SLICK SLEEPER

Although Mustangs from the late ’60s have plenty of power, this one exceeds factory ratings by a substantial margin. Big cubic inches and increased fuel and air delivery are part of the formula, giving the bright red SportsRoof huge horsepower numbers.

Skiles got his start in muscle cars back in 1974 with a ’70 Torino GT equipped with a 429ci engine and four-speed transmission. From there, he was hooked on Fords. As a result, he has owned his share of them over the years. Skiles purchased this red Mustang from a man in Raleigh, North Carolina, and hauled the disassembled shell with several boxes of parts to his home in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. Having built a few other muscle cars at home, Skiles knew the routine and picked up where the previous owner left off with the restoration process. Much to Skiles’ delight, the Mustang was a very solid car and didn’t require the use of patch panels or aftermarket pieces during the build. It’s always great to start with a nice car, and after nearly three years of working on the Mustang in his spare time, Skiles had a car he could count on and display with pride.

Skiles’ Mustang was originally a Mach 1 model with a 351ci Windsor small block, but he wanted more power than the Windsor could provide, so he installed a big block. While doing so, he realized the original rearend might not be capable of supporting that kind of power and torque, so he pulled the already-beefy 9-inch rearend and rebuilt it to his specifications with a 3.70 gear ratio and a 31-spline Currie Traction  Lock differential. On either side of the thirdmember, 31-spline Moser axles transfer the power to the 15×8-inch Magnum rear wheels. The chrome and black Magnum wheels display an original look, as do the BFGoodrich white-letter tires. The front suspension remains stock, aside from the 2-inch lowering springs, but new components are in use for a better-handling and smoother-riding muscle car.

Starting with an already-healthy big block, Skiles chose to rebuild the engine and make some extra power during the process. After a local machine shop prepared the block for its new components, Skiles installed an Eagle forged-steel crank with a larger 4.14-inch stroke. The new crank provides a better balance in the rotating assembly, and combined with the 0.030-inch overbore on the cylinders, produces 501 ci. A set of SRP forged pistons and Eagle H-beam rods are driven by the stroker crank and give the big-block Ford a 10:1 compression ratio for reliable power on pump gas.

Topping the short block is a pair of Ford Racing Super Cobra Jet aluminum heads that use 2.20-inch intake valves to import massive amounts of fuel and air. A hydraulic flat-tappet camshaft keeps the big block reliable and easy to maintain. Fuel delivery consists of a 1,050cfm Holley carburetor mounted to a high-flowing single-plane intake manifold. After an MSD distributor lights the fire, the 1.76-inch exhaust valves open, sending the spent gases through
1-3/4-inch primary header tubes and continuing into a 2-1/2-inch exhaust system.

When Skiles completed the engine, he knew it would make some serious power, but he wanted the engine to look great, too, and the Mickey Thompson valve covers provide that vintage look in combination with the Cobra-style air cleaner. After all was said and done, the potent 501ci big block had an aggressive bark, but only the chassis dyno numbers would display the strength of its bite.

With the ’69 Mustang strapped to the dyno, the rpm came up and so did the power, with a max output of 462 hp and 473 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. This far surpasses the 351 Windsor power numbers, and you can’t beat the sound of the aggressive camshaft. A Centerforce Dual Friction clutch gradually applies the power to the ’69 four-speed manual transmission, and a Hurst Competition/Plus shifter allows Skiles to bang the gears with ease.

Upon purchasing the disassembled Mustang, Skiles noticed the green paint that covered the floor pans and knew the choice of hue would soon change. The previous owner stripped the car to metal and gave it a coating of epoxy primer to seal it from the elements. Skiles was pleased to know the Mustang was a very solid car that didn’t require patch panels or aftermarket body panels. All of the steel is original, and it didn’t take much negotiation to get the panels perfectly straight and ready for paint. Skiles prepared the car for a fresh coat of urethane paint and blasted on several coats of PPG Torch Red base, followed by a few layers of clear.

After countless hours of buffing and polishing, the bright red ’69 Mustang emerged from Skiles’ shop with a super-slick paint job. When most of the assembly was complete, Skiles installed the rear window louvers and front and rear spoilers that feature a semi-gloss black coating. Body and paintwork is a daunting task for most, but Skiles handled it with ease and used the assistance of his son Keith to his advantage when it came time to hang the doors, fenders and other body panels.

So far, Skiles’ Mustang is leaning heavily toward the restored original look, aside from the killer big block under the hood, so original interior components adorn the driver’s compartment. Skiles wanted the Mustang to bear a no-frills appearance, so the original AM radio was installed, and there’s no sign of air conditioning in this hot rod. Black covers every interior component, with red accents and wood-grain inserts to break things up.

As many builders know, finding a great, rust-free car is one of the most important aspects to the entire build process, and Skiles found a jewel. Although it was an original Mach 1 with a matching 351 Windsor engine and three-speed transmission, Skiles chose to upgrade the Mustang with a stroked big block, but he kept the Windsor, just in case he wants to return the Mach 1 to its original state.

Skiles doesn’t claim to be a professional, and works only for himself, but one look at this Mustang reveals the true workmanship that went into building this car. If you thought it would be hard to build a bright red Mustang sleeper, get the pen and paper out, because Mike Skiles nailed it with his Camaro-killing fastback.