For Philip Koenen and his crew at Grand Touring Garage (GTG), impressive cars are a way of life. Over the years, GTG has turned out a slew of impressive rides from its original Southern California digs, and now from a much less frantic North Bend, Oregon. The shop's award-winning restorations have taken the main stage at such diverse events as Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Corvette's Bloomington Gold, and the Mopar Nationals to name a few, but none of those cars have been quite like the '70 Mustang gracing the pages before you. It seems rare that the minds of builder and customer align in near perfect harmony, but such was the case when Koenen was asked to build this one, aptly named the Trans-Cammer.

Considering the brands we work for, we are constantly hearing about Mustangs capable of ridiculous amounts of power. This 2008 Ford Mustang GT owned by Marc Sorger, general manager of The Mustang Shop, is no exception, and features a NASCAR-powered heart stuffed inside the S-197 engine bay. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday!

The Roush Stage 3 Mustang is back for 2014, and it’s better than ever. The RS3 Ford Mustang is the epitome of modern American muscle on steroids, putting its increased power to the pavement through Roush’s handling, braking, and other updates into one impressive package. Check out the video and become mesmerized by the new 2014 RS3 Mustang in action as it rolls around Detroit’s Belle Isle!

Ford has some new plans in store for its 2014 SVT Ford F-150 Raptor pickup, which will be going on sale this coming fall. Since its introduction in 2009 as a 2010 model, the SVT Raptor has become quite popular with the off-road truck crowd, thanks in part to its 6.2-liter V8 engine capable of 411 horsepower, 434 lb-ft of torque and other significant add-ons that set it apart from its F-150 siblings.

Every factory Ford GT40 and Mirage is something special, yet some are more so than others. The dazzling example featured on these pages, chassis GT40P/1074, earns bonus points for at least three reasons. One is that it is the first car to win a major race wearing the now iconic “Gulf orange and blue” racing livery. Another is that it is a member of the trio of GT40s run by legendary team owner, race entrant, and team manager John Wyer. Those GT40s are chassis 1074, 1075, and 1076—the middle among them famous for becoming the first singular car to win Le Mans back to back in 1968 (with Lucien Bianchi and Pedro Rodriguez aboard) and in 1969 (with Jacky Ickx and the often under credited Jackie Oliver sharing the wheel). The amazing Ickx survived to take the flag after a breathtaking last lap duel with Hans Herrmann in a Porsche, vying for that marque’s first overall Le Mans victory, which inevitably came a year later.

Craig Waltjer has always been a Ford guy, driving nothing but Dearborn's finest—apart from a quick dalliance with a Chevy Nova—since he slipped behind the wheel of his first car. It was a '66 Galaxie 500, but in the decades since, he's never owned a Mustang.

The classic era for muscle cars revolved around intermediates, as it was this body style that was selected as the weapon of choice for America's major carmakers. With wheelbase sizes ranging from 114 inches (AMC) to 117 inches (Dodge Coronet), intermediates were lighter and smaller than the usual full size offerings. This category helped create a quantum leap scenario thanks to the industry's hot big-block engines. Ford's '66 Fairlane GT fit right in with its 116-inch wheelbase. It was the year anyone could buy a "standard equipment" big-block in this very smooth and attractive body design, and have the look, power, and instant reputation to kick butt on the streets of America.

For most people, there comes a time when the daily driver must be replaced. Maybe the lease is up. Maybe it has become unreliable. Maybe it's just time for a change. In the case of Anaheim, California, resident Renee Breads, the daily driver was handed down to her daughter, Dyann, and later to her son, Clinton. So went the '87 Toyota Corolla, and Renee was now in need of a ride to work.

There's no shortage of Mustangs in Bruce Kafenbaum's automotive past. From early convertibles to late-model Shelby Mustangs, he's had a slew of them over the years. Kafenbaum, of Great Neck, New York, picked up his latest ponycar three years ago while attending the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. No stranger to auctions, or buying cars at auction, Bruce was actually there just to see the sights (it has been said the Scottsdale auction is akin to an automotive circus with stars walking around, displays, music, and more). It was there, late on a Saturday night, when the Lime Gold fastback went across the block. Bruce was sitting with a friend and the fastback's immaculate paint caught his attention. Upon closer inspection the paint and undercarriage detailing were indeed what sold Bruce on the car. While the drivetrain was there, it wasn't to his standards. However, being an original S-code big-block car Bruce saw the potential and placed a winning bid. Bruce just bought himself another Mustang.

I recently got a chance to drive the 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake, and as it has been a while since I was behind the wheel of a late-model Mustang, I was interested to see if anything has changed in the last three years or so. As far as the Super Snake is concerned, there's one big change for sure. The 2013 Shelby GT500 as delivered from Ford is about the most ferocious Mustang to come from the Blue Oval. Chock full of features like cockpit-adjustable shocks and power steering, as well as a launch control, the car is technically the most advanced Mustang ever as well.

Normally, an explosion and two fires at its unveiling would have most builders running from the electric vehicle game with their tails between their legs. But it only made the staff at Dukes Garage dig their heels in.

There's an obvious argument about which car provided more of itself to this amalgamation of automotive art, but there's no doubt that the end result is stunningly superb.

Mustang guys are some of the most driven car fans out there. There is almost nothing a true enthusiast won't do for his/her Mustang. When building that dream Pony, these people go to extremes to make sure everything is done properly, even if someone else is building that Mustang for them. But how far would you go? Would you purchase the shop that is building it to ensure it gets finished? Well, this guy did! Steve Barham is a veteran logger from northern Idaho. After working in the woods since he was a teen, then running his own logging business, Steve decided to buy the fledgling body shop in order to finish his baby.

