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If you’re not quite sure what to make of this ’65 Mustang Fastback, you’re not alone. You can’t quite put your finger on what exactly it is about this build that gets you excited, but it definitely gets your blood moving. From the looks of things, a classic chassis is clearly identified…but it doesn’t look (or feel) much like a classic build or restoration. The one-off notes run from front to tail and in every crevice in between. Timeless you might even say, which isn’t far off from the truth.
Enter Timeless Kustoms, a Southern California-based shop that specializes in fabricating high-performance builds of an extreme caliber, taking 1950s through ’70s vehicles, building them from the chassis up and making them turn-key. Pro-touring is just one of many areas of Timeless’ customization expertise. But before we go deeper into this particular build, we’ll explain what pro-touring is.
Pro-touring is a style of classic muscle cars that have been retrofitted with modern day components—such as drivetrain, suspension, brakes and body panels—to give them new school functionality, which in most cases, can be just as good or even better than some of today’s performance vehicles. The term itself was coined by Mark Stielow, a program engineering manager for GM and former editor of Chevy High Performance, Jeff Smith (now at Car Craft) in the early ’90s. Pro-touring cars are meant to be driven, and those who build these cars drive them hard. And these enthusiasts don’t simply go for a street cruise; they’re often found road racing, blasting down the quarter mile or auto-crossed, taking a fine punishment as it’s meant to be. It just so happens that Timeless Kustoms ups the ante for the pro-touring category with aesthetics that are equally stunning as the performance they put into their customer’s projects.
According to Bill Dunaway, general manager of Timeless Kustoms, the inspiration for this Fastback is simple: “We wanted to build the ultimate pro-touring Mustang using the best parts the OEM and aftermarket has to offer. This car won’t only hang with today’s best exotics and hyper cars, it can actually run up front with them.” Dubbed “Vicious,” it took over 10,000 hours and approximately 10 months to complete the build, and when we caught wind of it at the AutoCon event in Los Angeles earlier this year, we knew we had to feature it.
One big standout of the project is the engine package. Based off a GT350 5.2-liter, the fully-built, Ford Performance Aluminator long block makes 1,000hp thanks to a twincharged setup—meaning it runs off a Precision turbo and a Magnuson supercharger—offering not only horsepower, but a wide power range from low to high RPM, which is controlled by a paddle shifter transmission. “A peaky engine would’ve been a handful to drive,” Bill continues. “But an engine that produces a very flat torque curve gives the driver an ‘endless power for days’ type of feel.” If you fancy yourself a gearhead, just knowing that this sucker is twincharged is exactly the kind of thing that gives us the feels we want.
The amazing body work comes through “necessity of having to cover up the mechanical parts of the car, as well as finding venting sources to cool down multiple heat sources,” according to Bill. Timeless gave Vicious a mini-tub with 2” custom flares, added Dynacorn body panel shells and fitted the rear end with a diffuser that was inspired by Ferrari’s F-430. Slide over to the inside and it’s a red wonderland of more one-off work, which is kept extremely minimal to keep the driver focused on what’s most important: driving. From the custom floorpans to the Sparco seats, the dashboard with a custom-housed Racepak digital cluster and rear seat delete, this is one passenger cabin we’d love to spend quality time in.
As it stands, Vicious could be one of Timeless Kustoms’ best projects to date, and the proof lies in being the shop’s current flagship. “This car is the best of the best,” Bill says. “Perfect weight distribution, 1,000hp, fully independent suspension…it truly is a race car in a Mustang skin.” Best of the best—we couldn’t agree more.
TECH SPECS : 1965 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK
Owner – Timless Customs
WHEELS & TIRES
- 19×11(front) and 19×13(rear) Forgeline GT3C centerlock wheels
- 305/30R19, 355/30R19 Kumho ECSTA V720 tires
EXTERIOR
- Timeless Kustoms mini-tub with 2” custom fender flares and Ferrari F-430-inspired rear end diffuser
- Dynacorn body panel shells
- Ringbrothers billet hood hinges
INTERIOR
- Sparco seats
- DJ safety harnesses and fire suppression system
- Racepak IQ3 digital cluster
- Vintage Air a/c system
- Trunk-mounted Optima battery
- Replay XD onboard camera
- Aernow Aerbox data broadcast system
PERFORMANCE
- Ford Performance 5.1L Aluminator engine and forged Boss 302 crankshaft
- Precision Turbo
- Magnuson MP2300 TVS supercharger
- GT350 ported heads
- QMP Racing Engines custom 3.70 big-bore sleeve kit
- COMP camshafts w/ MMR billet cam adjusters and guides
- Manley Performance custom 2618 turbo pistons
- Pro-Series I-Beam 300M connecting rods and valve springs
- Custom MMR titanium retainers
- ARP main/head studs
- Cometic head and exhaust gaskets
- Aviaid 4-stage dry sump w/ billet oil pan
- XRP oil lines
- Custom Timeless Kustoms exhaust and long-tube headers w/ Magnaflow components
- DEI heat wrap
- Custom Fluidyne radiator and dual intercoolers
- Aeromotive Eliminator stealth dual in-tank fuel pumps and fuel pressure regulator
- Custom Centerforce DYAD clutch
- EMCO CG46 6-speed sequential
- 9” rear end
- MoTeC ECU and data acquisition system w/ GCU
SUSPENSION
- Ridetech triple adjustable coilovers
- Art Morrison Enterprises front C7 Corvette clip and multilink independent rear suspension
- BRAKES Brembo 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers
- 15.5” carbon ceramic front rotors
SOURCES
Timeless Kustoms : timelesskustoms.com | FB – timelesskustoms | IG – timeless_kustoms
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