Car manufacturers go through a lot of research and development when designing an exhaust system, but the one thing they just can't do is tailor each vehicle for the owner. That's where the aftermarket steps in.
Most Fox-body enthusiasts know that Flowmaster's two-chamber mufflers started this trend for the late-model Mustang crowd, but now everyone sells exhaust systems for all late-model Mustangs. And for the most part, all you have to do is go to a manufacturer's website and it will usually have sound and video clips for you to check out.
When it came time to turn up the volume on his '93 Mustang LX, Hammond, Indiana's Jeremy Follmer opted for the tried and true sound that only two-chamber Flowmaster mufflers can offer. An off-road H-pipe and Bassani equal-length shorty headers make sure everyone knows there is a 5.0L on the loose and coming to a piece of asphalt near you.
Jeremy bought the clean coupe some 11 years ago, after being inspired by a ride in a friend's Fox-body Mustang.
"It was going to be a daily driver," says Jeremy of his '93 Mustang. "Now it's a cruiser and I occasionally drive it to work." The Mustang was fairly stock when Jeremy purchased it, and over the years he's made subtle improvements to make it look and perform better than ever.
The 5.0L long-block has been left alone, but it now wears 1.7:1 roller rocker arms and a Ford Racing GT-40 intake manifold. Once the Granatelli 75mm mass air meter and Edelbrock 75mm throttle body have provided the air charge to the factory E7 cylinder heads, an octet of Ford Racing Performance Parts' 30-lb/hr fuel injectors give the mixture its volatility so that the MSD Blaster coil can light it off. The aforementioned exhaust system then provides the exit for the combustion byproducts.
On the outside, Jeremy had Kevin Campbell of Country Collision in South Chicago Height, Illinois, go over the car's faded flanks with a custom red hue that's just a couple shades darker than the factory red tint. A Saleen SR351 wing was added to the decklid, and a Cobra R fiberglass hood flexes the 5.0's muscle up front. Jeremy also had Campbell shave the emblems and wipers, and fill in the trunk key-lock to smooth things out. As you might have deduced from the photos, the Mustang rolls on four-lug Cobra R replica wheels, and a set of Eibach Sportline coil springs lowers the ride height while improving cornering stability.
When Jeremy purchased the car years ago, a previous owner had already installed 3.73 gears to help the AOD automatic get the coupe moving quicker. Unfortunately, something in the rearend gave up, and with the rear axle sounding like someone shaking a bag of marbles, it was time to go back in the 8.8 and make some changes. Once the Traction-Lok differential was cleaned up, a 4.10 ring and pinion gear set was installed.
Here at MM&FF, we're big fans of upgrading parts when the factory pieces check out, and Jeremy did the same thing when the AOD automatic transmission snapped it's input shaft. TPI Transmissions rebuilt the AOD with a hardened input shaft, a Trans-Go shift kit, and a Hughes 3,000-rpm-stall torque converter. Gear changes still happen automatically, but Jeremy can hammer each one with the B&M Megashifter mounted on the center console.
When the authoritative exhaust is done speaking, Jeremy cranks up the sounds from the custom audio system that he installed. Jeremy used to perform custom audio/video vehicle installations for a living, and his much-sought-after black interior features a host of unique improvements, including aftermarket leather bucket seats, flame-infused door panels, and several speaker enclosures.
The engine bay's wiring harnesses...
The engine bay's wiring harnesses have all been hidden from plain view, and the sheetmetal has been cleaned and painted to provide a nice background for the 5.0L powerplant.
Jeremy took advantage of the...
Jeremy took advantage of the Optima battery's flexible mounting ability and hid most of it in the front fender using a couple of custom brackets. Custom touches like this abound on his 5.0L Mustang.