Quality, not quantity

Usually by mid-July I have already participated in a lot of shows, suffered from heat exhaustion every weekend, and spend more time with my car than with Susan or my family. I promised myself that this year would be different. Including the NTMC Cruise last Saturday, I've gone to five shows this year - Palestine, three NTMC Cruises and a SVT Cruise - and with the exception of Palestine (where no one from NTMC wins) I've taken awards every time. SVT was a Class Award, the other three are First Place/Class Winner. Better than that though, I've spent some wonderful quality time with Susan. We will be celebrating our 15th anniversary this year. She's more important to me than this hobby. So, you haven't seen me posting much and the above is why. There are additional changes on the way. I just placed an order for some MGP Caliper Covers in Vista Blue. They will have my custom touch added of course so I'll add pictures when they come in. I was going to order a shifter from GrabberPony.com but they don't seem to respond to emails or voicemails. Not sure I want to throw money that way if I can't feel confident in who I'm working with. I have some other ideas though to do instead. Until then! Reba

Hey Everybody!

Sorry for the lapse in posting...  :)

The season is well underway and the temps are already in the 100's.  You really have to love this hobby to do car shows in that kind of heat.  Really.  (Right Justin?)  :)

Last off-season I went more of the "Go" route than the "Show" route by converting to Pypes True Duals with X Pipe, adding Pypes headers and a SCT Tuner with Bama Tunes.  I'm now running the 93 Octane Race tune and although it is more expensive when I fill up I must say I truly enjoy the difference in performance.  I still have a few "wish list" items to add in the Go department but remember, I have already replaced the coil with a Screamin' Demon racing coil, added Live Wires and the Air Raid CAI.  I would like to add a BBK Throttle body, larger MAF and maybe replace the CAI with something else... a BBK unit maybe?

On the "Show" side,  I decided to add my iPad to my Mustang's stereo setup... granted, it had to be removable as well as look like it belonged there...   After a lot of searching and pondering, I settled on PadHoldr and the vehicle specific kit for the 05-09 Mustang.  Of course, I purchased chrome. :)

I still have a few things left on my To Do list but I'm kinda running low on steam lately.   I don't know.

More later.
Reba

Hanging out

It's a good day to hang out with the clubbies at Palestine!!

Lots of changes... :)

I need to post soon... I've made a few changes to the car and taken in it a different direction than I have previously.  This year is going to be a blast!

Pypes

I had a problem with the mufflers on the Pypes True Duals conversion kit. The kit includes Pypes StreetPro mufflers and I love the sound but the tip on the left muffler was welded on wrong. Instead of being properly lined up it was rotated to the left and the S of the Pypes logo was the only part of the logo that was centered. Problem was I was outside my 30 day window with American Muscle... I snapped some photos and sent off an email to Pypes and another to American Muscle. Pypes was very easy to work with and they are shipping out a new muffler! Yeah! I have some ideas for the new season and it's banging around in my head so loudly that it's drowning out just about everything else. No hints yet other that it should turn heads. :) Time for bed. G'night Reba

Here we go again....

Here it is... the off season. Football playoffs. Superbowl. Getting excited about Palestine in March which, all things considered, is like the show season kickoff for NTMC... and another visit to Arlington Orthopedics.  Yeah me. 

So, next week I have appointments for a MRI, a ENG and a "Let's discuss the results".  The issues I'm experiencing are no where near what was going on before but we have a 50/50 chance of it not being news I want to hear.  Either way, it is not in my hands so I'm not stressing over it.  I only bring it up because this always happens at the beginning of show season... or the early part of it anyway. :) 

We start 2011's season with only minor changes cosmetically and a couple changes that were more performance based.  I've finished out the center stack and dash, added a StreetFighter shifter (told you I it was on the Hot List), added an Optima battery, a custom tray for said battery, and converted the car to true duals with an x-pipe.   When you walk up to the car and look at it you don't really notice that I've made many changes.  I do have a couple exterior ideas that keep lingering in my head as well as more performance items and changes to the interor leather...  and it is Tax-Refund-Time... :)  (Just kidding honey!)

I do have a couple of things I may add before the season starts... Just need to work it out mentally first.  When I do, this blog will see it first!

