Vaughn Gittin’s 1969 RTR-X Mustang at the Ford Booth

Ford has made great strides towards improving the handling of their cars, and Mustangs actively participate in many motorsports with an emphasis on turning rather than speed. No where is this more evident than in Formula Drift, with racer Vaughn Gittin Jr. spearheading the effort (and taking home the 2010 championship). Gittin has been hard at work on another project though; his 1969 RTR-X Mustang. Speedhunters had been chronicling the buildup in the recent months and today the Mustang debuted at SEMA, in the Ford booth.  Their updates detailed some of the problems they have had, as well as solutions. They had some problems with the three-link suspension, as the RTR-X hangs just a few inches off of the ground. That has all been fixed through some clever engineering.

Just a quick recap on what, exactly, the RTR-X Mustang is. Based on the ’69 Mustang fastback Dynacorn reproduction shell, Vaughn Gittin Jr. wanted to turn it into a slammed, street-legal monster powered by Ford’s new 5.0 liter V8 engine. It will be getting all sorts of goodies, including a six-speed transmission, Wilwood brakes, 18” Work wheels that are rapped in Falken RT-615K tires, Kinsler throttle-body injection, and an Art Morrision subframe assembly. Sounds pretty badass, right?

They’ve managed to fit the 2011 Mustang’s 5.0 engine into the frame too. We were wondering how well an engine like that would fit in a classic Mustang frame, as it is a very wide engine. The answer appears to be that it fits very well. The RTR-X also has an amazing amount of turning radius for a ’69 Mustang, and it is certainly shaping up to be a primo drift/time attack car. It also looks amazing, given that there is hardly any room between the tires and the fenders, and the car is just inches off of the ground.

The body modifications include a custom-designed ducktail spoiler. The bumpers are small and very tight with the body, which itself hovers just a few inches off of the ground. We are especially impressed at how much of this body is actual metal work and not just fiberglass, though the fender flares and chin spoiler used are fiberglass, as there is a good chance they could be ripped off. This is a race car, after all.

Our favorite feature of this Mustang though is a toss up. It could be the fully-functional side air ducts that direct cool air onto the rear brakes. Or it might be the square hole in the hood with the throttle bodies hovering right above it.

About the author

Mark Gearhart

In 1995 Mark started photographing drag races at his once local track, Bradenton Motorsports Park. He became hooked and shot virtually every series at the track until 2007 until he moved to California and began working as a writer for Power Automedia. He was the founding editor for its first online magazines, and transitioned into the role of editorial director role in 2014. Retiring from the company in 2016, Mark continues to expand his career as a car builder, automotive enthusiast, and freelance journalist to provide featured content and technical expertise.
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