers, and more down under. Flowmasters give the 289 a rich sound. A Borg-Warner T5 transmission makes the car a joy to drive. That 3.80:1 axle ratio gives the Mustang acceleration qualities outside of Overdrive.

If you like the car’s stance, credit that to proper judgment, reverse-eye leaf springs, and stock GT coils from Mustangs Plus. Perfect. American Torq-Thrust II wheels 16 inches in diameter fill out the wheelwells. KYB gas shocks firm up the ride and improve handling. On the road, it’s awesome.

Give this one a closer look, and you’ll see what determination and pride in a job well done will do for you. For the Edwards family, it has paid off handsomely with a sporty Mustang GT for three.