Slideshow: 1966 Lives Once Again in its Purest Form

Missing X factor

Monotony is not good for the soul. As humans, we need change to keep life interesting. While, for some, a change of lifestyle can bring positive change, for others adopting a new hobby can promote health. In that regard, people undertake hobbies like running or reading books, but who knew building a project car could prove to be life changing? That’s exactly what Vietnam War Veteran Tom Soupene did. Tom suffered a life-threatening brain stroke in 2010 and his life took a turn downhill. Fortunately, he received exceptional healthcare that set him on the right path towards recovery. But even after three years of recovering there was an X factor missing. Tom found that X lying under the sun in a home owner’s association in Southern California. That X was a 1966 Mustang and Tom knew immediately what to do with it. He undertook the task to revive the 1966 Mustang giving it his personal touch.

How It Came To Be

Tom was no amateur and certainly not a first-timer with building and maintaining cars. He is not only a veteran of the Vietnam War but also a veteran owner of classic Mustangs. He has been the proud owner of a 1968 fastback Mustang, a 1961 Falcon, a 1961 Starliner, and the 1984 SVO Mustang, which he actually traded with the owner of the ’66 Mustang to start his build.

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Father/ Son Bonding

Tom was still recovering from his stroke so he couldn’t complete his project car all by himself. That’s where his son Daniel came in. Together, the father and son duo stripped the Red ‘66 to its bone and started from scratch building Tom’s dream car. The opportunity to work together created a great environment for Tom and Daniel to bond and learn more about each other. It was especially positive for Tom who was able to put covers on his past torments and focus on the future.

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Original 289-CID Engine

Upon doing some research on the car’s VIN, the father and son found that the Mustang had the date code-correct 289 engine. This was a good thing because it meant that the prior owners had not tinkered much with the car; if it had already been customized to some extent, it would have made any further modification a bit more complex. Tom and his son also discovered that the Mustang was a genuine C-code car. C-code cars were special premium cars that had a 4-speed transmission, a power steering, power brakes, and AC pre-installed by Ford. This made it easier for Tom and his son to find the correct parts that would fit their project car and that is where their customization started.

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The Engine Customization

Tom used the 289 already in the Mustang and sent it for an overhaul. The reinvigorated engine received a 0.60 bore so the pistons could move in freedom. Other important parts such as the rotating assembly were made squeaky clean with polish and put back together using ARP hardware components. To enhance the engine even further, Tom went with big springs and valves from the dependable Summit racing which were installed together with 1.6:1 roller rockers inside the factory iron heads. All this mumbo-jumbo resulted in a highly impressive compression ratio of 9.0:1. And that’s for a half-century old car.

Furthermore, a flat tappet camshaft, a Parker single-plane air intake system and an Edelbrock carburetor setup were installed to increase the engine’s power delivery in demanding conditions. Other parts from Summit racing were also added like their commendable fuel pump that expels 80 gallons of fuel in an hour of operation. The engine then came to life with the help of an MSD ignition setup, which veteran Tom tuned himself.

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Power Meets Sound

All that power under the hood begs for a set of world-class exhaust pipes, and fortunately, that is exactly what Tom had in mind. He bought the famous Hooker long-tube headers and paired them with 2.5-inch Flowmaster dual mufflers. The result? A Mustang with a growl that could easily wake up the neighbors. A Daytona pinion support was added in the rear in place of the 8-inch stock mount, a positraction locker having a 3.89:1 gear ratio was also added along with 28-spline axles. Koni shock absorbers and Cobra drop spindles graced the front end.

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Family Friendly Mustang

However, that wasn’t all that Tom had in mind. He had moved to Southern California to be near his family and friends, so he made his car family friendly. Sort of a two-faceted machine that could rip off the tarmac and at the same time be able to cruise pleasantly with children inside. Tom chose the car probably because it is lightweight, sporty and it can be customized effortlessly. With the '66 Mustang, he was able to keep safety his prime concern while playing around with the engine. The car took Tom and his son Daniel two hardworking years to complete and in the end, the result was what many would call a dream car. The ’66 Mustang shone in its Wimbledon White paint job like a newly-wed bride.

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