"This car is not necessarily period-correct. It's not a concours car. But it's a hell of a machine because I built it the way I wanted," said Dave Rioux in a recent interview with Petrolicious. Rioux saw this 1967 Mustang GT350 while working at a gas station in the late '60s and he knew that he had to have it. Fast-forward to March of 1973, and he finally had the opportunity to buy the car from its second owner. But the road ahead wasn't easy — this car sat for three decades before undergoing a complete restoration.
It's no secret that we're fans of Petrolicious videos. Through a mix of elegant cinematography and spine-tingling sound, they let you experience classic cars in a way few other mediums can. Their video on this '67 GT350 is a great example of what they do best.
As the footage shows the GT350 roaring down the road, Rioux explains the trials and tribulations that led to his beloved car sitting for 30 years. After he stripped and gutted the car with plans to restore it in the mid-1970s, he got married and put it into his mother's garage. But when she wanted her garage space back for her '72 Thunderbird, he moved it into a storage container in the woods, like a time capsule waiting to be reopened.
In 2005, Rioux finally had the means and the opportunity to work on the car again. He sent the body off to a shop for a full cosmetic restoration while working on the engine, suspension, and electrical systems on his own. The interior was also fully restored down to every emblem, decal, and trim piece.
Two years later, Rioux was able to take the first drive for the second time. He recalled with reverence, "It was just like old times." He continued, "It taught me if you have a love for something, go after it. Be patient. There are things in life you may be drawn away from, but keep the passion."
Check out the full video from Petrolicious below, and trust us: you'll want to crank up the volume for this one. The sounds of that V8 accelerating are truly glorious.
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