The modification world right now is getting quite silly. It's easier than ever to take a car and reinvent it as your own — something that we can largely thank the internet for.
But, like the idea of buying an entire box of chicken nuggets to devour by yourself, just because you're capable of doing something it doesn't mean you should. And this is the crossroads upon which mod culture finds itself. In the persistent pursuit of ‘shifting the goal posts’ the line between inspired creativity and exceptional stupidity has blurred.
Where does this Ford Mustang fall? Well that largely depends on your disposition. But there's a lot to say for vintage cars made reliable and powerful to the point of being friendly machines to use on a daily basis.
This is where Beau's so-called ‘Gulfstang’ sits. Recovered in a dilapidated state, it was originally intended to be restored to factory standards. However the pursuit of the new and subsequently taboo saw Beau throw a Toyota 2JZ straight-six engine — of Supra fame — under the bonnet. Because chucking a V8 under there would be boring.
After one failed attempt, the result is one of the most curious sounding Ford Mustangs in the world. And to top off the big squishy blasphemy cake, it also wears a Gulf Racing livery.
The Gulfstang is no slammed-to-the-floor coal-rolling Honda Civic rat rod donk bosozuku low rider. It's very much a functional thing (functional enough to at least do some hectic burnouts), and as such to a certain degree it's hard not to like unless you're part of the Mustang faithful.
But give it a few years, when those inspired by this video replicate the process en masse in their garages, and it will become lame and uncool. And we will all be fawning over the next new thing.