The early years of vehicle ownership are often looked back at with a smile and memories of being young and stupid. It's OK. We can all own up to our mistakes, or even chalk some of it up to the time period (remember running small lights in your wheelwells or those awful extended shackles with air shocks?). Today's youth is no different, they're just doing it with different cars and parts (undercar neon and fart-can mufflers anyone?). Watching them make the same mistakes may make us cringe, but for many, it's considered a rite of passage in the automotive hobby.

While the performance benefits of LPG (liquid petroleum gas) have long been known to the modified automotive scene, and despite the fact that you'll find it at most gas stations priced cheaper than regular fuel, it has never really been accepted as a performance option en masse. Perhaps this is a result of decades of inefficient factory and aftermarket "dual-fuel" systems that compromised the vehicle's performance when running on either fuel, or maybe it's the old joke of running your car on BBQ gas that has turned so many away.

"My dad has always had street rods since I was a kid, so I've always liked old cars," said Cambridge, Ohio's Greg Hoffman. "I always restored cars and bought this one to do just that." Upon further investigation, Greg told us that he had purchased a '66 Mustang coupe many years ago after graduating high school, but eventually sold it to put a down payment on a home. Greg still lives in that house today, and over the years, he's always been behind the wheel of a Mustang. However, most of those were Fox-body– or SN-95–based. Eventually, Greg came across a great deal on the '66 Mustang you see here, and completing its restoration would bring him back to his roots.

Sometimes our connection with cars begins at an early age and when it does, it often blossoms into a lifelong obsession. That's the way it began for Matt Swartwood, an executive in the retail fashion industry and resident of Jacksonville, Florida. His Ford heritage began with his father, Howard Swartwood, an active Blue Oval enthusiast who was employed by Ford in Cleveland. Under Dad's supervision, Matt began tearing things apart in the garage at a young age, learning how they worked and realizing that he had the ability to easily put them back together. The experience set the stage for future fun. Dad was a fan of the sometimes maligned Mustang IIs, restoring several over the years and, although Matt and his dad spoke many times about restoring a car together, unfortunately, it didn't happen before his father passed away.

There is an old expression about the early bird catching the worm. That expression certainly applies to Alan Orenstein and the acquisition of his 1973 Mustang Mach 1. The Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, resident recalls, “I paid $2,600 for it as an unrestored running car in decent condition, on June 13, 1998. I believe the seller was asking $2,800, which would have been a fair price at the time. Today, it would be a hell of a bargain! I was just happy to be the first one there—the seller's phone was ringing off the wall while I was handing him the cash deposit." Orenstein often comes across a good deal. He's been an automotive appraiser for many years, so the Mach 1 was a nice personal score.

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Reality check. Despite what television's Hollyweird network drivel might have you believe, not many folks in the real world get handed the keys to a brand-new car when they reach driving age. Most just carry on and trundle off to high school on foot, by bicycle or bus (ask this author how he knows.) To most teenagers, the gift of any car would be a major score, and Erik Fuerst was one such fortunate son who received hand-me-down transportation from his mother in the form of her '63 Falcon four-door sedan. Mind you, Erik wasn't even born until 1984, so the six-cylinder, two-speed automatic compact was more than a bit road weary by the time he took possession in 2000. But that didn't matter in the least; Erik was geeked: "I was brought up with classic cars, specifically Falcons," he says. "Some of my most cherished childhood memories involve car shows, Falcon national conventions, and time spent working on Falcons."

With good reason, much has been made of the passing of Carroll Shelby this past year, as we've truly lost a dominating figure in Ford's high performance history. Shelby pretty much did it all, from production cars, to international championships, to raising money for kids who couldn't afford critically needed medical care. Ironically, the man had comparatively little to do with the '69-70 Mustangs that bear his name—an excellent example being the car spread before you. Ford itself was primarily responsible for the content and styling of what turned out to be the last of the original Shelby Mustangs; cars that had purposefully strayed from the original concept of the rough and tumble '65 G.T. 350s. That's not to say that a '69 couldn't be made into a fierce competitor, and that's exactly what happened with this one way back in 1971.

For some, it's hard to fathom a time when a hardworking teenager could afford to go out and by a Boss 429 Mustang, but for Sunnyvale, California's John Vogler, that was his life.

Car projects often begin with an idea or a dream. Oftentimes it is a vision that bounces around in our heads from day to day, but one that never quite fades away. Eventually, and hopefully, we are able to turn this vision into reality one day, though it may take some time to materialize into physical form. Monroeville, Ohio's Paul Kistler had a vision of a hot rod that was different from the rest; something that stood out in a see of more popular models. Paul's vision focused on a 1957 Ford Ranchero, and it was about to materialize into the creation you see before you.

One of the biggest expenses for an aftermarket performance parts company is the purchase of a demo car to design, test fit, install, and finally test and evaluate new products before they are built in quantity and sold to the public. It's often easier when building parts for modern muscle cars, as these companies will usually just buy new cars right off the dealer lot (it is after all a business expense on their taxes). Harder to find, though, is a solid vintage car when you're looking to build some trick new suspension parts like Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed (DSE) had planned to do.

This year's Modified Mustangs & Fords car of the year contest was stacked full of high-dollar one-off builds, hot at-home customs, and top-notch street machines. Just when we thought it was tough to choose during our inaugural contest last year, we tripled the difficulty this year with no less than three cars from Ringbrothers, a Ridler-Award-winning '56 Sunliner and a Ford Outstanding Achievement in Design award winner. Two of our finalists here competed for Goodguys Street Machine of the Year, so you know they get driven pretty hard for that, and the car rounding out our trio of finalists is probably the fastest Mustang we'll likely see in the running for the prize.