Man With a Plan: Thomas Dickerson's 1967 Ford Mustang GT350 Tribute

Thomas Dickerson is leading the way for the next generation of custom builders.

He spent his childhood building with LEGO® bricks; not cars. He grew up watching TV-famous builders like Chip Foose, Dave Kindig, and Aaron Kaufman. And these days, he designs components from scratch using CAD software and produces them with CNC-machined precision.

The result is this stunning 1967 Mustang fastback that subtly and seamlessly blends aggressive classic styling with a modern chassis and interior amenities. Incredibly, it’s Thomas’s first build, and likely the first of many. His ultimate goal is to be known for high-quality builds that reflect his design philosophy, as well as offering resto-modded Shelby Mustang tribute cars.

It might be natural to view the SEMA Young Gun Top 10 winner’s ambitious plans with a degree of skepticism. He completed the three-year build at just 21 years old, learning and honing his craft at Athens Technical College in Georgia. But Thomas is familiar with doubt and adversity. “When I got the car, there were a lot of people who said, ‘This isn’t something you’re going to be able to do, this is something that’s going to take you years and years and years,’ just because I was young,” he said.

Not surprisingly, Thomas draws inspiration from the legendary Carroll Shelby—a model of tenacity. “That was probably what got me into the car. There was something I could connect to. Learning about his story growing up and all the difficulties he went through just trying to get started.”

Visit OnAllCylinders.com to learn more about this award-winning Mustang, and its young builder's obsessive attention to detail and never-quit work ethic.

FAST SPECS

Chassis
Rear End: 8.8" Ford, 31-spline axles, Traction-Lok differential, Motive Gear 3.55:1 ring and pinion
Suspension: Total Control Products front with VariShock single-adjustable coilovers and 1" sway bar; RideTech 4-link rear with RideTech HQ Series single-adjustable coilovers; Flaming River rack and pinion
Brakes: Wilwood 6-piston front/4-piston rear calipers, 12" drilled and slotted rotors, and master cylinder/proportioning valve combo; E-Stopp electric parking brake
Wheels and Tires: American Racing Torq-Thrust II 17" x 7" (front), 17" x 8" (rear); BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S 245/45ZR17 (front), 275/40ZR17 (rear)

Exterior
Paint and bodywork by: Thomas Dickerson
Paint: PPG Deltron, custom dark metallic blue pearl/white stripes
Other: Fiberglass GT350 hood and front fascia, Ringbrothers hood hinges, Digi-Tails LED taillights, LED exterior lighting

Engine and Transmission
Engine: Ford 289 cu. in. (bored .030 over) with 351W C9OE heads, balanced stock rotating assembly, 9.0:1 pistons, Hastings piston rings, and Clevite bearings; COMP Cams Xtreme Energy camshaft (.477"/.484" lift, 212°/218° duration @ .050"), High Energy hydraulic lifters, and roller rockers; Ford Performance valve covers, March Performance accessory drive
Machine work by: Gabriel’s Engines, Winterville, GA and Thomas Dickerson
Induction and Fuel System: Holley Sniper EFI, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, Ford Performance oval air cleaner, custom stainless steel fuel tank with Holley OEM-style in-tank pump
Ignition and Electrical: MSD Pro-Billet distributor, Blaster 2 coil, and 8.5mm Super Conductor Spark Plug Wires; Powermaster PowerMax starter and single-wire alternator; Optima REDTOP® battery, custom wiring harness
Exhaust: Scott Drake stainless steel headers, MagnaFlow 2.5" Hot Rod kit and mufflers
Cooling: Champion radiator, Edelbrock Victor Series water pump, Spal electric fans
Transmission: BorgWarner T-5, rebuilt by Thomas Dickerson; Modern DriveLine clutch and shifter

Interior
Designed by: Thomas Dickerson
Seats: 2017 Ford Mustang front (power adjustable and heated)/stock rear, reupholstered in black Italian leather with light gray stitching
Console: Custom-designed composite wood with CNC-machined stainless steel radio bezel, shifter surround, and cupholders
Dashboard: Dakota Digital RTX gauges, brushed aluminum trim, Sony 7" touchscreen sound system
Other: Volante S6 Series steering wheel, Ididit tilt steering column, Digital Guard Dawg push-button start, Dakota Digital power door lock actuators, Nu-Relics power window regulators

Special Thanks To:
My mom, dad, family, and friends for their continued support; Darrell and Frankie Gabriel of Gabriel’s Engines, Toni Holliman, Troy’s Muffler, and Greg Thomas at Athens Technical College