More muscle car restomods from the ‘60s? Yes, please.
Out of all muscle cars, the first generation of Mustangs were perhaps the most memorable. These machines need no introduction whatsoever: they were featured in countless Hollywood blockbusters, and slowly became a true symbol of American automotive history.
Today, Ford’s Mustang is the world’s best-selling coupe and continues to build its legacy with some of the most powerful street-legal cars money can buy. For example, the latest Shelby GT500 packs no less than 760 hp and comes equipped with track-ready suspension, tires and brakes. Long story short, it’s simply outstanding!
Honestly, I can’t think of a single sane car enthusiast who doesn’t dream of having one of these majestic things in their garage. Owning a new Mustang is cool and all, but getting behind the wheel of a timeless classic is an entirely different story.
Now, restomods really are something else. They represent the perfect blend between the retro babies we all love and an enhanced performance to match that of any modern vehicle. Basically, it’s the equivalent of taking a Civil War-era musket and modifying it to fire like an AK47.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
In 1989, Daniel Panoz founded Panoz Auto Development in Braselton, Georgia. The firm manufactures high-performance race cars, as well as street cars. Some of the models they produced over the years include the Panoz Roadster, Esperante GT and LMP01 Evo. As of the late 2000s, Panoz received a request to restore and modify a delicious 1965 Ford Mustang fastback.
The customer? None other than Hollywood movie star and race driver, Patrick Dempsey. Most notably, he starred as Derek Shepherd in the renowned drama series, Grey’s Anatomy and landed a successful lead role in Sweet Home Alabama, a romantic comedy released in 2002. Besides his acting career, Dempsey made a debut at 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 2014 racing season.
Panoz Auto Development’s 1965 Mustang restomod was built with modern components from the fifth generation S197 Mustang and fourth generation SN95. Its powerplant is an SVT Cobra’s supercharged 4.6-liter DOHC V8 that delivers 420 hp through a Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission.
The front suspension and brakes, as well as interior components like gauges, climate control dials and window switches also come from the Cobra. However, the rear suspension features an S197's solid axle.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
To top it all off, Panoz improved the car’s structure by incorporating side-impact protection and crumple zones at the front and rear for a boost of impact absorption efficiency. Modern seatbelts have also been added, along with the possibility of securely fitting a child seat. Finally, widebody elements were added and the interior was beautifully customized.
Dempsey may have moved on from this stunning 1965 Ford Mustang, but there is no shortage of people who would be prepared to pay a considerable amount for such an iconic piece of automotive history. This bad boy found its lucky owner in an auction on June 10th, where it was sold for a staggering $166,000.
I’ll bet its owner is having a hell of a time with their gorgeous new toy!
A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing. Full profile
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