1965 Ford Mustang Fastback Race Car Looks Out of Place on the Streets of LA

These are the two extremes, but there are tons of other variations in between, one of them being this highly modified 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback. Some people might look at this and think the car would deserve a thorough restoration to bring it back to its former glory, and they would be right. Others might appreciate its history and uniqueness, making them prone to liking the car just the way it is. And they would be right too.

There's no denying a mint '65 Fastback is a thing to behold, but then again we also dare you to watch this video and, after you're done, tell us that wasn't one of the coolest Mustangs you've seen in a while. The worst thing about it, though? It's not street legal.

Indeed, the car has been racing for the past 35 years or so, most of that in the hands of Dan Luckow, so it's lost and gained a lot of stuff in the process. It's lost all of the conveniences you would expect from a road-going vehicle - even one that's over half a century old - and gained the kind of stuff that makes it go faster. So, there are no seats apart from the driver's, no carpets, no AC, no sound deadening, and even no speedometer. On the other hand, you have a roll cage, lighter body panels, and countless engine modifications the owner doesn't even want to go into.

That's mainly because he doesn't know exactly what's been done to the 302 cubic-inch V8 (5.0-liter), but he does know the car makes over 650 horsepower and plenty of torque. Not that it needs too much considering the Mustang weighs just 2,800 lbs (under 1.3 tons). By the same consideration, you'd think its brakes don't need to be beefed up to the extreme, but when you're racing, shaving off speed is just as important as gaining it, so the Mustang has a set of race-grade stoppers. What that means is that they are so loud, they could be used as a horn. Well, if the car was street legal, that is, because you don't need a horn on the track.

Just by watching the clip, you get the feeling this is a vehicle that offers the sort of raw, visceral, primeval experience so many people are craving these days, and while this may be a track-only car, nothing keeps you from doing something similar to an old Mustang while making sure all the registration requirements are still met. Some people may frown at your contraption, but plenty will smile and give you the thumbs up as well. The sooner we learn we can't (and shouldn't try to) please everyone and just do what we like, the better.