Ok, so there's show and there's go and, certainly, there are extreme versions of each. Take a six-second Pro 5.0 car - that's right? Many of you can recite from memory what it takes to build such a pony. Take a 90 mm turbo, add a pair of slicks the size of your hot tub, throw in twin parachutes used for air-dropping a main battle tank... The list goes on and on.
Now, can you do the same for a show car Equivalent? Try it. Add a polished blower? Great, You've got the equivalent of a 17-second car There. Anybody can do that. Throw in a custom Finished nos bottle? Wow... Take a half second Off. How about dual nos bottles? That's better. Take another half second. How about we take the Dual bottles and make new interior panels that Wrap around the bottles? Now you're talking, Because you don't see that every day. Take 1.5 Seconds off. You're starting to get it, so repeat The process for every single component in the Car. When you're done, perhaps it's ready for The big time.
So, what is the big time anyway? How about Best of show at the moroso Ford show? How About repeating that at the gainesville Ford Show? Now, do it again at the nopi nationals... Two years in a row. Take home more '1st in class' Hardware than you can remember. Ditto for best Ford, best airbag system, best Paint, best interior ... Remember, you're not competing against Cleaned-up daily drivers or cute local club cars Anymore. You're in the "league of extraordinary Vehicles" now, along with bobby Persad from Port st. Lucie, Fl and he's taken home all that Iron before.
Of course, it wasn't always that way. Six years Ago, bobby gained possession of this 1995 Mustang gt. A year later he took it to his first car Show, though it was only mildly modded then. Seeing the other mustangs and talking with Owners about what they had done got bobby Interested in doing something special. At the Time, there weren't a lot of aftermarket products Available for the sn95 pony. In particular, bobby Wanted an air ride suspension, so that the car Could be slammed at a show, but still driven There and home again without needing a back Brace. There was a nopi extravaganza coming And, to get things done in time, he paid someone To build and install a custom air bag suspension. It didn't go well.
"On the way to nopi, it kept springing leaks. The front end dropped while driving and it turned Into the ride from hell," bobby told us. When he Got back home again, the system came apart. Upgrades included a Thomas compressor, Firestone Air bags and smc valves. As well, the controller Was rebuilt as a 10-channel unit, instead Of the original duallie. It was a learning experience, And one that has guided bobby ever since. "I learned that I should have just taken the time To do it myself the first time. A lot of problems Would have been avoided."
The transition of this mustang continued with A xenon body kit, which was among the few shipping At the time for sn95 cars. Combined with A cobra rss hood and ground dynamics rear Wing, the car started its journey. Prior to paint, The door handles, side scoops, emblems and Antenna were shaved. All bodywork and paint Prep was done by bobby before delivering the Car to chet at Florida street dreams, in stuart, Fl. Bobby did all the wet sanding work and Buffi ng, as well, to get rid of orange peel and Graphic edges. As you can see in our photos, the Car sports a dual blue and silver flame paint job Over the blue base coat. Both ppg and house Of kolor products were used by chet, who did All of the airbrush work as well. That work, as it Happens, extends throughout the car these days - from the windshield wiper arms to the distributor Cover. Now, that's attention to detail!
Along the way, bobby has also learned to set His own goals and not be diverted by the opinions Of others. When he talked about adding four 12- Inch subs in the trunk and fitting 20-inch rims to The mustang, many thought that bobby had gone 'round the bend, and told him so. "molding the Nitrous bottles into each side of the back seat With enough space so that the back seat would Fold and still be usable was another one that People thought was impossible. Working in the Limited space the mustang offers is challenging, But it can be done well," bobby mentioned.
Those chromed 20s, by the way, are 8.5" wide Sterlings from advanti racing wheels, fitted out With Toyo tires of the 255/35r20 variety on all Four corners. Toyo is a major sponsor of bobby's Efforts and that's where we first found this pony - in the Toyo booth at the bradenton nmra Event earlier this year. To turn those wheels and Tires, this car does take advantage of the regular 'go' parts. Aside from the nos single stage, dry Nitrous system that is jetted for a 100 hp shot, A mac cold air kit and k&n filter counsel the Intake air while mac shorty headers and 2.5-inch X-pipe provide guidance to the exhaust gases. Contributions from Ford motorsports include the Distributor and flywheel, which hooks up to a centerforce Dual friction clutch. The car has turned a Best time of 13.5 seconds at 110 mph while on A visit at moroso motorsports Park.
