...its been awhile......

So it really has been a long time since i have posted anything on this page. I have had a lot of ups and downs in my life as well as a few hiccups with the car in the past two months. Where to begin...well as this is a page for my car, and not some site for me to rant and complain about my day to day...we will just cut to the stang.

In November...think it was the 14, 15, and 16...I went back to Buttonwillow for another NASA Track day...which was a blast. But before that I had a few issues with the car. I bought a intake spacer from Stack Racing, which for the price is ok...but was sorta a pain in the rear to install do to the EGR Valve and tube are meant for the stock height of the plenum. While working on that i noticed that the coolant tank that sits above the radiator had a crack which in turn became a big leak. So I thought I was gonna have to scrap the Buttonwillow trip, but at the last second I was able to find a used one from a wrecked 97 GT. After getting back from the 'willow trip i installed a trick Aluminum coolant tank from Moroso, which is SWEET!

Next I installed a Corbeau 3-point retractable harness in Red with Yellow Belt pads. It looks and better yet feels great. I was supposed to get those parts before the 'willow trip...but they were back ordered...guess that is the way things go. After they were installed i took a ride on Hwy 1 from Morro Bay to Salinas...but along the way i ran into some trouble.

The belts really held me in great, way better and safer than the RCI ones i had...but that wasn't the problem. To keep things short, i came around a turn at night to find a good sized rock in my lane. I knew i couldn't stop in time and there was on-coming traffic in the other lane...so my only choice was to hit it. Anyone how knows HWY 1 will know there is no shoulder or brake down lane. I kept myself from slamming on the brakes, as this would lower the front end of the car down and risk damaging the oil pan. So i tried my best to center my car with the rock (the tranny and drive shaft are tucked up so i thought that would be my best shot. While I was extremely lucky that the rock didn't do ANY damage to the drivetrain whatsoever, but the exhaust took a good deal of beating. The rock hit the passenger cat of my BBK X-pipe then shot of the side of the car, but not before hitting the floorpan and the passenger rear wheel (small scrape on the inside). The X-pipe is damaged as the cat's internals broke apart which in turn gave the car a check engine light code (for a O2 sensor). The sensor is ok, but the X-pipe has to be ditched. SO i put the stock H-pipe back on...thank god I saved it!!!!

While I was under the car I thought I would replace the oil pressure sender unit. When installing the new one, the part that threads into the oil-filter adapter cracked and broke off. S*%#!!! So Now as the car sits alone and cold...waiting for a new oil-filter adapter, i sit here writing this. The part is ordered but will not get here til the second week of JAN. At the same time I decided to order a set of Mishimoto Blue upper and lower Silicone hose set. A week or two before the rock incident happened the heater core hose blew off again...well more like split in-two! To replace that I bought a race/hi-boost application section of blue silicone in hopes it will not happen (knocking on my wooden desk....).

To top that i have discovered a leak in the factory radiator so it will need replacing. I have that Mishimoto aluminum unit...but it has a leak, so it will need to be pressure tested and then repaired!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So stay tuned and give me a little support. Need to keep my spirits up.

Oh and to just make this even more boring and long, I am toying with the idea of buying a 2000-2004 Ford focus as my daily...yeah...and I will leave it at that.

Buttonwillow Raceway Park (PartOne)

