retrobuilt sends this 2008 ford mustang back to 1969 with a 'reverse restomod'

a 1969 shelby gt500 look-a-like

with classic cars becoming increasingly less attainable, one group of auto enthusiasts have taken a creative approach to enjoy vintage styling with a mustang shelby ‘reverse restomod.’ actually, the car started its life as a 2008 ford mustang GT coupe until it fell into the hands of the company retrobuilt. seeking to transform it with vintage styling while maintaining reliability and a reasonable cost, the group stripped the car of its original panels which were replaced with all-custom pieces. after a series of retro upgrades, the 24 year-old car took on the expression of a 1969 shelby GT500.

images courtesy RK motors

the reverse restomod by retrobuilt

the 2008 ford mustang reverse restomod was transformed by retrobuilt (see more here) with a number of custom upgrades to become the classic 1969 shelby look-a-like. alongside the cosmetic modifications like its new vintage-inspired paneling, the chassis has been upgraded with a tubular K-member, an aftermarket sway bar and panhard bar, and roush billet control arms to improve handling and performance.

under the hood, the 2008 ford mustang GT has a single overhead cam 4.6-liter MOD motor. while this motor makes 300 horsepower in stock form, the restomod’s engine likely makes more with upgraded COMP thumpr cams, cold-air intake, and an H-pipe exhaust with dual roush mufflers. meanwhile, the rear wheels receive power by way of a tremec TR3650 five-speed manual transmission and an 8.8-inch rear end with a 3.73 ratio posi-traction differential.

the ford mustang retromod by retrobuilt was recently sold through RK motors (see it here) and was available on ebay for $64,900 USD. with that price, retrobuilt achieved the savings the company strived for as the value of a true 1969 shelby GT500 is rapidly approaching $150,000.