With a Roush body kit and...
With a Roush body kit and some new color, Project Ice Box's metamorphosis is complete.
Last month, we reintroduced Project Ice Box, our '01 Mustang GT. Currently serving duty as former MM&FF Editor-turned-Editorial-Director Jim Campisano's 600-plus-horsepower daily driver, the decision was made to update the looks of the beloved Pony. After a short hiatus from the pages of this magazine, we brought the white beauty back for a makeover to replace the beat-up Cervini's Stalker body kit with a Roush kit.
In our first installment, we got as far as tearing off all of the mangled and broken aftermarket body pieces, as well as prepping the Roush-supplied Stage 3 bodywork. The one hangup came with the rear bumper, as we had to source a bumper from a wrecked silver GT to attach the new rear valances.
We began by mounting the replacement...
We began by mounting the replacement rear bumper to Ice Box. Previously, the blemishes on the bumper were sanded down, as they would have to be removed when the bumper was shot with paint. The replacement bumper was necessary because the Cervini's Stalker bumper is specific to the body kit. Furthermore, the rear bumper valances included with the Roush kit mate to a stock bumper, which had long ago disappeared.
Careful measurements were...
Careful measurements were taken to ensure that the rear valances were in the same position on either side of the bumper.
The Valances were deemed to...
The Valances were deemed to be in the proper spot, and were installed on the bumper. The bumper was then removed and readied for paint with the rest of the bodywork.
In this issue, we finish off our Mustang's metamorphosis into a New Edge with a Roush flavor. There were some interesting hiccups along the way, but for the most part, the work went fairly smooth. The result is absolutely stunning, as Ice Box's new attitude emanates from the Roush kit's side-exit exhaust.
The crew at Motor City Auto Body (Newark, New Jersey) tackled the task of finishing the job. Since we wanted a uniform look to the car, Manny Costeira and the boys not only shot the new body components in Bright Arctic White, but they also dismantled as much of Ice Box as they could to give it a respray of the same hue. The parts were painted separately from the car so that they were completely bathed in paint, meaning there were no crevices or sides that were left in bare urethane. Once the car and all of the body components were painted, each item was reinstalled.
The same procedure was performed...
The same procedure was performed on both the passenger- and driver-side skirts. The install was more critical with the side skirts, as holes have to be drilled into the fender and quarter-panel lips to mount the skirts. If you're off by just the slightest bit, the car will look different from side to side, and we didn't want that.
Once the side skirt was in...
Once the side skirt was in position, we marked the spot where the holes needed to be drilled. Once the holes were drilled, the procedure was repeated on the other side.
Here you can see the side...
Here you can see the side skirt mocked up and the two points at which the front of the skirt mates to the fender lip. The two body screws mark the points where we had to drill for the side skirt.
Last but not least was the hood, as we planned on adding graphics to it in the form of stripes. We kept the Cervini's Stalker hood, though we wanted to close up the vents to keep water and other stuff out of the engine bay. Enter hiccup number one, as the fiberglass that Motor City used to fill in the vents reacted with the hood's fiberglass, causing the new 'glass to bubble up a bit. The only way to fix this was to remove the added fiberglass, prep, and redo it in a different manner. Once the hood vents were closed off, the hood stripes (`a la the '70 Oldsmobile 4-4-2) were measured, taped off, and shot on the scoops with Graphite Grey Pearl, which can be found on the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The color is dark enough to be a close match to Ice Box's charcoal interior, and it shows off the lines of the hood.
With everything mocked up...
With everything mocked up (front and rear bumpers, rear wing, and side skirts), the car was disassembled and made ready to be rolled into the paint booth. First, the side mirrors, badges, headlights, and taillights were removed. Then the interior portions that needed to be removed were taken out, followed by the windshield and rear glass.
The hood was sprayed with...
The hood was sprayed with Bright Arctic White paint. Each body component was sprayed separately of the car so that every last spot on them was covered.
After the car was sprayed...
After the car was sprayed in the white and clear, it was rolled back into the assembly bay, where it would be put back together complete with the new body components.
Motor City also installed our replacement headlights. The old headlight lenses were scarred and pitted from years of New Jersey highway abuse, and it wouldn't be right to have a car with a new body kit, fresh paint, and dilapidated headlights. Rather than going with a factory-style replacement, however, we decided to play the contrast game by picking up a set of smoked headlights from American Muscle. While the original headlight style was fine, the smoked look matches the dark interior color and the hood stripes. With their clear corners, the new headlights have a sinister look that enhances the fact that Project Ice Box not only has attitude, but can back it up with its supercharged poked and stroked Two-Valve mod motor.
We also installed an HID (High Intensity Discharge) conversion kit for the headlights. Having seen more and more Mustang enthusiasts make this change, and having driven a few BMWs with the same-style headlamp, we decided it was only right to upgrade the illumination the headlights provide. The kit from American Muscle comes with everything needed for installation, and the blue light that now emanates from the front end of Ice Box not only looks cool, but thanks to the improved illumination and visibility, will help Campy see any problems on his way home from the office each night.
We began by reinstalling all...
We began by reinstalling all of the parts on the car.
Also going on were the taillights...
Also going on were the taillights and all of the badges that were removed when the car was rolled into the paint booth.
Motor city's crew reinstalled...
Motor city's crew reinstalled all of the removed interior pieces, along with the rear window and windshield.
The first new body component...
The first new body component to be permanently installed on Ice Box was the Roush wing.
The pedestals were bolted...
The pedestals were bolted to the trunk lid first; then the wing was put on and secured.
Next, the side skirts were...
Next, the side skirts were bolted on. This was a simple procedure of lining up the holes and tightening the fasteners.
With Ice Box's headlights...
With Ice Box's headlights being so chewed up, it was only right we replace them with something stylish, such as these American Muscle smoked headlights with clear corners. The headlights are a direct replacement for the factory ones.
In addition to the new headlights,...
In addition to the new headlights, we also sourced an HID conversion kit from American Muscle. The kit comes in this cool case, and features a pair of 9007 bulbs and all of the wiring and hardware needed for an easy install. A word of caution, however-be careful when transporting and installing the HIDs, as they are extremely susceptible to breaking.
On went the rear bumper with...
On went the rear bumper with accompanying rear valances.