I have spent the better part of the last week trying to describe what I got to see and be a part of. I have been to many car shows, various automotive racing events such as: The American Le Mans series, IMSA GT back in the day, Forumla D and D1 Grand Prix drifting, Historic Trans Am and the like....I have even been and participated in a handful of autocross weekends...but nothing compares to the venue I so lovingly enjoyed...at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on OCT 10th and the 11th. I saw a NASA (national autosport association) calender and was recommend my Maximum Motorsports to go check out one of NASA's Open track events. So that Friday i drove down to Buttonwillow CA, a lil town off of HWY 5. In the middle of nowhere sprouts an amazing raceway park, as it is not just one track but has many configurations. That Friday night I could barely sleep as i had no clue what to expect. The next morning i got up early and made the 11mile journey from the VERY CRAPPY hotel 6...that is a story in itself. When I arrived at the gate i paid ten dollars which got me access for the whole weekend!!! Try that at Laguna Seca or the like. The pit area in spread through the grounds of the raceway, with Grassroots teams running around preparing their cars for the first run of the day. Cars of every make could be found, but my eyes settled on the many Mustangs waiting for their turn on the track. The people their are so friendly, everyone was fine with me taking pictures and asking all sorts of questions. Cars and their drivers were sorted by driving experience and car groups. They even had a HPDE which is NASA's High Performance Driving Event, which lets drivers off all experiences to go out of the track to get some seat time with real NASA instructors. This is something i plan on doing in the future. There were some great battles going on out at the track, F-Body camaros taking on Fox and SN95 Mustangs, BMW M3s vs 911 Turbos and GT3s, the great Honda vs Nissan battle (Honda civics, crx, acura integras, acura rsx vs Nissan Sentras, 240, 300ZX), it was amazing. There was this one battle between a 996 Porsche C2, a E36 M3, a C5 Z06 vette, and a ex Bob Bondrant Mustang GT...it was like watching showroom stock racing all over again...i loved every minute of it. I took over a thousand pics but could have easily taken more. I will be posting some of these pics on my Photobucket site http://s797.photobucket.com/albums/yy252/scottshankle/ . I will write about my on-track experience in the near future.

My Top Twenty Favorite Mustangs

After reading a poll from one of my favorite Mustang magazines about "the twenty best Mustangs of all time", it really made me think: "Best? What is Best???". So in my mind I thought, what are my top twenty Mustangs, but not of 'all time', instead which ones I would love to own...and of course...modify. So here they are...oh and in no particular order.

1). 1998 Saleen S351 Coupe (Chrome Yellow with Matching Yellow Wheels)
2). 1997 SVT Cobra Coupe (Pacific Green with Saddle Leather)
3). 2003 SVT Cobra Coupe (Black with Black leather/Parchment Suede)
4). 1995 Mustang GTS (Crystal White with Opal Gray Cloth)
5). 2003 Roush Stage 3 Coupe (Dark Shadow Gray with Black Leather)
6). 1995 SVT Cobra R (Crystal White with Saddle Cloth)
7). 1996 Mustang GT Convertible (Deep Violet with Black Cloth)
8). 1989 Mustang GT (Black with Titanium Lower Accent, Bright Red Cloth)
9). 1985 Mustang GT (Silver Metallic with Tan Cloth)
10). 2000 SVT Cobra R (Performance Red with Black Cloth)
11). 1996 Saleen S281 (Black with Black Leather)
12). 1998 Steeda Cobra Q (Bright Atlantic Blue with Black Leather)
13). 2001 Bullitt Mustang GT (Dark Hyland Green with Dark Charcoal Leather)
14). 1999 SVT Cobra Coupe (Crystal White with Parchment Leather)
15). 1986 Mustang SVO Comp (Black with Dark Charcoal Leather)
16). 1991 Mustang LX 5.0 Coupe (Bright Red with Black Cloth)
17). 2003 Mustang Mach 1 Auto (Black with Dark Charcoal Leather)
18). 2000 Saleen S281 SC Coupe (Laser Red with Dark Charcoal Cloth)
19). 1997 Roush Stage 3 Coupe (Moonlight Blue with Opal Gray Leather)
20). 1994 SVT Cobra Coupe (Black with Saddle Cloth)

So hope you enjoyed 'my list'. Let me know what 'your list' is. Drop me an email and tell me what stangs would be in your stable.

"I are stupid!"

It has been said that "stupid people do stupid things". Well "I are sTuPiD"...so it kinda works out, lol.

Ok so I am coming back from Gilroy, heading towards Hollister when i pass by the little airport. I glance over and see a WWII era plane just sitting there. So i make a "very quick...ok...stupid" u-turn and park next to the fence. I Jump out of my car, cross three lanes of traffic before being hit, and start snapping some pics of this Mustang next to my Mustang. Now i don't know that much about planes but i think the plane might a WWII era P-51 Mustang. It was so pretty. Every opening between cars I ran out into the middle of the road (please mom if you are reading this, I am sorry...i shouldn't be playing in the middle of the street), to snap a few more pics. Hope you enjoy the 'stangs. (Just wish my car was cleaner, but that's how life works i guess).

The stang is caged!!!

