Ford Mustang Hoonicorn Development Detailed By Vaughn Gittin Jr.
Legendary Hoonigan Racing Division rally driver Ken Block left behind an unforgettable legacy and a stable full of wild rallycross builds. Take the 1965 Ford Mustang “Hoonicorn,” for example. This all-wheel-drive (AWD) pony car is one of, if not the, most recognizable vehicles ever driven by Block. Vaugh Gittin Jr. and RTR Vehicles were responsible for the incredible machine, and Gittin himself recently sat down to tell the Hoonicorn’s story from start to finish.
Gittin was close friends with Block, and the Hoonicorn was born from an out-of-the-blue conversation. Block suggested building a successor to the RTRX, which Gittin calls the “big brother” to the Hoonicorn. Block asked Gittin what his opinion was on a classic, AWD Mustang. Gittin was right on board, and they agreed on a low-slung, performance, “Hot Wheels” worthy build. RTR was right on board, and agreed to make the Hoonicorn happen.
Under the hood, Gittin and Block decided on a Roush Yates Ford Performance motor, and went with a more traditional style rally setup. That big V8 proved challenging – the tricky part then was to get the differential in front of it, so the team decided to move the engine rearward. Once the guts and driveline were worked out, Gittin set out to find a donor car. They ended up with a “cherry clean” 1965 Ford Mustang, and Gittin says they almost felt bad about overhauling it into the Hoonicorn. But they got to work, chopped it up, and fabricated the iconic wide body that became synonymous with Block’s brand.
