Restomod 1972 Sprint 200 Gets Much Needed Power Upgrades
1972 Mustang Sprint is a real blast from the past.
Six-Cylinder Sales Pitch
In mid-1966, the Blue Oval celebrated hitting the million-mile sales mark for the Ford Mustang. To commemorate the huge success of the pony car, Ford introduced the Sprint 200 option group. The Sprint 200 was an upgrade package for six-cylinder Mustangs. The option was intended to drive up demand for 200ci cars, in part because there was a shortage of 289 V8 motors at the time. The Sprint 200 was an overwhelming success so Ford kept it around and renamed the option group the Sports Sprint in 1967.
Sprint Style
The 1966 Sprint 200 sport package option decked the Mustangs out with wire wheel covers and accent stripes color-matched to the car’s interior. In 1967, the upgrade added a louvered hood, metal rocker panel moldings, a chrome air cleaner, and white wall tires. Seeing the popularity of the Sports Sprint trim, Ford made it available for both V6 and V8 models in 1968. The V6 package differed slightly. The V6 trim included GT Stripes and full wheel covers.
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Old Glory
The Sports Sprint trim disappeared in 1969. As the fervor in the United States rose in anticipation of the 1972 Olympic Games, Ford brought back the upgrade package in red, white and blue. The option was re-released in February 1972 and was available for hardtop and SportsRoof Mustangs. Every Sports Sprint was adorned in an all-American color scheme with a white body and red and blue stripes across the hood, rear panel and lower side of the car. A special USA emblem was attached to the rear quarter panel of each vehicle. The Sports Sprint trim was available for every 1972 engine configuration in the Mustang except the R-code 351 H.O.
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Rare Breed
Victor Sarguis’ Sports Sprint is one of the rarest pony cars. Sarguis’ Mustang rolled off the assembly line with a Q-code 351-4V Cobra Jet engine. Only 90 Sprints were equipped with that engine in 1972. Sarguis purchased the Mustang in 1993 with intentions of restoring the car. In 1994, Sarguis moved to Sacramento and took the car with him where it was painted by a friend named Randy Stone.
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Restomod
Sarguis’ plans to restore the car went in a different direction when the original motor began to burn oil. Sarguis swapped the Cobra Jet for a big block 460 and C6 automatic transmission combo built by L.J’s Performance in Napa, CA. Sarguis also added a Weiand tunnel ram with two Holley 600-cfm carburetors for more flow. The Mustang has a Keith Jackson gear drive, Performance Headers and a set of Flowmaster mufflers. The upgrades have the Sprint in the 500-horsepower range, clocking 12.0 at 113 mph in the quarter-mile.
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