Anyone who’s ever purchased a Mustang probably began the search by looking for just that—a Mustang. Brian Minter wasn’t so specific. He just wanted some “old-school raw horsepower.”
“It didn’t matter if it was a 1956 F100 or a 1969 Chevrolet Nova, I wanted a classic muscle truck or car,” says Minter. “And I was no stranger to them because my dad and I restored a 1966 Mustang Convertible back when I was in high school, though admittedly he did most of the work on it.”
After doing some searching through classifieds, Minter spotted a listing that read, “1966 Mustang Coupe not running, 289 V8 3spd many parts $1200 obo.”
His mind began racing through all of the possible problems a classic Mustang being offered for $1,200 could have. But not one to pass a good deal, he immediately asked the owner for photos, which revealed a “neglected pony in primer grey sitting under a tarp just wasting away,” according to Minter.
He eventually grabbed his father and went to see the car in person, revealing a “diamond in the rough.” Aside from some rust, the seller had already replaced the quarter panels and the entire passenger front and rear floor boards. He would also throw in an un-restored 302 from his garage and a 5-speed from a ’93 Mustang 5.0. Add to that about $500 worth of new chrome parts from his garage. This was quite the deal.
“The ideas began to brew in my head of where I could take this horse,” says Minter.
While the pony car was a steal, she was almost lost in the first day in her new owner’s driveway. “We live at the top of a very tall hill and the car didn’t run nor did it have brakes,” says Minter. “So, to get it off the trailer it was a simple push the car and let the clutch out easily to slow the car. Well, about two-thirds of the way down, I let the clutch out and it caught until the clutch cable snapped— I was on my way down the driveway in a car with no brakes. The pedal went all the way to the floor in a panic stomping action.
Thankfully, his new project pony has been parked since 1997 and its rusty drums slowly screeched to a stop, saving the day. “But boy,” adds Minter, “was my heart beating fast!”
The next three years were filled with sanding, scrubbing, bondo, primer and fiberglass. Before their paint day, Minter and his father were sure to have the 302 they inherited bored .40 over by a local shop in addition to restoring the crankshaft and installing a mild comp camp.
Finally, paint day came and the father-son duo slapped Dark Shadow Gray Clearcoat Metallic on the stallion.
“She came out looking incredible,” says Minter. “After a quick tape off and a wide black stripe down the middle, a couple of coats of clearcoat are applied and she is pushed back into the garage for recovery.”
The final step in this restoration was naming the '66 classic. Minter instantly had some inspiration. “My wife’s middle name is Darlene and she absolutely hates her name,” he says. “So, in spousal humor one day I said. ‘I think I am going to name my car after you when it gets finished,’ and she glared at me and said, ‘you wouldn’t.’ Well, how can I pass up an opportunity like that?”
"Darlenie" isn’t Minter’s first Mustang, and certainly not his first Ford. As with many enthusiasts, it’s all in the family.
His wife drives a 2000 Mustang V6 with the GT package. His mother drives a 2002 Eddie Bauer Explorer, his dad a 2000 Mustang GT Convertible. His brother drives a 1999 Ford Escort ZX2 and owns a 1966 Mustang coupe as well, restored with the help of his father.
“People appreciate the time and effort that enthusiasts like us spend bringing 42 year old clunkers back from the brink of destruction,” says Minter. “I have been around Fords all my life.”
“I know I get scolded a lot by the old timers after what I have done to my car, but I can't leave it at ‘good enough,’” says Minter. “I have to make it unique, I have to make it my car. Sure, it doesn’t have the original paint, body work, interior, wheels, engine or transmission, but no one else can say they have seen anything like it before.”
Well, we’re certainly impressed. Check out the specs and photos of Brian Minter’s 1966 Ford Mustang coupe in the reply below. Also, be sure to hit him up on the boards- his username is
Restomod66
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