January 9-10, Silver Springs, FL

• 16th annual Ford and Mustang Roundup at Silver Springs, hosted by National Parts Depot and co-sponsored by Mustang Monthly and Modified Mustangs & Fords magazines.
• Free registration to first 1,000 pre-registered cars by January 1, which includes two passes to Silver Springs. People's Choice judging, Mustang Monthly, Modified Mustangs & Fords Editor's choice awards.
• Info: Stacy Gunn, 352/861-8701 (ext. 4208) or email to sgunn@npdlink.com.

We first saw this wild ride at the 2007 SEMA show, and like many of you at car shows across the country, studied the car from bumper to bumper. Matter of fact, we loved the '05 Mustang door handles that were added to the car so much we stole the idea for our current project car, Generation Gap. While Ron Schoch of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, certainly enjoyed building this fastback for the SEMA show, it's not his first Mustang project and not his first SEMA project either. He actually took a brand-new '05 Mustang he customized to the 2005 show. Hmm, I wonder if that's where he got these door handles?inline_mediumwraptextright26628197/featuredvehicles/mdmp_1003_1965_mustang_fastbackmdmp_1003_04_+1965_mustang_fastback+rear_view.jpgTrue

This impressive '67 Mustang coupe is a shining example of the excellent result that can be achieved starting with a garden-variety coupe. While not as valuable in a monetary sense as a fastback or convertible, they still possess the same timeless styling and performance potential that comes with any classic Mustang. Because they are much more plentiful, the ante to get into the game with a coupe is usually half the cost of a fastback or convertible. Then there are those of us who prefer the coupe regardless of cost. For those who want an enclosed car with solid top and a formal roofline the Mustang coupe is the only way to fly. That's what Glenn and Kelly Thomas of San Leandro, California, would tell you, and they are the happy owners of this good-looking example. Actually Glenn's taste for coupes may have developed early on, as he fondly remembers driving his Mom's California Special while he was back in high school. For this new coupe project, Glenn formulated a plan for bigger-than-average performance in every department and it included overdrive and air conditioning, as well as a more powerful engine.inline_mediumwraptextright28092745/featuredvehicles/1964_1973_mustang/mdmp_1004_1967_mustang_coupemdmp_1004_10_+1967_mustang_coupe+leather_seats.jpgTrue

Many of the classic Ford cars we love have some limitations when the time comes to hit the freeway and go with the flow. Most of us can agree that it's hard to get out on the interstate and keep pace with traffic in an original '65 Mustang with a Top Loader and 3.89 gears. Don't get us wrong; while we love classic Mustangs in the primal form, their limitations compared to modern iron, including the tiny tires and deep final drive ratio, can make interstate travel a buzz bomb experience. Likewise, when it comes to vehicle handling, the stock suspension, with the small diameter front sway bar, soft shock absorbers, and rubber bushings, also has its limitations. There are also those who feel that some improvements can be made to the original Mustang interior when it comes to comfort and convenience. It's true that when judged by a modern standard there is room for improvement in many classic Mustang performance categories.inline_mediumwraptextrightThis perspective on the car shows the tasteful customization of the sail panel vents. The billet accessories on the tail panel of the car add a machined industrial touch that seems to work well on the car combined with the central silver stripe, which fades going toward the edges.26845925/featuredvehicles/1964_1973_mustang/mdmp_1004_1965_mustang_fastbackmdmp_1004_06_+1965_mustang_fastback+rear_view.jpgTrue

These days, it's not hard to find a really powerful four-cylinder or V-6 engine, and many enthusiasts are beginning to realize Ford had a pretty good thing going with the 2.3L turbo engine. It will run forever, take a serious beating and get good gas mileage all the while. The little SOHC engine was stuffed under the hoods of countless Ford vehicles, but its highest point came in the Mustang SVO and the '87-'88

