Transformation...

The really cool part of the show season ending is the getting ready for next year.  Trying to figure out what you want to do next.  We all know that modifying these cars, performance wise or cosmetically, is never done.  We always have a Wishlist and ideas of really cool things we can do to our cars.  Funny thing is watching how competitive we get.  How we want to be the first one in our group or club to have thought of something or to have purchased/installed something.  :)  I am definitely guilty of that one.  I get so excited about what I'm doing that I want everyone else to be just as excited.  I guess that is why I have this blog.  So I can gush my excitement and Mustang devotion to the black hole of the Internet in hope that someone out there will read it and share my obsession.

Having to sit out the 2009 season was very hard... not being able to clean or detail my car made it even worse.  I was able to actually hand wash it recently for the first time since June and was so ecstatic.  I still have to determine if I can handle the detail work...  Detailing these cars for shows can take all day if done right.  If it is a really big show like Yellow Rose preparation starts the day after the show ends... Seriously.

Susan and I will be going on the Palestine Road Trip and to the Palestine car show.  This will be my, and the Mustang's, first outing since May 2009.  I've been working to transform her into something 'different' than everyone remembers from May.  I've been transformed during this time and I want the car to reflect that.

I recently posted that I removed the honeycomb panel from the back of the Mustang.  This was NOT EASY but was very rewarding when it finally came off.  It was one of the first things I added three years ago.  I also removed the black tail light trim and the black honeycomb vinyl overlay film from the tail lights.  All that black just didn't look right with the chrome, brushed aluminum and blue.

Of course, you know I wouldn't make a move like that without having a plan as to what I wanted to replace it with.  Yesterday my order from AmericanMuscle.com came in... a kit consisting of the tail light trim, third light trim and side marker trim - all chrome - made by Stack Racing.

• Mustang Taillight Trim - Chrome (Stack Racing)
• Mustang Third Brake Light Trim - Chrome (Stack Racing)
• Mustang Quarter Light Trim - Chrome (Stack Racing)

More pictures to follow once I actually get the opportunity to take some good ones.   I also received the majority of my order from V6MustangStuff.com.  :)
There is one item on back order and another being drop shipped directly from UPR Products but the rest arrived yesterday and promptly installed yesterday afternoon.

The following pictures show these items installed...

• Upper Center Button Highlights - Chrome (Action Artistry)
• Shoulder Belt Mount Accent - Brushed Aluminum (Scott Drake)
• Wiper Accents - Chrome (Action Artistry
• Windshield Washer Nozzle Covers - Brushed Aluminum (Scott Drake)

I love how the Windshield Washer Nozzle Covers blend into the stripes!!  Exactly what I was wanting! To get rid of those black nozzles sticking out of the silver stripes!!

Profile shot... now the headlights blend in with the clear corners, clear side markers, wheels, side stripe, etc.... it just flows...

The items I am waiting for are:

• Billet Lock Switch Covers - Polished (UPR)
• Side Air Vent Covers - Chrome (Action Artistry)

I have other items on the "to be added list"... Stay tuned!

- Reba

No more honeycomb...

Decided that the front of the car no longer matched up with the rear honeycomb.  The billet grilles, chrome bucket headlights, clear corners and clear side lights just didn't work with the honeycomb panel, black tail light trim and honey comb overlay.  So... I remove them today.  What do you think?

On the way home last night I found a little place with a nice background and some good lighting and yet still dark enough to let the blue lights show... and proceeded to take pictures and make a video for YouTube.

Here's a picture and the video:

Pictures as promised...

Here are some pictures I took this morning.  I forgot how good she looked when she is this clean.   Enjoy!

Progress!!

I washed the Mustang today!!! Hand washed it and wiped it down! I even detailed it a bit. Granted, I didn't go all out like I used to, but this is the FIRST TIME I've washed it since the fusion surgery on 6/8/09! I'm not in pain but I will definitely be sore tomorrow.... I can feel that already...


I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow on my way to work if I'm not running behind.  :)  Good night everyone!

Lower Billet Grille installed!

Hey out there!

