SUMMARY

The beneficiary of a 2-year, $250K restoration
427 cubic inch Roush Performance IR V8 / Electronic fuel injection / 546 horsepower
Tremec 5-speed manual transmission
Custom Italian leather and Cobra skin interior / Vintage Air conditioning / 1,000-watt audio system
Seamless body kit / Pepper Gray Metallic paint / Black stripes
Custom 18-inch Forgeline Grip wheels
Ford 9-inch rear axle / Truetrac posi-traction differential / 3.70 gears
Detroit Speed front suspension / Custom rear suspension
Power rack-and-pinion steering / Baer 4-wheel power disc brakes
Polished side-exit exhaust / Magnaflow mufflers

Who can forget the 2000 remake of "Gone in 60 Seconds"? Chock-full of Hollywood A-listers, it's a fast paced, high octane classic that twists and turns through two hours of adrenaline-fueled action. And the first time the star of the movie, a 1967 Mustang GT500 known as Eleanor, pulled a full throttle 360 and kicked off one of the most epic chase scenes in history, every gearhead on the planet had a new favorite car! Today, the hobby is full of Eleanor replicas. That means every red-blooded 'car expert' makes it their passion to analyze details and lecture owners about their doppelgangers doing the original car justice. That love it or hate it polarity ultimately reflects itself in prices. Sloppy builds get relegated to the cost of their collective parts while well-done cars, like this Roush 427-powered pro-tourer, find themselves at big venues bringing big money. At RK Motors Charlotte, we believe the only thing cooler than a car that runs well is a car that runs well AND turns heads. And this red-hot Mustang will smoke vintage metal at the cruise in or the race track!

BODYWORK/TRIM

Designed by famed Hot Rod illustrator Steve Stanford, built by celebrity car builder Chip Foose and listed by Hot Rod Magazine as one of most influential vehicles in the history of hot rodding, the original Eleanor was actually 13 different cars uniquely equipped for different shots throughout the movie. And while most commercial reproductions take liberty with small details that separate Hollywood fantasy from backyard reality, well-executed builds, like this fully sorted coupe, are case studies in authenticity. The car's construction began with a custom-molded Eleanor body kit that features functional brake ducts. Once that fiberglass was sourced, it was seamlessly fitted to solid, 1967 Mustang metal during a frame-off pro-touring build that spanned two years and $250,000. With that profile formed, a smooth coat of correct Pepper Gray Metallic was detailed with correct black stripes, sealed in durable clear and rubbed to a spectacular shine. And today, this top notch Eleanor is a fitting and impressive tribute to one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time!

Since most classic car enthusiasts credit Carroll Shelby with introducing some of the coolest and most aggressive Mustangs ever created, it's only natural that Eleanor's terminal form mirrors his stellar design. At the car's leading edge, custom grilles center large PIAA fog lamps between chrome-trimmed headlights, a familiar Shelby R valence and small PIAA driving lamps. At the top of that grille, an aggressive fiberglass hood aligns low-key Ringbrothers pins with polished wipers, straight frames, clear glass and Shelby-style pillar scoops. At the sides of that hood, a striped profile seats functional quarter scoops beneath flush door handles, bullet-style mirrors and a stylish Monza fuel filler. And at the back of that profile, a peaked decklid joins a body-matched bumper to frame a small camera and custom, sequential taillights that employ 300 LEDs.

ENGINE

Pop the car's lightweight hood and you'll find 427 cubic inches of Roush Performance small block that gives fresh meaning to the words "Go Baby, Go"! Ensuring this Mustang's would-be challengers will face a much direr reality than that provided by a retrofitted romantic relic, Roush's IR crate engine utilizes a steel crank, H-beam rods, a roller cam and forged pistons to twist 546 horsepower into 540 lb./ft. of torque. At the top of the smooth mill, eight Roush stacks mix fresh oxygen with high octane pump gas that's provided by Roush electronic fuel injection. Those cones are bolted to a polished Roush intake, which rides between aluminum, CNC-ported heads and stylish Roush valve covers. Fire is provided by a traditional distributor and loomed Roush 9mm plug wires. Cooling comes courtesy of a polished AutoRad radiator, which circulates coolant past large electric puller fans and a polished expansion tank via pliable hoses and an aluminum water pump. Ceramic-coated JBA headers evacuate spent gases in to polished stainless pipes. And in front of those tubes, Billet Specialties Tru Trac components spin a polished Powermaster alternator opposite a polished AC compressor. Aesthetically, the Jet Black block looks right at home in the car's mirror-like bay. And well-planned details, like braided lines, billet reservoirs, Ringbrothers hood supports and a color-keyed Baer brake booster, are both functional and appealing.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

Take one look under this pony and you'll find glossy, body-matched floors that were completely massaged during the car's extensive restoration. Behind the brutal 427, a modern Tremec 5-speed spins a familiar Ford 9-inch that's fitted with a Truetrac differential, 31-spline axles and big, 3.70 gears. Those gears ride a glossy 4-link rear-clip that's finished with a thick sway bar and adjustable Detroit Speed coil-overs. Opposite that clip, a Detroit Speed subframe centers power rack-and-pinion steering between tubular control arms and two more adjustable coil-overs. Stops come courtesy of 4 and 6-piston Baer calipers, which utilize Baer power-assist to clamp 14-inch drilled and slotted rotors. Torched dinosaurs flood polished Magnaflow mufflers, which feed polished, side-exit pipes. Power meets the pavement through custom Forgeline Grips, which spin 245/40ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force Rivals in front of 335/30ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force Rivals. And first rate detailing abounds, including stainless fluid lines, a deep-sump oil pan, a subtle Baer proportioning valve and a custom Detroit Speed fuel tank.

INTERIOR

Open this head-turner's doors and you'll find a custom upholstered cockpit that twists cool Cobra skin and plush Italian leather into an exceptionally attractive driving environment. The car's thick bucket seats wear fresh covers and body-matched buttons between requisite lap belts. In front of those thrones, a custom dash hangs custom Classic Instruments telemetry above 1,000-watt Pioneer touchscreen audio and Vintage Air Gen IV climate control. Below that dash, fresh Daytona carpet floats a custom, color-keyed console between a billet shifter, small accessory gauges and billet foot pedals. Opposite that island, a custom headliner bridges the gap between color-keyed Hertz pillar speakers and a polished rearview mirror. In front of the driver, a precise Budnik steering wheel spins satin spokes around a modern, titling column. At the sides of the passengers, custom door panels anchor polished poppers and polished pulls between modern power windows, crisp Hertz tweeters and color-keyed Hertz kick speakers. And behind the cockpit, a custom-upholstered trunk props more color-keyed Hertz speakers above a fair amount of storage space.

The name Eleanor has become synonymous with killer Mustangs that mix unbeatable performance with spectacular looks. This striking Eleanor pro-tourer features a superb build and excellent out-of-the-box abilities. If you're a pragmatic enthusiast who likes to show your car on Friday and tear up the pavement on Saturday, you've found your next classic!