Today on Ford Mustang: The Early Years, we’re diving into the journey of a lifelong Mustang dream—centered on a 1965 Fastback that’s evolved through multiple rebuilds, setbacks, and reinventions. From a rough Craigslist purchase with questionable prior work, to a budget-minded daily driver, to a full-blown high-horsepower street-and-track build, this story captures the heart of Mustang ownership: passion, persistence, and the emotional pull of a car that just won’t let go. It’s a testament to the imperfect, personal, and ever-evolving first-gen Mustang—Vik Day, welcome to the show.

Vik Day – today’s guest

He bought his dream car—a 1965 Mustang Fastback—in December 2018, nearly 20 years after first wanting one. Before that, he’d owned and driven performance cars like a Porsche 996 GT3, an air-cooled 911, and even a 1970 Bronco he quickly sold. But he kept coming back to the pull of a first-gen Mustang. He found a Wimbledon White Fastback on Craigslist in Denver. He shipped it to Texas, only to discover it was far rougher than advertised: a non-original T-code car with a tired 289, questionable mechanical work, unsafe wiring, poor rust repairs, and dangerously low oil pressure. Still, it had a beautiful red deluxe pony interior and working factory R12 A/C—enough to justify saving it.

He began by prioritizing safety and drivability with upgraded brakes, suspension components, fuel and brake lines, a clutch conversion, and a full electrical cleanup, choosing not to rebuild the original engine since it was already near the end of its life. He then installed a budget-friendly Blueprint 302 with Holley Sniper EFI to create a reliable daily driver that made strong rear-wheel power and sounded great, but the engine suffered a catastrophic bearing failure after just 6,500 miles, leading to a warranty rebuild and months of downtime. Now he’s fully committed to building the ultimate dual-purpose Mustang—comfortable enough for street use and a car seat, yet capable on track in Houston heat—with a 507-hp Ford Racing 363, TKX transmission, upgraded suspension, steering, chassis stiffening, and supporting hardware. Along the way, he tested his loyalty by buying other Mustangs, including a pristine Rangoon Red ’65 Fastback and a high-school-dream Foxbody, but kept coming back to the original T-code; despite its flaws, it remains his favorite, and he plans to complete the latest evolution, or is he?

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Doug Sandler