Like any inspired design, the Hoonicorn RTR came with a very specific set of requirements: It had to be nimble, powerful, rotate quickly, shoot flames and cause anyone nearby to plug their ears. Oh, and obviously melt tires like a champ. While fulfilling these requirements, Hoonicorn RTR also had to look badass – which has a lot to do with the silhouette you see here. You think it’s easy to make a ’65 Mustang sit like this? Think again…
The amount of daylight showing through the front wheelwells is the first clue that this is far removed from the unibody ponycar it once was. Starting with a ’65 bodyshell, ASD Motorsports quickly scrapped the stock floors and subframe in favor of an entirely new structure. The scratch-built chassis required tons of fabrication, but don’t forget about the months of engineering that took place even before the tubing was bent and notched.
With the wheel removed, we can start to see some of the intense design and fabrication that happened at ASD; like the one-off, CNC-machined, double wishbone suspension with inboard cantilever dampers. Also notice the new location of the wheel arch, which is limited only by the top edge of the Mustang’s fender.
Taking a closer look we can see the intricately fabbed, fully adjustable mounts and the CNC’d upper arms, made of 6061 aluminum billets. This isn’t the only set either – there are spares of everything in case something gets wadded up. It’s much easier to just cut two while the program is loaded into the CNC, after all.
While they were engineering a chassis from scratch, the boys at RTR and ASD had one more huge requirement to satisfy, and that was to make the front tires smoke too. Yes, if you haven’t already noticed, Hoonicorn is AWD.
It’s really no surprise if you’ve followed Ken Block’s career driving AWD rally cars, but on the other hand it’s quite shocking to realize that you’re looking at a 1965 Mustang that can send all four tires desperately clawing for grip across any surface.
So, while packaging an extra ST03 diff in the front, ASD also had to plan around a modified Sadev SC90-24 offroad transmission. There’s also the special hydraulic handbrake which not only locks the rear wheels, but simultaneously cuts power to them by disengaging the center differential.The transmission tunnel is easily removable, because replacing the Quarter Master 7.25-inch triple-plate clutch is a daily chore when you’re filming a Gymkhana video. To make the task quicker and easier, a custom two-piece bellhousing was machined by ASD so the clutch can be changed in 90 minutes (or less). The clutch also serves as the ‘fuse’ in the driveline, so if something gets shocked it’s a consumable clutch disc rather than the transmission or an axle shaft that’s difficult to source or replace.
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