Ok, so after many, many hours of fighting with the roll cage, its in. I came out victoriously, and with most of my blood left too. The cage looks awesome, but it does because of the many hours of extra work i put into it. I knew from the get-go that i wanted to retain my factory interior panels. The instructions say only a bit of trimming is needed, well that is the biggest understatement EVER! I don't know how many times i had the cage in and out of my car to make adjustments. But in the end, i realize taking my time really made the difference. When i first got the cage i wanted to paint it yellow, but was worried about it standing out too much and perhaps being a distraction. Instead of the yellow i went with gloss black, a very strong industrial coat (rattle can of course). The finish came out more semi-gloss, but i really like it. I wish i could think of all the details and modifications that went into this roll cage project, but it is one of those things you need to do or see to understand. Funny thing is, most people don't notice that the car has a cage (remember it is a four point, so no door bars, everything is behind the front seats. Between the factory black interior, 35% tinting, and the fact i painted the cage black...it just disappears. That is good in some cases, bad in others. Cops won't see it unless they really look, but unless you know mustangs pretty well, i think you wouldn't notice it. This project is not for the faint hearted, you have to cut interior panels, drill sixteen holes, remove undercoating, and have to retouch a lot of the flooring. But in my mind, it was worth it...the car really has 'that look' that cannot be described unless you have always wanted a race car. Next up is a set of harnesses. So stay tuned and i promise to put pics up when i get the car all cleaned up and the other seat in.

American Muscle CAR SHOW!!!!!!!!!!

Most car shows involve an hour of frantic polishing, followed by an hour of aimlessly walking the lot to check out the competition, and then finally, a good nap. But with 150 of the sweetest ‘Stangs ever to hit the road stationed door to door and bumper to bumper on every corner of the lot surrounded by more than a dozen top Mustang brands, each ready and eager to talk parts and performance, the 1st Annual AmericanMuscle Car Show and Charity Event was already set to be something different. Then add in a circling helicopter taking photos from 1,000 feet, a free dyno running from dawn ‘til dusk, free food and drink for all registered cars, more free stuff than you can carry in a mid-size sports coupe, and a slew of über-hot AmericanMuscle Girls strolling the lot, showing off their own fox bodies. Now that’s a car show.

Of course the central point of the July 19th event was the Best in Show competition. AmericanMuscle judges walked the lot all day long meticulously examining every show candidate. In the end, it was Tony Massimano’s fully-custom ’69 Mach 1 that took top prize. Here’s a list of the rest of the winners:

• Rick Bauman: President’s Choice Award: Torch Red ’05 GT


• Tommy Lee: Best ’05 to 2010 Mustang: Black ’06 GT500 Convertible


• Mike Baer: Best ’99 to ’04 Mustang: ’04 MystiChrome Cobra Convertible


• Donnie Huth: Best ’94 to ’98 Mustang: ’97 Cobra


• Rick Nagle: Best ’79 to ’93 Mustang: ’93 GT

In a day full of highlights, more than 1,000 showed up to walk and talk Mustangs, and show their support for Homes for Our Troops, a charity that buys or builds homes for disabled veterans. The goal for the day was to raise $5,000 for those that given more than we could ask while defending our freedom. But, when the day was done, and the money was counted, AmericanMuscle wrote a check for $8015 to its favorite charity. Adding to this number, the Garden State Region Mustang Club made an additional donation of $850, and an anonymous AmericanMuscle supplier also kicked in a check for $500, bringing the total donation to $9,365—a good day indeed.

For more information, plus lots of photos and video on the 1st Annual AmericanMuscle Car Show and Charity Event please visit: http://blog.americanmuscle.com/

Updates!!!

