The Ford Mustang is one of the most popular cars manufactured by multinational automaker Ford Motor Company. Originally derived from a second-generation compact car, the North American Ford Falcon, back in 1962, this model has received various upgrades over the years and continues to be one of the company’s most successful products.
If you own a Ford Mustang, you must have thought about putting in a modification or two to further improve its performance. Car enthusiasts, in general, tend to express a desire to modify or personalize their cars at some point in order to improve its aesthetics, performance or both. In case you are looking into adding performance-improving customizations to your Ford Mustang, here are some things you might want to consider:
The Exhaust System
The exhaust system should always be well-maintained to keep the car running at full performance, and at some point, you will have to upgrade it if you want to keep up with the continuous evolution of technology. Regardless of which Ford Mustang model you might own, adding a performance modification for your exhaust system will surely make it a better car.
There are several parts of the exhaust system that you can choose to upgrade first. For instance, the headers can be a good place to start your customizations with. Short or long tube headers can help improve speed by freeing up torque and horsepower. While long tube headers might benefit the Ford Mustang, the kind is also more expensive and takes more time and effort to install.
A Body Kit
According to AusBody Works, upgrading the Ford Mustang by installing a body kit is also ideal if you are looking to improve both its aesthetic and performance features. It is also surprisingly easy to find a body kit that can make your Mustang stand out, as the car’s sporty design goes well with several base models on the market. You can opt for edgy frames or more prominent splitters if you really want your Mustang to draw people’s attention on the road.
If you are having trouble determining which look to go for when selecting a body kit, you can try looking at the Maxton Design Ford Mustang GT MK6 body kit. This simple frame design complements the already stable characteristics of the car while adding a little mojo to its vibe. It is a great way to start customizing the body kit for first-time Mustang owners.
Differential Gears
Changing the differential gears on your Mustang can also improve its overall performance. It is also easy to secure the proper gears regardless of your Mustang’s year and model, as Ford has made a wide range of factory gear choices available.
When changing gears, swapping to a lower gear (a gear with a higher numerical value) nets you better acceleration, but in the process, you will lose base speed. If you change into a higher gear instead (a gear with a lower numerical value), you will be prioritizing initial speed over the acceleration rate. Experts recommend going for higher gears as it saves the engine more power and technically saves you money, but feel free to weigh your own preferences when looking for gear swaps.
Subframe Connectors
Adding improved subframe connectors can do wonders for your Mustang. Older models of the Ford Mustang have a somewhat weak unibody structuring, manufactured without enough bracing to enable it to handle pressure coming from the engine. Due to this lacking characteristic, the Mustang tends to undergo relevant torsional chassis twists: instead of transmitting all the power from the engine into the tires, a portion is relegated into twisting the chassis, wasting potential speed. Adding modified subframe connectors will help improve the chassis’ overall rigidity, and in turn, improve power transfer by not wasting any on additional functions.
Throttle Body
One of the most important performance modifications for the Ford Mustang is the throttle body. This update usually goes hand in hand when adding a modified cold air intake, since a larger throttle body helps increase the success of the filter by controlling the amount of air that goes into the intake and into the engine for combustion. A larger throttle body coupled with an upgraded cold air intake will yield greater horsepower and also improve throttle responsiveness.
There are several throttle body products available in the market, so it’s important to understand how each is more suitable to a certain specification. As an example, the V6 Ford Mustang would go well with a 73mm Power Plus throttle body due to its custom-fitted aluminum casting and perfectly-machined design. Additionally, adding a PowerAid throttle body spacer with the improved stock product will help improve the throttle body’s internal airflow and therefore refine the engine’s combustion abilities.
Tires and Wheels
People tend to forget about the tires and the wheels when looking for car parts to upgrade. This is a common mistake that not only hinders the car from achieving better performance, it also compromises the safety of the driver. Although tires and wheels will not directly improve speed or acceleration, they do an important job of controlling how the power generated by the engine is laid out against the surface of the road. Sticking to the factory stock tires and wheels for an extended period of time might cause your Mustang to lose out on proper traction and increase the risk of accidents.
Don’t misunderstand though – tires and wheels that come with the newly-manufactured Mustang models are good and sturdy enough for everyday driving, but they also won’t allow the car to realize it’s full potential on the road. If you really wish to maximize the car’s performance, you can go for adding high-grade tires and torque-friendly wheels to keep full control even through hard brakes and drifting while driving at accelerated speeds. As an added bonus, wheels can also serve as aesthetic customizations to make your Mustang look cooler.
