Bland to BAM!

The Accidental Purchase

“I bought this car pretty much by accident. At the time, I wasn’t in the market for a new car. In fact, I was on my way to buy a new pair of work shoes when I passed by the local Ford dealer where I saw a couple of new ’05 Mustangs parked in the showroom.

“When I was in high school, I had owned a ’66 Mustang 2+2, and the styling of the new Mustang fastback immediately reminded me of that old dinosaur. So, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to stop in, but I knew deep down inside that I wanted to do more than just look.

“Since these cars had just been released, it wasn’t easy getting the dealer to come down on the price. After finding out that the 4.6-liter three-valve V-8 engine ’05 Mustang GT was $8,000 more, I settled on buying the 4.0-liter V-6 instead. That afternoon I got a new pair of shoes and a new car!”

The Start of Customization

Taylor happens to own a company called Nu Image, which specializes in the installation of high-end stereo/audio equipment, and he figured his ’05 Mustang would make a great demo car for the local shows. First, Taylor had to make a few modifications.

“The first thing I did was to install one of Accessible Technologies Inc.’s ProCharger P-1SC/RR centrifugal superchargers (at 13 psi) and one of ATI’s ProCharger two-core air-to-air intercoolers. Making the supercharger/aftermarket throttle body combination work was initially a nightmare. At first, we couldn’t even get the car to run. The computer would lock into limp mode whenever we tried to give it any throttle. It took a whole lot of trial and error before we discovered that the computer was receiving the wrong voltage reading from the throttle position sensor (TPS). Alan Nakamura from Naka’z Car Care fixed the problem. In fact, Alan went above and beyond the call of duty getting the car to run.”

Dialing in Performance Mods

In the course of setting up the modified Mustang V-6’s MAP sensor, Taylor and Nakamura also installed a set of Ford Racing high-volume electronic fuel injectors (39.5 lb-hr), a high-volume Ford Racing in-tank electronic fuel pump, and a Diablo MAFia programmer to compensate for the induction system modifications. In the process, the duo also installed a Muffler Man/JBA/Cervini’s Auto Designs after-cat dual exhaust system to get rid of the backpressure.

Other modifications to the V-6 powertrain include a Modern Driveline Kevlar/metal puck racing clutch and a Pearl Harbor Transmission Hurst-equipped Borg-Warner T5 five-speed. The final link in the Mustang’s powertrain is a PowerHouse Automotive custom driveshaft. Rearend gearing is 3.73:1 through a Ford Racing World Class 8.8-inch live rear axle.

Suspension and Braking Upgrades

Modifications to the ’05’s unibody platform also include DJ’s Motorsports-installed subframe connectors and an Eibach Sport V-6 Mustang suspension, along with an Air Ride Technologies (ART) Air Ride LevelPro air suspension system with a trunk-mounted five-gallon tank and ART controller. Braking was enhanced with the addition of a set of Baer brakes on all four corners, along with a set of R1 Racing three-piece modular solid forged chrome rims (19×8.5-inch front and 19×10-inch rear) and Dunlop Sportmax SP2 radial rubber.

Winning the First Car Show

“Torque 2 held at Aloha Stadium this past August was my first show. Since the show featured mostly imports, I didn’t think my car had a chance. After all, it wasn’t that special. All it had was a supercharger and a set of Russell Souza-applied candy-apple-red metalflake racing stripes. I had no dreams of placing, much less winning a trophy. When they called up the Muscle Car class, I had a slight hope that maybe the car might win third place. After announcing the second- and third-place winners, I turned around and was ready to leave. Then the announcer called out, ‘First place, David Taylor, 2005 Mustang!’ I ran up to the stage like Rocky Balboa, jumping and screaming. To say I was excited is an understatement. I was in total shock!”

Hooked on Customization

And so began an ongoing, day-to-day Mustang V-6 customization process, which at this writing has consumed over $30,000 of Taylor’s hard-earned dollars, and he’s still counting.

“The very minute I accepted that trophy, the world as I knew it had come to an end. I was totally hooked. My new goal was to win as many car shows as I could while proving that my first win wasn’t a fluke. I used my prior experience as a custom motorcycle builder and off-road racer and applied all the principles I had learned to this project.”

By his own admission, Taylor went totally nuts: “I refinanced my house, sold my motorcycle, did everything I could to get enough money to get my Mustang into the show condition I felt it should be in. Obviously, I’m not only an artist—I’m a fierce competitor at heart!”

The Evolution of Stroke Daddy Customs

In the process, Taylor established a new company, Stroke Daddy Customs, and uses his ’05 pony car as a calling card, making wholesale changes in the car as he goes. For example, Taylor’s ’05 is equipped with a set of LSD hydraulically operated gull-wing doors. The car also features a Shelby Automotive fiberglass hood equipped with a set of Steeda captive hood pins. Also onboard is a Street Scene Generation 1 front fascia, Cervini’s Auto Designs side skirts, a Cervini’s rear bumper, Cervini’s rear quarter panel window scoops, and a 3dCarbon Boy Racer rear wing. Exterior modifications continue with the addition of a polished aluminum competition gas cap and HID halogen headlights, strobe lights, and a PlasmaGlow light kit. The paint on the car, done by Waialua, Hawaii’s Russell Souzas, consists of PPG Ford Performance White with red metalflake over Dragon Red LeMans stripes.

Interior Overhaul and Audio Upgrades

Inside, Taylor’s highly modified six-banger features a Muffler Man-installed, NHRA-legal eight-point roll cage, along with Al’s Auto Upholstery-installed Katzkin Venom custom-perforated red-and-black leather and suede, a carbon-fiber dash kit, custom red carpet, Ford Racing floormats, the aforementioned Hurst shifter, EPR polished billet interior accents, and Auto Meter-equipped side pillar and dash-mounted gauge pods.

Nu Age Motorsports and Island Car Audio get the credit for installing the incredible Valor DVD entertainment center and Mark Antony 1,500-watt 1-ohm sub amp, Rockford Fosgate 400-watt four-channel amp, front and rear Rockford Fosgate separates, dual Tsunami 40-farad capacitors, Digital Designs 10-inch subwoofers, and a Stinger 80-amp power supply AC/DC converter. Also included in this package is an Innovative Motorsports wideband controller, twin Blinder sending units, and twin Lidatek Laser Echo sending units.

A Passion for the Underdog

“Thirty thousand dollars later, I don’t think I saved all that much by not buying the V-8, but I like being the underdog. It’s easier to make a V-8 go fast; I think it takes a whole lot more savvy to make a V-6 run just as hard.”

Since that first event, Taylor’s V-6 has made several appearances at a number of high-profile car shows in Oahu, Hawaii, including the Aloha Mustang & Shelby Club of Hawaii’s Ford-sponsored Mustang Madness, where the pony won second place in the Specialty class.

Acknowledgments and Final Thoughts

“I would like to thank Alvin Cadelinia (Al’s Auto Upholstery), Allen Nakamura (Naka’z Car Care), DJ’s Motorsports, Da Muffler Man, Island Car Audio, Extreme Prints, LSD Doors, Tsunami Audio, Joe Gellert (Miracle Man Auto Detailing), Paul Giovanetti (Pearl Harbor Transmission), Invisible Glass, and painter Russell Souza. The help I got from these guys really makes me smile, and these friends make it all worthwhile!”