This 1978 Ford Mustang Costs Nearly As Much As Two Shelby GT500s

Most legendary motoring dynasties have a black swan. While not necessarily bad cars, they've failed to capture the magic of models past and present, giving them a slightly bad reputation amongst enthusiasts. Among them are the R231 Mercedes-Benz SL, Porsche 911 (996), and, perhaps the best-known example of all, the second-generation Ford Mustang.

While it has a dedicated following, the unloved Mustang was criticized, from new, for being underpowered and disappointing. It was based on the controversial Ford Pinto platform, after all. That hasn't stopped one individual from creating something rather extraordinary from the rather unremarkable muscle car. Painted in Ford's Grabber Blue and listed on duPont Registry, this SEMA show car is a far cry from the vehicle on which it's based. Intrigued? It could be yours for a snip under $125,000.

The custom body conceals the once-dreary styling and looks rather fetching. Up front, it resembles a more modern fifth-generation Mustang, while the rear appears to be inspired by the Ford Capri, a sports coupe known as Europe's Mustang. The taillights come from another Blue Oval classic, the Gran Torino. Everything is finished off nicely with subtle, black-painted wheels. But it is what's underneath that should pique your interest.

A 5.0-liter Coyote V8 lives under the bulging hood and, while the power and torque figures aren't mentioned, we assume it's more muscular than the original's anemic motor. The seller notes a custom three-inch exhaust with Borla Atak mufflers has been fitted, along with a Borla 8 stack Injection and custom MMR machined billet aluminum valve covers.