Forget Off-Road Porsche 911s, This Rowdy Classic Mustang Is as Cool as Safari Builds Come

While there’s no denying that Porsche safari builds make for some seriously cool sports cars, I think they’re a little mainstream at this point. The niche is incredibly crowded.

After all, following the popularity of projects from Kelly Moss, Elephant Racing and Leh Keen, even Porsche itself had to get in on the action with its 911 Dakar. (And when an OEM feels that a lifted sports car is worth a production offering, the concept can’t be as crazy as it seems.)

Thankfully, it’s a trend that’s also allowed other cars to benefit from the off-road treatment. As Porsche 911 prices continue to soar, builders have increasingly looked elsewhere to get their safari fix.

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In the case of examples like the following Ford Mustang, I’d say it works even better precisely because it’s not a Porsche.

Head-turning high horse

The car you see before you started its life as a 1973 Mustang Sportsroof with a 302-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) V8 under the hood. However, it’s obviously quite a bit different from the way it rolled off the production line.

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For one, the pony car now rides considerably higher. While it wears some period-correct 15-inch Magnum 500-style wheels, it’s been equipped for off-road duty by way of some raised suspension and 31-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Legend MTZ tires. 

To that end, it also sports a roof rack (for mounting a spare, sand ladders, or any number of other critical accessories), as well as a set of auxiliary Hella lights. 

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While they aren’t extensive modifications, they’re nevertheless impactful on a vehicle like the Mustang. Besides, that’s not all there is to the build.

In keeping with its safari transformation, this Mustang benefits from both performance and visual mods, too. So, even though the Blue Oval built the car with a 302 under the hood, it now comes with a larger and more powerful 351 (5.8-liter).

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Rounded out by some Mach 1 tribute touches in the form of the paint, the graphics, the grille, the hood and the spoilers, it makes for one mean Mustang (and something that’s cooler than yet another 911).

Rally-run pedigree

As absurd as an off-road Mustang may seem in concept, the Blue Oval’s iconic pony car does actually have some historical connection to rally competition.

In fact, during the first year that the Mustang went on sale (1964), Ford fielded a team of three cars in the Tour de France to prove the model’s mettle. 

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Although heavily outmatched by veteran Ferrari and Jaguar teams, the Mustangs managed to win 13 of 17 stages over the course of the 10-day, 4000-mile race.

It was enough to give Ford a first-second victory in the touring class and eighth and ninth place overall.

That success also extended to the domestic scene at the time. In SCCA competition, Ford’s Mustang Mach 1 took the Manufacturer’s Road Rally Championship two years in a row, clinching the title for 1969 and 1970.

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Yours to tame

Today, the Blue Oval keeps some tangential connection to these feats through the Mach-E Rally. Moreover, Ford has also repeatedly expressed interest in a Mustang off-roader or some kind of Raptor supercar, precisely as a means to take on Porsche.

Of course, until that time comes, all we can do is wait. Luckily, the 1973 Mustang featured today just so happens to be up for auction. And, unlike your average 911 safari, you’ll probably be able to walk away with this one for a reasonable amount of money.

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