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2010 Mustang Week At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Brand StrandMustangs Take Over South Carolina's Grand Strand For Five Days Of Fun From the January, 2011 issue of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords By Steve Turner Photography by Mark Weisner, Steve Turner
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No joke, this line for Mustang... No joke, this line for Mustang Week T-shirts and other merchandise persisted for over two hours. You know the event is good and the brand equity is strong when attendees will wait that long just to wear your logo on their person. Mustang Week officials didn't waste any time picking dates for their 10th anniversary event in 2011. If you're a regular, you know it's gonna be good. If you've never been, 2011 is a good time to start. Mark your calendars for July 18-24, 2011. If you are reading this magazine, there's no doubt you're a lover of high-performance Mustangs. It's likely your ears are tuned to pick out a rumbling 'Stang exhaust from a mile away, and you can probably even name the brand by the tone. You've been walking along and stopped in your tracks to pinpoint the source of the sound. Like a pretty girl will draw our eyes, a Mustang will command all of our senses. Imagine if that was the whole point of your vacation-that's what Mustang Week is all about. For five days, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, becomes Mustang beach. Wherever you turn, Mustangs are rolling down the road, pulling away from stoplights, and pulling into local businesses. It's truly a magical thing for fans of these cars. This year's Planet Hollywood... This year's Planet Hollywood Meet 'N' Greet was out of this world. Last year was big, but the '10 edition was swamped with people and cars. The pavement was sizzling, but it didn't deter the faithful from coming out in droves. Of course, the influx of Mustangs is only one aspect of the series of events included in Mustang Week. Things get underway officially at the Planet Holly-wood on Tuesday, but informal cruises, and meet-ups begin as soon as Monday. Wednesday takes the action to Myrtle Beach Speedway for fun runs around the track, an autocross, and a burnout contest. Thursday there's a meet-up at Hooters and a caravan out to Darlingon Drag Strip for some quarter-mile action. The crown jewel is the judged car show on Friday at Myrtle Beach mall, and everything winds down with a free-form cruise-in on Saturday that simply takes over the parking lot. This coupe is the proverbial... This coupe is the proverbial one that got away. I spied the car at Planet Hollywood, but the owner was nowhere in sight. I thought sure I'd catch up with the car at a later event, but it wasn't in the cards. Obviously a nicely modded Fox with an eye-catching paint scheme, this car has the attributes that will always turn my head. However, it was the fusion of a classic Fox with the American Racing Shelby Razors designed for S197s that really grabbed my attention. Nice ride. Putting the show into numbers is tough, as the car show is limited to just 650 cars, but 190 cars tech'd in at the drag night and 220 checked in at the speedway; both venues reported over 1,500 people there to check out the action. Likewise, during the car show, the turnstiles at the Bass Pro Shops nearest the show doubled in traffic on Friday and came close to doubling on Saturday during the Cruise-In, where 13,245 people moved through. In short, a lot of people came to check out Mustang Week, and we can see why. If you love Mustangs and you haven't been, then you need to put this one on your bucket list. We'll be there next year, but for now, get a glimpse of the scene from our photos. My Ride
After electing to fly into Myrtle Beach for the big show this year, I needed something to drive around in while I was there. I couldn't think of a better car to attend Mustang Week in this year than an '11 Mustang GT with the new 5.0. As fate would have it, I actually managed to borrow one from Ford for the week, and boy was that a mistake... It was a huge mistake, because it reminded me just how badly I want one of these cars. Fresh out of appreciating just how good the '11 V-6 is, I was back behind the wheel of a new 5.0, and I immediately started jonesing for one of these as a daily driver. It is smooth, quiet, and thunders all the way up to the rev limiter. My only true complaint about the car is that pesky skip-shift feature. Boy is that annoying. Having smooth Coyote power bolted into a quiet chassis and topped off with electronic goodies makes for likely the best stock Mustang yet. Sure it would be easy to go crazy with mods, but it would be just as easy for me to make a few select mods and love the car every day. In short, just like I told Tech Editor Jones before he drove one, don't drive an '11 if you don't have the means to get one-as soon as you drive it, you'll want one.  Silverhorse Racing main man...  