The facts
From barn find to legend reborn – Pilgrim Fastbacks launches with “Vivian”
Pilgrim V8 is going back to its roots: building cars again!
We first made our name producing replica kit cars of the legendary Cobra and 356 Speedster, earning recognition and success in the UK and beyond. Over time, demand for these replicas has declined, parts have grown scarce, and donor cars more collectible.
But our passion for American classics has never faded. Having supplied countless Mustangs to the UK market, we’ve become one of the country’s best-known American Car Specialists. And what better model to return to building than the most iconic Mustang of them all, the 1967–68 Fastback.
Introducing “Pilgrim Fastbacks” – No. 1: Vivian
Our first project car, nicknamed “Vivian” after Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman, will undergo a total transformation – from a tired barn find to a stunning show-stopper, turning heads everywhere she goes.
Vivian rolled off the San Jose line in 1967 as a C Code 289cu 2V V8 with a C-4 Select Shift Auto gearbox (per the Marti Report). Originally finished in Burnt Amber with a Saddle vinyl interior, she came with rare factory options:
- Black painted stripes
- White sidewall tyres
- Sport Deck rear seat
- Power steering
- AM radio
- Interior Décor Group
- Tinted glass
Only 264 were built to this exact specification, originally delivered through a Kansas dealer. Though she has been “hot-rodded” and patched along the way, Vivian remains solid, all thanks to a life spent in the dry state of Indiana.
The Build
Vivian will be:
- Stripped to bare metal
- Acid dipped
- Repaired with any necessary new panels
- Dipped again
- E-Coated for future rust protection
From there, we’ll rebuild her entirely with brand-new parts delivering a Fastback as if it just rolled off the production line, 60 years on. Of course, we’ll give her some discreet upgrades too, so she drives like her modern-day descendants expect.
Be part of the journey
This is your chance to influence the specification of Vivian’s build. What should she become? Classic restoration? Restomod? Something wild?
At Pilgrim Fastbacks, imagination is the only limit and we’ve got plenty of it.
Contact us at info@pilgrim-motorsports.co.uk to register your interest.
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The years of manufacture are shown from the time each model was produced in the final prototype. However, it’s helpful to remember that a small number of cars fall outside of the production dates shown because they are pre-prototype releases, trials or realised ideas. The numbers of each model produced are best estimates, not exact figures. Even with these exceptions, all Pilgrim’s models have passed the necessary tests of their day and are fully road-legal, low-volume-production motor vehicles.