The British have certain ways of building cars, and whilst I am personally a big fan of the mighty Austin Allegro, there is a certain jenesequa about a Muscle Car.. They have that allure about them. Charming yet vicious, with enough power under the ‘hood’ to make even the coldest hearted old Englishman smile. It’s a feeling that we’ve never been able to quite capture over here, but some would say that’s the product of environment. Our cars are built for thrashing down farm tracks and sliding around (definitely private) housing estates, whilst the American’s build their automobiles for cruising down ol’ Route 66 with the cruise control set and the V8 purring away.
The Ford Mustang is potentially one of the most iconic cars ever built. Whether you’re talking about the GT Fastback in 1968’s “BULLITT“, the Eleanor in 2000’s “GONE IN 60 SECONDS” or even the Mach 1 driven by James Bond in 1971’s “DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER“. To Sean however, this car is a lot more precious than the aforementioned gemstone; the Ford Mustang is his piece of home that he’s brought over the UK with him. So without any further ado, here is Sean with our September Re:Fuel Ride… his S550 Mustang!
In a country known for its various European Supercars and JDM builds I felt what better way to
introduce myself to the UK car scene than picking up a 2017 Pre-Facelift Gen 2 Ford Mustang GT
(American Muscle). Why is that you might ask?
I am an American Expat that has been in the country for going on five years now and the most
common question I get asked is “What do you miss about America the most?” The response has
always been the same “I miss the Muscle Cars”. I believe a person’s car tells a story about its
owner and as I like to put it… a blank canvas to show the world what best describes you as a
person.
So why did I choose this particular vehicle? When I was searching for a Mustang this popped up and the first thing that ran through my mind was It’s a modern day Eleanor …. So I knew it was the one for me and it had a good baseline to build off of in way of a Maxton Body Kit already fitted. Which brings us to “THE BUILD”
I grew up around the racing scene in the states working on cars from Drag Racing to Oval Track Stock Car so I wanted to build something different that I haven’t experienced. So I reached out to a very good friend of mine Adam (Owner of LMD Automotive in Trowbridge) and together we came up with a plan to build a car that is subtle in its appearance but could handle twisty roads (road racing or circuit racing) and just be a Naturally Aspirated Monster! And to make things harder I wanted to do it in such a way that was unique and different from everyone else that owns a mustang in the UK, a proper 1 of 1 design and build. So we went to work!
Adam and I covered the foundation of the build (Suspension and Supporting upgrades) so the car could handle the power that was being thrown at it. To name a few, things like KW Suspension V3 fully adjustable coil-overs, BMR frame supports and a BMR stop the hop kit. We then had to advise a plan to stop the car so we went with Drilled and Slotted rotors all 4 corners with Powerstop Z23 performance pads. Lastly the car was given a Fast Road Geometry setup.
Now for the fun stuff “THE POWER” I reached out to the team at Motorsports and Performance and together we come a with a plan for what is known as a Stage 4 NA build on a Pre-face Mustang. What does this intel? A GT350 intake manifold, throttle body, and we upgraded to a JLT CAI along with BMR adjustable motor mounts to make room for X-Force Longtube Headers and High Flow Cats.
I wanted to shoot for the most powerful NA 15-17yr model mustang in the country .. DID WE DO IT? 443rwhp 367ftq on 99 pump gas!
So would I recommend a Mustang as a reliable source of transportation in the UK? The easy answer is YES! When you factor in the numerous possibilities for building a Mustang as your own and having a car capable of being built up to 1000hp but still be reliable and capable of daily use then why wouldn’t you want one? These cars can compete with the likes of some of Europe’s more prestigious cars at a fraction of the cost. And lets be honest they get lots of attention from the public.
If my story interests you and you would like to see the “Silver Bullet “ in person and/or ask questions about my build I am a member of SIMPLY MUSTANGS UK, and we are a regular attending club at Refuel Cars and Coffee in Cullompton.
We love the atmosphere and community that is Re:Fuel and I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity to tell my story.
Car Facts:
Make: FORD
Model: Mustang GT (Pre-Facelift)
Year: 2017
Engine: 5.0 Coyote Gen 2
BHP: 520 (443rwhp)
TORQUE: 422 (367rwtq)
Top Speed: 160mph
0-62 TIME: 4.8 (stock)