Tech | Conversion Wiring Install
For those of us who've been around the block a few times I'm sure you remember hearing about the first 5.0L EFI Mustang engine swap into a classic Mustang. Maybe it was in your favorite magazine, or perhaps you walked by a nice Mustang at a show and had to do a double take when you looked to see what was under the hood. Regardless of where or when you first saw this swap, probably the first question you had in your mind was "how hard was it to do?", followed quickly by "I wonder how much it cost?" Well, depending upon when you saw your first 5.0L EFI engine swap the answers could be "it was a pain in the butt" or "it was as simple as plugging in a few wires." Reason being, early adopters always have it rougher. These fanatics go on a fact-finding mission, tearing into the project with abandon, buying up wiring diagrams and learning how every little subsystem works. So if you saw your first 5.0 EFI swap 15 years ago, it meant it took that owner a lot of trial and error, custom wiring, and fabrication of parts. Today it's mostly a matter of which company do you want to buy your conversion wiring harness from (there are at least four that we know of) and how you'll setup your fuel system. Yes, it has become that easy to install a 5.0L EFI engine into your Mustang or other classic Ford. Hell, there are whole companies that survive off of manufacturing swap parts and doing the conversions.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe 4.6L Three-Valve Control Pack, shown here, includes a custom-calibrated PCM, a chassis side harness (you reuse your engine side harness), Ford Racing cold air induction kit, ETC throttle pedal, Ford Racing mini power distribution block (PDB), a mass-air meter, and new oxygen sensors. The 5.4L Four-Valve kit also adds supercharger-specific cooling hoses and fittings as well.28089916/techarticles/mdmp_1004_modular_engine_swap_wiringmdmp_1004_01_+control_pack_chassis_harness+three_valve_control_pack.jpgTrue

It was a whirlwind of emails, phone calls, and favors, but none the less Factory Five and Modified Mustangs & Fords pulled off a great event for owners and potential owners alike. What started out as a simple forum request for a get together location for Factory Five to have some owners meet and take part in the unveiling of a newly built '33 Hotrod kit by the SPEED TV show Two Guys Garage turned into a full blown event. We're talking the Factory Five semi-trailer, display vehicles, the SPEED TV film crew, the hosts of Two Guys Garage Kevin Byrd and Brian Fuller, Dave Smith and the whole technical crew from Factory Five, and more. The Modified Mustangs & Fords offices, shop, and more were open for self-guided tours of our facilities while Factory Five owners enjoyed seeing other owners' Roadsters, Type 65 Coupes, Spec Racers, and even a GTM supercar.inline_mediumwraptextright32527917/eventcoverage/mdmp_100309_factory_five_racing_cruisemdmp_100309_03+factory_five_racing_cruise+.jpgTrue

The '66 Fairlane 500 hardtop you see here is owned by Ann and Eddy Hanley of Tarrytown, New York. Ann and Eddy are siblings and they and several other family members inherited the car from their brother George, who passed away during the restoration of the Fairlane. George bought the Fairlane from the original owner as a project way back in 1980 for the low sum of just less than $1,000. The car had been sitting under an Oak tree for many years and was covered in acorns. As Eddy puts it, the hardtop had "begun to turn green." The engine and transmission were nearby in a barn, as were many other original parts to the Fairlane. George was an auto body man by trade, and he worked in the industry for 45 years. George's obsession with correctness on the restoration of the car amazed both Ann and Eddy.inline_mediumwraptextright32293452/featuredvehicles/fairlane/mdmp_1004_1966_ford_fairlane_hardtopmdmp_1004_02_+1966_fairlane+top_front_angle.jpgTrue

Few modifications can have as profound an impact on a classic Mustang or Ford as the right set of rims and tires-a declaration that holds true for both looks and performance. In fact, we can think of no other single investment so effective at personalizing a ride. Back in the 1960s, names like Cragar, Ansen, E-T, and American Racing were common buzzwords when talking about "mags" for one's muscular Ford. Like most other aspects of life, things were simpler then-rim diameters beyond 15 inches were practically unheard of, hardly anybody upsized their brakes, and wheel manufacturers could be counted without even taking your socks off.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe right rolling stock can make or break a project, but if going large, be prepared to check and re-check tire/wheel clearance measurements before ordering up those expensive alloys and rubber molecules. The fully packed wheelwells on Classic Design Concepts' Bullitt-themed, Dynacorn-based Flashback beautifully demonstrate the results of doing it right.28094446/techarticles/suspension/mdmp_1004_wheel_fitment_tipsmdmp_1004_01_+wheel_fitment_tips+mustang.jpgTrue

In conjunction with Factory Five Racing we'll be holding an open house this Saturday for central Florida Mustang and Ford fanatics. What started off as a simple starting point for Factory Five owners for a Saturday morning road rally has become a full blown event where Dave Smith, FFR's President will unveil their new Mk 4 Roadster to the public for the first time in the Southeast. In addition, SPEED TV's Two Guys Garage, which films not far from our offices, is building a Factory Five '33 Hotrod and will unveil it at this event as well. So come on by for some coffee and donuts, a tour of our shop where the magazine "magic" happens, and see the latest and greatest product from Factory Five along with over 50 Factory Five Roadsters displayed before we leave for our cruise. The event officially starts at 10am and we leave for Bradenton, Florida and the annual NMRA Spring Break Shootout at 11am. Bring your cameras and lots of batteries. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for sure! See you there!inline_mediumwraptextright32444238/eventcoverage/mdmp_100301_modified_mustangs_and_fords_open_house_saturday_march_6_2010mdmp_100301_01_modified_mustangs_and_fords_open_house+project_snake_charmer.jpgTrue

