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Some kids grow up around cars and never learn to appreciate them, while others lock in for life after just one high-performance experience. It was more than one experience for Christan Veliz, of VLZ Elite Concepts, who was immersed in car culture from an early age and took to it like a moth to a flame — and the 1986 Mustang you see here stoked that flame.
This car is definitely fun to drive around town. It’s imperative to have the T-tops off, of course. — Christan Veliz, VLZ Elite Concepts
“I fell in love with cars at a very early age. My dad owns his own collision repair and restoration shop, where we have been building and restoring Mustangs, in particular, ever since I can remember,” he recalled. “From building one of the first ever ‘Eleanor’ Mustang replicas back in 2001-2002 to custom painting literally dozens of Fox-body, New Edge, and SN-95 cars throughout the ’90s and early 2000s,” Veliz said.
“We absolutely had to bring it to the first Mustang Week in Texas, as we are in Victoria, only a couple of hours away,” Christan Veliz said of his 1986 Mustang, which he converted to an ’87-’93 aero front end. “I knew the track day and being around Moody Gardens was going to be a blast for me, my wife, and kids. I also knew a bunch of fellow Fox guys I know from online were going to be there, and I always enjoy meeting them in person and talking to new people.”
These cars were more than just a business for Veliz and his father. They were a way of life that extended to their free time as well.
“…That’s what I was surrounded by, literally before I could walk. I remember I used to disassemble my small 1/10 scale die-cast Mustangs, repaint them, and put them back together myself starting around the age of 7 or so,” Veliz said. “My family used to spend every spring making our big family vacation trip to Baytown, Texas, for Fun Ford Weekend. We would haul and drive around six to a dozen cars with family, friends, and customers, and show off our Mustangs at the car show at the now torn down Houston Raceway Park.”
While that track is sadly no more, the fun he had there left a lasting impression. The cars that made a mark on his father before he was even born remained popular in the late ’90s, much as they do to this day.
To say this car has been a major part of Veliz’s life would be a massive understatement. Not only did he grow up around the 1986 Mustang and ride into events with his dad, but he drove to his high school prom and his wedding reception with his wife, Chloe. “I was 13 years old when he got the car, and I’m 27 now, so this is a family heirloom. It isn’t just like a car for us. I’m gonna be handing it down to my son.” (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christan Veliz)
Family Tradition
“Naturally, with my dad being a massive fan of Fox-body Mustangs, owning quite literally dozens even before I was born (January 1998), he wanted to build one just for me. He purchased this T-top 1986 Mustang back in 1997 for just that reason,” Veliz said. “He custom-painted it, re-did the engine bay, and had a crazy interior upholstered for it. He had a custom plate done at the DMV for it, saying ‘4MYSON.’”
A custom car built just for a boy who loves cars might be the greatest gift ever given. It is certainly thoughtful, and Veliz loved it. Not just because it was a cool car, but because it was an integral part of his formative years.
“After that initial restoration in 2000, it was pretty much that same way for my entire childhood. Countless car shows, cruises, and ‘spirited driving’ that I can recall either in the passenger seat, not being able to see outside due to the low seating position of the Recaro bucket seats, or holding onto the bar of the rear roll cage with my cousins in the back seat. This car was obviously my dream car, and I couldn’t wait to drive it myself.”
Powering this striking 1986 Mustang is a 408-cube stroker Windsor with fully forged internals percolating at a robust 10.5:1 compression ratio. It is topped by ported AFR cylinder heads that take their valvetrain orders from a custom-ground FTI billet camshaft. Those heads breathe deeply through a Trick Flow R intake manifold and an Accufab 90mm throttle body. Exhaust duties are handled by 1 3/4-inch long-tube headers and a custom 3-inch stainless exhaust.
More than driving his dream car, he is living the dream as well. Having not only taken the 1986 Mustang’s performance and appearance to the next level, his T-top 1986 Mustang also extended its run of being an integral part of some of his life’s biggest moments.
“Starting in 2015, my senior year of high school, with the help of my dad, we repainted the exterior of the car a slightly different red, and I started diving into it and making it my own,” Veliz said. “From 2015 to the present, I have done so many countless changes, updates, and modifications to every aspect of the car, including the engine bay, two different engine setups, an entire new interior refresh, an IRS suspension, a Maximum Motorsports suspension all around, custom wheels, etc. It’s been such a big part of my life, my wife and I even arrived at our 2015 high school prom in it, then to our wedding reception in 2023!”
Classic Combination
He arrived at both of those major moments in plenty of time thanks to the stroked 351 Windsor power under the hood of this former four-eye. While modern engine swaps are all the rage these days, the allure of a potent, pushrod powerplant percolating under the hood was too strong for Veliz to ignore.
