55 Tips, Tidbits & Info
September 17, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
SAFETY FIRST
One of the most important safety features of your vehicle is the neutral safety switch, which is the mechanism that keeps your car from cranking in any gear other than park or neutral.
I will admit that this was not one of my better moments, but it did teach me a valuable lesson. While innocently sitting around one afternoon in my ’60 wagon, I accidentally hit the starter while the car was in gear. To my surprise, the engine fired, and the wagon lunged forward. Luckily, I was able to hit the brake prior to doing any damage. When I was able to breath again, I tried starting the engine again, only to find that the car would start in not only park or neutral, but in drive as well. This was an obvious surprise because when the shifter was installed, it worked properly by starting in only the park or neutral position.
BLACK SHEEP
Ever since Honda released the Prelude back in the late ’70s, they’ve never enjoyed the following of the Civic or Accord. Always placed in the shadows of Honda’s two more popular models, the Prelude has managed to become known as Honda’s black sheep…except, of course, to those who dared to be different.
Rugged Baby Buggy Bumpers
Serious off-roading is rough on equipment. Only the toughest gear will stand up to the hardcore bashing and thrashing of rockcrawling, mudding and desert running. Even the toughest equipment, however will not last forever under these conditions. Once a part or component has been hammered on enough times, it must be replaced. Fortunately, with the rapid evolution of off-road engineering, the replacement is often much stronger and will withstand more abuse. In the case of the 1985 Toyota 4-runner in our story, we are replacing it’s fourth front bumper. Yeah, this rig has seen some serious trails from Moab to the Rubicon over the past ten years.
Spotlighter
Product Spotlight: Pyramid Optimized Design Sequential Aurora Taillight for 1964½–1966 Mustang
Update Your First Gen Mustang's Taillights to the 21st Century
If you’ve ever followed a classic Mustang at night, you know the taillights were never its strong suit. Pyramid Optimized Design decided to fix that—with style. The Sequential Aurora Taillight is a modern LED retrofit that finally gives your early Mustang the bright, even illumination it always deserved—no hot spots, no dim corners, no burned-out bulbs.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photos Courtesy of Pyramid Optimized Design
Each Aurora setup comes as a complete, ready-to-install system. Inside the box, you’ll find two precision-engineered LED taillight units, a solid-state LED flasher relay designed for smooth, consistent sequencing, and a pair of low-profile chrome bezels with hidden hardware—a subtle but brilliant design move that eliminates visible screws for a cleaner, more refined finish.
These bezels strike the perfect balance between factory-correct styling and modern refinement, maintaining that unmistakable Mustang rear profile while sharpening it just enough to catch the eye. When those sequential turn signals sweep across the lenses, the effect is pure automotive theater—subtle, sophisticated, and unmistakably modern.
Prefer to keep your Mustang’s exterior completely original? Pyramid thought of that, too. The Aurora housings are fully compatible with your stock bezels and lenses, allowing you to retain a 100% factory appearance while enjoying the benefits of today’s lighting technology hidden beneath the surface.
Key Features:
- Direct retrofit for 1964½–1966 Mustangs—no permanent mods
- Ultra-bright, even LED output with sequential signal pattern
- Hidden hardware, low-profile bezels for a clean factory aesthetic
- Includes reproduction lenses and a solid-state flasher relay
Installation couldn’t be easier—it’s a true plug-and-play retrofit that requires no cutting, no drilling, and no irreversible modifications. Everything bolts right into the factory mounting points, transforming your taillights in an afternoon. The result is a factory look that glows with confidence and clarity far beyond what Ford ever offered in the mid-’60s.
Classic looks. Modern lighting. Zero compromise.
👉 Bring your Mustang into the modern era—upgrade to the Sequential Aurora Taillights today!
ARTICLE SOURCES
Pyramid Optimized Design
Bellingham, Washington.