If you're dreaming up your next classic Ford project then you've probably gone over a huge range of possibilities in your head. If you've settled on a Mustang for your next undertaking, then deciding which year and model to work on might seem like an easy choice, but is it? The natural inclination would be to build your all-time favorite model, but if your favorite is a '69 Boss 302 (thanks, rub it in Wayne!-Ed.) then initial cost and parts availability can quickly factor into your considerations. If you can afford a genuine Boss Mustang then there is no problem, but if you're like many of us, the cost of these cars has gone out of reach, and so the search is on for something more affordable. What should you buy and build when budget limitations are present? The most common classic Mustang is the '65-'68 coupe. Ford built more of these than any other type. Coupes are a good way to enter the hobby because they are the most numerous and hence cost the least.inline_mediumwraptextrightThis little yellow coupe is a '66 and it shows what can be done starting with a six-cylinder car as a basis. This mildly modified Mustang has a hopped up engine, five-lug wheels, and all the external details looking good. The K-style "high performance" emblem highlights the number 200. The upside to the six-cylinder cars is inexpensive initial cost and economical operation. Parts availability for the inline engine is not nearly as great as for the 289, but there are a small group of die-hard parts companies still supporting them. We think the vinyl top is always a good-looking option on this body style.26632265/techarticles/mdmp_1003_best_mustangs_to_modifymdmp_1003_02_+best_mustangs_to_modify+1966_mustang_coupe.jpgTrue

When Tim Albers began this '70 Mustang project he wanted to create a car that paid homage to the pinnacle of design excellence achieved when Ford introduced the SportsRoof Mustang. The highest incarnation of this car was offered by Ford as the Boss 429 in 1969 and 1970. The cars came equipped with the purpose-built "Blue Crescent" race engine designed specifically with NASCAR in mind. The big Boss cars carried a distinctive hoodscoop and chin spoiler to distinguish it from the others of the breed, but little else by way of embellishment was used or required. The Boss cars were all business and they didn't need a lot of decoration to advertise their special status.inline_mediumwraptextrightAs you can see from this photo Tim didn't waste any time trying to improve on perfection. The body is merely stock excellence. For stance and rolling stock C&S Performance clearly did its homework. Custom wheeltubs were fabricated to keep the wide meats concealed properly inside the fender. We're willing to bet that with the advanced suspension and low aspect ratio rubber this Mustang corners like a slot car.26629484/featuredvehicles/mdmp_1003_1970_mustang_sportsroofmdmp_1003_04_+1970_mustang_sportroof+front_view.jpgTrue

There's no doubt that the economy has seen better days. With double-digit unemployment in many areas of the country, gas prices going up and down like the proverbial see-saw, and many wondering where their 401K has gone too, it's sometimes hard to be upbeat about a hobby-any hobby really. Hobbies cost money, that's the stark white truth, and be it a case of paint for those that play paintball, a box of ammo for the shooting range, or a tank of gas to hit the local cruise night, whatever their hobbies are, you can bet that people across the U.S. are doing them less frequently or are looking for ways to enjoy them more efficiently.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe Las Vegas convention center, while not filled to capacity, still had many exciting new manufacturers and products for us to drool over. Check out the '69 Mustang on display-more on that later.32059533/eventcoverage/mdmp_1003_2009_sema_showmdmp_1003_01_+09_sema_show+las_vegas_convention_center.jpgTrue

When it comes to personalizing one's classic Ford or Mustang, more often than not we see people playing it safe and copying age-old designs like a '66 Shelby G.T. 350 (Lexan quarter-windows, Shelby front valance, and so forth). While we understand these are tried and true designs that are ageless and still look good to this day, it's sometimes a little dejecting to pull into a car show or cruise night and having to park next to your twin. Expressing your individuality in making your Mustang something different by using body parts of your own design, customizing an existing part, or at the least, mixing up styles that complement each other, goes a long way in making your car stand out and getting noticed. Is it easy? No. Is it cheap? No. But, exploring different styling efforts never is.inline_mediumwraptextrightFiberglass work is a dusty, messy job. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation, wear long sleeves, a respirator, gloves, and eye protection. Shown here is our fastback midway through our fiberglass work. Our entire fiberglass came from Mustangs Plus except for our CDC Flashback front fascia.27832924/techarticles/mdmp_1003_fiberglassing_body_partsmdmp_1003_01_+fiberglass_bodywork+fiberglass_work.jpgTrue

