There’s something timeless about a 1968 Mustang fastback. With an unmistakable profile, it’s the kind of car that commands attention in any setting. For Scott Sagrera, however, good looks were never the goal of his restomod. It was always about performance. He had always leaned toward race cars, preferring function over form.

Now I know that retirement for me will be traveling with the car from one big show to the next… — Scott Sagrera, Owner

That perspective shifted when a friend pointed out that his in-process restomod project had show-stopping potential. The car already had a solid foundation, and the quality of the work caught his friend’s attention. His friend insisted he’d have to show the car once it was done. At the time, Scott wasn’t convinced. But as the project evolved, so did the purpose.

Scott didn’t just bolt on parts—he reshaped this Mustang to make it all fit. The shock towers were removed to clear the Ford Performance Coyote Aluminator crate engine, and the firewall pinch weld was shaved and blended to provide additional room. The engine is topped by a Kenne Bell 3.2-liter supercharger fueled by E85 delivered by two DeatschWerks DW415 fuel pumps and 1,200cc DeatschWerks fuel injectors. Tuned by Triangle Speed Shop, the combination belts out 966 horsepower and 741 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels.

“It’s kinda funny. This project came to life, basically, as a race car. The build was maybe 75 percent complete. I had an old friend of mine come by to check out the project. He was an old car-show guy of probably 40 years. I was always a racer and had never even been to a car show,” Sagrera admitted.” After checking out the car, my friend tells me that I need to show this car. My reply was, ‘It’s a race car, not a show car.’ He then says, ‘I’m telling you…. You need to show this car.’ Well, I race it and show it. It’s always excelled at anything I’ve ever asked of it.”

That do-it-all package is the result of a five-year journey that transformed the Mustang into a multi-purpose street machine that is equally capable on the drag strip, road course, or show field. It’s a car with two distinct personalities and the hardware to back them up. However, that journey began well before he purchased this classic, as Mustang took hold in his formative years.

“I think it was probably my dad. He bought a 1964 1/2 coupe when Ford first released them. He had never seen one, only a picture in a magazine. It was the first Mustang in my hometown,” Sagrera said. “We still have pics of me as a small child in that car. So, when I was 16 and still in high school, I spent my life savings of $1,800 on a 1966 coupe.”

Rolling on its drag-pack look during Mustang Week Texas, Scott Sagrera’s 1968 Mustang fastback restomod has multiple personalities beneath its Eleanor-style Shelby visage sprayed in RM Diamont Daytona Rally Blue by Lawless Automotive Customs. In its straight-line stance, it rocks RC Component wheels wearing Mickey Thompson skinnies up front and sticky Hoosier drag radials out back. Its bulging hood is held fast by Ring Brothers billet hood hinges.

Performance Path

Even before he bought that first pony car, he was already figuring out how to modify one of his earliest forms of transportation.

“I’ve been in love with cars ever since I was a small child. Probably the earliest memory I have of being a true car guy was when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old. The style in the ’70s was to jack up the back of the car to get a big tire under there,” he recalled. “Well, I had a pedal car and figured out a way to unbolt the back wheel assembly from the car, then reattach it with a 2×4 block in between the wheel assembly and car body, giving it that jacked-up-in-the-rear look. It was my first modified car!”

Sagrera learned a few new tricks in the years since that jacked-up pedal car. At first glance, the clean body lines and custom touches might lead you to believe that this Mustang restomod is just a show car. However, Scott built this restomod to drive hard in any situation, and he put those attributes to good use during Mustang Week Texas, where he participated in multiple events, including the Drag Day, where we first laid our eyes on the car. 

“I show and run the car on two completely different setups,” Scott explained. “One is for running curves at high speed, the other is for straight-line drag racing.”

The street and handling setup features a set of Budnik wheels wrapped in Nitto NT01s, a proven DOT competition tire that’s sticky enough for track days but still streetable. On the drag strip, it rolls on RC Components wheels wearing Hoosier drag radials that deliver the hook, which is aided by a full complement of adjustable coilovers at all four corners — triple-adjustable QA1s up front and Varishock double-adjustables out back.

Howling Horsepower

This classic pony car needs a capable suspension to corral the ample horsepower under its hood. Holding court in the restomod’s wide-open engine bay, between where the factory shock towers once lived, is a Ford Performance Aluminator Coyote, which is ready to rumble right out of the crate. But Scott didn’t stop there. Sitting on top of the rugged 5.0-liter V-8  is a Kenne Bell 3.2-liter twin-screw boostmaker.

