Monthly Archive for February, 2010

My Mustang Fotofix: Snowed in ‘Stangs

Published by AMStanger on February 26, 2010 in General and Mustang Photos. ( View Comments )

As you’ve probably heard, the Northeast has been hit by not one, or even two, but several snow storms over the past few months. Newscasters are throwing around goofy words like ’snowpocalypse’ and ’snowmageddon’. There’s been laughter, panic, and a lot of shoveling. There have also been great pictures of Mustangs in the snow. Thus, for this installment of the FotoFix, we give you snowed in ‘Stangs. Since AM is always happy to showcase employees’ vehicles (see our 2010 calendar for proof), we thought we’d share some pics taken by employees this go-round.

If you look closely, you can see this Mustang’s mirror and antenna trying to escape the snow.

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Married to Mustangs

Published by AMRick on February 24, 2010 in General. ( View Comments )

Love is a wonderful thang. When you find love in all the right places, it can be a lot of fun, as a pair of Mustang enthusiasts in Florida recently discovered. And their mutual love of Mustangs apparently sealed the deal:

Ford Mustang lovers Vickie Sue Kilpatrick and Ronnie Cox found the perfect way to mix two loves — they got married at the Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership in St. Augustine.

…At the conclusion of the ceremony the Coxes were introduced as man and wife.

The band kicked in.

The song that launched the marriage: “Mustang Sally”.

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Differential Differences

Published by Heather on February 19, 2010 in General and Mustang Q&A. ( View Comments )

Question: What is a Traction-Lok differential and how will it help me?

Picture Courtesy of MustangHeaven.com

Answer: This is a great question! A differential upgrade is practically a requirement for anyone looking to tear it up at the strip, so let’s start with some basics: the differential (aka “rear end”, “rear”, or “pumpkin”) is that roundish thing that sits between your rear axles; it’s responsible for transferring power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels and allowing the wheels to spin at different speeds when going around turns. With a job that important it’s easy to see why having a bullet-proof rear is so crucial for serious racers.

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Video: Petty Paces Daytona in 2011 Mustang GT

Published by AMRick on February 15, 2010 in Events. ( View Comments )

Carl Edwards & Kasey Kahne chat
w/ Richard Petty (From foxsports.com)

For one lap yesterday at the Daytona International Speedway, a 72 year old driver led the NASCAR pack.

Racing legend Richard Petty was back in a familiar position at the start of the Daytona 500 on Sunday. But rather than strapping into a ride stenciled with the fabled #43 and doing 200 laps on the Daytona oval, Petty piloted the pace car, a 2011 Ford Mustang GT.

Richard Petty Motorsports, which recently acquired Yates Racing, has returned to the Ford Racing family for the 2010 Sprint Cup season.

Prior to the race, the record holding seven time winner of the Daytona 500 told fordracing.com:

“There’s nothing like the Daytona 500,” Petty said. “It’s one of the biggest races in the world and to be a part of it in this way is the next-best thing to actually being able to race. Who knows, maybe I’ll just stay out there for a few laps and see what those guys have got.”

At the end of the first lap, the green flag waved, and the field split around the pace car. King Richard eased the Mustang down pit row, and the strange race that followed, marred by long stoppages for track problem repairs, was underway.

2/25/10 update: Here’s a video from Ford Racing of the pace lap, and comments from Richard Petty – pretty cool!

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NASCAR Rebirth: 2011 GT Pacing Daytona 500 on Sunday

Published by AMRick on February 9, 2010 in Events. ( View Comments )

Roush Fenway No. 16 Mustang (From aussiev8.com)

Even before Roush Fenway Racing unveiled their entry into the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series, buzz was building about Ford’s official release of the deets and specs on the 2011 Mustang GT. When the presser was held for the No. 16 Con-way Freight Mustang this past October, it was clear that Ford’s marketing team was working overtime with its FRPP division and racing partners, such as Roush Fenway, to breathe new life into the Mustang brand. There was a potential Catch-22 though: would the CIA-level secretive work of Ford’s design and engineering teams match the enthusiasm of the PR effort? Muscle car junkies around the world waited for the word. Think of it this way:

Cue up your favorite road warrior music, and close your eyes for a moment. Take a deep, dual-exhaust cleansing breath. You’re standing in line at a world-class amusement park, waiting for your turn to board the newest and most awesome roller coaster ride on the property. Remove those earrings, eyeglasses, and loose jewelry. Anticipation, anticipation. You’re itching to be shot out of the barrel of a cannon. Now, open your eyes. It’s 2010.

Your ride has arrived — and it’s pacing the kickoff of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season this Sunday in Daytona…

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Green Wheel Weights?

Published by AMStanger on February 4, 2010 in General. ( View Comments )

Image from ecocenter.org

Absolutely! No, they’re not a special color to match green Mustangs. But they are environmentally friendly! Most of the weights used to balance wheels these days are made out of lead. As anybody who’s ever hit a pothole knows, those lead weights can fall off your wheels. This means that not only are your wheels unbalanced, but there’s a big ol’ chunk of lead sitting on the street. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, until you realize how many millions of cars are on the road everyday, and how many of those are hitting potholes and losing weights. Continue reading ‘Green Wheel Weights?’