Gulf Dreams: Ryan Jones’ 1966 Mustang

In motorsports, certain iconic liveries have left an indelible mark on Ford’s racing legacy, elevating the brand to superstar status among enthusiasts. Some designs, like the Gulf livery, even transcend Ford’s history, gaining worldwide recognition across motorsports. It’s no surprise that oil and gas companies sought impactful marketing with logos on these high-performing cars, but Gulf’s blue and orange scheme became more than just a decal — it became a way of life. This enduring appeal captured the imagination of 1966 Mustang owner Ryan Jones of Mooresville, North Carolina.

Lurking in the shadows, this 1966 Mustang is a street car designed with functionality and performance in mind. Every part has been painstakingly considered for its track capabilities.

Ford From The Start

Jones has long been a Ford fan, having grown up around his father and uncle, both technicians by trade. His father drove a Galaxie 500, while his uncle owned a Mustang Mach 1. Jones himself proudly owned a 1972 Gran Torino Sport, and his wife had a 1967 Mercury Cougar. Together, they boasted a clean lineup of sporty, non-Mustang Fords — until the day a racing buddy asked Jones to drive his convertible 1966 Mustang, while he took his 1957 Fairlane to a prom photoshoot.

“On the way back home in the 1966 convertible, I thought to myself, I need to get one of these,” said Jones. “So, that night, I hopped on Craigslist and found one in Marion, North Carolina.” The 1966 Mustang he found was far from road-ready, having sat under a carport for years, coated in dust with a vinyl top that had seen better days. Still, with his upbringing and automotive experience, Jones decided to see what would happen if the Mustang got a new fuel tank and fuel pump.

The Gulf livery shines brightly on Ryan Jones’ 1966 Mustang, with its blue and orange colors paying tribute to the legendary Ford race cars that conquered the world.

Miraculously, the old 302-cubic-inch engine fired up and ran. Jones began casually driving the car around, but as his annual trip to Holley Ford Fest approached, he started thinking about putting on a show in the burnout contest. While the 302 was a solid runner, it was far from the tire-smoking beast he had in mind. So, Jones turned to everyone’s favorite “giggle gas” — nitrous — for a little extra punch, with the possible end goal of scattering a massive array of parts across the burnout box, setting the stage for a new build.

Snowballing

Although the original intent was to create a burnout car, watching a Fairlane compete in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge reshaped Jones’ vision. The project evolved from being just a flashy thrill-seeker’s ride into a setup designed to handle autocross and drag strip events. What began as a $5,000 nitrous burnout car transformed into a full-fledged pro touring build capable of competing at an unprecedented level. However, one thing was not on Jones’ side: time.

With only 45 days until Holley’s Intergalactic Ford Festival, Jones and his friend Kenny, owner of Brothers Custom Garage, decided to dig into the chassis at both Jones’ shop, ProFormance Motorsports, and Kenny’s. The two collaborating shops initially planned to add fuel injection and nitrous to the 302, but that’s when things began to snowball.

“We weren’t trying to be competitive; we just wanted to have fun,” explains Jones. “But after we put in new floor pans, we thought, ‘since we’re here, let’s build a transmission crossmember.’ We were already this deep, so we decided to swap out the automatic transmission for a TREMEC TKX. Then, we opted for a 9-inch Currie housing with a Moser center section, 3.73 gears, and a Powertrax helical limited-slip differential.”

Heart, Body, And Suspension

Although Jones initially didn’t plan to touch the engine, he quickly realized the 302’s time was running out after removing the intake and heads. A 1/16-inch ridge had developed in the cylinders, and the block wasn’t worth rebuilding. So, the old 302 was retired in favor of a built 331 cubic-inch stroker, topped with well-worked Speedmaster heads and a Holley Sniper EFI setup. Once on the dyno, this Gulf-clad pony produced 425 horsepower to the wheels naturally aspirated, before getting a 150-shot boost from a Nitrous Outlet kit.

With the drivetrain complete, it was time for the bodywork and paint. Jones’ wife, a former Penske Racing and auto body shop employee, handled all the bodywork while Brothers Customs Garage handled the Gulf paint job. While most builds use traditional fiberglass fender flares, the duo handcrafted theirs from metal — a feature Jones takes pride in. “Everyone uses fiberglass flares, but to me, they lose the body lines of the first-generation Mustang,” says Jones. “They almost make it look bubbly, which is why the metal flares are a big part of the build.”

Although the original plan was to potentially create a catastrophic failure for the fans with the original 302 cubic-inch engine during the burnout contest, those plans changed. The car swiftly transformed from a burnout vehicle into a street car capable of serious track duty, thanks to its stroker engine and complete chassis build.

Jones’ build continued with a custom four-link suspension, engineered and built in-house with their own geometry. Up front, the setup includes aftermarket 1.5-inch drop spindles paired with Global West tubular upper and lower control arms, along with QA1 double-adjustable coilovers at all four corners. Rocket Racing 18×10-inch wheels, wrapped in 315/30-18 rubber, complete the aggressive stance.

Street Car Comforts, Race Car Safety

The interior received a safety upgrade with a full roll bar, but Jones didn’t want to sacrifice the car’s street functionality, especially for ride-alongs with his wife and nine-year-old daughter. To accommodate this, the roll bar behind the front seats is designed to pin and unpin easily, allowing convenient access to the rear seats. In fact, the entire cage bolts in and out, making it simple to remove if needed.

We were building this car as a true street car first and a race car second. Everything we’ve done has been carefully thought out; every piece on the car serves a purpose. — Ryan Jones, Owner

The original 1966 Mustang seats were replaced with a set of Corbeau seats, which initially positioned the driver too high. This required cutting out the factory seat risers and building custom brackets to lower the seat height. Dakota Digital gauges display the engine’s vitals, while a Vintage Air SureFit system keeps the cabin cool. Since the car was now set up for both track days and family cruises, a RetroSound stereo was integrated into the dash. A Rockford Fosgate amp powers two P2 8-inch subs in the trunk, while a JL Audio amp drives the 6×9-inch speakers in the package tray and 6.5-inch speakers in the kick panels.

The handling capabilities come from a combination of a custom-made four-link rear suspension, a front end featuring Global West tubular upper and lower control arms, and QA1 double-adjustable coilovers on all four corners. The front and rear wheels are 18×10, wrapped in 315-series tires.

The Final Countdown

With only three days left before Ford Fest, Jones, his wife, and his friends from Brothers Custom Garage worked on the car day and night. “We all laugh about it now, but I’ve never been so tired in my life,” says Jones. “I even swapped driving duties with my wife on the trip from Mooresville, North Carolina, to Bowling Green, Kentucky, just to make sure we arrived safely.”

The crew made it to the event, and in both 2023 and 2024, they placed first in the Grand Champion Vintage Class — even with the factory-style strut towers still in place. Holley Ford Fest isn’t the only stage where Jones’ Gulf Stang shines. He’s been piloting it at Virginia International Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Daytona, and even at local SCCA events.

Gulf Never Says Die

While his Gulf Stang attracts attention and his driving skills earn him wins, the true spectacle of Jones’ Gulf livery obsession is yet to be revealed. His car hauler, currently in progress, has been making waves on social media. Although we’ve only seen a few sneak peeks via Facebook, we can’t wait to see the final build of the hauler, along with some upgrades to his family car collection, including his 9-year-old daughter’s 1966 Mustang.

When Holley first started the Intergalactic Ford Fest, they gave away little aliens for participants to place on their cars. However, after COVID, the tradition ended. Jones and a few others decided to keep it alive, ensuring that the spirit of fun and camaraderie remained a central part of the event.