My �69 fastback was originally a 351 Windsor two-barrel car with a Top Loader four-speed. It�s been updated over the course of six years to its current restomod state with a subtle G-machine vibe thrown in.

The engine consists of a 351W short-block built by Smeding Performance--an engine builder in the Sacramento area. Bored 0.030-inch over for a total displacement of around 357 cubes it has a stock-stroke 351W crank and rods and a set of Probe forged pistons netting a compression ratio of around 10.5:1. The Comp Camps XR282RF hydraulic-roller retrofit cam grind has a .513-/.526-inch lift on intake and exhaust, respectively. Advertised duration is 282/289 degrees, while at 0.050-inch tappet lift, duration is 230/236 degrees. The lobe separation angle is 110 degrees. A pair of AFR 185 aluminum heads which have 2.02-/1.60-inch valves on intake and exhaust respectively, an Edelbrock Performer 351W intake, JBA headers, a Pertronix ignition and a Holley 650 double-pumper carb with mechanical secondaries complete the underhood picture.

Behind is a late-model T5 five-speed from a Fox 5.0 that�s installed with a California Pony Cars adapter plate that allows retention of the original Top Loader four-speed bellhousing and stock Z-bar clutch linkage. As with the T5s in most �86-�93 Fox-body Mustang 5.0s, this one has a 3.35:1 First-gear ratio and a 0.68:1-overdrive Fifth. Fourth is 1:1. There�s also a Centerforce clutch and the car�s original 9-inch rearend with 3.00 gears. It�s been rebuilt by Currie Enterprises and fitted with a Currie TSD (torque-sensing differential) limited-slip differential.

Other things include a new interior (seat covers, carpet, door panels, headliner, dashpad, a Grant mahogany wood steering wheel, quarter-trim panels and package tray); Auto Meter water-temp and oil-pressure gauges and a factory tach gauge cluster; a Griffin aluminum radiator, Spal electric fans and Concept One serpentine pulleys; a Total Control Products rack-and-pinion steering and a Flaming River tilt steering column.

The rear suspension includes mid-eye five-leaf springs, one-inch lowering blocks, TCP Vari-Shock double adjustable shocks and a rear anti-sway bar. The front suspension includes a TCP coil-over setup with Vari-Shock double adjustable shocks; TCP upper arms and 1 1/8-inch front antisway bar; Global West lower arms, strut rods and subframe connectors; an Export brace and a Monte Carlo bar.

Baer four-wheel disc brakes with PBR calipers and 12-inch rotors all around put the stop to Vintage Wheels Works, Vintage 45 wheels; 17x8s in front and 17x9s in back. The tires are Nexen N3000s, 255/40ZR17s in front and 275/40ZR17s in back.

The color is �68 Mustang Highland Green (like the Bullitt car) and the only non-original-appearing exterior part other than the wheels is a Maier Racing fiberglass hood. It has a �69-�70 Mercury Cougar Eliminator-style functional scoop that�s similar to a �69-�70 Boss 429 scoop but about half the height.

Though there�s nothing super exotic about the parts on this car, I have gotten out and had plenty of fun with it, which includes driving it on numerous road trips and running it five times in the Silver State Classic Challenge. The Silver State is high-speed time/distance rally where the objective is to average a selected speed on a closed-course 90-mile stretch of highway 318 in central Nevada. In my first three runs, I averaged 110 mph with a tech speed (highest allowed for a 110 average) of 124 mph or 200 kph.

In 2007, I fitted a Crow five-point safety harness and ran in both the May and September events and averaged 120 mph for 90 miles with a tech speed of 140 mph. On numerous times over the course of those two runs, I hit 140 and easily cruised at 130-135 on the course�s long straights including one that spans 14 miles. I definitely plan to run the car again in 2009 or 2010 after a recent stint navigating in the 135-mph class in a friend�s supercharged �05 Mustang GT.

Check out www.sscc.us for more info on an event that�s super fun and a perfect fit for almost any of the cars on Lateral-G.net. Besides road racing or open-track work, the Silver State is also an ideal test environment for proving the functional worthiness of Pro-Touring- or G-machine-style cars.