One of the most satisfying things about the musclecar and performance hobbies is that each individual can create, based on preference and opinion, the "ultimate machine." Perhaps that goal is a bone-stock restoration, while others may envision a flat-out street machine complete with blower, nitrous, and drag slicks. Regardless, it allows the owner to personalize the car to suit his or her needs. In the case seen here, it is a "her," and Susan Lehman has done an admirable job of changing this '67 GTA into a head-turning street modified.
Susan and her husband Lance live in northeastern Pennsylvania, and found the car in 1983 through an advertisement in a local auto newspaper. Subsequently, the fastback became part of the family as a rust-free survivor to complement Lance's own '67 coupe, a four-speed car he's owned since 1970. Over the course of the next several years, the automatic was changed in subtle but convincing fashion into a hybrid '60s-era "super 'Stang."
The basic idea in building this car as the ground-up restoration got underway was to add some of the features not found in '67, while retaining a solid all-FoMoCo look. Since the family's coupe was fairly Spartan in terms of equipment, they also decided to keep some of the creature comforts like the air conditioning in place; the car uses an A/C setup from an optioned '67 Cougar, except for the stock (polished) compressor.
Lance himself is responsible for the bodywork. The biggest departure from stock in this regard was the addition of a circa-'69 351 Windsor Shaker scoop/ram-air package, as well as the accompanying hood pins and an A&A Fiberglass front spoiler. Once satisfied with the outward appearance, the prepped panels were covered with a DuPont Chromabase/clearcoat combination of black, flame red, gold, and silver metallic hues, ably applied by Stan Swanson at Klapec Auto Body. Chrome air exchangers and side vents round out the "Grand Touring" look.