So for my 23 birthday I was given a Maximum Motorsport Roll Cage from my beloved parents (THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!). I drove down to San Luis Obispo, CA (Maximum Motorsports headquarters) to pick up the parts in person. The kit I got for my 1996 Mustang GT is the 4-point bolt in roll cage with the welded-in harness bar. I can't wait to install it in my car, but i am really taking my time to follow all the instructions to insure a safe and professional installation. To date I have removed the rear upper and lower quarter panels, no need to remove rear seats as i have a rear seat delete, the carpet is out as well as the center console. I have removed the seam sealer around the areas where the main hoop bolts to the floor as well as the hard rubber/tar like crap on the inside of the rear fender well where the support bars will bolt to. Next step is to start drilling holes, but have to wait as i need more help (can't do it by myself...please dad help me, lol). So I will have pics as soon as tomorrow to show you what things are looking like.

attention Sean @ Maximum Motorsports

Hello Sean at Maximum Motorsports, hope you get a chance to check out my site. I spaced out and forgot your email, so hope you get this. The details of the 1983 Mustang GT for sale are the following:

The car is a 1983 Mustang GT. The car has a five speed manual, not the four speed manual. I has the original running 5.0L 302ci V8, pretty much all stock, for the exception of a new real seal, new Ford Racing King Cobra Clutch, Steeda Clutch Quadrant/Cable/and firewall adjuster. I had a Flowmaster two-chamber muffler installed, but the rest of the exhaust is stock. I also had a shop weld on a pair of Maximum Motorsports Full Length subframe connectors, with seat braces. The car comes with a set of replica 1995 Cobra R wheels 16x8” 4-lug (not wheels pictured with car). Tires will need to be replaced though. I also have the original set of TRX wheels as well if interested. I bought the car with body damage to both rear quarter panels. I was told by a respectable bodyshop that instead of trying to repair the panels, they need to be cut out and have new ones welded on. Other than that the body is in good shape, a few little dings here and there. The paint is tired and faded. The car has the original black interior, aftermarket white face gauges and stock shifter from a 96 GT (with Steeda bushings), much better throw. I had bought this vehicle as a project car but never had the time nor the cash. The car would be a great car for the following automotive activities:
-SCCA/NASA Autocrossing
-Road Racing on Track Days
-American Iron Series/ Camaro Mustang Challenge/ American Sedan
-Amateur Drift car
-True Street Drag car
So I am now trying to sell it. I think it would make a great starter project, track car, or could be restored to its original fox body glory. These cars are easy to find parts for, and the aftermarket has all the goodies to make this “your” car. Asking $1,000, but cash talks!!!!!!!!!!!

email me at eskystang@yahoo.com for more info/questions

American Muscle window banner

I got this window banner to show my love for American Muscle.com. They have helped me out so much. So I ordered up a windshield decal with the intent of putting it on my rear window. Unfortunately for me, when I got it in the mail the decal was beat up pretty bad, but i still wanted to let everyone know where I get my parts from. Parts of the decal were torn and wrinkled up, so when i put it on it sorta looked crappy. But with some careful trimming and rearranging, i was able to make the best of what i had to work with, and now I am happy with it. So check out the results. See if you can tell what I changed, and if you can't...well guess that's good news, lol.

Here is the link for the product http://www.americanmuscle.com/am-banner-white-.html

Model Car Update...yes...still working on it

Ok so over the past few days I have been working more on my model 96 Mustang than the real one. I have the body of the car painted as well as some of the decals replicated. I found a set of seats from a 1998 Saleen S351 Mustang Speedster to replace the stock units. They are Recaros and they look sharp! Now I have taken some liberties with this model, things I can't do in real life and some I just can't afford. Take the seats for instance. I love the ProCar seats I have in the real car, but on the model car I painted the Recaros Black and Grey with just a touch of yellow to ditch the "cave" look my car has. I did find a set of wheels that have a similar look to the Bullitt replicas on the real car. The wheels are from a Chevelle Wagon "Cali-Custom Wheels" kit. They are bigger (look more like 18's then 17's, but i really like how they are wider in the back than the front, replicating 9" wide in the front and maybe 10.5" in the rear). Anyways the car, ie model car...lol, is looking great. Oh almost forgot, i added a custom race harness for the driver's seat from a 993 Porsche GT2 model kit.

Stack Racing Chrome Gauge Bezels

Over the weekend I installed the chrome gauge trim rings from Stack Racing. It looked simple enough, just remove the gauge cluster then remove the clear plastic housing and just pop the inserts in. Well let me tell you, in my case, not so simple. So here is my installation guide to really get these things to work.

I began by removing the headlamp knob by pulling it into the "on" position. Once it is pulled out all the way rotate the knob until you see the small slit. I released the small clip by using a small flathead screwdriver pushing outward and pulling. Once you have the knob off, don't forget to turn off your lights.

