First generation Ford Mustang enthusiasts know that the fastest 1965-66 Ford Mustangs are the Shelby GT350 2+2's. Most of these limited production Shelby's were thinly disguised SCCA race cars that were built for the street for homologation purposes. A scant 36 of them were full-on racing machines that dominated SCCA B production racing in 1965 and 1966. These beauteous beasts are still vintage raced to this day. They're often competing heads-up against 1963-65 Shelby Cobra 289-powered roadsters.

Being immersed in the classic car hobby can lead to many great lifetime adventures and pursuits. Beach Gypsy Classics (BGC) is a growing business venture based in Orange County, California. Huntington Beach firefighter, paramedic, resident, and longstanding Classic Industries customer Chuck Stubbing, with his wife Kelly, started BGC after renovating a Wimbledon White 1966 Mustang notchback coupe.

Somewhere along the streets of San Jose, CA there's a Reef Blue Fox body Mustang a prowlin'. You're apt to hear it before you see it, and by the time you see it, it's gone baby gone. The personalized license plate reads STL SLW. Is this 1993 Mustang coupe named after the famous racehorse Seattle Slew? No. The plate stands for STILL SLOW.

A year after deciding not to purchase a 1969 Shelby GT350 Mustang, I was still regretting passing up on buying that rare and racy machine. I had used some of that money by investing in myself and going back to school to obtain a K through 8th grade multiple subject teaching credential. Looking back, I made many positive life decisions in that year since not buying the GT350.

While perusing the antique car classifieds section of the Orange County Register in the summer of 1994, I read a listing that sounded too good to be true. Someone had advertised a 1969 Shelby GT350 Mustang SportsRoof for sale, and it sounded like the deal of the century. According to the Kelley Gold Book for that year the car was underpriced by at least $4,000. 

The Fox Body Mustang is becoming an increasingly popular platform for restoration and resto-modding, and it's easy to see why. It offers timeless style at an affordable price point. The Fox platform also has enormous performance potential for those of us who love to go fast. The 5.0L V8 and Borg-Warner 5-speed manual that came with this 1989 Mustang GT are a great starting point for tuning, but owner Gabe Flores — the Brand Manager here at Classic Industries — wanted performance on par with modern-day muscle cars. So, he teamed up with Mustang Hub Magazine and American Powertrain to install a Tremec TKX transmission that can hold even more power than the stock Borg-Warner T5.

In highway patrol pony car parlance, SSP initially stood for Special Service Police when applied to the mighty 1982 Mustang. After evaluating a 1979 Camaro Z28 for an 18-month period, the California Highway Patrol asked The Ford Motor Company to deliver several Mustang notchback coupes for testing. The Ford Crown Victoria sedan was heavy duty enough for police duty, but it was underpowered and couldn't serve as a high speed pursuit vehicle. This is why the CHP had tested the Camaro Z28 and wanted to evaluate the Mustang. For whatever reason the CHP didn't select the Z28.

For many, one of the most alluring aspects of the old car hobby is the Barn Find. Practically every gearhead dreams of discovering an old American muscle car tucked away in someone's barn or garage that's a solid, low-mile example with all its original parts. Put some air in the tires, push the vehicle out of the barn, and haul away your rolling, running (one day soon) treasure chest of Americana. As the years fly by, these dust encrusted beauties are becoming ever scarcer, which makes the hunt that much more appealing. One doesn't need to be the automotive version of Indiana Jones to find these babies. One just needs to be persistent and to use all the tools at one's disposal. One such tool is a helpful article that you can check out by following this link: Top 12 American Muscle Car Restoration Mistakes.

This article's topic may be a sore subject for some readers. There are likely to be several gotchas in this list, where a gearhead or two (or several thousand for that matter) might have rushed headlong into purchasing and starting a classic car renewal project that goes awry and is hopelessly stalled. It's not something to beat yourself up about. It's called being human and making mistakes. Don't let the fear of making a boo boo or two get in your way of reading this article for some helpful hints on getting your old car project going or restarted. If you keep these muscle car restoration mistakes in mind, you won't fall victim to them in the future.

Our lead photo of a restored Lemon Twist yellow 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda is courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

The Most Common Muscle Car Restoration Mistakes

If you've ever owned or even considered buying a 1987-93 Fox Body Mustang, you know one of the biggest cosmetic issues with these cars is the dry-rot that attacks the quarter windows. These window assemblies are infamously surrounded by what is typically a faded, pitting, and often separating seal around the outer edge.