TheAutoBuilder.com

Ford

MAX ENERGY MUSTANG

The Hypertech Max Energy Spectrum flash programmer is a device designed for the performance-minded individual looking to extract the most from their car or truck. This advanced programmer allows for full control of the vehicle’s ECM, enabling the user to adjust a wide range of parameters that influence the vehicle’s performance.

HOW TO PAINT

Sketch out a few ideas on paper, or some people like to put tracing paper over an actual photograph. Somehow come up with a plan for your paint scheme. We opted to “visually lengthen” the car by using a base scallop to connect both sides. This pattern flows to the side chrome, and extending this outline from the front to the rear gives the longer appearance. The stock Mercury body is thick. By putting the scallops below the trim line on the car, your eye is automatically drawn downward, giving the Mercury a lower, thinner appearance.

CUSTOM STOPPING POWER

If you own a Ford or Chevy, most of the parts you will need to build a street rod are readily available, and from a variety of suppliers. We have written numerous stories about kits for these cars in our family of rodding magazines, and some of them were a direct replacement for the original. By and large, they worked perfectly and bolted right in, as designed. These types of kits are convenient for many street rod builders, as well as street rod shops, and they are part of what has helped grow our hobby into such a broad special-interest group. But in addition to the “normal” and most popular rods, there were many other great cars made in the pre-war era, and some of them can be a real challenge to street rodders because there are no pre-manufactured parts, and no kits that make them easy to build. Sounds like the old days, right? Well, that’s the modern world for you–even our hobbies have become targets of convenience.

RUGGED LUXURY

Cars and trucks are all about utilitarianism. Although vehicles have become status symbols, at the core, it’s all about getting people or things from one place to another. Through the years, Ford Motor Company has solidified its place in the annals of automotive history with its incredible lineup of consumer and commercial trucks. As the nameplate has been expanded and new options made available, Ford’s famed F-Series truly offers something for everyone.

FORD HANDLING GUIDE

Although modifying a car to handle well can often seem like a black art, virtually every aspect of handling comes down to three things: the weight of the vehicle, the traction generated by the tires, and the distribution of weight on each particular tire at a given moment.

MOD MOTOR 4-PLAY

Performance enthusiasts are a funny bunch. They all seem to agree that “as much as possible” is the correct answer when asked, “How much power do you want?” But they certainly
disagree about the best way to get there.

BILLET HOOD STRUT

When you lift the hood of your ’05 to ’07 Mustang and engage the prop rod, do you feel a little shortchanged? Well, Steeda Autosports has developed a billet hood strut kit designed to replace those clumsy prop rods.

SOUND OFF

Sound is something that every car guy considers at the top of his or her list of what is important to their ride. Take, for example, the stereotypical sport compact driver. He or she typically has a huge muffler or mufflers and corresponding exhaust tip(s) that make those cars sound as if they are going 100 mph, even when cruising at slow speeds. We Ford guys know that good sound on a real performance car is also important, but we also know that sound must be backed up with corresponding performance.

TWO-HOUR TECH

Improving your new Mustang doesn’t have to be an arduous affair. You’re supposed to enjoy working on your car, RATHER than dreading getting off work because you “have” to wrench on the Ford. With that attitude in mind, we recently spoke with Al Kamhi, of Control Freak suspensions, to get his advice on what enthusiasts could do to further the concept of upgrading a Mustang in just an hour or two. But there’s a catch: the upgrade had to make a real difference in the car’s performance.

Scroll to Top