While the bumper application may not be so functional in the case of a wreck, it efinitely is going to be the epitome of clean until that happens. Actually, even though the bumpers are fiberglass they may just do their job. They are filled with shock absorbing foam after all. To achieve this custom look Dan molded the front and rear valances with the bumpers, and then created a mold off of them. Dan currently has the valances for sale at his shop's website, www.ambrosioconcepts.com. Well come on, the guy deserves a plug. Every time this writer goes by his shop he's covered in fiberglass. At one point he wasn't the only one. "One of the most memorable parts of the build was when Dan let me be involved in the build," said Brian. "I got to prime the car myself and helped build the front and rear valances. Fiberglass work is definitely hard and very itchy but it looks so good when it's finished." The valances aren't the only things that look good on the body. Brian also had all the glass and chrome replaced. And how about those turn signals reworked into the headlight buckets? You just can't turn away from those indicators peeking through their pseudo-tangerine slots.
So how did Brian come up with that color which isn't quite tangerine? "As the owner of 'Tribe,' a salon in Lakewood, Colorado, I had this idea of checking out nail polish colors," said Brian. "I wanted something eye-catching, but not too over the top. I brought a few colors to Dan and asked if it was possible to have the color copied." Dan obliged by taking a Chrysler tangerine and adding a little copper pearl to match the nail polish color, aptly named "Down to My Last Penny." Brian is obviously not down to his last penny, as he's already in the progress of building yet another Mustang, this time a '65 Fastback. After all, no matter how bad the economy is, hair still grows and Brian will still have Mustang dreams, no matter the color.
The Details
Brian Cruz's '65 Mustang Coupe
Engine
Ford Racing 351 Windsor
4.00-inch bore
3.50-inch stroke
March pulley system
Ford Racing FR500S aluminum radiator
Edelbrock RPM intake
Edelbrock 600cfm carburetor
Body color Ford Racing valve covers and air cleaner
Transmission
Tremec World Class T5 five-speed
FRPP King Cobra clutch
Rearend
8-inch axle
3.80 gears
Detroit Truetrac differential
Exhaust
JBA ceramic-coated shorty headers
Flowmaster Hushpower mufflers
2 1/2-inch custom side exit
Suspension
Front: Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II with adjustable coilovers
Rear: Total Control Products g-Bar four-link with coilovers, subframe connectors
Brakes
Front: Master Power 11-inch disc, single-piston caliper
Rear: Vintage Venom, 10.5-inch disc, single-piston caliper
Wheels
Front: Billet Specialties SLG05 polished, 17x8
Rear: Billet Specialties SLG05 polished, 18x8
Tires
Front: Cooper Zeon ZPT, P215/40R17
Rear: Cooper Zeon ZPT, P235/45R18
Interior
Smoothed and filled body color dash, Dolphin instruments, body color steering wheel, retro four-speed-look shifter with billet shift knob
Exterior
Custom mixed basecoat/clearcoat paint color, shaved emblems/lettering, through the rocker side exhaust, custom front and rear valances, forward-tilting hood mechanism, smoothed cowl, turn signals reworked into headlight buckets, shaved driprails, and custom decklid spoiler