Celebrity car-builder Rutledge Wood and his crew worked feverishly in the final weeks of the “On The Road with eBay Motors” project to get their one-of-a-kind ’67 Mustang Fastback ready for its unveiling at the upcoming 2017 SEMA Show. After five months of arduous work and unbridled creativity, the car is now finished, fully polished, and heading to SEMA in Las Vegas.
The wraps will be taken off the “red, white, and rowdy” rebuilt classic Mustang on Oct. 31 at the Ford Out Front exhibit at SEMA. That’s where live bidding will take place through Nov. 2—for the last three days of the charity auction.
But there’s no need to wait! The eBay auction started on Monday, and is ready for your bid:
> Go to ebay.com/motorsontheroad
All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) through eBay for Charity. The starting bid price was $1967.
“We couldn’t imagine a better way to reveal this labor of love than by unveiling it at SEMA,” said Rut. “The commitment and savvy it took to build this car from the ground up won’t be lost on the crowd. This months-long rebuild showed just how powerful of a resource eBay Motors is. It’s truly a one-stop shop for any automotive repair or upgrade.”
“This restomod is a great example of how our extensive inventory can make any vision a reality,” said Todd Madeiros, vice-president of eBay Motors. “Seeing the project end with a charitable auction with all proceeds going to JDRF—in partnership with Ford Motor Company—is the perfect conclusion to our ‘On the Road’ tour and an important recognition of National Diabetes Month.”
The finished car is a purpose-built custom Mustang like no other. More than $140,000 was invested in the upgrades. The Mustang was purchased on eBay Motors, with parts handpicked from eBay’s wide selection of parts and accessories. Here’s a rundown of the bewildering set of customizations.
Monster Under the Hood
The Mustang’s Ford Performance 427 Cubic Inch 535HP X Head Front is fitted with top-shelf hardware. Ignition components include an MSD Pro Power Coil, MSD box, and Pro-Billet distributor, along with Ford Performance 9mm spark-plug wires. The mighty V-8 is topped with an impressive 150mm Inglese Eight Stack fuel-injection system fed by an Edelbrock Performer fuel pump. Spent gases exit through Hedman headers and a dual MagnaFlow exhaust. An Odyssey battery and high-torque starter bring the system to life.
The Tremec five-speed manual transmission is equipped with a QuickTime bellhousing, billet aluminum flywheel, and Kevlar clutch set. A Steeda shifter rows the gears.
Rally Ready
Modifying the suspension was one of the trickiest tasks for the Kenwood Rod Shop—the Georgia-based shop that produced outrageously cool classics on the History Channel’s “Lost in Transmission.”
A full RideTech StreetGrip system is augmented with Eaton rear leaf springs to provide enough lift to clear the 255/60R18 General Grabber AT2 tires, which are mounted on gold-accented 18-inch VN526 American Racing wheels (which will make their world debut at the SEMA show). Massive Wilwood disc brakes—six pistons up front and four pistons in rear—provide ample stopping power on all four corners.
All the wiring and lighting is brand new and high-tech—from the sequential LED tail lights to the extensive set of Hella off-road lights (five on the roof, two in the grille) and Hella headlamps.
Ultra-Fresh Exterior
The Mustang was stripped down to its bare bones and rebuilt from the ground up. The majority of the sheet metal was replaced with authentic Ford Restoration pieces, including the rear quarter panels, hood, and shock towers. All of the weather stripping was freshened up with Scott Drake pieces. The custom rear deck lid spoiler was fabricated from scratch, as was the front lightbar/skidplate. The body was prepped with 3M materials and coated with BASF Onyx paint, with a design that pays tribute to Mr. Evel Knievel, America’s greatest stuntman.
Red, White and Rowdy Interior
The fully updated cockpit is a joy to behold, with gorgeous custom TMI bucket seats and matching door panels. A Dynamat heat/sound barrier under the new carpeting reduces road noise. The HVAC system was refreshed with new heating components and a Vintage Air system.
The dashboard features a sweet set of Dakota Digital gauges and is topped by a fresh dash pad. A delightful red Grip Royal steering wheel complements the red, white, and rowdy upholstery.
The “On The Road with eBay Motors” tour started in May when eBay partnered with Rut, automotive artist K.C. Mathieu, and gearhead Mike Finnegan of YouTube’s Roadkill. The crew set out to transform the 1967 Mustang, traveling this summer to four of America’s premier auto enthusiast events: the Ford Nationals at Carlisle, Pa.; the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit; and Good Guys events in Columbus, Ohio and Pleasanton, Calif.
Fans can look back on the ’67 Mustang’s evolution on the eBay Motors Blog, which includes behind-the-scenes footage and weekly updates from the “On the Road” team. Now, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and let the bidding begin.
> Bid now on the eBay Motors 1967 Mustang Fastback
See Model Mustang Body Type Fastback for sale on eBay.
