1968 Ford Mustang Gt One Of The Finest!

By: Jared Govender

But don't be mistaken into thinking that Clyde simply sat back and only supervised the coming together of his 68 Ford Mustang, quite contrary in fact. He has never been afraid to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty. This is why he assembled most of the car himself at home. He only farmed out the paintwork and engineering aspects of the build to people that he knew would get the job done to his standards. 

When Clyde started this build, he knew exactly what he wanted to achieve with the end result and he was fully prepared to get to that point. No matter the time spent or the cost. So instead of sourcing stuff locally from suppliers, he took it upon himself to search and acquire everything he needed (including the car itself) from eBay. This way, he had more control over what was being bought and also because the hunt is more exciting than the kill. 

Once the car arrived in a shipping container (along with many crates of parts that were also imported) he stripped the body down to its bones. After this, he then sent it off to KZN Panel Beaters for numerous coats of deep red paint, which they executed flawlessly.

The original colour of the car was red and Clyde loves darker colours (a few of his other muscle cars are black). But he conceded that the bright red was the perfect shade to offset all the new chrome bits like the beadings, badges and bumpers, and he was spot on. Jezelle Panel Beaters then reassembled the body before handing it back to Clyde for installation of the engine and interior. 

The engine, a Ford 302 V8, was given the full treatment by Mark at Macc Vert Precision Engineering. They carried out all of the engineering work on the lump. From Edelbrock, you will find a performance camshaft at work behind the scenes. As well as an EnduraShine intake manifold that not only offers a show-quality polished aluminium look but also efficient distribution to the ports of the head.

A Holley carburettor assists with fueling and a complete MSD ignition kit handles the spark. While a set of super-stylish yet functional March Performance pulleys ensure that the belts are all kept in check. Do not be fooled by the somewhat classy demeanour. The spine-tingling exhaust note emitted from the dual RoadMaster pipes lets you know that this Stang is not to be messed with. 

In keeping with the performance theme of the engine, Clyde was not about to let the rest of the mechanics fall by the wayside. All the suspension components like the coilovers and the rack and pinion were purchased from Total Control. They specialize in Mustangs. Behind the set of stunning 18-inch Boss wheels, youll find massive Wilwood rotors and 4-pot callipers that signal the need to contain the fury that lies beneath the hood.

Another part that hints that this car has been built to be driven and not a garage queen is the Hurst shifter. Connected to a 4-speed top loader gearbox that works in perfect harmony with a 9-inch diff and 11-inch Centreforce Performance clutch. 

Clyde wanted to get maximum enjoyment out of this car, and he knew that a lazy automatic box would not scratch his itch. 

The interior of this Mustang is truly superb. Every single piece was imported and installed by Clyde. So that when you sink into those gorgeous oxblood leather seats you will swear that you have been transported back in time to 1968.

Everything (besides the aforementioned Hurst shifter) is the way Ford intended it to be. Even the original two-knob radio sits proudly nestled within the dashboard. There is a newer sound system installed. However, all of the components have been intentionally hidden so that the look of the classic interior is maintained.

He enlisted the expertise of Rowen from East Rand Customs to install a sweet-sounding Alpine system. Within the cubbyhole, you will find the concealed head unit. 

It is safe to say that the Mustang GTs dont come any finer than this. Greatness does indeed lie in the detail. As well as the level of work carried out on this Mustang is staggering. Having a clear sight of your motivations and channelling them into a build has never looked so good.