The Ford Mustang is among the most popular cars to customize, so it's no surprise that Ringbrothers, a Wisconsin company famous for its custom muscle cars, would have a Mustang on its stand at this week's 2023 SEMA show in Las Vegas.
Known as Uncaged, the car is based on a 1965 Mustang convertible and is the follow-up to the custom Mustang called Caged that was shown at last year's SEMA show. Its standout feature is the wide-body design whose panels have been massaged and shaped to blend seamlessly, creating a flow from top to bottom.
Ringbrothers said every panel on the car was customized to suit the wide-body design that adds about an inch to each side. The only parts shared with the original donor Mustang are the wheel center caps. Even signature Mustang elements such as the taillight bezels and horse logo are custom pieces that were designed to match the new proportions.
Parts you don't see are also custom, including the chassis and floor pans. New suspension components were also added, consisting of Penske Racing Shocks RS Edition coilovers front and rear, plus a new independent rear suspension. The wheels are an 18-inch set from EVOD Industries. They resemble the original Mustang's Rally wheel pattern and come wrapped in Continental tires. Housed within the wheels are Baer brakes featuring 6-piston calipers and 14.0-inch rotors front and rear.
Ringbrothers Uncaged 1965 Ford Mustang convertible
Ringbrothers Uncaged 1965 Ford Mustang convertible
Ringbrothers Uncaged 1965 Ford Mustang convertible
Power comes from the modern Mustang's Coyote 5.0-liter V-8. Here it's tuned to deliver 460 hp, all of which is routed to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The interior was designed by a company called Sean Smith Designs and features leather trim installed by Upholstery Unlimited. The gauges come from Dakota Digital, while the steering wheel is a custom design that Ringbrothers said pays homage to the original Mustang's interior.
According to Ringbrothers, the build took more than 4,000 hours to complete. That means it most likely cost a small fortune, but Ringbrothers offers many of its custom parts individually for enthusiasts with smaller budgets. In the case of the Mustang, these include several billet-aluminum parts, as well as carbon-fiber (or billet) steering wheels, and custom side-marker light bezels.
Also at the SEMA show, Ringbrothers presented a custom 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and a custom 1969 Dodge Charger. The latter is known as the Ringbrothers Tusk and packs 1,000 hp.
