1969 Ford Mustang Restomod Hides 750-HP Hemi Boss 520 Behind Quirky Modern Face

Let’s take the latest ride showcased by Shawn Davis, the cool and relaxed host of the AutotopiaLA YouTube channel: a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback that went through approximately 1,500 hours of fabrication to become the one-of-a-kind FX520. Remember that number because it’s a hint towards what’s hiding under the hood.

But, first and foremost, let’s discuss the elephant in the chinaware shop—that sleepy front end. While anyone taking a quick look at this ‘69 from the side or the rear will have no problem identifying this as a modern take on the original Mustang, it’s a different story altogether when seeing its front fascia.

That’s because it’s clearly “unusual, to say the least,” as it clearly reminds us of the fifth generation S197 II upgrade... without actually being a bolt-on. Instead, just like the rest of the car, it’s a fully handmade front that only comes with a set of stock headlights taken from a Mercedes-Benz (or so it's claimed in the video). We have no idea how that happened, but the result brings an uncanny resemblance to the prior generation Mustang.

It’s clear that it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but the owner probably paid north of $500k for this bespoke ride, so he’s clearly entitled to being as eccentric as he pleases. Moving on, from the 1:43 mark, we’re allowed a peak under the hood, and believe us, it’s even better than checking out that cool six-inch wider rear end (naturally, a restomod without a widebody mod is like coffee without milk).

That is because the ‘69 Mustang Fastback is equipped with another huge oddity: a Boss 520 Hemi motor! That’s right, it’s not a Coyote and not even a Dodge swap of the Hellcat kind; instead, we’re dealing with a Ford hemispherical engine. Shocking, but entirely appropriate for the build.

And it delivers around 750 horsepower just to make sure that Roadster Shop custom-built chassis underneath has its work cut out for it. By the way, Shawn found a thing on the car he doesn’t like, and it’s not the modified styling, which he says is “like a mullet: all business up front, party in the back.” Instead, we see him from the 4:15 mark fighting to grab the little flush handles before we also take a peek at the equally amazing interior from 4:55.

Naturally, everything in there is just as bespoke as the exterior, and the details are astonishing. Never mind the fat white stitching that neatly contrasts the black leather or the modern amenities inserted into the 1970s Mustang dash for a back-to-the-future atmosphere. Instead, our jaws dropped at the sight of the full cage, which comes with a carbon fiber look.

Of course, nothing is complete without a little test drive, and Shawn is allowed to go out and perform half, then three-quarters, then full accelerations inside a gem that’s probably worth more than some people will ever turn over in a lifetime.

Shawn probably wasn’t thinking about that too much because he was preoccupied with enjoy the cruise and stating the obvious, such as the fact that its engine and exhaust “tone is amazing.” And that’s even though the FX520 Mustang is “still being broken in,” as the ride only had 367 miles (a mere 591 km) at the time of the quick ride.

That is probably also the reason why he didn’t attempt one of the customary burnouts, a practice we don’t condone when it's performed on the street. At least on this occasion, he skipped on the smoke shenanigans altogether, probably also due to the fact those meaty tires in the back grabbed a lot better than expected.

In the end, there was just one possible conclusion. Shawn notes that even though we’re dealing with a truly custom build, this Boss 520 monster still manages to remind everyone sitting inside that it’s very much a proper 1960s-1970s Ford Mustang.