Pypes X Pipe True Dual Exhaust w/Pypes ProStreet Mufflers

Here is a sound clip/video of the new exhaust. :)

Optima Tray install

I received the battery tray today and it was more beautiful in person.  Needless to say I installed it immediately! Here are the pictures I took as I was installing it.

I love the off season....

I love the off-season.  I really do.  Probably more than I do the show season.  This is the time of the year when I make all the little changes and improvements to Trinity that I've been thinking of throughout the year or, as in the duals and the shifter, that were on my "Wish List". 

One improvement that was more of a necessity than a "want" was the Optima battery.  With my short commute time and high drain electronics I've managed to kill another battery so it was time to upgrade to something better suited to my needs.  Problem with that is that the Optima battery best for the job is Yellow... and the car isn't.  So I bought a tray to cover it up and it was beautiful but it didn't work for my application so I had to return it.  I kept looking though.

Patience always pays off especially in customization.  OptimaTrays.com is wonderful to work with and together we designed a tray that is unique to my car and will cover that Yellow Top wonderfully.  It will also work well with the brushed aluminum caps I have under the hood with a nod to the flames on the plenum cover and the grille pony.  I received an email today that it is finished and I should have it in hand by Christmas Eve.  I'm very excited!  Benjamin Barch of Barch Designs (http://www.optimatrays.com/) created the tray and was kind enough to send me a couple pictures. 

I'll be sure to post more once I have it installed. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

A big shout out to Gear Heads for the great install on Friday!!

Gear Heads Performance in Arlington TX gave me a great deal and great service on the install of my Pypes True Dual X Pipe conversion with Pypes Street Pro Mufflers.  They also installed my TCI StreetFighter Ratchet Shifter on the same day.  What a difference in sound feel and performance!  Thank you so much guys for getting to it so quickly.  I'm still waiting for the dealership's aftermarket guy to call me with a quote! 

Thanks again!
Reba

Shelby Kicker Upgrade for Ford Mustang Shaker 500

This one has explicit language... but it's a good song to show off the Shelby Kicker Upgrade package for the Mustang Shaker systems.

Light display

Good weekend...

Friday night I hung out at the Nostalgia Nights show (I-20 and Little Road, Arlington). I didn't go out there with anyone but Tara came out and Donnie and Sonya dropped by. I'm learning that, outside of my home life, I'm pretty much satisfied with being alone.
I enjoyed Tara's company and the fact that Donnie and Sonya dropped by but I would have enjoyed my time alone. Saturday I did more of the same. Knights of Columbus charity Car Show at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Saw a friendly face there and made a couple new friends. Nice to see different cars for a change of pace. Then the NTMC Cruise at the Cracker Barrel at 4 that afternoon. All my club friends, good laughs, a class award then dinner with the gang before heading home. Only one more cruise left in the season and then the holidays will be here. Soon it will be time to begin work on the off-season mods and changes for next season. I'm actually excited about that. :)

New website design!

Hope you like the new site design.  I've enjoyed sprucing up the place. 

I'm still working on the brakes but I got sidelined with Susan's Mustang this week.  We haven't driven it since her operation on 6/28/10 and consequently the battery gave out on us.  100+ temperatures will do that to a nearly 4 year old battery anyway then add in the fact it wasn't getting recharged daily... Well, yeah, it was D.E.A.D.   We couldn't even unlock the doors or move it into neutral.  Nothing. 

I borrowed Donnie's charger and we left it on the car overnight.  This morning it showed that we had a full charge.  Pulled the charger off and she started up without any problems at all.  I will test it again tonight and it it shows any signs of degradation I'll put it back on the charger (on trickle per Donnie) and start looking for a decent replacement.   I'm praying that won't happen because with Susan out for medical and on no-pay status we really didn't budget for a new battery. :)

Oh well, we will do what we have to do and smile, thankful for what we have and the blessings we have been given.

Until later!
Reba

Contact from Hawk!

Hawk Performance has contacted me and it was a very wonderful conversation.  I will follow the instructions provided and follow up as requested.   I do still want to hear from others with these pads though. 

