Modern performance cars are a miracle of engineering, but they often lack the style and character of yesteryear's finest. Seemingly hundreds of companies have popped up in recent years with the goal of combining the best of both worlds, birthing the market for so-called restomods as we now know it. ECD Automotive Design is best known today for their work rehashing British icons like Land Rovers and Jaguars, but it has just started offering something a bit less exotic by American standards. Their latest product line is centered around the iconic first-generation Mustangs (specifically those built from 1965–1970) and feature a more traditional approach than many of the popular pony-car builders.
While they may be new to the world of American muscle, ECD Automotive Design is no stranger to the restomod space. The Florida-based outfit has built more than 700 custom vehicles since its founding in 2013, ranging from E-types and Defenders to one-off Porsche 911s. In fact, the company says the challenge of creating the German car was part of the inspiration behind the Mustang project. Work on older Porsches is slow and costly when it comes to sourcing hard-to-find parts. But the Ford represents the opposite thanks to near-comprehensive support; you could build a brand-new 1966 Mustang in your garage thanks to the number of parts providers.
The modularity of the Mustang was also exciting to ECD, allowing for an immense amount of customization for buyers without the need for huge amounts of fabrication work. And while the folks behind ECD Automotive Design are unmistakably British, even they weren't immune to the appeal of working with honking American V-8s.
ECD is not an engineering firm, however. The crew knows their expertise lies in construction rather than development, so they've worked to establish relationships with some of the industry's best. While every build begins with a donor car, the process is centered around Roadster Shop's RS Spec chassis, complete with a reworked power-steering system and adjustable coil-over shocks from Fox. The build you see here also features upgraded Baer 11-inch brake rotors with four-piston calipers, though the owner opted against any power assist for the stoppers.
The team went to the undisputed Ford Motor Company specialists at Roush for the powertrain. Turned off by the never-ending supply of Coyote-swapped machinery, ECD opted for a genuine small-block-Ford-based Roush 347 IR. This hot-rodded 302 features a stroker crank, a roller camshaft, ported aluminum heads, forged pistons, electric fuel injection, and an utterly glorious eight-stack intake setup. Roush says the engine is good for 465 hp and 425 lb-ft, which is more than enough to motivate a pony of this size. Roush also provides the build with a quick-shifting Bowler Tru-Street 4R70W transmission, which features line lock for the small chance of drag racing—and the higher possibility of showing off. The transmission is an excellent automatic, with snappy shifts and intuitive response to the throttle, although I found that getting it into gear did require a healthy dose of force. A manual gearbox is available for those who prefer to row their own ratios.
Sticking with a small block might not be a popular decision these days, but it was the right one. There's something inherently old school about the way the 347 feels from the moment it fires to life, even in fuel-injected spec. That simple twist of the key is enough to fool you into believing you have what it takes to suit up for the Terlingua Racing Team. The NASCAR-grade soundtrack only enhances the appeal, but Roush hasn't hurt tractability in the process of delivering this. The monster under the hood never overworked its chassis during my short blast around Metro Detroit. The long gears installed in the beefed-up nine-inch rear certainly helped there, although I would personally opt for a more aggressive set of ratios given the choice. The more times that engine runs through the revs the better. The whole powertrain is even backed by a two-year/24,000-mile warranty.
While I never had a chance to really lean on the Roadster Shop goodies, given the fact the car I drove was already owned by somebody who had commissioned it, the upgrades definitely haven't removed that original Mustang character. On the road, it felt like an extremely well-sorted first gen, with a much more eager front end than I remember from original-spec cars. Given the proven nature of the setup, the car felt entirely capable of delivering big speed without unwanted drama.
Okay, I didn't get on with the weird mash-up of power-assisted steering and unboosted brakes, but that is how the owner wanted the car to be. ECD knows that giving customers freedom to make choices is a vital part of the process of creating a unique commission, even if these aren't necessarily the most conducive to ultimate performance. Hence, this car's 17-inch chrome wheels, for instance.
Whereas the exterior of this ECD Mustang doesn't hint too much toward what's under the skin, the same can't be said about the interior. The layout still honors the traditional Mustang setup but forgoes classic buckets in favor of leather-trimmed Recaros. The dash itself is finished in brushed aluminum, which looks fantastic next to the old-school instrumentation. The center-console setup added a touch of modernity by way of cupholders, as did the diamond stitching throughout. All the materials felt high quality, though some of the final fitment could use a little bit of extra detailing. I'm confident niggles will get sorted as the team builds more cars. This is the first one, but there are another eight on order.
Most of ECD's customers bring a donor car with a story. Oftentimes, these machines are heirlooms, first cars, or just long-loved family members. It can be difficult to quantify just how valuable a car like that truly is, with or without fancy parts. That said, ECD does charge customers a base price of $279,995 for the conversion. The customer really drives the pricing from there, with this build ringing in at $362,000. For reference, that's a bit more than Ford is asking for a new Mustang GTD.
That's lots of money for a first-gen Mustang, but it isn't obscene in the world of restomods, particularly when you consider the pricey Roadster Shop chassis. It's more money than I'd spend on a first-gen Mustang without provenance, but for those looking to create their personal dream car, it's not outside the frame of reference. I'd love to see what ECD could do with a more track-orientated build; the powertrain and chassis combo are begging to be let loose. I doubt it will take long for that customer to come knocking.
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