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Editor's note: This is part of a new series at KSL.com, Utah Cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semi trucks — email crosenlof@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration.SYRACUSE — Steven Williams' infatuation with his 2011 Ford Mustang GT was born out of placation rather than lust. His wife insisted they take a test drive in the relatively-new Mustang.
"I was never into Mustangs, unless it was a Cobra or a Shelby, but my wife wanted to test drive one" Williams said. "I was so blown away by how nice the car felt during the test drive, I just had to have one."
Williams was no stranger to muscle cars, having previously owned serval different generations of Camaros. In some circles, the switch to Mustangs would have been considered blasphemy — Williams, a heretic.
But Williams said he doesn't regret the decision and wasted no time making sure the Mustang would devour anyone, and anything, who might have a problem with his change of heart.
The 5-liter pony is sporting a Vortech V3 centrifugal supercharger, huffing 8 psi of forced-inducted goodness through the stock-internal motor. The intake manifold, cannibalized from a Boss 302, and a cold air intake from JLT insure the mill is readily supplied with atmosphere.
To ensure that all that air has somewhere to go after it's burned, the exhaust has been relieved of its catalytic converters utilizing an off-road X-pipe. The Mustang's snarl is regulated by a pair of mufflers off a Mustang GT500. Williams described the ensuing ruckus as "not too loud, just perfect."
A John Lund Racing tune ensures that the computer manages air-fuel mixture and timing events correctly — not an easy task on an engine that is producing north of 600 horsepower at the wheels.
A set of Eibach Sportline lowering springs virtually eliminated the Mustang's body roll and, as an added bonus, produced a menacing stance.
Modern Muscle Design wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber do their best to maintain adhesion with the tarmac and translate the Mustang's considerable power into forward momentum, or more likely, smoke.
A custom graphics kit courtesy of Amerigraphics, a Layton-based shop, finishes off the intimidating appearance.
Williams said the car is far from done, with the next round of modifications to focus on strengthening the drivetrain and improving the suspension to handle all that added power.
The car sees occasional autocross duty and can frequently be caught at show-n-shines across the state, alongside his wife's 2011 Mustang GT—yes, they have two.
While matching Mustangs may or may not be the secret to marital bliss, one thing is for sure, he's happy he listened to his wife that day.
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Ogden business owner Wade Schofield showcases his auto customizing in a Chevy pickup.Chase Christensen is a wildly successful bench racer who believes life is better with regular oil changes. Follow him on Twitter at @ChaseChris8.
