- Ford built the R125 from a 1966 Mustang fastback to mark 125 years of Ford Racing.
- The 5.7-litre crate V8 makes about 268kW and 542Nm and uses electronic fuel injection.
- The SEMA show car uses a five-speed Tremec transmission alongside components Ford offers to other builders.
Ford has brought a 1966 Mustang fastback to SEMA with a black and gold racing livery, a red stripe across the tail and a new V8 under the bonnet.
Called the R125, the build celebrates 125 years of Ford Racing and shows how the company’s current parts fit into a 60-year-old Mustang. Ford’s SEMA stand also hosted Ken Block’s 1965 Hoonicorn in 2014.
A small-block with modern fuelling
The fastback uses a 5.7-litre crate engine built around a Ford Racing Boss block with aluminium cylinder heads. It develops about 268kW and 542Nm with an Edelbrock Pro-Flo electronic fuel injection system. A compact Tremec TKX-600 five-speed manual sends power to the rear wheels. Ford says the gearbox was designed to shift more smoothly and last longer than the older Tremec TKO. DRIVEN has also covered a 1968 Mustang fastback with a newer Ford V8 and a Tremec manual.
Even the valve covers show what Ford is selling. They split into two pieces, with tops that can be swapped and built-in guides to keep the spark plug leads tidy. Ford offers the parts featured on the car through its Ford Racing Parts catalogue. It hasn’t announced a price for the finished R125 or plans to sell it as a complete car.
Why 125?
The number on the doors goes back to a race in 1901. Henry Ford drove a car called Sweepstakes to an upset victory over Alexander Winton, one of America’s leading racers at the time. Ford Motor Company traces part of its own history to that win, which helped Henry Ford attract financial backing before he founded the company. The R125 carries that anniversary number in gold roundels, set low on the doors above a gold sill stripe that runs between the matching wheels.
