Owner-built restomod · Lincoln Rhapsody Blue · ~1,500 sorted miles
At a glance
Body-off rotisserie restoration. Modern drivetrain and electronics integrated to keep the car feeling like a '66 from behind the wheel and in front of the camera. Below: the headline systems. The Atlas that follows shows each one up close.
The Atlas
Every modification, area by area. The detail shots show the work that doesn't read from the driver's seat — and most of what justifies the build.
Ford 302 crate engine with modern EFI, ignition, cooling, polished presentation, and custom hidden-detail work.
Owner-built detail
The EFI's two fan outputs are used with a resistor block to run the cooling fan quietly at lower speed, then full speed if temperature rises.
Aluminum radiator with Flex-a-lite Flex-Wave fan controlled by the EFI.
Ford 302 crate engine with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and polished, updated engine-bay presentation.
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold with Durashine finish.
MSD Atomic electronic fuel injection controls fuel delivery and timing with MSD ignition components integrated into the build.
MSD Atomic EFI with Holley bypass fuel pressure regulator.
Owner-built detail
Custom brackets mount ignition, regulator, power-steering reservoir, and related components; many supplied bolts were replaced with stainless cap-head hardware.
Custom brackets were made and powder coated.
Engine oil cooler mounted between block and filter, plus radiator recovery tank.
Coolant-style oil cooler described as similar to 2014 Boss 302 style.
March serpentine belt system drives the A/C compressor, alternator, and power-steering pump with reservoir.
March serpentine belt system drives the A/C compressor, alternator, and power-steering pump with reservoir.
AOD overdrive automatic, strengthened internals, 3-inch aluminum driveshaft, and 9-inch rear axle.
Ford AOD four-speed automatic with overdrive, Transgo shift kit, heavy-duty internals, and performance converter.
Transgo shift kit.
QuickPerformance 9-inch rear with 31-spline Moser axles, Ford Motorsport Trac-Lock, and 3.50 Motive gears.
31-spline Moser axles.
Owner-built detail
Transmission oil temperature, selected gear, and throttle-valve pressure are monitored on the Dakota Digital dash.
Dash can display gear selected and throttle-valve pressure.
Street or Track aluminum 3-inch driveshaft connects the AOD to the 9-inch rear.
The notes mention a 3-inch aluminum driveshaft supplied by Street or Track.
Ceramic tri-Y headers and a stainless exhaust designed for tone, serviceability, and reduced resonance.
Owner-built detail
Stainless 2.25-inch mandrel-bent exhaust with H-pipe, flex connectors, V-band clamps, Dynomax mufflers, inline resonators, and resonator tips.
Twin stainless flex connectors and H-pipe.
Doug's ceramic-coated tri-Y headers with oxygen sensor bungs welded into both sides.
4-into-2-into-1 tri-Y layout.
Rotisserie restoration, media blasting, epoxy primer, structural modifications, panel fit, and Lincoln Rhapsody Blue finish.
The car was stripped, mounted on a rotisserie, media blasted, and epoxy primed across exposed metal surfaces before build-up.
Epoxy primer applied underneath, engine bay, dash, doors, hood, trunk lid, and related surfaces.
Owner-built detail
Extensive welding, panel replacement, seam work, and months of panel-fit effort went into the body before paint.
Most factory panel lap joints were cut out and butt welded to reduce future rust.
Owner-built detail
Engine compartment was modified to hide visible wires/pipes, close unused holes, replace cowl sections, and clean up front suspension adjuster presentation.
Upper and lower cowl replaced; heater inlet grill welded shut.
Lincoln Rhapsody Blue two-stage top coat with Euro clear.
Paint color and clear are explicitly listed in notes.
Owner-built detail
Transmission tunnel was enlarged/fabricated so the engine and AOD gearbox could sit at the correct angle.
Transmission tunnel was enlarged/fabricated so the engine and AOD gearbox could sit at the correct angle.
TCI suspension, torque-arm rear, underside coatings, hidden hitch receiver, lowered seat platforms, and serviceability details.
