Classic Wheels Spotlight: 1966 Ford Mustang

While attending Moraine Valley Community College in 1975, Steve Kulovitz bought his first car, a 1966 Mustang Fastback 2+2. His friend told him about the car, and he needed a way to get back and forth from school and work. He paid a whopping $450.

Steve admits he always considered himself a ‘Chevy guy’ until he got the Ford Mustang. That shifted his way of thinking. The original owner was a woman in Midlothian. The car was Ivy Green Poly from the factory, and he says it looked more like Army green. Today, it has a nice white paint job – and only 85,000 miles on the odometer.

The Mustang was hit in the right-side quarter panel. Luckily, Steve’s neighbor at the time was a body and fender repairman and helped him fix things up. They replaced the quarter panel, along with the inner and outer wheel housings. Sometime later, the left side quarter panel, inner and outer wheel housings, and both frame rails with shackles were replaced.

According to Steve, over some time, all of the floor panels, both the fenders and the hood, have been replaced. The doors and trunk lid are still factory. The whole body has been stripped to bare metal and repainted. The original wheels have been replaced with 1968 Grand Torino GT chrome steel with GT center caps.

The 289, 2-barrel engine, mated to an automatic transmission, has had some work done over the years. About 45 years ago, it had a valve job, a new oil pump, and some general maintenance, but it remains stock. One of the things Steve has changed is the replacement of the single exhaust with a dual exhaust system. The tailpipes come out through the rear valance with trumpet tips. He added a chrome air cleaner and breather cap.

Steve says with the help of his neighbor and good friend, Joe, and his brother, Frank, they are planning on doing some much-needed upgrades to his fastback, which includes rebuilding the engine, possibly a competition roller cam, an aluminum radiator with electric fans, and a four-barrel carburetor. This should add a bit more horsepower to this Mustang fastback 2+2.

Joe will be taking the lead on the rebuild, while Steve is going to do some detailing to the engine compartment while the engine is out. While he’s is at it, Steve plans to update the front bakes with power disc brakes.

Steve remembers going to Dukes Drive-In in the 1970s, not so much to show his car, but to see the other cars and meet other “gearheads.” Steve hasn’t gone to car shows for many years, but now, with renewed enthusiasm for his fastback, he plans to go to shows again.

Steve says working on his car is a “labor of love.” When asked what he likes most about his car, he says, “I think the fastback is cool looking – especially the interior and the console with the wood-grained panels.”

If you have a car you would like to see featured in Classic Wheels, contact Rudy Host, Jr. at Classic.Wheels.Rudy@gmail.com.