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In the late ’40s, car manufacturers looked for different ways to modernize their vehicles, and this strategy was evident when the Big Three introduced their ’49 line of passenger cars. For the most part, the pickups stayed the same, but many things changed for the better when the slabside approach went into a more modernized production process. Those looking for a new car said goodbye to fat fenders, slabsided doors and dated suspension that were the norm with previous models. Of those manufacturers, Ford was certainly the leader in this revolutionary new-car building technique, as it produced a stylish ’49 model range to bring in this new production process.

Hollywood, Bikes and Boats

Ever see those boats on the TV show Fear Factor? Those are Ultra Custom Boats built by John West and his team in El Cajon, California. Ever watch Monster Garage? That is Jesse James from West Coast Choppers, which is based in Long Beach, California. What happens when these two guys get together to build a boat and a bike is what we have here.

Our SEMA 2025 Hot List

SEMA always delivers sensory overload — the unveilings, the crowds, the horsepower echoing off every hall. But this year, the real thrill came from the unexpected. Tucked between the headline builds and mega displays were the parts that made us slow down, lean in, and say, “Okay… now that’s something special.”

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Two-Hour Tech

Installing Control Freak S197 Tubular Suspension Components

Improving your S197 Mustang doesn’t have to be an arduous affair. You’re supposed to enjoy working on your car, RATHER than dreading getting off work because you “have” to wrench on the Ford. With that attitude in mind, we recently spoke with Al Kamhi, of Control Freak suspensions, to get his advice on what enthusiasts could do to further the concept of upgrading a Mustang in just an hour or two. But there’s a catch: the upgrade had to make a real difference in the car’s performance.

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Will Smith

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Introduction to Control Freak Upgrades for S197

Kamhi responded by sending us a variety of Control Freak products for the S197 platform. These parts included a tubular-steel strut tower brace that installs in under 5 minutes, yet reinforces the Mustang’s body structure to prevent unwanted torsional twist (flex) that will literally pull your tires out of alignment, thus reducing traction. This installation would hardly be exhausting, so the company also sent along an adjustable Panhard bar and matching lower control arms.

Benefits of Adjustable Arms and Panhard Bar

Adjustable arms aren’t new for the S197, but what we really like about the Control Freak design is that both the arms and the Panhard bar feature adjustable turnbuckles that make tuning them a snap. Just loosen the jam nuts on each component, then twist the turnbuckle to alter the part length, and retighten the jam nut—it couldn’t be easier.

Practical Applications and Adjustability

The adjustability built into the Panhard bar makes it easy to re-center the axle under a lowered car (lowering springs will pull the axle to one side, underneath the vehicle), while the control arms allow the user to change pinion angle in order to pick up a bit more traction at the track.

Installation Experience at G&S Custom Fabrication & Suspension

Since no one on the staff presently owns an S197, we went to G&S Custom Fabrication & Suspension, where Greg Blaydes found us a good candidate—a 2008 Mustang GT. As expected, the installation was as simple as Control Freak said it would be—the car was back on the ground in no time, and everything fit with no problems. You should be able to do this same work at home in under two hours, and when you do, drive the car after you’ve completed the installation; you’ll be glad you did—it makes that much difference.

Conclusion: Why It’s Worth Your Time

So, if it’s time you enjoyed working on your car again, and you want to make a difference with time well spent, here’s a great and worthwhile place to start.

1. Installing the strut tower brace is the easiest thing in the world. Just remove the two inner bolts on each strut tower and slip the brace over them.

2. Now just reinstall the nuts.

3. That’s it! This piece will stiffen the body structure and prevent body/chassis flex during hard cornering by providing much-needed triangulation, to give you better handling.

4. The lower control arms are stamped sheetmetal, and while they do their job on the street for normal use, they’re less than ideal when at the track under full power.

5. If you have a drive-on lift, you can leave the car on its wheels, as G&S did. The first step was to remove the bolt that secures the control arm to the axle.

6. Getting to the lower control arm front bolt is difficult with the car on its wheels, but it can be done.

7. Because the parking-brake cable runs through the lower control arm, you will need to unhook the cable from the caliper.

8. Now pass the cable through the control arm and remove the control arm from the car.

9. There’s no comparison between the old and new parts. Urethane bushings, beefier construction and adjustability make the Control Freak design far better than the Ford piece. Now is the time to adjust the length of the new arm to match the stock one.

10. Install the new control arm just as you removed the old one.

11. Tighten the jam nuts to make sure vibration doesn’t cause the turnbuckle adjuster to loosen and alter control-arm length.

12. Our favorite feature on the Control Freak arms is the turnbuckle. On some adjustable-arm designs, you have to install and then uninstall the threaded end of the arm to alter arm length. Not here—just loosen the jam nuts and turn the turnbuckle.