Never before have we learned more about engine building and power production than we have with Marvin McAfee and MCE Engines. That said, we're about to learn something refreshing about how to look at how power is made. When we're planning our engine projects, we don't give enough thought to how power is made. In fact, as bench racers, all we can think about is high-rpm, foot-to-the-floor horsepower. However, there's a whole lot more to performance than just horsepower. There's also torque and durability. Torque is your daddy on the street. And without durability, all the horsepower in the world won't help if you scatter engine parts all over the asphalt.inline_mediumwraptextright27830365/techarticles/mdmp_1003_427w_raptor_engine_buildupmdmp_1003_02_+427w_raptor_engine+ford_racing_block.jpgTrue

Colors Of The Rainbow?
Mustang Boss 429s came in limited colors in both model years of production. Interestingly, there was no overlap from one year to the next.inline_mediumwraptextright26882852/featuredvehicles/1964_1973_mustang/mdmp_1002_fords_boss_429_mustang_exclusive_photosmdmp_100200_boss_23+ford_boss_mustang+dave_lyall.jpgTrue

At the heart of most great automobiles, lies a great engine. The two simply go together like bread and butter-neither being complete on their own, but perfectly complementing each other when offered in tandem. It could even be said that a beautiful body which lacks a compelling powerplant is easily doomed, while conversely, the right engine can turn a turd into legend-witness certain Chrysler Max Wedge and Hemi cars. Ford has a rich history of building quality V-8 engines, most of which have a high-performance variant that left a mark on history-or at least on a group of enthusiasts who call it their own. Here, we present 10 of them; what we believe to arguably be the most significant production V-8s in Ford history.

Classic Ford Safety Upgrades
It's truly a great thing that so many advances have been made in vehicle safety since the '60s. Quantum improvements have been realized in many areas with energy absorbing vehicle structure, three-point seatbelts and air bags being just a few examples. One thing that hasn't changed is the fact that seatbelts are still your first and best line of defense against injury in the event of an accident and your classic Ford car should already be equipped with those. However, beyond seatbelts there are many things you can do to make your classic Mustang or other special interest Ford safer to travel in.

Jay and Jeff Page's '63 Falcon Squire Wagon
In the ancient sport of Falconry, the chicks are taken from their nest at birth and trained to hunt down smaller birds, then leave them unmolested before they head back to perch on their respected master's leather glove. Falconry is illegal in the U.S. though, so it isn't the most popular pastime. Ford Falcons on the other hand, at least judging by the reaction to this car on the street and at shows, are immensely popular. Although a lot of the popularity of this model may be attributed to what's been done to it after Jay C. Page and his son got a hold of it. "I wanted to do a restomod on the car," said the elder Page. "But my son, Jeff, who built the car, wanted to do a custom pro-touring car. We talked about it until we found the 427 IR Roush engine and it's all history from there."inline_mediumwraptextright27826867/featuredvehicles/falcon/mdmp_1003_1963_falcon_squire_wagonmdmp_1003_04_+1963_falcon_squire_wagon+cruising.jpgTrue

Art and Debra Andrew's '67 Mustang Eleanor Replica
It's been awhile since Nicholas Cage starred in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds and nobody was surprised when he wasn't nominated for an award by the Motion Picture Academy. The truth is that the real star of the movie was the "Eleanor" Mustang he drove in the film, and it is this car that has endured in the minds of movie goers and Mustang lovers everywhere. Although we've seen many Eleanor replicas in our day here at Modified Mustangs & Fords, we're always struck with how good the Eleanor cars look and how well these modifications have withstood the test of time. While they may not be loved by some of the diehard Mustang fans, we can't fault the design for bringing many people into our hobby and many new parts to vendor's shelves.inline_mediumwraptextright26627696/featuredvehicles/mdmp_1003_1967_mustang_eleanor_replicamdmp_1003_01_+1967_mustang_eleanor_replica+art_andrew.jpgTrue

Alternative Project Possibilities
Alternative Classic Ford Projects

Welding Equipment Guide
Basic Welding Overview

Back in the '60s, we were hell-bent for wide-open spaces. We liked big cars, enormous houses, vast acreage--even jumbo jets. We also liked our engines huge. Much of it began with the natural excesses of the '50s. We came out winners in World War II in two theaters. The world looked up to us in so many respects. We had a huge ego to feed. Beginning in the late '50s, American automobiles took on steel--lots of steel. They took on iron, too, in a heated quest for cubic inches.inline_mediumwraptextright27985360/featuredvehicles/galaxie/mufp_9806_66_galaxie_500_convertiblemufp_9806_01+1966_ford_galaxie_500_convertible+.jpgTrue