Mustang owners are a rare breed. Where most people research emissions, safety equipment, and residual value when buying a new car, Mustang owners need look no further than under the hood.
One of the most appealing characteristics of this particular Mustang, however, was that the original owner purchased a seven-year Ford factory warranty. Clearly he had planned on keeping the car for some time, but after starting a family with his girlfriend, he was forced to trade in his beloved car out of familial necessity.
Although having the peace of mind of a full warranty was no doubt one of the selling features, this meant a limited amount of modifications could be made to the car without voiding that documented reassurance. Of course, while that immediately ruled out any supercharging potential or intrusive mods that would add some serious punch to this Pony, there were other options available to squeeze out a few horses here and there.
The proud owner of this 40th Anniversary Mustang GT convertible, Dustin Woods, begins by confessing that he had not originally intended on buying a Mustang at all. "I grew up in a General Motors family," he says. "My dad has owned Suburbans as long as I've been alive, my mom has always driven a Buick, and my sister a Pontiac. I just figured I would buy a Camaro or Trans Am when I was old enough to afford one."
A combination of factors drove Woods to the decision to step away from his family affiliation with the General. "First off, GM discontinued production of the F-body back in 2002. Despite getting better engines and improved performance through the '90s, frankly I thought the last two generations were hideous." When the time came to put his money where his mouth was, Woods surprised his friends, family, and neighbors by pulling into the driveway with this Charcoal Gray Mustang. "She caught my eye as I drove past the Ford dealership," he says, "so I decided to go for a test drive. As soon as I cranked her over and heard that rumble, I fell in love instantly."
SG Motorsports' Sasha Anis...
SG Motorsports' Sasha Anis (right), along with his sidekick Chad, loosened the existing clamps, hangers, and bolts using an impact gun.
Once the connection to the...
Once the connection to the H-pipe is disconnected and all hangers are removed from their rubber isolators, the old system, which is welded, is lowered until it rests on the axlehousing.
To save the time of disconnecting...
To save the time of disconnecting the rear shocks, springs, and tires in order to remove the welded pipes as one piece, most people simply cut the system in two. Chad made the cut just after the muffler assembly as Anis and Woods held the system at either end. Simply repeat these steps for the other side.
With the old system out of...
With the old system out of the way, inspect all rubber isolators and metal hangers for damage, and repair or replace as necessary before beginning the installation of the new system.
After dropping out the old...
After dropping out the old system and getting it out of the way, we unpacked the aircraft-quality T-304 stainless steel system from Borla. Visually, the difference is night and day between the old and new systems. The mufflers and stainless steel pipes looked great, but the gleaming chrome tips will be what people will be looking at most often.
The Borla system uses the...
The Borla system uses the original hardware, which involved some serious cajoling to work loose.
The flared front pipe and...
The flared front pipe and flange assemblies were placed into position and tightened by hand. A clamp was then placed over the expanded end of the muffler assembly to hold them in place before hangers were placed into the existing rubber brackets.
The muffler hangers were negotiated...
The muffler hangers were negotiated into the rubber isolators.
A clamp was placed over the...
A clamp was placed over the expanded end of the tailpipe assembly, before the tailpipe itself was installed onto the end of the over axle pipe and into the exhaust tip's rubber isolator.