- Reba

Hawk Performance Ceramic brake pads

Anyone out there have Hawk Performance Ceramic brake pads? The ones that come in the yellow and black box?  If so, how are they working out for you?  I have some concerns that I have voiced to Hawk and I'm awaiting a reply.  I just wanted some unbiased feedback from other consumers.  Let me hear your stories.  I can't go into details of mine just yet as 1) I don't want to influence what you tell me and 2) I want to give Hawk the opportunity to reply to me.  That seems to me to be the correct and fair way to conduct business with any vendor.  Right?

I have some new photos to add... I'll try to post those soon!

- Reba

Trinity got new shoes!

I purchased the car on 6/19/2006 and four years to the day I replaced the original tires.  (Hard to believe its been 4 Years!) I had taken the car to NTB to have them rotated and balanced but they wouldn't touch them.  They stated they (NTB) had a policy that kept them from rotating tires with the wear bars showing.  Well... crap.

 

I knew I needed tires but I was stalling as long as I could.  The car had just over 25500 miles when I arrived at Discount Tire on 6/19/2010 and purchased a set of the Riken Raptors.  Donnie's wife Sonya has these on her Mustang and they looked really nice plus the price was reasonable.  About an hour later my car was ready with new tires which they took the time to "show mount" on my request. They look SWEET!  And the ride is awesome.  Of course, I still have to break them in a bit.  :)

 

Also, Susan found this steering wheel cover and ends up it goes pretty well with the interior.  :)  I like it!

 

Here are the pictures!

Side Scoops by DG Custom Auto

Back on May 15th I took the car over to Jeff Holland at Autograph Sign Shoppe and we pulled the side stripes off the car and made some significant appearance changes.  Once that was completed I spent a day or so trying to determine what the sides "needed" and kept coming back to side scoops.  So... on May 17th I purchased some from DG Custom Auto, Inc..  They arrived on Monday, May 24th, just after 'the paint incident', and just in time to be put on before I put the wax back on.

When I first ordered these I had indicated my color code, G9, and that I needed them in time for an event in early June.  Craig at DG Custom Auto, Inc. replied letting me know that they did not have any of the scoops in my color in stock but they were at paint and were expected in by the following week.  I know that I can be persistent and, to some vendors, a bit of a pain in the rear but my frequent checking in for status didn't seem to upset Craig.  If anything, he put a rush on getting them here... The scoops shipped on Friday, 5/21/10, and they were here by Monday, 5/24/10.

Installation is very straightforward and instructions are provided.  I was surprised to see the 3M promoter supplied.  Very pleasantly surprised!  I didn't get that with some of the other pieces I have on the car and really wish those manufacturers had the forethought to provide it.  I digress...

We aligned the scoops to the car - both sides - to ensure we knew where they would go.  We then broke the seal on the 3M Promoter and quickly applied a light coat where the 3M tape would be applied.  We waited 5 minutes then began the process of applying the scoops.

We pulled a little of each 3M tape back to form a "pull tab" and then carefully seated the top corner by the door making sure that the bottom corner (by the door) stayed aligned.  We then pressed the scoop to the car gently while pulling the red 3M tape backing from under the scoop.   Once all of the backing was removed we pressed firmly on all edges of the scoop, checked to make sure we had a good seal then stepped back to check our work.  Looked AWESOME!  Then we repeated the process on the other side.  The pictures below are of the scoops when I first opened the box, after the first was installed, and then the next morning in full light.

I think they complement the car very well.  :)

Thank you again DG Custom Auto, Inc.!!

- Reba

Paint...

Happy Memorial Day!

Time to catch up.  Last post was on Thursday, May 20th.  On Friday, May 21st, Susan and I met some of my high school friends for happy hour at a pub on the north side of town.  We had some laughs, some drinks, took some pictures and then headed out.  When we got to the car the whole back end was covered in bird droppings.  This should have been a sign for how the rest of the weekend would be... but I digress...

We arrived home and despite the late hour I proceeded to wash the Mustang.  I also washed Susan's.  Heck, it was sitting right there and getting wet too so I figured why not surprise her with a clean car? (She loved it by the way).  So, a couple beers later, jeans and t-shirt soaked through and through, I finished both cars and headed to bed.

