1964-1/2 Ford Mustang Coupe - Show Off!

For the last 10 years, Bret and Kathy Rakestraw of Eugene, Oregon, have been the happy owners of this '64 1/2 Mustang. They have used their coupe as a vehicle to express their unique personal taste, and we're happy to bring you the result of their efforts.

Rather than pursue a high-performance end, the Rakestraws decided to subtly enhance the car's original attributes with both mechanical and appearance modifications. For example, the original six-cylinder engine was retained, rebuilt, and detailedto perfection. The suspension was replaced with new equipment and the car has been lowered. Not content to stay within the confines of the factory color chart, the Black Cherry hue was selected. The color is especially striking when contrasted against the Boyd Coddington Codzilla Wheels. Paint and bodywork were expertly handled by Headcase Custom Painting of Eugene.

Effort went into the creation of a sumptuous interior. Using seats out of a late-model Mustang, Jon Lind Custom Upholstery of Eugene created the beautiful interior environment. Custom trim panels and seat upholstery were fabricated using both tweed and black leather. The owners are apparently audiophiles as evidenced by the heavy equipment on board in the stereo department. The brain is an Audiobahn stereo and DVD player. The kick panels are equipped with twin 4-inch speakers on each side, while the package tray is equipped with a pair of 6-inch drivers. In the trunk lives a pair of 10-inch subwoofers, driven by two 1,100-watt amps that are adorned with neon-lit billet-aluminum flames.

Everybody in the classic-Ford hobby sets priorities differently-that's part of the fun. In the creation of their classic Mustang restomod, the Rakestraws followed a different drummer, coming up with a cool car that serves them well for both cruising and shows with their Fabulous Ford Cruizers clubmates, who have been a constant source of support during their project build.

The Two Sixes
The 170ci six-cylinder engine stock in the Rakestraw's car carried a U-code and was rated at 101 hp. It was available only in early Mustangs built from the beginning of production until August 17, 1964. It was then replaced by the T-code 200ci six-cylinder engine. According to the factory, the bigger six was good for 120 hp. The F-code 260ci V-8 engine, rated at 164 hp, was also discontinued in the Mustang at that time.

The car shows off an aggressive...        read full caption The car shows off an aggressive rake and low sidewalls, giving it a stealthy look. We like the forward-mounted side mirror.

The Details
'65 Mustang CoupeOwners: Bret and Kathy Rakestraw, Eugene, OR

Engine

2-inch lowering springsRear: Stock rebuilt and assisted by air-adjustable shocks

Brakes
Front: Stock drum
Rear: Stock drum

Wheels
Front: Boyd Coddington Codzilla, 17x7
Rear: Boyd Coddington Codzilla, 18x8

Tires
Front: Toyo Proxes, P225/45ZR17
Rear: Toyo Proxes, P245/40ZR18

Interior
'99 Mustang front seats, black leather and tweed upholstery, tweed door-trim panels and dash covering, Ford Racing Performance Parts Masterpiece gauges, Boyd Coddington Codzilla steering wheel, Audiobahn CD/DVD player with eight speakers and 2,200 total watts, custom fiberglass console and trunk insert by Evolution Custom Car Audio

Exterior
Diamont Black Cherry basecoat/clearcoat paint

The super-clean theme carries...        read full caption The super-clean theme carries over to the engine compartment. The 170ci six stands tall with a Clifford Performance header, Weber carburetion, and a PerTronix ignition. A few other tasteful chrome additions and the engine bay is squared away.	The tweed cloth on both the...        read full caption The tweed cloth on both the seating and dashboard surfaces give the interior a cozy and comfortable feel, and the flame stitching on the seats is a nice custom touch. Twin 4-inch speakers are mounted in the kick panels.	The door-trim panel is covered...        read full caption The door-trim panel is covered in tweed and capped by a custom-made armrest. Black plastic molding replaces the original bright "race track" ornamentation. The window crank and release lever are from the standard interior.
	Here's the business end of...        read full caption Here's the business end of the stereo system. The twin Audiobahn amplifiers cranks out over 2,000 watts. The trunk cavity is spotlessly clean and lit in an interesting way.

---