Vehicle Description
SUMMARY
Tom Argue Design's 2011 SEMA show car
427 cubic inch Keith Craft Performance V8 / 600 horsepower
Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual transmission / Twin-disc clutch
Vintage Air conditioning / Modern audio and navigation
Power rack-and-pinion steering / Wilwood power disc brakes
Custom leather interior / Power top
Complete Chassisworks suspension / Air Ride Technologies shocks
Chassisworks FAB 9 axle
Custom DPE wheels
Silver Metallic paint
With prices of documented collector cars locked in a seemingly
endless climb, many enthusiasts are beginning to rethink the old
purist's adage of 'original is always better'. And smart hobbyists
who like actually driving their vintage hardware are beginning to
buy slick, fully sorted pro-tourers like this SEMA-featured
Mustang. After all, these classics were built to be seen and
enjoyed on the open road, not garaged and dusted with an air
compressor. And with a 600 horsepower 427 that's centered in a
Chris Alston chassis and one of the most stylish bodies ever
created, this incredible drop-top will have you smiling and waving
all day long! Looking for a unique road warrior that's as livable
as it is lust worthy? With this awesome Ford, you won't even give
the word "original" a second thought!
BODYWORK/TRIM
The beneficiary of a professional, rotisserie restoration that was
conducted by Tom Argue Design of St. Petersburg, Florida, this
substantial looking pro-tourer was originally conceived as a 2011
SEMA showcase vehicle. The project
http://tomarguedesign.com/builds/ford-mustang-convertible/ began
with a complete dismantling of the car's solid body, affixing that
body to a large rotisserie and conducting some minor sheetmetal
repairs. When that sheetmetal was shaped and virtually seamless,
priming and block sanding blazed a trail for lustrous Silver
2-stage and a Soft Gray roof. And, after that 2-stage had been
polished and wet-sanded to a mirror-like shine, this nouveau pony
emerged as a rich custom that champions classic style and
world-class workmanship.
Ford designers made sure every year of the first generation Mustang
had plenty of visual sizzle. But it doesn't get much better than
this convertible's masterful combination of aggressive accents and
well-placed trim. At the front of the car, a blackened grille hangs
a prominent Mustang emblem between modern headlights, clear parking
lamps, a body-matched bumper and a traditional chin spoiler. Behind
that grille, a striped hood leads the eye past custom billet heat
extractors to Satin Black wipers, like-new glass and textured
window trim. At the sides of that hood, textured sport mirrors,
Shelby-style quarter vents and familiar Ringbrothers door handles
add detail to a carefully shaved profile. And at the back of the
car, a Shelby-style valance hangs a second body-matched bumper
between a custom Mustang call-out, LED taillights and a billet fuel
filler.
ENGINE
Hoist this Ford's snug-fitting hood and you'll find a fully
detailed, 427 cubic inch small block V8 that, thanks to Keith Craft
Performance of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, creates 600 dyno-proven
horsepower! At the top of the Jet Black mill, a painted and
polished air cleaner funnels wind in to a coated Quick Fuel
carburetor that's fitted with blackened lines and a small Marshall
pressure gauge. A resulting air/fuel mixture makes its way from an
Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake to Keith Craft Performance heads, which
hide under textured valve covers. When those heads flood the
engine's cylinder banks, an MSD Pro-Billet distributor sequences
spark through beefy Keith Craft Performance wires while spent gases
roar through long-tube JBA headers. The brutal engine's cooling is
provided by a big Ron Davis radiator, which rides between two
electric puller fans and a faux carbon fiber cowl. Charge is
provided by a modern serpentine drive, which spins a fresh
alternator beside convenient power steering and cool air
conditioning. And overall, the car's smooth engine bay is
exceptionally well done; featuring details like color-keyed
bracing, a Wilwood master cylinder and Ringbrothers hood
supports.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
At the bottom of this Mustang, a freshly restored undercarriage
houses solid, Satin Black floors that are bolted to a roster of
top-notch components. Behind the snarling 427, a tough twin-disc
clutch engages a Tremec TKO600 5-speed and proven Chassisworks FAB
9 axle. Like that rear end, the car's already competent suspension
was completely swapped for first class Chassisworks hardware. That
hardware was augmented with power rack-and-pinion steering and
reliable Air Ride Technologies shocks. Braking is equally class,
with body-matched Wilwood calipers squeezing four drilled and
slotted rotors. The aforementioned headers dump spent gases in to a
customized Magnaflow exhaust system. There's a sturdy set of
subframe connectors that ensure the engine doesn't outlive its
shell. Detail items, like a deep-sump oil pan, a Powermaster
starter and stainless fuel components elevate that shell far beyond
simple turntable fodder. And everything rolls on custom DPE wheels,
which twist 255/40ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force T/As in front of
295/35ZR19 BF Goodrich g-Force T/As.
INTERIOR
Pop the car's doors and you'll find an attractive, well-rounded
cockpit that was installed by the experts at Street Seats Interior
Design of New Port Richey, Florida. Front and center, firm buckets
stretch tight leather covers around polished buttons. In front of
those seats, a stylish, 2-tone dash hangs Dakota Digital VHX gauges
above Pioneer touchscreen audio that's Bluetooth-wired,
satellite-capable, MP3-compatible and navigation-ready. Below that
dash, a custom console founds a short Pistol Grip shifter between
an Air Ride Technologies head unit, flush power window switches and
controls for the car's Vintage Air climate system. Opposite that
console, custom side panels hang sculpted armrests amid trick door
handles and big JL Audio speakers. In front of the driver, a
polished and leather-wrapped steering wheel laps a tilting column
and billet foot pedals. And behind the passengers, a fully
upholstered trunk centers a JL Audio amplifier behind a small
amount of storage space.
There's simply nothing like keying up a legendary muscle car. The
sound... The feeling at idle... The relentless surge of torque as
you power through gears... It's very rare to find a well-executed
show car that's as impressive on the road as it is in the parking
lot. And if you're looking for a highly desirable classic that'll
provide years of weekend fun, and rack up more than its fair share
of fans in the process, this Ford is your multi-trick pony!