Silverhorse Racing main man Marcello Canitano rolled into Mustang Week in his company's latest project 'Stang, the Twisted Six. A '10 six-banger, this car serves as the testbed for the company's products, including its famous flush-mount quarter-window louvers and billet gear. The latest part in the company roster is a new capless-refueling-compliant Tru-Billet aluminum fuel door for '10-and-up 'Stangs.  Another sweet product seen...  Another sweet product seen at Mustang Week was The Tank from Mello Heinemann Racing (m-hracing.com). From the creative minds of Bill Mello and Jake Heinemann, The Tank makes the GT500's separate coolant and intercooler reservoirs appear as one sleek, clean tank. It is actually two tanks that share the same top plate, but with enough gap between the two to mitigate any heat transfer. Combined with an aftermarket radiator support cover like the Bangastang unit in the photo, The Tank really classes up a GT500 engine compartment. PVT is aching for one of these.  One brave soul brought his...  One brave soul brought his four-banger Fox in flat black and provided some sidewalk chalk for crowd-sourced customization. The results ranged from advertising to graffiti, but it was a crowd pleaser. Better yet, the car washed clean and was ready for a new round of customization the next day.  You know an event is a big...  You know an event is a big deal when companies choose to debut new parts there. For JLT Performance's Jay Tucker, Mustang Week was a chance to show off the company's new test car. Naturally, it was an '11 Mustang GT, but underhood offered our first glimpse of the new JLT cold-air intake for the latest 5.0. The production version will be JLT's first one-piece CAI, available in painted plastic or carbon fiber. Speaking of CF, check out that JLT radiator support cover!  You don't see too many of...  You don't see too many of these Chip Foose-edition S197s, but this rare ride was lapping the Myrtle Beach Speedway in style.  Lest you think we have no...  Lest you think we have no love for the SN-95s, this fine example scooted around the track, showing that lowering and nice wheels always work on a Mustang.  The rain chased away our fragile...  The rain chased away our fragile cameras, but after the storms passed there was indeed a burnout contest winner. A couple days later at the car show, Chris Wood of Rock Hill, South Carolina, proudly displayed his shredded treads. For his trouble, Chris scored a free set of drag radials from Nitto Tire and Discount Tire Direct.  Before heading to Hooters...  Before heading to Hooters and on to the dragstrip, we checked in on a Saleen Performance Vehicles press conference, which saw the debut of a pair of Mustang Week commemorative editions. Apparently Mustang Week has proven a strong selling ground for the Saleen brand, and the two '11 Saleens, a black coupe and a red convertible, were a sign of appreciation. Besides the Saleen package, these two cars featured MW logos stitched into the headrests and placed in strategic spots around the car.  Drag night saw a big crowd...  Drag night saw a big crowd and a pack of '11 5.0 Mustangs. Lethal Performance attended its first Mustang Week this year and brought the company's new test car, a Grabber Blue '11. With just a Jon Lund tune, a Lethal off-road pipe, a McLeod clutch, and slicks, hot shoe Jeremy Martorella clicked off a 12.32 at 111.71 mph at Darlington Drag Way.  A familiar face we saw several...  A familiar face we saw several times during the week was King of the Street alumnus Jerome Shumate and his '92 LX coupe. Jerome wheeled his car to all the events, but it really looked at home smoking the tires at Darlington.  Jeremy Martorella of UPR did...  Jeremy Martorella of UPR did double-duty on the dragstrip, as he also wheeled UPR Products' new project, another '11 GT. With a mod list as simple as a K&N drop-in filter, a tune, and Mickey Thompson drag radials, the UPR GT ripped off a 12.41 at 113 mph thanks to Jeremy's stickmanship. Back at his home track, Palm Beach International Raceway, Jeremy took the ride down to a 12.16 at 116 mph thanks to the addition of American Racing Headers long-tubes and a custom DiabloSport tune by Ken Bjonnes.  Another newcomer to the event...  Another newcomer to the event was Kicker, and the company brought its Livin' Loud philosophy to life by rolling its Xtreme Recreational Vehicle into the show and cruise-in. The XRV served as the locale for a Friday Night Cruisin' Pit Stop that featured product demonstrations and giveaways. There were also contests and winners took home exclusive Kicker/Mustang Week T-shirts.  Is this a thing of beauty...  Is this a thing of beauty or what? Taking special advantage of the Saturday cruise-in was the Southeastern Fox Bodies club ( www.southeasternfoxbodies.com), which organizes its own cruise to the Myrtle Beach Mall for the official cruise-in. Last year the club was just shy of triple-digitparticipation, but this year the turnout easily surpassed 100 Foxes, with a total count of 122 cruising from Myrtle Beach Speeday to the mall.  One proud SEFB member was...  