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Built From Heritage: The Ford Racing R125 Mustang Brings Ford Racing Parts to Life

Written By Matt Simpson, Executive Director of Customization
Nov 02, 2026
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The Ford Racing R125 Mustang will be on display at SEMA 2026, a premier trade show hosted by the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association.

There is a reason builders keep coming back to the Mustang. It’s more than an iconic shape or a familiar nameplate. It’s a Ford Racing legend that invites reinterpretation, giving each generation a new way to make the car its own.

The Ford Racing R125 Mustang carries that idea through a heritage-inspired 1966 Mustang Fastback built around Ford Racing Parts, design expertise, and the work of a broad team of build and product partners. 

As part of Ford Customer Service Division, Ford Racing Parts and Ford Customization help connect that enthusiasm to the parts, service, and ownership experiences customers already know from Ford. At SEMA 2026 — the annual Specialty Equipment Marketing Association show — the car will display what happens when a classic Ford becomes a canvas for modern performance and thoughtful customization, inspired by the racing DNA of the Ford Mustang.

A Heritage Story Built for Today 

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The R125 brings Ford Racing history and today’s Ford Racing Parts business into the same vehicle. Its 1966 Mustang foundation creates an unmistakable connection to Ford Racing heritage, while the powertrain and supporting components demonstrate how current parts can give a classic platform new capability and purpose.

That connection reaches back to the beginning of Ford Racing. In 1901, Henry Ford built and drove a car he called Sweepstakes to an upset victory over Alexander Winton, then one of America’s best-known racers. The win helped demonstrate Ford’s engineering capabilities and attracted the financial backing that eventually led to Ford Motor Company.

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Debuted on Ford Racing’s 125th Anniversary, the R125 reflects the same belief: Racing is not separate from the business — it’s a proving ground for engineering, performance, and products that enthusiasts can experience for themselves. Racing is in our DNA.

That combination is what makes the car relevant beyond nostalgia. The R125 respects the character of the original Mustang without treating the vehicle like a museum piece. It is designed to be used, studied, and experienced as a complete expression of classic Ford customization.

Ford Racing Parts at the Center

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At the heart of the R125 is a 347-cubic-inch crate engine producing 360 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine combines a Ford Racing Boss block and aluminum cylinder heads with Edelbrock Pro-Flo electronic fuel injection, giving the classic Fastback a powertrain that blends Ford small-block character with modern drivability.

Power moves through a Tremec TKX-600 five-speed transmission. The compact transmission is designed to deliver smoother shifts and improved durability compared with the previous Tremec TKO, making it a natural fit for a performance-focused classic build where space and drivability both matter.

The build also features two-piece, Ford Racing Parts valve covers. Their patented design includes interchangeable top designs, captured O-ring seals and integrated spark plug wire looms. This is a small but visible example of the thinking behind the broader build: Performance components can be functional, serviceable, and personal at the same time. The parts featured in the R125 are offered through Ford Racing Parts, giving builders access to the same components that bring this vision to life.

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A Classic Ford, Made Personal

The R125 is one interpretation of what a 1966 Mustang can become. That is the point. Ford heritage gives builders a powerful place to start, while today’s parts, technology, and expertise give them more ways to create something personal.

For customers and builders, the value is not only in seeing a finished show car. It is in understanding the decisions behind it, the components that make it work, and the team required to bring the idea to life. The R125 makes that process visible, showing why the Mustang remains one of the most enduring platforms for customization, and how Ford Racing Parts can support builds that honor the past while pushing a classic platform forward.

At SEMA, the R125 will stand as both a tribute and a proof point: a classic Ford shaped by racing heritage, powered by Ford Racing Parts and built to inspire whatever comes next.