“I knew I wanted big power, but also wanted it comfortable and reliable enough for my wife to drive it. At the time of planning, I had set a hard minimum goal of 650 horsepower, which was lofty at the time in 2011. I knew the original 289 would never make that kind of power and remain reliable,” Sagrera said. “I started looking at FE big-blocks, but even those would fall short of my horsepower goal. I then looked at the 5.4 and 5.8 Mod motors. The horsepower was there, but I was a little turned off by the weight of these. Then, in early 2012, I came across the brand-new Coyote motor online. It produced 412 horsepower stock and well north of 650 horsepower with a blower, and the weight is almost identical to the little 289 that came out of the car. I was sold. The Coyote wins!”

On the other end, Ultimate Headers 2-inch long-tubes and a full 3-inch stainless system with JBA mufflers ensure the restrictions are minimal. Cooling is handled by a Griffin aluminum radiator and a Killer Chiller intercooler system, which ensures the boost temps remain optimal, even under the stress of summer heat and full-throttle runs.

Scott performed all the metal work, plumbing, fabrication, and wiring himself over a five-year period, including the Detroit Speed mini tubs and the offset frame rails that allow for wider rear tires without compromising the fold-down rear seat functionality. The aluminum fuel tank is a one-off piece, designed and fabricated to work with the high-output fuel system while maintaining the restomod’s clean aesthetic.

“Driving this car around town is like having the brightest spotlight on you at all times,” Sagrera shared. “There are always people pointing at you, taking pictures or video. Anytime you stop at a light, someone will pull up and ask questions or just say, ‘Cool car!’ If I stop anywhere for gas or a bite to eat, a crowd always assembles. It’s pretty cool. At high speed, there’s nothing I’ve ever done that comes close. It corners hard, stops hard, and accelerates really hard.”

Fuel delivery comes courtesy of dual DeatschWerks DW415 pumps and matching 1,200cc injectors, feeding the beast enough corn juice to support a dyno-proven 955 horsepower and 741 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. 

Backing the boosted Coyote is a 4L80E automatic transmission, fully built and equipped with a transbrake for hard launches. It’s paired with a 4,500-rpm-stall Circle D converter and controlled via a TCI shifter. Scott chose the stout four-speed auto for its ability to handle serious torque without complaint. Out back, power routes through a Fab 9 rearend housing, rounded out by a Strange aluminum center section, 3.55 gears, and 35-spline Moser axles.

Framed in carbon fiber, the trunk of Sagrera’s Mustang restomod houses a relocated battery that assists with the car’s weight balance and traction.

Hooks & Looks 

Making the most of 955 horsepower requires more than just big tires—it demands a chassis that can plant power and handle transitions. The front suspension is built around a Heidts K-member and rack-and-pinion steering setup, paired with QA1 triple-adjustable shocks to dial in damping for both track days and street cruising.

Out back, Scott ditched the leaf springs in favor of a Total Control Products pushrod suspension with a Watts link setup for lateral stability and a four-link system for ultimate adjustability. The aforementioned coilovers allow tuning for the conditions at hand, and the combination seems to work on the 1,320.

“I’ve been 9.80 at 140 mph in the quarter-mile,” Scott said. “But I’m looking to improve on that this fall.”

While this Mustang restomod is purpose-built for performance, it doesn’t give up any ground on style. The interior is completely custom, built around driving and comfort with high-end materials and custom touches that support its performance intent.

“…This car is mini-tubbed. Meaning the rear wheelwells were enlarged so that a much wider tire could be put on the car without it sticking out. These wheel tubs occupy the same space as the folding rear seat. Most people just delete the rear seat, but I really didn’t want to do that. In fact, I went through a lot of trouble to keep the folding rear seat functional,” Sagrera said. “It consists of three pieces for the seat and the floor panel behind the rear seat. I had to take each section and cut a 3-inch strip out of the middle, then weld each section back together. Looking at it now, it looks exactly like it came from the factory, but that folding back seat is 3 inches narrower than stock.”

Wilwood brakes provide stopping power at all four corners, giving the Mustang restomod the ability to stop as confidently as it goes. (Photo Credit: Goodguys/Courtesy of Scott Sagrera)

In The Running

Despite its show-car quality, Scott didn’t build this restomod to sit under fluorescent lights at a convention center. He built it to run hard, but its real-world drivability makes this Mustang so compelling. It’s a true performance machine that fuses modern horsepower and handling, while retaining the classic lines and timeless cool of a first-gen fastback, which is a key part of Sagrera’s plan for enjoying his golden years.

“I often wondered what retirement would look like for me. There’s a small convenience store down the road from my house,” he said. “A handful of guys gather there every morning for coffee. I kinda imagined that’s what retirement would look like. Now I know that retirement for me will be traveling with the car from one big show to the next.”

Whether it’s earning awards, carving corners, or hastening its elapsed times, this restomod is more than capable, which helped it catch our eye at Mustang Week Texas presented by Ford and LMR.

“We just love getting out of town to do these bigger shows with the car,” Sagrera shared. “This was our first Mustang Week, but it definitely will not be the last. It was one of the best-organized and -run ‘big events’ that we’ve ever done.”

As a result, 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.