Inline Is Real Fine - Part 1 In A Three-Part Series

Building For Power
Many of us put the cart before the horse with our car projects. We build powerful engines and plunk them into vehicles with lame brakes and suspension. A good rule of thumb is to build a car that's ready for horsepower and torque. This is what Winterboer had in mind when he came to us with his '69 SportsRoof. What does it take to build a hot six-cylinder Mustang that's safe and reliable?

OpenTracker Racing Products control arms

Adjustable sway bars fore and aft from Stam Bar

Edelbrock gas shocks from Mustangs Plus

Adjustable Global West strut rods from Mustangs Plus

Grab-A-Trak 620 coils from Mustangs Plus

Five-leaf mid-eye Grab-A-Trak leaf springs from Mustangs Plus

Power rack-and-pinion steering from The Mustang Shop

Subframe connectors from The Mustang Shop

Baer disc brakes in all four corners

American Racing Torq-Thrust D five-spoke wheels

Yokohama radials from Discount Tire

Grant steering wheel

Maaco Screaming Yellow single-stage budget paint job

Mach 1 hoodscoop

This is how we began a terrific turbo-six Mustang special from Classic Inlines and The Mustang Shop. Winterboer hauled the decrepit SportsRoof to Maaco in Phoenix for budget bodywork and paint. The car turned out better than we ever imagined. With tacky paint and masking tape hanging from the body, Winterboer hauled the car to The Mustang Shop in Phoenix for special preparation.

No street/track Mustang ride... read full caption No street/track Mustang ride should be without an adjustable Stam Bar sway-bar system. Adjust it for hard cornering or tweak it down for street use. Urethane bushings make it a super-tough antiroll system for any condition. This is one of the best sway-bar systems we've ever installed.	Because factory Mustang strut... read full caption Because factory Mustang strut rods are prone to failure under harsh conditions with urethane bushings, we suggest the articulating Global West strut rod from Mustangs Plus. Have your front-end alignment guy adjust these, and watch what happens in the twisties. You'll feel the difference even on the street.	To improve structural integrity,... read full caption To improve structural integrity, Winterboer chose MPG Head Service's shock-tower brace kit, which is an easy bolt-in once engine installation is complete. Fitted with adjustable Heim joints, you don't need a Port-A-Power to install this kit.
The Mustang Shop installed... read full caption The Mustang Shop installed our power rack-and-pinion steering in about two hours, with no leaks and nothing getting in the way.	Power-steering hoses route... read full caption Power-steering hoses route easily to a Ford or aftermarket pump. An adjustable steering shaft installs with minor modifications.	We received five-leaf mid-eye... read full caption We received five-leaf mid-eye Grab-A-Trak springs from Mustangs Plus. Because Winterboer wanted lower ride height, he installed 1-inch lowering blocks.

Turbocharged Six Cylinder Mustang Mike Winterboer

Meet Mr. Inline
Winterboer began his passion for inline buzz saws in the Blue Oval camp, teaching us how to build and enjoy hot small and large Ford sixes. His hobby became a business recently when he turned Classic Inlines into a full-time operation. There's plenty available for those who'd rather build a hot inline six. What's more, Winterboer has plans for the rest of Detroit, with performance goodies available for Chrysler, Chevrolet, and even American Motors. Expect to see more in Mustang & Fords.

Built For Durability
When we discussed the rear axle, Winterboer had to do a lot of thinking about what he wanted from his Mustang. We talked about building a strong 9-inch rearend. The discussion then led to cost. Winterboer was interested in both speed and cost. To build an entire 9-inch Ford rear wouldn't happen quickly. He needed a strong differential quickly-overnight. We called Randy's Ring & Pinion and asked if they had an 8-inch limited-slip with 3.55 cogs. This is a blueprinted piece that arrived ready for installation with all hardware and gaskets.