With enough power on tap to turn this wild filly into a bucking bronco, Bill needed to tame down the background vocals so the lead singer could be heard. To do that, he put the Fox-body on a lift and reworked the suspension. Maximum Motorsports got the call to supply a majority of the front and rear suspension components. Up front, an MM K-member, tubular A-arms, and a Bilstein coilover kit complete with Hypercoil springs get the nose of the Mustang down for winding action. A Ground Pounder bumpsteer kit and MM caster/camber plates keep the tires in check, while steering input is taken care of by a Flaming River steering shaft. Out back, MM sent over a heavy-duty torque arm, Panhard rod, and lower control arms. Completing the makeover of the rear suspension are Bilstein shocks and H&R springs. Tightening it all up and adding safety to the interior aspect of the car is an S&W eight-point rollcage with door swing-outs.
The Steeda spoiler is quite...
The Steeda spoiler is quite apparent. Matched with the Moonlight Blue paint and white stripes, this road rocket sings more than the blues.
All of that suspension work would be for naught if the right wheel-and-tire combination was not picked, along with hooking up an adequate braking system. American Racing Rebel rims are shod in Dunlops up front and Firestones out back. The front whoa comes in the form of Brembo 13-inch rotors and PBR 42mm twin-piston calipers, while Cobra rear calipers and rotors are found residing behind the rear wheels.
Attention was then turned to the cover of this particular record. The stock steel hood was taken off and replaced with a Cervini's 2½-inch cowl hood. A Steeda rear spoiler then made its way onto the Stang's hatch. Next, a '93 Cobra grille insert was put on before the entire body was washed in Moonlight Blue paint. The finishing touches come in the form of white stripes that run from stem to stern.
With the 'cage giving a race-car feel, the interior was touched up with some purpose-built appointments. The stock buckets made way for a pair of Recaro Speed seats. A Crowe five-point harness keeps Bill in place when winding around corners, while a Schroth three-point harness keeps the willing (and crazy) passenger firmly in place. A Florida 5.0 gauge cluster now resides where the stock gauges used to be. Speaking of gauges, the cluster was filled with Auto Meter Ultra-Lite pieces. The tunes thump from an Alpine head unit that feeds amperage to Boston Acoustics components up front and coaxial speakers in the rear. Finalizing the look of the interior is a MAC billet shifter knob.
"The car is like a 3,000-pound go-kart," Bill says. "The handling is unreal. It's the complete package. She handles, is fast, stops on a dime, and looks great."
Lay down a couple of good tracks, mate it with a great album cover, and you have a record that will go gold, or in Bill and Tanya Tumas' case-blue.
The interior has a nice mix...
The interior has a nice mix of race and street manners. The S&W eight-point rollbar flows well with the Auto Meter gauges, while a kicking stereo system provides pleasure to the ears.
American Racing Rebel wheels...
American Racing Rebel wheels are found on all four corners. Dunlops are the tires of choice up front, while Firestone got the nod for the rear shoes.
Keeping Bill and Tanya in...
Keeping Bill and Tanya in place are a pair of Recaro Speed seats. The aftermarket chairs are complemented with a driver-side five-point harness and a passenger side three-point restraint system.
This Stang is at home on the...
This Stang is at home on the dragstrip as well as the street or road course. With the suspension more suited for twisties as opposed to the quarter-mile, the nimble little Pony still knocks down 1.91-second short times enroute to 12.5-second e.t.'s.