On my last report I didn't quite have that lower billet grille installed... Well, apparently it doesn't work on the Pony Package lower bumper insert. The vendor stated this but the manufacturer said it work work. Silly me, I trusted the manufacturer. Well, we tried to make it work without altering it, the pieces it came with or the car and then put it back in the box and contacted the manufacturer. They were really nice and quick to respond. Pictures were sent and I never heard from them again even though I've sent follow up e-mails.

So... I figured what I needed to make it work was the bumper insert of a Non-Pony Package V6. I almost convinced a friend of mine to trade but he wasn't having anything to do with it. He has an all black mustang with blacked out lights front and rear, GT honeycomb grille, SHR honeycomb tail light panel... you sense a theme? You can't blame a girl for asking right? :) Well, turns out the insert was easy enough to find online and very reasonable. Once I received the insert it didn't take but 5-10 minutes to uninstall my insert and put the new one in place. The grille took a bit longer but I am pleased to report that it is, in fact, installed.  Here is an updated picture:

I have a few more things that I want to change... okay, more than a few... but there are some that are on the top of my list for now that I hope will be in place by the time the show season kicks off in earnest.  I won't spoil the surprise... :)

Other than that... I'm anxious to get the X-Ray done that will show the state of my fusion... Anxious to get back to being more active... Anxious to start showing my car again....

Thank you everyone who has come by this blog and made the trip from everyday driver in 2006 to Show Car/Daily Driver today.  Someday I hope to retire her to "Occasional Driver" status but I have to pay down on her some (a lot) before we get there.

Talk to everyone soon and, if you're NTMC and will be at a local show, I hope to see you there!

------------------------

Here are some more pictures:

Excited to get 2010 started...

When I first got this car in 2006 I wasn't sure really what I wanted to do with it but I had ideas.  One of which was lighting it up but in such a way that it would be unique and "my own".  After getting other parts of the car ready and finally entering shows in July 2007 I put this idea on hold.  I kept coming back to it and again and again but always putting it on hold...

Well, the planets and stars were finally in the right place I guess.  I found what I wanted at a reasonable price and put it on my Christmas Wishlist.  Santa Susan got it for me and my talented installer, Tyler, made it a perfect show-quality install.  (Honestly folks this is your go-to-guy if you need something done!!)

The interior is a four piece one-color kit, the underbody is a four-piece one-color kit, the engine bay is a four piece seven color kit, and the trunk is actually the wheel well kit minus one... Tyler didn't feel he could hide them well enough in the wheel wells so they were moved to the trunk.  There is one extra that will be used in the grill.   All are sound sensitive. The headlight housings are new CCFL Halo's, all the front bulbs have been replaced with Sylvania SilverStars, and we have added new Billet Grilles top and bottom to finish out the new look on the front end (although we still have to install the lower one this weekend).

RECENT MODIFICATIONS:

*         Blue LED Interior & Trunk Lighting - LEDGLOW
*         Blue LED Underbody Lighting - OPTX by StreetGlow
*         Headlights (H13) & Fog lights (H11) – Sylvania SilverStars
*         Chrome Mustang Headlights (housing) with CCFL Halos (05-09) - Eagle Eyes
*         Chrome Pony Package Upper Billet Grille - Stack Racing

*         Chrome Lower Billet Grille - Stack Racing (Not installed yet)

*         7 Color LED Engine Lighting Kit – LEDGLOW

There is some tweaking to be completed on the lighting and we have one more item left to complete from "Santa", not counting the lower billet grille, but it will not be completed until after we have settled up with Uncle Sam for the 2009 Tax Year.   We're also going over the paint and body for any imperfections that need to be addressed and reviewing other items that should be changed to keep in line with the recent changes we've made.

Now, my follow up appointment with the spine surgeon isn't until March but I am confident I will have a good checkup.  I've been very good and extremely careful during my recovery.  I have every intention of showing in 2010 whether that is at NTMC shows, local MCA shows or just shows around town but wherever we - Susan and I - show this car we plan on just enjoying the hobby and having fun with the car.

