1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 UNKL By Ringbrothers

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 UNKL By Ringbrothers

Up front, the layout if pretty much the same as the standard model, but the bumper now includes a big race-inspired diffuser at the bottom. The grille now features yellow inner lights and the already iconic Ringbrothers logo. The engine hood features a massive bulge to let air into the supercharger and quick-release pins like full-fledged race cars. The profile remains pretty much unchanged compared to the regular 1969 Mach 1. Ringbrothers redesigned the fenders to make them one inch wider on each side, but that鈥檚 not very obvious. The wider fenders help make room for the wider performance tires and the custom multi-spoke HRE wheels. The car also sits a lower, so the upper sections of the tires are hidden under the fender flares. This is a common look for restomod cars. The Big Boss Blue paint from BASF is contrasted by black stripes and lettering that showcase two companies that provide components and fluids for this car, Flowmaster and Motul.

The doors display racing numbers, with the no. 7 decal also featuring small "UNKL" lettering. The front fenders sport the traditional Mach 1 "429" print, which stands for engine displacement. However, this car features a larger mill under the hood, so it鈥檚 there just to preserve the vintage vibe. The rear of the UNKL boasts a simpler design compared to the original car. The taillights no longer feature chrome trim, while the bumper was cleaned up and lacks the usual chrome inserts. There are no badges here, but Ringbrothers added "Ford" graphics on the fascia between the lights. Despite the simpler design, the UNKL looks rather menacing from behind thanks to its massively wide wheels. Ringbrothers doesn鈥檛 say which are made from this light composite, but I鈥檓 betting it鈥檚 the engine hood, the trunk lid, and the reshaped fenders. Like other Ringbrothers creations, the UNKL retains the overall layout of the original car, but it looks downright modern thanks to reworked details and new materials. The interior was crafted by Upholstery Unlimited and it also boasts a race-inspired vibe, mainly because it includes Recaro seats, an Ididit steering column, and racing Momo steering wheel with carbon-fiber accents.

The instrument panel was also redesigned and fitted with billet components, modern gauges by Classic Instruments, and new switches on the right-side of the steering wheel. Unlike the original Mach 1, UNKL also features a small display in the dashboard. Ringbrothers logos on the dashboard and the pedals. It was built by Jon Kaase, and is obviously a big departure from the original 7.0-liter V-8. All that oomph from the custom engine travels to the rear wheels through a six-speed Tremec manual transmission modified by Bowler and a carbon-fiber driveshaft. The V-8 exhales through a custom stainless-steel exhaust system provided by Flowmaster. The suspension bespoke as well, with the front end featuring an Aluma-Frame unit from Detroit Speed Engineering. The rear is equipped with a QUADRALink suspension system from QUADRALink and RideTech shocks. Front and rear sway bars are also made by Detroit Speed, while stopping power is provided by Baer brakes with big 6S Extreme calipers. It if weren鈥檛 for the really low suspension, the UNKL would have made a great race car. Still, it鈥檚 probably a solid option on any race track as long as the course isn鈥檛 too bumpy. I鈥檒l admit from the very beginning that I鈥檓 a big fan of the Ringbrothers. It has been building excellent restomods since forever, and its Mustangs are among the best on the market. Every single project combines old-school designs with modern features in the best way possible and it seems that the company鈥檚 inspiration hasn鈥檛 faded over time. The UNKL looks aggressive, it鈥檚 powerful and quick, and combines modern appointment with classic features inside the cabin. It鈥檚 the perfect example of how a restomod should look like and you can analyze it in detail at the 2019 SEMA Show.

Ford made a bold gamble when it dubbed the 1969 performance Mustang as the Mach 1, which as any high school student would tell you is the speed of sound. The problem - if you were the literal sort - was that, not surprisingly, the fastback coupe could not reach the sonic-boom speed of roughly 767 miles per hour. But all was forgiven as the Mach 1 was found to be plenty fast enough for thrilling acceleration and competitive performance, and it became a muscle-car staple in the halcyon days of the horsepower wars. 鈥淭his car came from the factory with the very desirable 428 Cobra Jet engine (鈥楻鈥?code) with ram-air shaker scoop mated with a C6 automatic transmission,鈥?the seller says in the ad description. 鈥淭he engine and transmission were professionally rebuilt from the ground up and have less than 2,000 miles on them. 鈥淭he combination of a reasonably aggressive cam, shaker scoop, Calypso Coral (orange) paint, and perfect exhaust note make this car turn heads everywhere it goes. To keep things under control, the car is equipped with power steering, front disc brakes and a limited-slip rear, the seller adds. The Mustang is in 鈥渇ully restored鈥?condition, the seller adds. 鈥淭his was originally a West Coast car and has never seen road salt,鈥?the ad notes. 鈥淭he body is in amazing shape; as far as I鈥檓 aware it has no replacement sheet metal and no rust.

This year鈥檚 final motor show is looming large. The 2019 Los Angeles Motor Show opens for the world鈥檚 press on 18th November, before throwing its doors wide for the public between 22nd November and 1st December. It鈥檚 the third American expo on the international motor show calendar which, unlike Detroit and New York, generally has more European-relavant debuts. LA is one of the oldest motor shows in the business. The event was first held in 1907 and has been held annually ever since, albeit with a brief hiatus during the Second World War. In recent years the show has hosted several famous vehicles such as the 1993 Lotus Esprit Turbo, the 2004 Bentley Continental GT and the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. The show is held in the centre of Los Angeles at the LA Convention Centre and, as usual, the world鈥檚 motor trade will descend on the event with their brand new production cars and radical concept designs. We鈥檒l have boots on the ground from the show鈥檚 start to bring you all the latest news as it happens.