A few hours later I was up and getting ready for my niece's wedding.  Showered, dressed and with all my gear in hand (camera? check) I headed out the door to Meadowbrook Park, the site of the reception, to help with set up and to get some pictures before the wedding.  (Yes, I am getting to the point.)

When I got there I noticed, and then mentally dismissed, the painters working on some park structures in the parking lot.  I parked and went to help out.  When I returned to my car a hour later all was well.  We went to and then returned from the wedding.  I parked a little closer this time to the painters... opting for a location that was not under a tree.  From the painters there were two handicap spaces, an empty space, then me.  Again my brain did not grasp the plastic sheeting, smell of paint and anxious look on the painters' faces.  When I returned to my car several hours later they were watching me and I quickly noticed the paint all over my car.  And I mean all over it.  Glass. Trim. All Panels. The painters came over and were looking at it with me.  I could see fingerprints on the car so it appeared they had already been there.  Anyway, the dots would move so we figured they would come off.   This was on Saturday, at 2:00 PM.

At 2:30, when I got it to my Mom's and we looked at it closer, it looked like dust and felt like a combination of tree sap and sandpaper... and it wasn't coming off... this is where the panic set in.  It is also the beginning of a saga and process that did not end until I was back home and wiping it down in my driveway at 2:10 AM on Monday morning.

I won't bore you with the blow by blow details. This post is long enough as it is.  However,  I can say now that I have learned that clay bar and Windex will get overspray off a car.  The car was also buffed and polished.  (Thank you Tara and David Gowin!) When we were done it felt like glass.  In the morning light it positively glowed.  Luckily I had Monday off so the early morning hours didn't hurt as much but Susan did have an appointment that morning that I took her to.  I also received my scoops on Monday afternoon (details to follow in a separate post) which were applied before I put down the first coat of Meguiar's Tech 2 wax that evening. Tuesday evening I followed up with the second coat.  I still need to put a couple more on there to protect the paint but I feel better about it being protected from the elements.

There is still overspray on the trim (like the black areas around the side mirrors, window trim, etc) and around the newly installed decals on the windows.  I am still working on how to get that off.  The window decals may have to be removed, the paint scraped off with a razor blade (which is how it was removed from all the other glass) and then re-applied.  That's a lot to re-do though.

So, anyway, it was nearly a disaster... there's still plenty to fix before Yellow Rose... but it wasn't a total loss.

Edit 6/1/10: Photos are below.

Added a little extra touch to the engine...

The 2006 V6 Mustang has a SOHC 4.0L engine capable of 210 HP from the factory.  Today, most engine sizes are given in liters instead of cubic inches however we all want to know what that magical number is.  You see, cubic inches translates to the size of the engine and that, to us gear heads, means power and speed.  Think Boss 351, Boss 302, Boss 429 or the Roush 427.  Those numbers are referring to the cubic inch of the engines.  The larger the number the larger the engine. 
      

"In the world of drag racing - "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches" - meaning, that the bigger an engine, the more power you can make."

To get technical about it,
    

"the cubic inch of a motor is usually a reference to the size of the motor. Technically, it is the sum of the volumetric displacement of the pistons as the engine makes one complete rotation."    

So, yeah, we all want to know our magical number.... the CI or Cubic Inch. 
   

The V6 Mustang that I have has the 4.0L engine which translates to 245ci.  Its not a Boss 302 of course, but its not bad.  What is all this leading to?  I added something to the engine bay yesterday and, without an explanation to those who are not gear heads, you would walk away confused.  :)
    

Here are the 2006 Mustang specifications - V6 and V8:

	sohc V61	sohc V82
Size, liters/cu. in.	4.0/245	4.6/281
Horsepower @ rpm.	210 @ 5250	300 @ 5750
Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	240 @ 3500	320 @ 4500
Availability	Standard	Standard
EPA City / highway mpg
5-speed manual	19/28	17/25
5-speed automatic	19/25	17/23
1. Base models. 2. GT models.
Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

This is what I added:

These are badges made by Autobadges.com.  I have one on each side of the engine on the valve covers.  I'm a little worried that they may not stand up to the engine heat but they seemed to do okay this morning.  We'll see how they are after I drive to Irving or Lewisville.  :)
    

Here are some pictures taken after I put them on.  Let me know what you think!
 
- Reba