Next step is to remove the two screws on the instrument gauge bezel. In my case, the screws were 7mm. Once those are off, gently pull the bezel straight out. Now you should be looking at just the instrument cluster.

There are four screws, again 7mm, that hold the cluster in place. I like to have a small pen-type magnetic tool next to me while undoing the screws to prevent a screw from falling behind the dash.

Now that the cluster is unbolted, you can pull the cluster out about half way then you need to disconnect the harness connections. There are only two (at least on my '96 GT) and they require no tools, just a little pressure with your fingers. After the connections are undone, remove the cluster from the car and head for the work bench.

Next step is to remove the 8 Torx screws that attach the black plastic with the clear lens from cluster itself. Once all 8 are removed set aside the cluster and have a look at the black surround/clear plastic.

On my car the clear lens does not separate from the black part. This makes it very tough to install the gauge rings. I tried to pup them in with the bezel in one piece, but no go. So the following steps deviate from the Stack Racing install guide.

With my dremel tool in hand with a metal cutting blade attached, separated the clear part from the black part. BE VERY CAREFUL!!! I cannot say that enough, as you do not want to crack the lens. DO NOT JUST TRY TO PULL OFF THE LENS!!! Take you time and find the glue attachment points and cut them off. Once those are cut, you should be able to remove the clear part. Remember to clean up the edges where you cut by sanding them down.

Next I tried to pop the gauge rings in, but found them to either no go in all the way and pop out, or only go in a little bit and no lay flat. So, with an exacto knife, i trimmed the little "flaps" on each gauge ring so they would lay flat and go in all the way. Now to do that you need to glue them in place. DO NOT USE SUPERGLUE!!!!!! Doing this will result in the plastic discoloring and just look plan tacky. So I raided my model car supplies and used "Quick Grip". This isn't a product placement, just showing you what works. It comes in a Green and Yellow tube and can be found at places like hardware stores, hobby shops, or even some grocery stores. The rule with gluing is if you think you have used enough glue, you probably used too much. So use the glue in small amounts. I placed small dots on each of the back of the rings then once in place, placed a small bead around the back of each to the mating surface. This stuff dries pretty quick and if you do have too much on there, it is easy to pick off and remove excess.

No using that same glue place a small bead around the entire area you cut off to ensure the clear plastic stays attached to the black plastic. Once that has dried, install the 8 torx screws and now you are ready to install your cluster with the newly added gauge rings into your car.

Start by reconnecting the harnesses (you can't get these two wrong, the are different sizes), once those are connected install the 4 screws hold the cluster into the dash. With those installed, gently insert the gauge cluster trim bezel back into position followed by the two screws that hold that into place. After that, take the headlamp know and notice how the metal stock that comes out from the dash has a triangle shape to it, mate that end up with the knob and press it into place.

Now you are ready to start up the car. Check for needles making contact or hanging up. Also make sure the gauges with lights on are working to unsure electrical connections are tight. You are done! Go out and enjoy your new gauges.

~REVIEW~
Overall, I guess I am happy with Stack Racing's Chrome Gauge Bezel inserts. I have to say though, i am disappointed in the way they are advertised. They don't really install the way the say they do. Without removing the clear plastic piece, the task is very difficult. I am sure you could just pop them in and call it a day. But the results are not as clean. Price seems about right, although it might be neat as part of a package, match it up with a set of Stack Racing's white face gauges, or part of the billet interior kit. Once the bezels were in i was happy. I like the way they added just the right flair to the gauges without going crazy. With the black face gauges, it really does give it a retro look. When the back lighting is on, it really pops. So would I recommend this product? YES, but...do take the time and go the extra mile by removing the clear plastic. Does you Mustang need this product? It depends, if you like the black face gauges , then yes. It is a cheap mod, under $50, and with the rights tools and patience, can be done in an afternoon. It is a great cheap modification to you Mustang's interior.

Here is the product link: http://www.americanmuscle.com/gauge-rings-9404.html

it's been awhile...

