Modified Mustangs & Fords - Car Of The Year

For 2011, the staff here at Modified Mustangs & Fords magazine has decided to honor one of our feature vehicles with the distinction of Car Of The Year. We combed through the feature files of every vehicle that has hit the pages of MM&F throughout 2011, and picked the one car that we thought took the Modified mantra to the highest level in every respect.

To make the award more than just a pat on the back, we teamed up with the folks at National Parts Depot to provide a $250 gift certificate to the winner, as well as a $150 and $100 gift certificates to the First and Second Runners up respectively. In addition, we will provide the winner with a laminated plaque featuring this very article and achievement to commemorate the award. We hope to build on this next year to include an even larger prize package, and we eagerly anticipate the upcoming entries and possible contenders of 2012. It was quite tough to pick just one from this year's top three finishers, as all three cars were over the top.

What's remarkable about all of them, aside from the great fabrication, design, and engineering, is the fact that all of these have been driven to the limit at some point. We personally saw both Joe Brown and Erich Bollman compete in the autocross at the Good Guys Columbus, Ohio, event as part of the Street Machine of the Year requirements. You can find the Taylors weaving their black machine through various autocrosses on the web as well. These are not just pretty show cars, but they are indeed built to be driven, which is exactly what we like to see here at Modified Mustangs & Fords magazine.

Winner

'67 Mustang Fastback

Joe is used to building over-the-top cars for customers looking to compete on the indoor show car circuit, including the prestigious Ridler award, so it makes sense that Joe's own personal car would follow that trend. As Joe told us, the only completely stock part on the car is the front chin spoilerùeverything else has been modified in some way, or fabricated from scratch.

Having a late-model, modular-based powerplant certainly makes driving this machine extremely enjoyable, and the supercharged 5.4L DOHC mill definitely offers plenty of horsepower and tire-melting low-end torque. The six-speed transmission, 3.50 gears, and 20-inch rear hoops make for an excellent highway cruiser as well. You'd be hard-pressed to not want to own any of these three Car of the Year finalists, but Joe's fastback is the one we pick above the rest.

The Details

• '03 5.4L (281ci) supercharged modular crate engine
• Kenne Bell Twin-Screw 2.8 supercharger
• Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission
• Ford 9-inch rearend
• Scott's Hotrods and Customs independent front suspension and triangulated four-bar rear suspension
• Wilwood disc brakes
• Intro Wheels custom billet wheels with Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR radials
• Fully customized interior, Upholstery by Pro Auto Custom Interior
• Fully customized exterior, Dupont Butterscotch Pearl basecoat/clearcoat, satin BASF Charcoal Metallic stripes

First Runner Up

'69 Mustang Sportsroof

Sourcing a chassis from his cohorts on the Boss302.com forums, Erich had his metalsmiths at CMC fabricate the factory flanks into reflections of designer Murray Pfaff's original rendering. A custom interior followed, and RideTech's air suspension system allows attitude adjustments at the push of the console-mounted button. Erich isn't afraid to turn a tire with Nasty either, as he got the crowd cheering with his NHRA-honed burnout skills at the Good Guys Columbus autocross event. Nasty was about as close a runner up as you can find.

• Shelby GT500 5.4L DOHC Crate Engine from Ford Racing Performance Parts
• 500 hp at 6,000 rpm, 480 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm
• Eaton Roots-style supercharger
• Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission
• Moser 9-Inch rearend
• RideTech Strong Arm front control arms, AirBar triangulated four-link, Shockwave air springs
• Stainless Steel Brakes Corp disc brakes
• Bonspeed Huntington, billet aluminum wheels, BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires
• Customized interior, custom rollbar, fullsize spare wheel/tire, upholstery by New Castle Auto Upholstery
• Custom exterior modifications, "Nasty Orange" BASF Glasurit basecoat/clearcoat paint, paintwork done by Christiana Muscle Cars

Second Runner Up

'68 Mustang Fastback

We love the unique color scheme, and the interior offers everything one would need to cruise in comfort. Having watched the Taylors attack the autocross, we have to say the sound may just be the best part of Naja's aura. It's crackling 490ci FE engine will get the blood pumping in any performance enthusiast's heart.

While the body mods may not be as extensive or unique as the others, it's sexy Black and Candy Apple Red colors combined with a performance-inspired chassis and drivetrain were enough to bring it into the top three finalists.

• Shelby 427 FE aluminum block, 490 ci, built by Tom Lucas at FE Specialties
• Tunnel Wedge 2x4 intake manifold, NOS Pro-Shot fogger nitrous system
• Aviaid dry-sump oiling system
• 705 hp at 6,300 rpm, 639 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm
• Tremec TKO-600 five-speed manual transmission
• Ford 9-inch housing
• Art Morrison Max-G frame, RideTech Ride Pro system
• Wilwood disc brakes
• American Racing Shelby Cobra 427 wheels, BFGoodrich g-Force KDWS tires
• Custom black leather interior and sound system
• Extensively modified body, PPG Black basecoat with Candy Apple Red over Silver metal flake, Super Snake and GT side stripes