Latest News
Cars in Taylor Swift Music VideosRingbrothers Reimage the ‘69 Ford Mustang Mach 1
Top SEMA builders, the Ringbrothers, brought a rebuilt Mustang Mach 1 to the 2025 SEMA show. We dive into the details of this legendary “Kingpin” build.
The Pony Car Legend Reborn
The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a car that needs no introduction as it was year-one of this fabled moniker. Aimed at the high-performance crowd, the Mach 1 looked the part with a blacked-out hood and chrome locking pins, a fastback-only body, and a choice of V8s. From the 351 up to the 428 Super Cobra making an advertised 335 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque.
Ringbrothers are Masters of Reengineering
If you haven’t heard of Ringbrothers, this shop out of Wisconsin made national headlines in the early 2000s for its stunning SEMA builds. Since then, brothers Jim and Mike Ring have gone on to create all manner of custom cars known for going beyond basic resto-modding, including the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost featured at the 2023 SEMA show.
Their calling cards are meticulously re-engineered vintage muscle cars with enhanced designs. Though the ’69 Mach 1 they built for the 2025 SEMA show in Las Vegas, dubbed “Kingpin”, is currently making headlines, the Ring brothers have previously reimagined this icon of American muscle with the Patriarc and UNKL builds.
Making the Kingpin
Why go back to the 1969 Mustang Mach 1 for another round? Two reasons. One, they had a customer looking for a top-to-bottom Ringbrothers recraft of a Mach 1 project car and two, a sense of humor. Their recently completed 1970 Aston Martin “Octavia” was designed too similar in looks to a vintage Mustang, per social media commentators. So, Ringbrothers responded by bringing Kingpin to this year’s SEMA show.
Mean is a word that comes to mind when laying eyes on this ’69 Mach 1. Widened 2 inches up front and 3 ½ inches out back with a wheelbase stretched an inch and a half, this latest Ringbrothers ride manages to showcase the original car’s lines with an even more aggressive stance. Huge wheels further the vibe. From HRE, they measure 19” x 10” in the front, 20” x 13” out back, and come strapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. The finish is BASF Bootleg Black and was chosen in part to satisfy the owner, but also to deliver an overall feel of something a criminal kingpin would drive. Specifically, the big boss in a John Wick film, according to Ringbrothers.
Kingpin’s Amazing Highlights
Highlights in “Grab-Her Green,” a clear nod to Ford’s original Grabber Green shade, add pops of color to the badging, brake calipers, and cabin. That cabin features a host of custom touches, like the black leather patterned upholstery, machined billet shift knob, forged carbon fiber steering wheel, and 3D-printed door grab handles with a polished bronze finish. Arguably, however, the most exciting aspect of this Ringbrothers Mustang is the powerplant.
Starting with a Coyote 5.0L V8, Ringbrothers integrated a Whipple supercharger, custom in-house headers, a stainless-steel dual exhaust system from Flowmaster, and a 6-speed manual from Bowler Transmission. Output comes somewhere north of 800 horsepower. Kingpin rides on a Roadster Shop chassis, features Fox RS adjustable coilovers, and a Brembo braking system with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers.
The list of features Ringbrothers created for this unique SEMA build is simply too long to share in full here. Which may not be all that surprising when you consider an estimated 5,500 hours were required to make it happen. That said, one exceptionally excellent aspect of this Mach 1 not to be missed is the Kingpin-branded engine cover and a three-dimensional king chess piece and is mirrored on the rear end.
Ringbrothers has earned a reputation for building world-class custom cars that bring together stunning levels of craftsmanship, a strong tie to the original car, and the latest in modern technology. With this 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 “Kingpin”, it would appear Ringbrothers remains at the top of their game.
Related Articles
