SEMA Featured Mustang Convertible Pro Touring 427/600 HP V8 Air Ride A/C PS PB

Description

SUMMARY

Tom Argue Design's 2011 SEMA show car
427 cubic inch Keith Craft Performance V8 / 600 horsepower
Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual transmission / Twin-disc clutch
Vintage Air conditioning / Modern audio and navigation
Power rack-and-pinion steering / Wilwood power disc brakes
Custom leather interior / Power top
Complete Chassisworks suspension / Air Ride Technologies shocks
Chassisworks FAB 9 axle
Custom DPE wheels
Silver Metallic paint

With prices of documented collector cars locked in a seemingly endless climb, many enthusiasts are beginning to rethink the old purist's adage of 'original is always better'. And smart hobbyists who like actually driving their vintage hardware are beginning to buy slick, fully sorted pro-tourers like this SEMA-featured Mustang. After all, these classics were built to be seen and enjoyed on the open road, not garaged and dusted with an air compressor. And with a 600 horsepower 427 that's centered in a Chris Alston chassis and one of the most stylish bodies ever created, this incredible drop-top will have you smiling and waving all day long! Looking for a unique road warrior that's as livable as it is lust worthy? With this awesome Ford, you won't even give the word "original" a second thought!

BODYWORK/TRIM

The beneficiary of a professional, rotisserie restoration that was conducted by Tom Argue Design of St. Petersburg, Florida, this substantial looking pro-tourer was originally conceived as a 2011 SEMA showcase vehicle. The project began with a complete dismantling of the car's solid body, affixing that body to a large rotisserie and conducting some minor sheetmetal repairs. When that sheetmetal was shaped and virtually seamless, priming and block sanding blazed a trail for lustrous Silver 2-stage and a Soft Gray roof. And, after that 2-stage had been polished and wet-sanded to a mirror-like shine, this nouveau pony emerged as a rich custom that champions classic style and world-class workmanship.

Ford designers made sure every year of the first generation Mustang had plenty of visual sizzle. But it doesn't get much better than this convertible's masterful combination of aggressive accents and well-placed trim. At the front of the car, a blackened grille hangs a prominent Mustang emblem between modern headlights, clear parking lamps, a body-matched bumper and a traditional chin spoiler. Behind that grille, a striped hood leads the eye past custom billet heat extractors to Satin Black wipers, like-new glass and textured window trim. At the sides of that hood, textured sport mirrors, Shelby-style quarter vents and familiar Ringbrothers door handles add detail to a carefully shaved profile. And at the back of the car, a Shelby-style valance hangs a second body-matched bumper between a custom Mustang call-out, LED taillights and a billet fuel filler.

ENGINE

Hoist this Ford's snug-fitting hood and you'll find a fully detailed, 427 cubic inch small block V8 that, thanks to Keith Craft Performance of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, creates 600 dyno-proven horsepower! At the top of the Jet Black mill, a painted and polished air cleaner funnels wind in to a coated Quick Fuel carburetor that's fitted with blackened lines and a small Marshall pressure gauge. A resulting air/fuel mixture makes its way from an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake to Keith Craft Performance heads, which hide under textured valve covers. When those heads flood the engine's cylinder banks, an MSD Pro-Billet distributor sequences spark through beefy Keith Craft Performance wires while spent gases roar through long-tube JBA headers. The brutal engine's cooling is provided by a big Ron Davis radiator, which rides between two electric puller fans and a faux carbon fiber cowl. Charge is provided by a modern serpentine drive, which spins a fresh alternator beside convenient power steering and cool air conditioning. And overall, the car's smooth engine bay is exceptionally well done; featuring details like color-keyed bracing, a Wilwood master cylinder and Ringbrothers hood supports.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

At the bottom of this Mustang, a freshly restored undercarriage houses solid, Satin Black floors that are bolted to a roster of top-notch components. Behind the snarling 427, a tough twin-disc clutch engages a Tremec TKO600 5-speed and proven Chassisworks FAB 9 axle. Like that rear end, the car's already competent suspension was completely swapped for first class Chassisworks hardware. That hardware was augmented with power rack-and-pinion steering and reliable Air Ride Technologies shocks. Braking is equally class, with body-matched Wilwood calipers squeezing four drilled and slotted rotors. The aforementioned headers dump spent gases in to a customized Magnaflow exhaust system. There's a sturdy set of subframe connectors that ensure the engine doesn't outlive its shell. Detail items, like a deep-sump oil pan, a Powermaster starter and stainless fuel components elevate that shell far beyond simple turntable fodder. And everything rolls on custom DPE wheels, which twist 255/40ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force T/As in front of 295/35ZR19 BF Goodrich g-Force T/As.

INTERIOR

Pop the car's doors and you'll find an attractive, well-rounded cockpit that was installed by the experts at Street Seats Interior Design of New Port Richey, Florida. Front and center, firm buckets stretch tight leather covers around polished buttons. In front of those seats, a stylish, 2-tone dash hangs Dakota Digital VHX gauges above Pioneer touchscreen audio that's Bluetooth-wired, satellite-capable, MP3-compatible and navigation-ready. Below that dash, a custom console founds a short Pistol Grip shifter between an Air Ride Technologies head unit, flush power window switches and controls for the car's Vintage Air climate system. Opposite that console, custom side panels hang sculpted armrests amid trick door handles and big JL Audio speakers. In front of the driver, a polished and leather-wrapped steering wheel laps a tilting column and billet foot pedals. And behind the passengers, a fully upholstered trunk centers a JL Audio amplifier behind a small amount of storage space.

There's simply nothing like keying up a legendary muscle car. The sound... The feeling at idle... The relentless surge of torque as you power through gears... It's very rare to find a well-executed show car that's as impressive on the road as it is in the parking lot. And if you're looking for a highly desirable classic that'll provide years of weekend fun, and rack up more than its fair share of fans in the process, this Ford is your multi-trick pony!