As much as I admire the craftsmanship and ingenuity of many restomods, I can’t consider myself a huge fan. Personal preferences and quality concerns aside, they are rarely represented in films, and for good reason; No one who cares the slightest bit about historical realism wants to see a maligned Malibu riding on a 21st century dub, in a scene that was supposed to be set in the 1960s. It breaks the illusion, not unlike the way the 22-inch tires on the Superformance Daytona Cobras that replace the originals in the “Shelby American” movie store shatter the sense of reality in Ford vs Ferrari. (For me anyway.)
What about a modern classic Mustang? no Restomod, because it shares no parts with the original factory car? I came away from my recent weekend with Orlando-based Revology in a 1968 Ford Mustang GT 2+2 Fastback thinking it would be a good candidate for future film work and an equally excellent choice as a car I’d want to own. That means, were it not for the price approaching $300,000, that would be like a 340-pound pair. Defensive Tackles – On my way. However, the level of appreciation I felt for it was shocking.
It sure looks for all the world like the iconic Highland Green Mustang that Steve McQueen drove to glory Paulette– Who doesn’t like that? But it drives like a fast, modern car, with many of the amenities we appreciate: high-quality air conditioning, Bluetooth, a touchscreen, and fuel injection, to name a few. However, it offers none of the usual compromises, annoyances and unpleasant odors that rock the 56-year-old Mustang’s power. And from the outside, it looks nice if you ignore those four-wheel discs peeking out from beneath the period-appropriate (and only slightly oversized) alloy wheels.
While many tributes have been built for the Bullitt ‘Stang – including Ford’s recent and less noteworthy effort – this one claims no connection to that star car. It’s actually cut from whole cloth with Ford’s blessing and a host of engineering improvements and modern, high-quality parts. Ford’s new fuel-injected 5.0L DOHC V-8, with 460 hp and 420 lb-ft, is a good place to start, while a Tremec T-56XL six-speed, close-ratio manual transmission adds interest and refinement to the final product we drove. Four-wheel disc brakes from a modern Shelby help it outperform any 1960s Mustang on the return trip from overdrive. (A 10-speed automatic, the fruit of a transmission partnership between Ford and GM, is an alternative.)
According to Revology founder Tom Scarpello, who spent decades in senior manufacturing positions with Ford (certainly a benefit in his negotiations with the company) and Nissan, no top speed testing has been done, but 145 mph seems like a fair bet, along with Fuel. Economy is in the neighborhood of 18 mpg combined.
The speed and powertrain upgrades are worthy of praise, but that’s before you get to what are arguably the two most important upgrades, a seriously reinforced and welded body with additional spot welds and carefully selected suspension modifications. Built on a production line at its state-of-the-art Florida factory with all-new panels, the redesigned Mustang unibody is based on the 1965-68 Mustang convertible unit body, which was further reinforced to compensate for the open car’s lack of a roof. Revology also strengthens the tub with reinforced frame bars on both ends of the car and a subframe connector connecting the front and rear subframes, with an additional X-brace providing more flex resistance. Up front, a Detroit Speed Aluma front suspension package is pressed into service, and tubular upper and lower control arms and coil-over shocks provide additional wheel travel to aid ride quality with the addition of a Detroit rack-and-pinion steering. It creates an early Mustang with steering that’s quicker and more communicative than any car we’ve ever seen. Rounding out the package is a redesigned rear suspension, with three links keeping the solid rear axle and body in check off-road and through corners.
An obvious benefit of Revology’s decision to reconsider the body structure and suspension is the unheard-of rigidity, allowing for ride, steering and handling qualities that bear little resemblance to the original, or at the risk of repeating myself, most modifications. The rattles, squeaks, squeaks and groans—basics of most OG Mustangs—are nowhere to be found.
With the big-but-not-too-big Michelin P245/45ZR17 Pilot Sport 4S riding on 17x 8 Torq Thrust alloys, its charcoal finish complementing the gorgeous Highland Green, it wasn’t long before passers-by and other motorists – of all demographics. The bands – they were giving us a thumbs up and a shout out. That is, if they weren’t demanding extended question-and-answer sessions.
Simply put, the car looks great, and not just from the outside. The finishes are superior, as are the seats (made locally) and door panels. The electronic gauges, which closely resemble the originals, look more toned, with convincing leather for the upper portion of the dash and dark walnut inlays added on the dash and console that not only look better than the original Mustang, but look better than most. any Neocortex. The window levers have been cleverly redeployed as controls for the power door windows. The entire look is elegant and durable in an unparalleled way Ur-Mustang ever was. A one-year unlimited mileage bumper-to-bumper warranty, plus a two-year powertrain and five-year rust and corrosion coverage, make the case even more compelling.
Driving the Revology’ ‘Stang was a revelation, because it’s fast and comfortable. An endless parade of fans waved on the 100-mile drive to Bridgehampton for the tony car show, The Bridge, where Revology held court with our loaner car and a beautiful dark blue 1965 Mustang convertible. (Early cars are all they make.) Every That, along with a series of serious inquiries to Scarpello and his crew, testified to the desirability of the car. Why anyone would buy a $300,000 Bronco when you can have one of your own is frankly beyond my understanding.
Having already built 240 Revology Mustangs over the years with almost no marketing and with approximately 150 employees, Scarpello feels his company is poised for a growth spurt. One goal might be to provide a comprehensive presentation of his company’s concept, he said.
However, given the many years he spent in the automobile industry, one can’t help but wonder why Scarpello felt the need to start building cars for himself in the first place. He was suspiciously frank:
“I didn’t really feel like I was enough. I’ve had a great career and Ford is a great company to work for; I have nothing but good things to say about Ford. I’ve had great opportunities and things that have challenged me. Nissan has also been really interesting. I get to live in All over the world for them I lived in Japan [where he met his wife,] I lived in Hong Kong, in Mexico. But I always knew that if I wasn’t there suddenly one day, they would replace me and things would keep moving.
“So, how important was my existence really? What contribution was I really making and what was the meaning and all of that? And I thought I really wanted to do my own thing and I thought about it for a long time – well, what do I want to do and I kept coming back to running a car company, And it doesn’t make sense. It’s like the craziest, stupidest thing, maybe I should start an airline, but you only live once, you have to work hard. This is something that’s been bugging me all these years and I thought, “You know, who else has a better shot at it?” “I’ve been doing this my whole life. I understand how cars are designed, how they’re manufactured, how they’re sold, and the whole process from start to finish. I can put together a team of experts, and we can do it.”
So far, we can say, so good. Maybe you could even make a movie about it.
