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1965 Ford Mustang V8 Autocross Build Isn't Made by a Mad Man, But a Baja Man

This Mustang build is a collection of great things that, when put together, make something even greater. It is actually the triumph of function over form, but as it so often happens, the paradox is that the result is a lot more pleasing to the eye than many so-called "beautiful" cars.
1965 Ford Mustang autocross build 3 photos
Photo: Mark Stevens via Instagram
1965 Ford Mustang autocross build1965 Ford Mustang autocross build
Don't get us wrong, this Mustang is everything but beautiful in the strictest sense of the word. Everywhere you look there's something ready to poke your eye out or slash it open as in that famous scene of Louis Bunuel's short film, "An Andalusian Dog."

It's hard to underestimate the number of steel sheets that went into making this car, as proven by the open fenders as well as the custom low apron. It's very surprising there is no wing at the back, but since this Mustang is used for autocross racing, there was probably no need for one since there is no high-speed cornering involved.

A car that looks this crazy has to be able to go fast, otherwise it can only make a fool of itself and its owner. Speaking of the owner, that would be Mark Stevens, a man who took part in the 2018 Baja 1000 and knows plenty about speed and what to do with it in a car. The guys at Muscle Cars and Trucks ran into him during an SCCA autocross event in Michigan and couldn't afford to leave without learning more about the weird-looking Mustang.

It turns out that its design is only half the story. Stevens used a GT350 chassis as the starting point, to which he mounted a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 crate engine and Ford's 10R80 ten-speed automatic transmission with the selector controlled via a steering wheel-mounted knob with servo assistance.

The interior is stripped bare and completely custom. You've got carbon-fiber bucket seats with five-point racing harnesses, and a modular dashboard and center console that allows multiple mounting combinations of the various modules depending on the driver's preferences. Again, not exactly pretty, but pretty damn useful.

As you would expect from a car built essentially from the ground up, there is a lot to talk about. Every part and subassembly have a certain provenance and story to tell, but the real kicker here is the way they all come together. It just goes to show that you don't need to set off with the intention of building something beautiful to actually do it. And we bet the thing sounds just as wild as it looks.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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