TCI independent front suspension and TCI torque-arm rear suspension were test-fitted and fully welded into the build.
Mounting brackets and bracing frame fully welded into place.
Owner-built detail
Nearly everything removable was powder coated, including brake rotors, grille and bumper brackets, suspension arms, sway bars, engine brackets, brake pedal hardware, axle housing, coil springs, hinges, clips, and door brackets.
Owner-built detail
Stainless nuts and bolts are used extensively, with zinc-flake coated high-tensile steel where higher strength is required.
Stainless nuts and bolts are used extensively, with zinc-flake coated high-tensile steel where higher strength is required.
Interior, trunk, and underside received sound/thermal treatment and durable urethane textured coating.
Second Skin Spectrum applied inside cabin, floors, firewall, trunk, and doors.
EFI-ready tank, Bosch pump, Hydramat pickup, ethanol-resistant lines, and filler-neck venting.
Owner-built detail
Fuel-injection tank uses an internal slosh tray, Bosch in-tank pump, Holley Hydramat pickup, and return regulation.
Tank is powder coated and sealed inside.
Owner-built detail
A vent fitting and one-way valve were added to the filler tube to improve gas-station fill behavior and reduce spillback.
Notes say the vent fitting solves shutoff during gas-station fillups.
Supply and return lines use Earl's Vapor Guard with custom stainless brackets to resist ethanol-fuel degradation.
Supply and return lines.
Custom Pony-style interior with safer late-model front seats, heated seating, modern audio, lighting, and comfort features.
Owner-built detail
Pony-style interior was adapted around later Fox-body convertible front seats with headrests, electric tracks, lumbar, knee support, and custom trim.
Ford 7-Up Fox-body convertible front seats.
Owner-built detail
A high-tensile steel rod was recessed into the floor for the front inertia seatbelt, improving rear passenger entry clearance.
Front and rear 3-point inertia reel belts were mounted, with center rear lap belt.
Owner-built detail
Dakota Digital RTX dash looks stock-ish at first glance but monitors engine, gearbox, EFI, and status data through additional sensors and an MSD-linked BIM.
Both front and rear seats are heated, with rear seats offering two heated positions.
Front seats have heated seats.
Vintage Air air conditioning with variable-speed fan and four under-dash vents.
Vintage Air air conditioning with variable-speed fan and four under-dash vents.
Owner-built detail
Front and rear seats use inertia reel belts, with a rear center lap belt.
Front and rear seats use inertia reel belts, with a rear center lap belt.
Pioneer DMH-2550NEX touchscreen adds HD radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, reversing camera, front camera, and speakers in doors/dash.
Flush electric antenna in passenger front fender.
Interior LEDs under the dash and in Pony door lights support many colors, ambient dimming, and delay-off behavior.
Transcript mentions remote control normally stored in glove box.
Ididit chrome tilt steering column with cruise-control stalk and Grant Classic real wood steering wheel.
Ididit chrome tilt steering column with cruise-control stalk and Grant Classic real wood steering wheel.
Pony interior trim includes wood-effect dash/glovebox elements, specific door handles, Pony door panels, and stainless band detailing.
Pony interior trim includes wood-effect dash/glovebox elements, specific door handles, Pony door panels, and stainless band detailing.
Midnight blue ultra-plush cut-pile molded carpet with mass backing in the cabin and trunk.
Midnight blue ultra-plush cut-pile molded carpet with mass backing in the cabin and trunk.
Infinity edge auto-dimming rear-view mirror with three garage-control buttons.
Infinity edge auto-dimming rear-view mirror with three garage-control buttons.
Lokar gear shifter, throttle pedal, and pedal pads for brake and headlamp dimmer add visible, coordinated cockpit controls.
Lokar gear shifter, throttle pedal, and pedal pads for brake and headlamp dimmer add visible, coordinated cockpit controls.
Custom-designed electrical system with front/rear fuse and relay panels, keyless functions, retained power, windows, and documented wiring.
Owner-built detail
Dad designed the electrical system with front and rear fuse/relay panels, multicolored wiring, rear battery, and full color wiring documentation.
