FLYING HIGH

With P-51 Mustang heritage and G.T. 350 performance, this restomod is the perfect blend of 1960s nostalgia and new-millennium modern

- JOE GREEVES

When you love the hobby but don’t have the time, tools, or opportunity to create a distinctive ride of your own, finding a trusted builder must be the most significant first step. The car community is full of horror stories about dream rides morphing into nightmares, so careful research is vital. A combination approach is the best way to ensure success—hearing the opinions of others and seeing the builder’s work firsthand. Dr. Chris Reynolds did his homework, and the result is amazing. Chris is a former Air Force officer, an avid automotive enthusiast, and currently a college dean in Tampa, Florida. His obsession for first-gen Mustang fastbacks began back in childhood when he first spotted a Mustang G.T. 350, culminating in a moment in 2016 when he finally found a suitable ’66 fastback donor in Illinois and had it shipped to his home in Tampa.

While everyone agrees that nostalgia is worth preserving, drivers interacting with half-century-old technology come away with quite a different story. Cars that were exciting in their day lag far behind modern vehicles in virtually every category, especially in areas of safety, comfort, and performance. Chris didn’t have the car long before the decision was made to build a restomod. The idea of a modern high-performance powerplant featuring autocross-capable suspension along with an improved driver and passenger comfort, all wrapped in vintage sheet metal, was clearly the best of both worlds. Fortunately, Chris knew a trusted builder who could turn his dreams into reality.