I haven't been posting anything lately, and for that I am sorry for all of those who check in "the coolest site ever". Not a lot has changed with my car since I last wrote other than a few awesome day trips in the car. I do however have some new parts to install in the near future. First is an American Muscle windshield banner that i will put on the rear window as I already have a decal on the windshield. Next is Stack Racing's Gauge cluster trim rings. I can't wait to install this product. It should give my stock cluster extra flair without being over the top. As soon as I install these parts I will post pics as soon as possible.

Next on the 'to do list' is yet again another exhaust change. Yes, I will never been happy with an exhaust system for more than a couple of months, but this next mod might tide me over til maybe Christmas??? Currently on the car I have stock exhaust manifolds that lead into a BBK catted X-pipe that flow into a MAC 2.5" "true-fit" cat back system. I grew tired of the sound, being a little quite so I removed just the polished 3" tailpipe sections on each side. Loved the sound, but didn't like the way the pipes before the 3" section looked just pointing straight out. So I got out my tools again and removed the section that begins just after the loop over the axle. I like the extra bark it gave to the car...only problem is now i have this rattle that is driving me crazy. SO...my plan is to removed the true-fit system and install MAC's Pro Dump exhaust system that includes the same mufflers, but turns down before the rear axle. Lil bit louder and will give me more suspension options further down the line (ie panhard bar and rear torque link from Maximum Motorsports). So stay tuned for that. Oh and if you live near me I would like to apologize in advance for the noise soon to come, enjoy your peace and quite while you can.

On the model car front, I am still looking to find seats that match the ones in my car, but I am happy to report I have found the perfect wheels, so I will be painting them to match the real ones. When looking in model spare model car parts I found a '07 Shelby GT500 5.4L motor/trans that i would like to put into a SN95 mustang, so i am on the look-out for maybe a 1994-1995 Cobra to put it into.

Paso Robles Photo Shoot

Monday evening, after giving my uncle a ride home from San Juan to Morro Bay I stopped in Paso Robles to take a few pics of the '96. Used to love this road when i was a kid, neat driving now that i have my dream car!

'96 Model Mustang project part 2

Here is the finished underside (for now, lol). The rear shocks are painted to look like the Tokico HP "blue" units that i have on my car. Rear sway bar is yellow as well as the lower K-member brace to also mach the 1:1 car. As for the exhaust, this is where i need to do some work. my rear car has a BBK x-pipe with cats and a MAC true-fit 2.5" cat back with 3" tailpipes. So i am scratch building a custom exhaust to match mine.

Here is the motor mounted in the subframe. Note struts and front sway bar painted to match real car.

This is a close-up of the engine detail. It took a long time to the ignition wires, but i wanted them to be right. I used my shop manual for my '96 GT to match all the wiring (the number one cylinder matches the number one spot on the coil pack!!!). The intake plenum is painted to match the my real car as i painted it semi-gloss black with a yellow horse. The exhaust manifolds are stock (painted a rust like color the match real ones). I do have BBK shorty headers, but haven't installed them yet.

Model Car Update

So today in the mail i got my AMT Ertl 1997 Mustang GT model. I began to open it apart and see how detailed it was, and to say the least I am very happy. One thing I noticed right away was that the front bumper which has the grille molded in, is from a '96 because of the honeycomb mesh. So this works to my favor as my car is a 96, not a 97. I will begin with the assembly of the motor, so stay tuned for pics as i will update the site as much as i can.

Marina Autocross June '09

Now I admit to not staying that long, but but this month's autocross at Marnia Airport sure seemed to be jam-packed with Hondas. Ok before you get all grumpy and leave this page, I have to say I do respect Hondas. Those s2000's and hatches were really tearing up the course with amazing low times...but, and there is that inevitable but...come on lets seem some good Mustang vs Camaro action, or some classics? I did have fun though, really hard to not have fun at an autocross. Just being in that car nut atmosphere makes everything better. It is great to see people who have completely different cars hanging out together telling stories, swapping advise and of course that lil bit of bragging. I showed up with intentions of just hanging out for a little bit and take some pictures, but ended up hanging out with some really cool people. I got a ride in a Subaru WRX STi...what a ride, right off the line with that AWD...it was an experience. I did take one short run just to see what the course was like, not pushing it or anything. Autocrossing is for EVERYONE! You can take any car, drive there, race, then go home after the end of the day. If you haven't been to one or don't know what the heck i am rambling on about, look it up on you tube.