Here are some new pictures for you:

OMG, she's CLEAN again!!!

It took one very nice power washer, a couple hours, a muscle relaxer and a pain pill but I got my baby washed for the first time since Memorial Day weekend just prior to my surgery. Pictures were taken in the neighbor's driveway... our grass was being mowed and I didn't want the car getting dirty again...

I'll admit that once I had her all cleaned up that the urge to show her started pulling at me again. I can't wait until next Spring. Maybe then I won't need medicine just to detail my car.

Looking hard at replacing some audio pieces... A friend has an X pipe and duals on his V6 which got me to thinking again about putting those on Trinity. Would have to get a GT bumper though... don't want to cut mine.

I can't believe the car is now over 3 years old but just rolled over to 21K miles this weekend. I can't remember ever keeping a car this long. OMG, it's actually out of the standard factory warranty and into the extended warranty now! LOL!

Hmmm.... what else can be done to this car that is "bolt on" and would be easy to remove later when I want to return to stock? Has to be tasteful and classy...

2009 Season...

The surgery went well and I'm doing good but I am out of the rest of this season meaning I will *not* be showing my car in any shows. Right now my car is DIRTY. The emphasis on dirty is because I can't believe it! I am looking forward to being able to participate in next year's season and, as such, I have been limiting my activities. Today is the beginning of week 12 post-surgery. The incision sites (about 5 inches in front and 5 inches on my back) are healed and the muscle spasms are not as bad but the bone is still in a fragile state. We aren't talking a fracture or break here... we are growing new bone... fusing two parts of my spine together with new bone that my 43 year old body is trying to create. I have to remind myself of that often. I feel good, hell I feel great, but I know that I can screw it up if I am not careful. The bills are coming in now and I can tell you that I'm thanking the LORD that I have my job and my insurance!! We would never have been able to afford the hospital room alone without it. I have been very blessed to have Dr. Scott Wieser on both my surgeries but specifically on this one. Folks, there is no way to make anyone understand the pain of 4 pinched nerves for 3 years, the feeling of bone on bone when you moved and the sharp pain when a nerve got "caught" in the process. No way I could express the pain, frustration, tears, and heartache it took to get to the point where someone finally did the MRI. And during that time... 2006-2009 I've been showing my car because that car has a special connection to my Dad who died in 2006. It is for him that I show it. Next year I'll be able to continue showing the car with my Dad's memory close in heart. I look forward to seeing some of you at the shows next year! Especially Yellow Rose!

New Mods, Pics, and End to 2009 Season?

Here are some more new pics... Check out the honeycomb tail light pieces with the black tail light trim from http://www.stangmods.com/. Looks sharp with that honeycomb trim between the tail lights (Silver Horse Racing). Thanks goes out to Matt for your quick service and excellence in customer support! Also, today I added the Action Artistry Chrome Radio Button Highlights and Chrome Radio Volume Knob, both were purchased from http://americanmuscle.com/. Install took about 10 minutes total including pictures. :) Lastly are pics of my Stampede tucked under its cover. I may drive it over the weekend but, if not, it will be covered for a while. Monday I have surgery and will be unable to enjoy my Mustang for at least 3 weeks. I'll be off work for 6-8 weeks. My 2009 Show Season has been curtailed. It may not be over, as Donnie reminds me, but it definitely isn't going to be as active as I would like it to be. The May NTMC Cruise was my last this season probably. (Got a First Place though!) We'll see. Susan and I agreed that Yellow Rose would not be a good idea. Even if I am back at work by then I will not be ready to do that type of detail work on my car. Being that this is a spinal fusion it may be awhile before I am 100%. I won't go into all the details but suffice it to say this is major stuff. Oh well, 2009 will be the year to heal and 2010 will be my time to kick ass. Right?

Updated Photos...

Took some photos on my way into work this morning...

These two were from last night's Show-n-Shine at the NTMC meeting in Irving. That is a Grabber Blue 2010 Mustang GT next to my Stampede. It is the first 2010 in the club and a gorgeous car! The second picture is an updated shot of the engine bay.