With the 2015 Mustang, Ford is finally taking its pony car global in a big, big way. Up until now most Mustang fans outside of North America had to import their ‘Stangs at great cost, and most were just happy to have any old stock classic Mustang to drive around. But for some, owning a classic Mustang is about having a blank canvas to express yourself on.
One of the more popular trends these days is replicating old race cars, and Stuff.co.nz has the story of how a New Zealand man built an accurate clone of a famous Australian Mustang race car driven by Ian “Pete” Geoghegan, who won four of his five touring car championships in a Mustang.
Geoghegan was an Australian motor racing icon known for his quick wit and innate driving talents in the 1960s and 70s. He won the Australian Touring Car Championship five times, and four of those times he drove his famous Ford Mustang. No wonder Ford is keen to bring its muscle car back to Australia’s shores, as the Mustang already has a strong legacy all its own.
Mike Small knew the stories as well as anyone, and when he found a ‘67 Mustang needing restoration, he came up with a plan. The project began in 2009 and only just completed, featuring a 500 horsepower Ford 302 engine under the hood and the intent to race it, just as the late great Geoghegan did. Geoghegan’s original Mustang is owned by the Wall family of Sydney, who graciously gave him access to the car to measure and model for his own purposes.
It’s a great tribute to a great Mustang driver at a time when the Ford pony car is going global.