“I chose this current powertrain combo for its nostalgia of having a 351W engine when my Dad first purchased it, and keeping the unbeatable sound of a small-block Ford,” he said. “It currently has a forged 408 Windsor with ported AFR 205 heads, a custom FTI billet cam, a Trick Flow R intake, long-tube headers, and a full 3-inch stainless exhaust with a custom modified JBA IRS cat-back. I also went with a T-56 out of an ’03-’04 Cobra a few years back to gain that highway-friendly Sixth gear and smooth shifting since the transmission that was in it was tired and beaten on.”
Ensuring that all that high-performance hardware plays nice, Veliz chose a Holley HP engine control unit for his 1986 Mustang. It works with a dual-sync distributor, LS-style ignition coils, and custom plug wires to light the fire, while an Aeromotive fuel pump, Aeromotive pressure regulator, and 60 lb/hr fuel injectors feed the fire.
Inside the 1986 Mustang, Veliz and his passenger ride in custom-upholstered OG Recaro seats from the ’80s paired with matching rear seats. The seats are accented by custom yellow seat belts, custom Speedhut gauges, carbon fiber interior parts, an NRG steering wheel, and a unique console. “This car has many overlooked and unique modifications to it. A couple being a center console, we grafted out of half a 2004 Mustang and front-half Fox-body to have cupholders and get rid of the old ashtray/wobbly armrest design,” Veliz said. “Also, the gauges and headlights have our shop’s logos on them. The fender horse (from our shop logo) is 100 percent painted with no decals. The current Recaros are the same red/yellow ones from the early 2000s, which we had re-covered. Also, a custom brake master cylinder was used to route all brake lines from out of the shaved engine bay and into the strut towers and dash cowl area.” (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christan Veliz)
Putting the stroker Windsor’s 434 horsepower and 473 lb-ft of torque to good use by connecting it to the pavement is a recently revamped suspension anchored by a fortified by a Terminator IRS swap controlled by a full complement of Maximum Motorsports suspension hardware, including Bilstein coilovers and polyurethane bushings. The IRS 8.8 is filled with 3.73 gears and a Ford Performance limited-slip differential.
Complementing the ‘Maximized’ IRS out back is a front suspension based on a Maximum Motorsports Tubular K-Member. It is rounded out by tubular control arms, Bilstein coilovers, caster/camber plates, and a strut-tower brace, all from Maximum Motorsports. That gear not only puts the power down, but it sets the stance over custom, 18×9-inch BC Forged RZ25 wheels at all four corners. They are wrapped in Toyo R888R tires measuring 255/35-18 in front and 265/35-18 out back.
Carrying A Torch
This 1986 Mustang hovers above those wheels and presents a carefully crafted visage emblazoned with the Stallion logo graphics his father and uncle created for their company back in the day. Underneath its Torch Red paint, Veliz added a front fascia, side skirts, rear fascia, and spoiler from Saleen. A Cobra grille insert and custom center grille trim accent the exterior mods.
All told, it is a striking combination that offers period-correct vibes with a hint of modern flavor. It commands attention, and once you learn about the car’s history, it’s difficult not to appreciate its current state, especially when you see it roaring by on the street or rumbling into a car show.
“I receive a bunch of reactions that they have seen this car all over the Internet, and it’s really cool to see it in person,” Veliz said. “They look like the T-tops and retro styling with the yellow accents around. Kids think it’s a race car, which is cool.”
Of course, the reaction that matters the most is from Veliz when he drives the car and enjoys the view from the driver’s seat. The view is better than when he used to ride in the backseat, and it’s more fun when you are the one standing on the loud pedal.
“This car is definitely fun to drive around town. It’s imperative to have the T-tops off, of course. The exhaust is loud and smelly, and the suspension is firm, but that makes it more of an experience and rush to drive, and it definitely is a driver’s car, that’s for sure,” Veliz shared. “Seeing the smiles on kids’ faces (and adults) when they see or hear this car driving on the streets is the absolute best feeling. It draws a lot of attention from people who don’t even know what car it is (I get that question more than people realize). I do still have a factory-like interior, rubber engine/trans mounts, a cold AC, a nice set of speakers with their dedicated amp, so honestly, it is nice to cruise around in.”
Forever Fox
Veliz’s 1986 Mustang is evidence that no project is ever really completed, but for the time being, Veliz is set on enjoying the car as it sits with an eye toward passing this Fox down to the next generation.
“My plans, as of now, are to take it to more HPDE and autocross events and just enjoy it,” Veliz said. “This will be my son’s when he’s old enough, as the car means a lot to me and our family. At this point, every single nut, bolt, and panel has been touched, and I’m pretty happy with how it is at its current state. This is definitely a forever car.”
This forever Fox attracted our attention during the inaugural Mustang Week Texas during the Track Day presented by TREMEC. As such, it earned a spot in the Ford Muscle Texas 10, a single-eliminator contest voted for on the Ford Muscle Facebook and Instagram pages. So, keep an eye out for stories on the other Texas 10 contestants, and be sure to vote for your favorites.
The Mustang that emerges victorious will be crowned the Ford Muscle Texas 10 Champion and receive a custom piece of wall art featuring their winning ride — an epic badge of honor for any Mustang enthusiast.