One proud SEFB member was Troy Raby of Charlotte, North Carolina, and his '92 Fox convertible. The red droptop has a Kenne Bell-blown 5.0 to back up its visage of black wheels under arrest-me red.  Another sweet Fox rolling...  Another sweet Fox rolling with the 122 Southeastern Fox Bodies was Terry Wayne Moore from Stantonsburg, North Carolina, and his '87 coupe, which features a 4.6 Two-Valve swap, an '02 dash, '07 seats, and more.  Undoubtedly the wildest Mustang...  Undoubtedly the wildest Mustang we pointed a camera at during Mustang Week, this car is owned by Melvin Skinner, main man at Fastlane Performance in Benson, North Carolina. This reconstituted S197 is Melvin's idea of the ideal Saturday-night cruiser. It's Pro Street visage is so wild, it just made us giggle. The massive rear wheels fill the mini-tubs to the brim, and the huge roots-blown 5.4 pokes through the hood like it's straight out of a Rat Fink cartoon. Count on a full feature of this ride in an upcoming issue of your favorite magazine.  Sure a ripped, flamed paint...  Sure a ripped, flamed paint scheme on a Terminator garners its share of looks, but this Cobra also sported a polished Kenne Bell blower to back up the show with an abundance of go.  Last year Robbie Miller rolled...  Last year Robbie Miller rolled into Mustang Week with his Fox coupe, but in 2010 his other project got the nod. He scored a good deal on this Mystichrome Terminator, which already had quite the mod list, including a Kenne Bell blower, when he scored the deal. With a clean Fox and a rare Terminator, Robbie is a lucky man. His next project is a modular Fox swap.  Another of my favorite rides...  Another of my favorite rides in the show was this '83 Mustang coupe. It was hard to place exactly what year it was at first glance, as it has facets of several Fox-model years. The fusion of an '82 GT nose on a coupe body really resonated with retro flair, and the FR500 wheels brought a hint of modern style to the stew.  We're still waiting to run...  We're still waiting to run a feature on Jim Broome's award-winning Fox show car from last year's Mustang Week, but this year Jim had an all-new car. He started the project as a road-racing project but gravitated right back to the show field with this 2.3-turbo Fox. This car featured some insane custom paint and a lot of slick details. Car Show Winners
| Name | City | State | Year | Model | Body Style | Award Received |
| Paul Witalis | Conway | SC | 1968 | | Coupe | Best of Show |
| Mark Bailey | Mebane | NC | 2004 | Cobra | Convertible | Best Paint |
| Mike & Lorie William | Lincolnton | NC | 1973 | | Convertible | Bill Jones Award |
| Billy Pearson | | | 1967 | Shelby Clone | Fastback | Best Engine |
| Joann Stalnaker | Henrico | VA | 1966 | | Convertible | Best '64.5-'66 |
| Timothy Lawrence | N. Wilkesboro | NC | 1968 | GT | Coupe | Best '67-'68 |
| Matthew Wood | Rock Hill | SC | 1969 | Mach 1 | Fastback | Best '69-'70 |
| Tom Pennington | Aynor | SC | 1973 | Mach 1 | Fastback | Best '71-'73 |
| Tom McJunkin | Pelzer | SC | 1978 | Mustang II | Hatchback | Best '74-'78 |
| Cleve Barrow | Virginia Beach | VA | 1966 | Shelby GT350 | Convertible | Best '65-'70 Shelby |
| Steve Mcpherson | Chadbourn | NC | 1970 | Boss 302 | Fastback | Best Boss |
| Jeff Southard | Franklin | NC | 1979 | LX | Ghia | Best '79-'86 |
| Fred Snipes | Cedar Grove | NC | 1993 | GT | Hatchback | Best '87-'93 |
| Tim & Tonyia Morris | Odenville | AL | 1994 | GT | Convertible | Best '94-'98 |
| Chad Hart | Inman | SC | 2003 | GT | Convertible | Best '99-'04 |
| Eric Hege | Lexington | NC | 2006 | GT | Convertible | Best '05-'10 |
| Matthew Schelkopf | Morgantown | PA | 1993 | SVT Cobra | Hatchback | Best '93 Cobra |
| Mark Johnson | Little Rock | AR | 1994 | SVT Cobra | Coupe | Best '94-'95 Cobra |
| Philip Clifton | Manassas | VA | 1997 | SVT Cobra | Coupe | Best '96-'98 Cobra |
| John Butler | Reidsville | NC | 2001 | SVT Cobra | Coupe | Best '99-'01 Cobra |
| Bob Humbertson | South Riding | VA | 2003 | SVT Cobra | Convertible | Best '03-'04 Cobra |
| Richard Belyski | | | 2007 | Shelby GT | | Best '07-'10 Shelby |
| John New | Waleska | GA | 2001 | Bullitt | Coupe | Best '01 Bullitt |
| Michael McEckron | | | 2008 | Bullitt | | Best '08 Bullitt |
| Janet Daniel | Laurinburg | NC | 2008 | Roush | Coupe | Best Female Owned |
| Arthur Raxter | Bessemer City | NC | 1995 | SVT Cobra | Coupe | Best Ford Specialty |
| Eric Morris | Wilmington | NC | 1998 | Steeda | Coupe | Best Steeda |
| Jeff Perlaky | Sylvania | OH | 2004 | Mach 1 | Coupe | Best Mach 1 |
| Greg Holland | Lynchburg | VA | 2004 | SVT Cobra | Convertible | Best SVT |
| Raymond D. Winterstine | Woodbridge | VA | 2001 | SHM | Coupe | Best Specialty |
| Andrew Winterstine | Woodbridge | VA | 2002 | Lightning | | Best Lightning |
| Scott Knight | Mosheim | TN | 2007 | Roush | Coupe | Best Roush |
| Regina Hall | Stoneville | NC | 2007 | Saleen | Coupe | Best Saleen |
| Raymond Williams | Orchard Park | NY | 2007 | GT/CS | Coupe | Best GT/CS |
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