Ford announced the Mustang for the first time back in 1961 when the first Mustang I concept was revealed. production of the Mustang didn't start until later in 1965, but for the 1964.5 model year, the Mustang saw a non-traditional introduction. The units built during that period were offered as a two-door hardtop or convertible, and they were slightly different from the model that went into production in 1965. It’s exactly that 1964.5 model that Ringbrothers tried to revive with its latest Mustang "Caged" one-off restomod.

Ringbrothers Practically Rewrites the Definition of Bespoke

Almost every component from the 1964.5 Mustang was replaced with new one-off pieces specially built by Ringbrothers. Extensive work was also done to transform the chassis back into a unibody, and the length was increased by one inch. There is also a redesigned front grille that sits further in the back by about two inches. The Caged is finished in a BASF Glasurit “Burgundy Brave” finish, while all the chrome and stainless-steel trim was treated with Cerakote Titanium C-105P.

The car rides on a one-off set of EVOD Industries wheels - built with the same design as the Mustang’s iconic Rally wheels. They are wrapped in Continental tires and will be combined with a set of Baer Brakes for stopping power. Ringbrothers also installed Penske Racing Shocks RS Edition performance coilovers in the front and rear.

“Every piece of this car has been touched and updated with the original design cues in mind, down to the iconic Mustang taillight bezels, gas cap and running horse emblems,” added Ringbrothers co-founder Jim Ring. “There’s a lot of nuances that went into the design, and we’re proud of that aspect of the build. Only the expert eye will be able to discern the subtly of the differences.”

Modern Heart Mixed With Old Muscle

Even if it looks like a 1964.4 model, the Caged has the heart of a modern Mustang GT: a Coyote 5.0-liter V-8 engine. We have no idea how much the V-8 delivers in the Caged, but in the standard GT it goes up to 450 horsepower. We have a feeling that the Caged is going to deliver a lot more than that, especially when you consider that the Wisconsin-based hot rod builder is known for cars like the 1,100-horsepower AMC Javelin, the 707-horsepower Dodge Charger Captiv or the 460-horsepower 1968 Mercury Cougar. The engine was updated with custom-built headers by Ringbrothers and a Flowmaster exhaust system. It also uses Motul engine oil for protection and performance. The classic four-speed transmission was replaced by Ford’s 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission.

We have no idea how much this one-off Caged Mustang will cost, but Ringbrothers' one-off projects are never cheap. For example, the Javelin was priced at $500,000 - so you should expect something similar for this project too. It doesn't really matter in fact since just one person will get to enjoy it. The rest of us will have to wait for the new generation Mustang, which is set to be unveiled on September 14 during the Detroit Auto Show.