Mustang of the Week 4/18/02
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VMF Name: Epperstang
KAOS is a 1966 GT K-code (HIPO) convertible.
The story goes like this:
Mike first saw the car when it was for sale in 1988. It was a little rough and asking price was $5000. It may as well been $5 million for our financial situation at the time. However, Mike found out the car was sold to a local dentist who slapped $3500 on the hood and took it home. In talking to the dentist, Mike found out the new owner had a preference for Ferraris and planned to throw a paint job on the car and send it to Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ.
We thought the car was gone, but it was never forgotten.
Then in 1995, over the holiday season, one Sunday morning an ad appeared in the local newspaper.
1966 Kcode convertible, $19,000.
On a whim Mike called. It was the dentist!
After several months of visits to the dream pony, Mike struck a deal. $16,000.
Since 1988, I had graduated from college and earning a decent income. Since Mike paid for my education, my new income bought him his dream pony.
The dentist had put in a new interior and done a little mechanical work in the intervening eight years since it was previously seen.
In 1999, Mike and Joyce joined the Mustangs in Motion cruise from Las Vegas for the 35th Anniversary of the Mustang celebration in Charlotte, NC. Enroute, the little pony lost rear wheel bearings in Nashville. It's moment of fame came when the mishap was captured by Mustang and Fords photographer and writer, Jim Smart in October 1999.
When it came time to repaint the car in 2000, Mike decided to become a little creative. His desire was a "personalized" pony. Not wanting to create a Shelby clone, but to keep the GT nature, the GT stripes and foglamps were retained. It's not quite a "clone" but a hybrid.
Fiberglass hood with Shelby scoop, flared deck lid and fender extensions, and front valance were added with Hertz gold Lemans stripes. Mike did all the work himself with exception of machining the engine.
Previously referred to as "the K car" during the process of restoring/restomodding the little Hipo, many set backs and challenges lead to the christening of KAOS.
Purists, need not worry, nothing was done to the car that can't be taken back should the desire arise in the future. For the time being, it is fun to have a pony that is a little different.
KAOS
Stock
289 HIPO engine and heads
4 spd Toploader transmission
3.50 rear gears in 9" posi rear end
GT equipment
8 track tape player
Ivy Gold Deluxe Pony interior
Ivy green exterior
Black power top
8 grand Rally-Pac
Mods
Comp Cam - high lift
Comp Cam roller rockers
Ported and polished exhaust valves, 1.94 int. & 1.50
Ford Motorsport 2.5" headers
Dr. Gas crossover X-pipe
Flowmaster 2 chamber mufflers
Pertronix ignition - with original dual point distributor
Holley 715 cfm Shelby carb (being changed out to Holley 600 cfm for summer driving)
Shelby Cobra intake manifold
Rear disk brakes
Magna suspension
1966 Shelby 10-spoke rims
Cassette deck in the glove box and 10-disk CD changer in the trunk.