Mods (the fun stuff!) part 1

Here is a run-down of the exterior and interior mods I have done to my 1996 Mustang GT: (if you have any questions on installing advise or want to see pics of before and after just leave me a message and I will help you out as best as i can)

BODY

• V6 rear bumper cover. (took off the stock GT rear bumper which has the "MUSTANG GT" script and replaced it with V6 cover that reads "MUSTANG". I found a used bumper from a Black '98 V6 that was in pretty good shape on craigslist for $75. I did this for two reasons: one being the original cover's clear coat had seen better days, and the other reason being I wanted the "Cobra" look, no hint of a GT. I later added the yellow bumper decal to accent the black/yellow theme. The decal costed only 20 from 50Resto. Both these items are easy to install and only required basic hand tools.)
  
• Rear spoiler removed. (Ever other Black GT in my area had a wing or spoiler and i didn't want my car to look like just another Black GT. So one day i got out my socket set and unbolted the rear wing. The result made the car look cleaner. Although the at some point of its life, the spoiler vibrated a bit loose which caused it to rub against the paint, causing a "ring around the spoiler mounts. To me it stood out too much, but i didn't have the money to repaint the trunk, so I bought a sheet of black decal material and cut out a shape to cover the areas where the spoiler was mounted. It came out really good and was a cheap fix, no body notices it.)

• Emblems. ( I went back and forth on what emblems I should get for my car. I knew that i didn't want my car to look like a GT anymore, so I spent the afternoon with a heat gun, a plastic putty knife and some Goo Be-Gone and took off all the emblems. The car looked mean, but i wanted something to cover the holes and give the car a bit more character. So going along with the "Cobra" look I chose to get the Cobra fender snakes. On americanmuscle.com i found that they not only had the cobra fender snake emblems but also a matching cobra grille emblem, so i bought the set. They look great and to most people the emblems when placed in the factory locations, fool them into thinking it is a Cobra. This is a very simple mod, the emblems only cost me $40.00 for all three. Great way to change your mustangs attitude.)

• Headlamps. (from the day i bought my car i new it needed new headlamps. Not only were they yellowed and faded, but they had a few small cracks i them. So a quick trip to americanmuscle.com rewarded with a easy cheap solution: aftermarket units. I ended up choosing the ultra clear headlamps with chrome backgrounds along with matching side markers. I really recommend buying the side markers at the same time as the headlamps because it really refreshes the look of the car. The installation was super hard, just have to be patient, and like many of its other products, americanmuscle.com has install instructions as well as how-to videos to help. Once they were on my car, i wondered how the previous owner lived with the stock headlamps. No more yellow hazy plastic, improved night vision, and modified look. I got mine for $150.00, trust me, 100% worth it)

• Decals. (I have changed decals more times than most people change air fresheners. As it stands right now, I have a local Ford dealership decal on the trunk alongside of a silver "SVT" decal. A yellow ford oval brightens the windshield and goes well with the yellow black theme. The twin yellow fender stripes idea came from the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport.

INTERIOR

• Seats (I love these seats! They are PROCAR by Scat Elite seats in black cloth which i found used online for about $200.00 Much more supportive than the factory seats plus gives the interior "that race look". I had another set from APEX but found them to be too stiff and uncomfortable. Before buying seats, really do your research and ask around on local mustang forums. Remember that's where you will be spending the most time, so don't skimp out on seats and buy some cheap seat covers.
  
• Rear Seat Delete: (Anyone who has or had a mustang, have ever ride in the back seat knows it is just about pointless. Even as a kid i remember rinding in the back of my dad's '85 gt and it being too tight. So i knew down the line i wanted that back seat out. For awhile i drove around with just the back seat removed and called it that. but after awhile i knew that wasn't going to cut it, so i did some researching online a found a site called yellowmustangregistry.com. Through them i found a company called Shrader Performance who had a really nice rear seat delete kit. Although it was a bit pricey at $200.00, but it was worth it, not only does it fill the void with a stylish replacement, but also serves as a storage area for all your car cleaning products. To complete the look i removed the rear seat belts with took some time and required removing interior panels, but total weight savings was around 40lbs!
  
• Ford Racing FR500 steering wheel: For about $240 i bought this 'wheel at American Muscle and i have been very happy. My original wheel was a bit worn out and after driving a friends mustang who had installed one, i wanted one. The installation wasn't too difficult as long as you have a good shop many and a decent steering wheel puller. Don't forget to disconnect the battery so the air bags don't go off! I love the feel of the wheel in my hands, more soft and easier to grip. Plus it looks great!

• Roush Interior Trim Kit: (found this online for under $50. It is a quick and simple install. Better than a decal or sticker because it is plastic and molds to the lines of the interior, attached with 3M tape and it was good to go! I bought mine in the silver carbon fiber trim to lighten the interior a bit. Came with a piece for the instrument cluster bezel, center HAVC trim with matching shifter bezel trim, and although i chose not to use them two small pieces for the door cups)

• Shifter Knob: This is actually my fourth shifter knob, and until something else catches my eye that is cheap and looks good think i will stay with it. First i had the stock knob which i painted the shifter pattern insert yellow, then i had a Hurst knock-off white shifter ball but the threads stripped out. Then i bought a knob from a wrecked 2003 Mach 1 which was great except it got too hot, so to replace that bought a PRO 5.0 black shifter ball. Never gets too hot, looks great as it is a semi-gloss back, and fits my big hands well. Take some time when looking for a knob and if possible ask friends to try theirs out for a quick test.