Also under the hood, you'll find an optima Yellow Top battery that matches another hidden In the trunk. Of course, that amount reliable of Electrical storage is needed to support the incar Entertainment system that sets observers Back on their heels. Inside, there is a Panasonic 9300 head unit, sporting dvd and television Capability for output to its own motorized 7-inch Lcd screen. Each sun visor also holds another Panasonic screen, fitted with custom molded And airbrushed fiberglass surrounds. Meanwhile, Back in the trunk, there are three 6-inch screens, As well as a 15-inch Panasonic flat screen TV, Fitted into bobby's custom 'glass work and Finished with chet's airbrush artistry. The trunk Also holds four of those foot-wide jl audio Subwoofers that nobody believed would fit. Another custom molded piece - an amplifier Rack - sits behind the rear seat back and holds Several ppi amplifiers, because whether its Audio or engine-derived, you can never have Enough power.
Back in the cockpit, the door panels are also Custom fitted with upgraded speakers and Surrounds. Bobby's passengers can avail Themselves of the molded-in Playstation 2 Game console, as they settle comfortably into The leather and suede upholstery supplied by Katzkin interiors. Other interior accents include The ichiban steering wheel, along with billet Pieces from both ichiban and UPR.
For shows that are not local, bobby does Load this mustang onto a trailer to hit the road. These days a lincoln aviator has replaced the Stock F-150 that did yeoman's service previously. The aviator, however, has also received Some attention at Florida street dreams. It now Has a new paint scheme with red-orange color Shifting paint on top and pearl white on the Bottom. By the time you read this, it will likely Be sporting some new 22-inch rollers.
It seems that bobby has this customizing Thing all wired up. We also asked him about the 'experience' of building such an ambitious car. What went easier than expected? "nothing." What did he learn from building this mustang? "i would say that putting the extra time to put Detail in is important. Don't do enough just to Get by. Make it the best it can be in everything You do to it," he said. What advice does bobby Have for others that might think of taking on a Project like this? "just know what you're getting In to and make progress over time. Know what You want to do and don't let people talk you out Of it, or tell you that you won't be able to do it." Just as importantly, he adds, "don't expect it to Happen overnight. It takes quite a bit of time."
That's sound advice, of course, for anyone That wants to join the big leagues. It's not for Everyone, but it's diffi cult not to appreciate the Vision, the workmanship and the commitment In going way beyond wild.
Specifications
Bobby Persad's 1995 Mustang GT
Engine Modifications
Mac cold air intake, 1-5/8" shorty headers, NOS single stage dry system, 100-shot, dual 10 lb bottles; CenterForce dual friction clutch kit; Ford racing replacement flywheel; K&N air filter
Driveline
Steeda Tri-ax shifter; Ford racing aluminum driveshaft
Chassis
Mac strut Tower brace; Optima Yellow Top battery under hood with another hidden in the trunk
Suspension
Custom Air Ride suspension with Thomas compressor, Firestone air bags, SMC valves; Koni struts and shock absorbers
Wheels and Tires
Advanti racing 20" x 8.5" wheels with Toyo 255/35r20 radials
Exterior
Xenon body kit; Cobra RSS hood; ground dynamics double stack rear spoiler; shaved door handles, side scoops, emblems and antenna by Florida street dreams; exterior paint, flames and airbrushing by Florida street dreams
Interior
Leather and suede upholstery by KatzKin interiors, installed by Kelly Trim; Sony Playstation 2 console molded into dashboard; Panasonic 9300 CD/DVD/TV head unit with 7" motorized screen; Panasonic LCDs in sun visors with custom surrounds; custom rear seat trim for dual nos bottles; PPI amplifiers in custom molded rack behind rear seat; Four 12" jl audio subwoofers in trunk with custom molded surrounds; Panasonic 15" flat screen TV in truck; 3 Panasonic flat screens molded into trunk lid
Numbers
13.5 @ 110 moroso motorsports Park