Chad Chambers' 1967 Mustang Fastback

Black Gold

For Ford enthusiasts, particularly those of classic Mustangs, there is an unspoken—yet predetermined—template for modifying and/or restoring their cars. This isn't a bad thing, but it's not unusual to feel that once you've seen one Mustang, you've seen them all. There are those rare gems here and there, like the unexpected Shelby car or a once-in-a-lifetime barn find. Chad Chambers' Mustang doesn't have a story quite like that, yet there is something about this particular Fastback that bridges the gap between the common driver and a diamond in the rough.

The car was purchased in 1996 from Mustang Country in Lakewood, California. Like certain people, cars can have a seedy past, and we were amused to find out this car was something of a thug in its former life. There was a bullet hole through the trunk, a round lodged in the rusty springs and foam under the driver seat, and black ski masks and some crowbars under the back seat. It if could talk, we imagine the car has tales of tire-smoking getaways—an automotive Billy the Kid.

The car was a personal project of Chad's for the first few years of its ownership, but after fiddling with it for a while and putting his kids through college, he decided to turn it over to Wheelers Speed Shop in Huntington Beach, California, eight years ago. He wanted to be able to drive it every day if he wanted to, take it to the track on Saturday, then trek to the local meet on Sunday.

Wheelers was able to make good on Chad's order. The guys at the shop removed the engine Chad had originally built and started with a fresh Windsor block. that included a forged rotating assembly by Scat, a roller camshaft from Comp, and Edelbrock aluminum heads. MSD ignition and Hilborn injection are all kept in check by a FAST EFI system. Despite the potential to make some big power, these modifications were done to maintain the reliability of a docile daily driver but retain more than enough passing power to navigate Southern California traffic.

Putting out about an estimated 500 hp (Chad has yet to dyno the car), Wheelers knew a stout drivetrain was in order. The shop backed the engine up with a Tremec T56 and a Centerforce dual-disc clutch. An aluminum driveshaft sends the power back to the Ford 9-inch rear end. Most enthusiasts know that if you are going to go fast, you need to stop faster. Wilwood brakes do the job just fine and evacuate heat through vented rotors. A nice little touch that Wheelers added was hiding the master cylinder in the firewall to clean up the engine bay and allow a little more breathing room for the 427.

The suspension needed to be able to stand up to not only the occasional track day or autocross but also the pitted and cracked asphalt of Los Angeles. Chad and Wheelers chose to go with a Total Control setup both front and rear. The rear pushrod configuration eliminates any slop and sway that would normally be present with leaf springs, and the front coilovers allow chad more freedom in setting up the suspension than the stock design does.

When it came to the wheels, Chad harkened back to memories of the past: "I like the old Halibrand wheels used on old race cars." Budnik Muroc III's were chosen for the look and BFG rubber was picked for solid road performance.

Some people build cars to show, and some build cars to drive. But spearheading the notion of doing both is Chad and this bit of black gold. The week it was finished, he celebrated by going to SEMA in 2014. He had no desire to trailer it, so he jumped in it with a buddy and cannonballed out there on the first day of the show. He wanted to have a car that he could truly enjoy with all senses. It is visually stunning. It's one of a few road-driven muscle cars that has an interior that smells like it just rolled off a BMW lot. It sounds spunky and ready to charge and feels just as sturdy and planted as a modern production car. Chad takes pride in making his buddies with their M5s and AMGs bow down at the lights now and then, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Did his wife enjoy figuring out how much it cost? No. Does she enjoy riding in it? She's getting there. Just like the rest of us, though, this car was built to fulfill a dream and put that stupid pasty grin on our faces when we give it the gas.

Tech Notes

Who: Chad Chambers

What: 1967 Mustang Fastback
Where: Long Beach, CA.
Engine: Iron block with Edelbrock aluminum heads. All of the internals were provided by Scat and include forged pistons and crank, H-Beam rods, lifters, and roller rockers. The camshaft was provided by Comp Cams and sits below the aluminum Hilborn injection intake. MSD provides the spark and a FAST engine-management system keeps it all in sync.
Transmission: A Tremec T-56 gearbox with a Centerforce dual-disc clutch stands up to the torquey, stroked Windsor.
Rearend: A good ol' Ford 9-inch with heavy-duty axles ensures durability on the road.

Suspension: Wheelers installed Total Control Products' coilover front and pushrod rear suspension. The steering rack was a rack-and-pinion setup, also from Total Control.

Wheels/Tires: The 427KR sits on Budnik wheels, 17x8 up front and 17x10 in the back. BF Goodrich rubber tucks up under the fenders
Body: The all-metal body was formed by Helix in Harbor City, CA. They added little detail that if you weren't looking for them, you'd never know. The rear fenders, for example, were not only rolled like the fronts but also pulled out to accommodate the 10-inch-wide Budnik wheels. When asked what color gold he wanted for the stripes, Chad brought in one of his Gibson Les Paul guitars for reference.
Interior: Gabe's Custom Interiors masterfully crafted full leather upholstery. The factory gauge bezel was filled with Auto Meter electronic gauges, while a Pioneer stereo provides the tunes. Wheelers also fabbed up a half-cage with bars crossing the rear glass and into the trunk.

  

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