Once I get a steady income and get more experience, i plan to autocross my car more often. The '96 is still a bit heavy, but that is due to it being a street car that is daily driven. With the subframe connectors welded up, some sticky tires, and a proper harness bar, think i would be laying down some really good times. So stay tuned.

Oh and for and update on the 'model car project', i have won the auction on ebay (actually two, a '97 GT and a '96 Cobra). So i plan to start as soon as I get them in the mail. The GT will be made to look my car, but the Cobra, with your votes on this site, will dictate what direction i go with that kit. So keep checking in DAILY if you can to keep up.

Future Mods (updated)

Hello everyone and thanks for checking out the site. Today I have decided to sell my 1983 GT. I have three Mustangs and only drive two (the '96 and '05). Although I am sad about selling it, I need to focus my attention on the other two and not all three. The '83 was my first Mustang I bought and it has served me well. I have had a lot of fun times in it, but i would really like to see it go to a home where its future owner will drive it like it is was made for. Hopefully i can sell it soon so i will have room to work on both of my cars and have a little extra cash (thinking that money will go towards the engine rebuild).

Also today i was killing some time during lunch and was browsing through the pages of my new issue of 5.0 Mustang mag. I saw a picture of a mustang like mine with the '94'98 SVT Cobra front bumper on it. I love that front end, really looks better than the GT in my oppinion. For one reason the GT bumper is the same as the V6, and the other reason being the fog lights are really small. I plan to install a Cobra front bumper as soon as i can find one in locally in good shape. My plan is to add ultra clear fog lamps with Yellow bulbs (or if i can't find a good quality bulb set, i will go with a yellow decal overlay). After this modification I belive the car's front end will be lookin' great. Plus it will add to that Cobra look i am after!!

As some of you know one of my biggest hobbies is building model cars. I have built many models and of course Mustangs being my favorite! While cruising on ebay i found a model kit for a 1997 Mustang GT. So my plans are to build it like my '96 GT as they are almost the same. I will include the mods i have done to the real car as well as post pictures of the model build on this site. So say tuned for the build!

Smog Test...and the results are in........

So I got that dreaded letter in the mail, that one with the little DMV logo on the corner. The logo is so small that the DMV must think it is too small for us to read so we are like "hey maybe I won something!!!". So i open it up to not only find that i need to renew my Mustang at 150 bucks, but i have to get it smogged. If you could hear what was going through my mind at that moment i read (smog check required) it might have sounded something like a 747 plane crashing into the side of a exploding volcano. Anyways I went to my local smog station in Hollister, CA to see if i would pass (remember my car has a cold air intake, x-pipe with cats (but in ca it doesn't matter...they just hate mods). So i rolled up to G&M auto repair to get it over with. I was greeted by a friendly staff and was welcomed to take a few pics while he was testing my car (just so all of you would believe i didn't get the car "Smogged" nudge nudge, hint hint).

The procedure only took about 15mins and i was rewarded with a pass! Funny thing is my car produces less emissions compared to when i got the car smogged on the very same day i bought the car some three years ago. So go out and mod your Mustang!

In other news I had warm sunny afternoon with nothing to do, so i decided to paint my intake plenum (the stock finish had seen better days). Going with the black and yellow theme, i painted the intake plenum with semi-gloss black hi-temp paint. When the paint dried, i added a custom touch and wrote 'Shankle Motorsports' in yellow to give it that extra oomph.

Props go out to G&M Auto Repair in Hollister CA 637-9371. Thanks again for being quick and letting me take pictures while the car was being tested!

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Hi Nathan!!!

Hello everyone, thanks for checking in on my site. Today before i begin on my latest project for my car, i would like to say a special hello to Nathan. I was told by a friend he shares the same love for Mustangs as I do. I really think that is awesome. When I was little my dad would take me to races and Mustang shows, and it meant the world to me. Having a passion for something is really good for someone. So I tell you what Nathan, how about I stop by some day soon (once I get my car all cleaned up) and let you hop in the car and start it up, maybe go for a cruise. Now there are a lot of cheaper hobbies out there, believe you me, lol, so in that matter I apologize because once you catch the Mustang fever...there is no cure. Keep checking up on my site for more pics of the car and soon I hope to have a few videos of the car on here as well. Thanks for the support!