Notes mention rear mounted battery, 2 circuit breakers, 33 fuses, and 24 relays.
Owner-built detail
The dash temperature control panel is flipped and an unused fan switch now controls heated door mirrors with auto-off delay and LED indication.
Driver mirror is remotely adjusted.
Owner-built detail
A magnetic clip-on battery charger connector is installed in the right rear inner quarter panel and indicates on the dash if connected while running.
Designed for easy charger connection without attaching wires.
Owner-built detail
Push-button start works when the fob is in range, with central locking/unlocking, trunk release, remote start, and keys hidden inside the fobs as fallback.
Retained physical keys for doors and trunk inside the fob.
Owner-built detail
Fuel pump inertia cutout switch wired into the fuel-pump circuit and located above the passenger-side kick panel.
Fuel pump inertia cutout switch wired into the fuel-pump circuit and located above the passenger-side kick panel.
All four windows have one-touch electric control, with a master driver switch and retained power for radio, trunk switch, and windows.
Driver side master switch controls all four windows.
Two-speed wipers with intermittent delay and automatic lights-on behavior when wipers are on.
Two-speed wipers with intermittent delay and automatic lights-on behavior when wipers are on.
Interior includes eight USB outlets across dash, glove box, and rear seating areas.
Notes list 2 in dash, 2 in glove box, and 2 on each side at rear.
Emergency flashers are fitted and all bulbs are LED except the headlamps.
Emergency flashers are fitted and all bulbs are LED except the headlamps.
Wilwood front braking, custom line routing, nickel/copper lines, braided flex lines, and custom rear/e-brake details.
Wilwood master cylinder, proportioning valve, strengthened bulkhead, braided flex lines, and Wilwood forged Dynalite four-pot front calipers.
EBC YellowStuff brake pads.
Rear calipers were dismantled and powder coated, with custom e-brake cables hooked up and working.
Transcript identifies rear calipers as Chrysler actual brake calipers; wording needs review before publication.
Power steering rack with cooler/filter and tuning to avoid over-assist.
Power steering rack uses an inline cooler and filter on the return line, with tuning to avoid an over-assisted feel.
Small cooler mounted at the front.
American Racing Daytona wheels, BFGoodrich G-Force tires, and custom center cap emblems.
Owner-built detail
American Racing Daytona VN801 wheels with staggered BFGoodrich Sport G-Force tires and custom center cap emblems.
17x7 front and 17x8 rear.
Powder-coated rebuilt top frame, new Robbins top, and powered top hardware.
Owner-built detail
Convertible roof frame was stripped, dismantled, powder coated, rebushed, rewelded at pivots as needed, and paired with new top material.
Existing welds on pivot pins were removed to access nylon bushings.
Power convertible top uses motor, cylinders, lines, and relays next to the motor.
Transcript confirms the roof is electric.
The car at rest
Walkaround
The owner walking around the car, opening every panel, starting it cold. Captions on by default.
Walkaround video — coming soon
We're finalizing captions on the long-form walkaround. The video link will appear here.
Specifications
Pulled from the build inventory. Vendors and part numbers as installed. Full receipts and color wiring diagrams in the dossier.
Driven & sorted
The build is finished and the car has been driven and sorted on about 1,500 miles since completion. AOD with overdrive makes highway cruising easy. The TCI suspension keeps it composed. Wilwood brakes stop it. Vintage Air handles the cabin top up or down. Of the cars I own, it's the one I'd reach for.
No material flaws that I'm aware of. I'm happy to have a buyer arrange a pre-purchase inspection with the inspector of their choice, at the buyer's expense. The car will be made available before the auction closes. A car built this carefully should be looked at properly.
Documents
Download
Build dossier — full system spec, parts list, vendor list
Travels with the car
Color wiring diagrams · parts and vendor receipts · service records
Included items
California Car Cover · CTEK battery maintainer · spare keys · 2 fobs · belt tensioning rod · transmission fill adapter
The auction
Questions are best asked in the auction comments — I respond personally within a few hours.
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