The Foose 20-inch wheels are...
The Foose 20-inch wheels are wrapped in Nitto INVO rubber.
In the world of building and customizing dream machines, California has always been on the cutting edge of technology and design. Phil Smith and his company FRP Customs is no exception. Custom body modifications, wild paint jobs, deafening sound systems, and performance modifications are some of the common alterations that can take a ride from wimp to pimp.
So when the team at FRP Customs were planning to build a vehicle to display at SEMA in Las Vegas, it had to select a platform that would sample a little of everything FRP Customs offers. While visiting Southern California and still in deliberation for the vehicle type, Phil had the opportunity to purchase an '05-'09 Mustang custom body kit from Chip Foose of Foose Design (Huntington Beach, California). Since Foose is well known for his designs, and because this kit was one of only three in existence, Phil snagged it.
After returning to the FRP Customs headquarters in Redding, California, with the body kit in hand, Phil immediately purchased the victim-a brand-spanking-new black '08 Mustang GT coupe. With the project chosen, and body modifications underway, Phil began outlining the rest of the build. Knowing that it had to be completed by the end of October to be ready for SEMA, the entire crew concentrated on the project, codenamed "Tequila Sunrise." Little did anyone know what a brew it would become.
Since Foose designed the body kit, Phil enlisted him to draw a rendering of what the finished product "should" look like. The only thing Phil asked of Foose was to make it the most eye-catching toxic green ever seen. Meanwhile, the FRP Customs crew was hard at work putting the finishing touches on the body kit and removing the roof panel to make way for a glass roof by Classic Design Concepts.
With a Squires Turbo Systems (STS) twin turbo kit on its way, the crew dropped the engine and transmission for some internal fortification. The engine was sent to Ardon Machine Works (Redding, California), where it was overhauled with an Eagle stroker crankshaft and Manley pistons and H-beam rods, bringing total displacement to 5.0L.
The STS twin 60mm turbos sit...
The STS twin 60mm turbos sit just behind the rear tires.
Back at FRP Customs, the crew reused the Tremec TR3650, but it ditched the stock clutch for a Centerforce piece and mated it to a Fidanza aluminum flywheel. MasterShift sent over a prototype sequential shifter, which features a bump shifter in the console and remote paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel.
The entire suspension was scrapped in lieu of an Ridetech air bag kit, BMR tubular K-member and control arms, and stock GT500 sway bars-all ceramic coated, polished, and installed by FRP Customs. The team modified the stock 8.8-inch rear to accompany the Ridetech kit, welded the axle tubes to the carrier, and upgraded the gears to 3.73s. They also bolted up Foose 20-inch wheels wrapped in Nitto INVO rubber and aired out the bags.
The MasterShift remote paddle...
The MasterShift remote paddle shifters send a radio signal to the prototype sequential shifter.