In other news, today I spent some time researching a few engine kits for my car. My plan when I get the money of course, is to have the motor rebuild as it is the original engine. At first I thought I would just have it rebuilt to stock specs, but like so many before me, the horsepower bug has bitten me. I would like to have my spare 4.6L out of a '97 GT not only rebuilt, but at the same time bored and stroked to 5.0 liters. While the motor is out have the BBK shorty headers put on that have just been sitting around driving me nuts, and if i have the money at the time do the PI swap (meaning the heads and intake manifold from the 99-04 mustang GT). For those not familiar with PI, it stands for Performance Improvement. Ford improved the flow rate of the heads and intake to give the 4.6L some much needed grunt. This is a very popular modification for '96-98 GT owners like myself. I have been following Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords project car "Redheaded Stepchild" for awhile now. If you haven't read any of those articles it is worth reading, just look it up on Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords website. The goal of the project is to take a bone-stock '96 GT and make normally aspirated 300hp, no supercharger or turbo. So some of my plans for my car come for those articles, but I do plan to add a Vortech supercharger when money allows it.

2:30am....

So what else do you do at 2:30am on a Saturday when you can't sleep? The answer is simple when you live in beautiful California and own a Mustang. After tossing and turning for over two and a half hours, trying to pay attention to season three of Deadwood (please HBO, don't sue me), i got off my leather sofa and went outside to clean my car. Just five minutes into cleaning the outside with a bottle of spray wax, I felt the need to go for a cruise. It started out with just doing a loop around my local roads, but ended up lasting till sunrise. I headed out on 156 towards Hollister then made my way to 152 towards Los Banos. Although it was really foggy, the drive through the hills surrounding the reservoir was just what i needed. I fueled up at the other side of the pass and headed back for San Juan Bautista, not before being greeted by a teenage gas station attendant with a camera phone. The drive back was a little bit more fun due to the fog easing up and with the windows down i decided to dip into the throttle a bit. Once i reached San Juan, i still didn't feel like going home, so I made a last second decision and headed up Fremont Peak. An awesome narrow twisting road awaited my Mustang. Once I reached the top I was rewarded with an amazing view, like a small island amidst a sea of foggy waves.

Sometimes you really need to just get away and go for a drive.

a brief overview of the 1996 Mustang

The 4.6L 281cid SOHC V8 in all its glory

1996 only honeycomb grille insert

New for 1996 was the vertical taillights

What's so special about the 1996 Mustang GT you ask?....

For the 1996 Mustang GT, Ford replaced the 5.0L 302cid V8 with a new "Modular" 4.6L 281cid SOHC V8. Although the 4.6L displaced 31 fewer cubic inches, it still produced 215hp and matched the the 1995 5.0L V8's 285 ft-lbs of torque. Gone was the distributor, which was replaced with two coil packs. The T-5 was also replaced in favor for the Borg Warner T-45. To make room for the larger heads/block of the 4.6L, Ford saved roomed and upped braking performance with a hydraulic boost setup.

Exterior changes were few, but different none the less. The biggest change was the rear taillights. From 1994-1995, the three element design was orientated in a horizontal position. For 1996, Ford changed the position to a vertical orientation with larger lenses that were more visible. The fender emblems on the 94-95 mustang GT's read "GTmustang". Starting in '96 the design changed to "GT 4.6L", to advertise the new mod motor. The most unnoticeable exterior change was the grille. A honeycomb insert, barely seen behind the chrome pony emblem was a 1996 only piece.

Interior mods were few, but the door panels lost the perforated inserts for a smooth grain finish like the rest of the interior.

The 17x8" tri-spoke wheels were replaced with split-5 spoke 17x8 wheels with a slight inward dish. The standard 16x8" wheels were carried over for '96.

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Here is a quick update...

Decided I didn't like the center caps (wasn't crazy about the logo), so I painted them gloss black to match the rest of the wheel.
Here is a pic from the rear of the new decal.

"scotts96mustang.blogspot.com" decal in yellow to advertise my site!

This is where I decided to mount the Oil PSI gauge temporally until I determine what the issue is with my factory oil PSI gauge.

Here is my "interesting" pluming job of the oil psi gauge tubing, lol. No leaks and tucks up nice .



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