Great art cannot always be found on the wall of a museum. This 1000 horsepower 1969 Ford Mustang more than qualifies.
Dubbed the Hitman, it’s the work of Classic Recreations in Oklahoma and is the first Mach 1 to be built under Classic Recreations’ licence from Ford Motor Company.
The Hitman began with a real 1969 Mustang Mach 1 body that was restored to factory-new condition before receiving an intercooled, twin-turbocharged Ford 32-valve Coyote V8 that makes 1000 horsepower — about 746kW.
A Tremec six-speed manual transmission, 9-inch rear end with Posi-Traction, tubular subframe connectors and state-of-the-art engine management systems work together to put that power to the ground.
Exhaust gases escape through a set of custom stainless steel turbo manifolds and dual stainless steel MagnaFlow performance mufflers.
Fuel is delivered to the engine by an electric Vaporworx fuel pump housed in a Rick’s Tanks 18-gallon fuel cell (80L)
Hitman is part of an exclusive licensing deal with Ford Motor Company that includes iconic Mustangs like the Boss 429, Boss 302 and the Mach 1.
The Classic Recreations Mustang Mach 1 is a bespoke vehicle, custom-built to its owner’s wishes.
Whether a Mach 1 leaves the shop as a period-correct recreation or as a resto-mod loosely based on the original car, the final product is fully dependent on the customer’s desire.
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The company has been modifying and building high-performance vehicles for more than 15 years.
Each built-to-order vehicle takes about four months and nearly 2500 man hours of painstaking assembly.
Engineered specifically to complement high horsepower builds, the car’s suspension setup includes coilovers up front, a Total Control rear coilover system and Total Control front and rear sway bars.
A power rack and pinion steering system helps to keep the driver in control at all times.
For maximum traction, Classic Recreations has mounted 18-inch lightweight American Racing Wheels at all four corners, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, with 225/40R18 front and 315/30R18 rubber at the rear.
To rein in all that power, the car features six-piston Wilwood calipers with slotted and cross-drilled rotors on all four corners.
An adjustable rear proportioning valve gives enthusiasts complete control over brake bias, allowing them to match the settings to their intended use and driving style.
A BeCool aluminium crossflow radiator supported by two electric cooling fans helps keep the engine cool while an “Old Air” air conditioning system keeps the Mach 1’s occupants comfortable.
Other amenities include a JVC head unit wired to a Kicker amp, speakers and subwoofer.
A woodgrain aluminium steering wheel, five-point seat belts, 200 mph gauges, TMI Mustang interior panels and a cosmetic rollbar complete the Mach 1’s purposeful yet comfortable interior.
The car is finished in two-tone grey and black paint, with a factory-style Mach 1 front chin spoiler and rear deck lid spoiler, coupled with Mach 1 badges — to make the car stand out while staying true to its timeless design.
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