It's often difficult to find...
It's often difficult to find a clean example of the Mustang II, but we're lucky enough to usually see several fine examples each year while walking the Silver Springs show field. On Saturday, we spotted Kirk Champion's '77 hatchback sitting pretty. The II was spotless, and Champion, of Inverness, Florida, had the hatch decked out with louvers. The roof panels were removed for a better look at the interior.
Also hard to find is a white...
Also hard to find is a white King Cobra. Available only in '78, the King Cobra has the distnctive snake decal on the hood.
This Custom 300 is owned by...
This Custom 300 is owned by Manny Jimenez of Miami, and is powered by a stout-looking big-block. Other than the reproduction chrome Bullitt wheels, the 300 appears just about the same as when it left the factory back in 1957. Manny took home the award for Best Ford.
Chip Haberkam of Sarasota,...
Chip Haberkam of Sarasota, Florida, brought his '69 Fairlane Cobra to the show. I'm sure he was busy all weekend wiping the spectator drool off of the car...
...which sports a 428 CJ Ram-Air...
...which sports a 428 CJ Ram-Air powerplant, Black Jade paint, and is loaded with great cruising options...
...including A/C, power disc...
...including A/C, power disc brakes, power steering, a C6 trans, and a 3.00 Traction-Lok.
Mustang & Fords Editor's Choice
William Horrell, Effingham, SC
'64 Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe
We spotted William Horrell's Fairlane under some protective plastic during one of Saturday's rainstorms. After the skies dried, we watched as William peeled back the plastic, exposing the pristine flanks of the Fairlane, and we knew we had to take a closer look. The Fairlane was the proverbial little-old-lady's car with just 59,000 miles on the odometer when William purchased it in Galivants Ferry, South Carolina, with the idea of having it be a nice weekend cruiser. That meant no huge rubber out back or 12:1 big-block underhood.
William dropped in a mild 5.0 from a '94 Mustang GT with enough power to make the Fairlane move out with authority. Backing the 5.0 is an AOD four-speed overdrive automatic. The EFI system uses a Rock Valley stainless fuel tank with internal fuel pump. For suspension William chose a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II setup in front, giving the car a 2-inch drop, disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering. Out back is a 3.50-geared 9-inch flanked with a set of leaf springs and gas shocks. There are also 11-inch discs at all four corners. Inside, the original buckets and console are complemented by a polished Flaming River aluminum column-shift tilt column. Vintage Air A/C cools the interior on hot Carolina days.
William performed all of the work himself except for the headliner and seat recovering, and the replating of several of the chrome appointments, which was handled by Advanced Plating in Nashville, Tennessee. The completed project is used for cruising, car shows, and just general driving enjoyment. The Porsche Guards Red PPG single-stage paint, topped with urethane clear, brings attention to William wherever he goes in his Fairlane, and that's just fine with him.