Scott and Regina Erickson, like so many other Mustang owners, are a true testament to Ford’s success with the design of the current model Mustang. “I saw it and knew immediately I had to have one,” said Scott, referring to the red Mustang convertible concept he saw at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show. It wasn’t until three years later, however, when he and his wife Regina were looking for a new vehicle that they actually purchased the car. Scott and his wife were looking at a new Ford SUV to haul around the kids when he suggested they “look” at the new Mustang GT’s on the lot and maybe go for a short test drive. Despite informing the salesman that they had no interest in purchasing the car, a short drive erased all previous intentions of buying a family-friendly vehicle. Scott and Regina purchased a Performance White Mustang GT, and even before driving off the lot Scott had already started to think of ways to improve the car.
Classic Good Looks
First up was the exhaust system, which Scott replaced with a stainless steel Magnaflow cat-back exaust system with MagnaPak mufflers. With the exhaust installed, he started to focus on the appearance of the car. Wanting something similar in design to a 1967 Shelby GT500, Scott looked at several different body kits but couldn’t quite find the exact look he was going for. He realized he didn’t necessarily have to stick to one manufacturer, and began combining various components to achieve the look he wanted. A TruFiber Shelby GT Ram Air Hood, CDC Classic Chin Spoiler, and a Street Scene Equipment Center Fog Grille complete the look up front, while a Street Scene Equipment Rear Valence and Cervinis C-Series Wing can be found in the rear. Other pieces fill in the details, including Street Scene Equipment Side Ducts, 3D Carbon Quarter Window Louvers and headlight splitters, and a FRPP hood pin kit. Scott also wanted to add stripes to the car, but didn’t want to have the typical red or blue stripes that are most commonly used. Instead, he chose Chrysler’s Dark Titanium Metallic Pearlcoat paint. Even the stripes themselves are unique – a large center stripe with two smaller side stripes, outlined by a thin red pinstripe. The small amount of red trim is more than just an afterthought and is a common theme throughout the car. The brake calipers, valve covers, and other engine components are also painted red. Final exterior touches include Saleen HID Headlights, Classic Design Concepts Sequential Taillights, and painted mirror covers from DG Custom Auto.
In keeping with the retro theme, Scott fitted Cobra 340 wheels, 20×10 inches in the rear and 20×8.5 inches in the front. Those wheels are wrapped in ultra-sticky Hancook Vetus Sport K104 Tires, 245/40ZR20 front and 275/35ZR20 rear. Fourteen inch crossed-drilled and slotted rotors from Brake Designs, Inc. fill out the wheels at all four corners. Helping to keep those tires firmly planted on the ground are upgraded springs from an Eibach Pro Kit.
Power to Match
At this point Scott had the look he wanted, but wasn’t completely satisfied overall. “I loved the car, but still felt that more power was needed to make it a true muscle car,” he said. He began researching superchargers for the Mustang, and settled on the Whipple HO Supercharger System. Scott turned to ST Motorsports in San Bernardino, CA who installed the polished blower and tuned the car on their in-house dyno. Running on 91 octane pump gas at 10psi, the supercharger helped net 465.1 rwhp and 437.2 rwtq. Knowing that this is essentially the limit of the Mustang’s stock block and rotating assembly, Scott is holding off on any more engine modifications pending a new stroker short block that will allow for more power. After that it will be fair game, and a smaller supercharger pulley, headers, larger injectors, and more will shortly follow. A stronger driveshaft, clutch, and additional suspension upgrades will also be necessary to manage the extra power.
Wanting everything under the hood to look just as good as the exterior, Scott brightened up the engine bay with a Scott Drake Engine Dress Up Kit with billet items for the oil filter cap, coolant caps, and more. More billet items include Steeda strut covers and a hood strut kit. Painted valve covers and Samco Sport red coolant hoses add to the red trim throughout, and Python aluminum coolant hose fittings go great with the rest of the polished components.
While the exterior and engine have been modified to the max, the interior is simple and all business. The only upgrade is a Speed of Sound Double Gauge Pillar with an AEM air/fuel ratio gauge and a Stewart Warner Boost gauge to keep tabs on the supercharger. However, a set of Corbeau leather seats and a sound system are on the wish list.
A True 1 of 1
What started with an innocent trip to the Ford dealership to buy a family vehicle has resulted in one of the coolest S197 Mustangs on the street today. The custom bodywork looks like something Carroll Shelby would be proud of, and the supercharged V8 has turned Ford’s pony car into a true muscle car. With classic good looks and the power to match, Scott and Regina Erickson have managed to build their dream car and have proven that it is still possible to achieve a unique look with your Mustang that is unlike anything else out there.
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