2001 Mustang GT - Fully Armed

Growing up in a Ford-crazed family, perhaps it was inevitable Craig Kensler would end up following the path blazed by both his parents. It's the kind of upbringing most car fanatics aren't privy to but would have loved to been part of. We're talking about a clan devoted to vintage road racing a pair of Shelby GT350 replicas. Craig tells us he began working on the cars at the tender age of five. OK, so "work" in the preschool years may have been limited to cleaning the brake dust off the American Torque Thrusts, but it was obviously the springboard to greater things Ford.

Cooling his heels turned out to be a good thing in this instance, as it provided a chance to reevaluate the upcoming purchase. Shortly prior to the Bullitt's delivery, Craig spotted a Mineral Gray GT prowling the local streets and quickly became enamored by the new-for-2001 hue. Of course, with the Steve McQueen special being limited to black, blue, or green, Craig found himself at something of a crossroads. The Bullitt would surely be something special, but a GT would offer the color of choice, while helping give a jump-start to planned modifications through its somewhat lower purchase price. In the end, you can see which car won out.

More visible are the wheel and brake upgrades, scooped mostly from the '00 Cobra R parts bin. Those are Brembo four-pot calipers squeezing slotted rotors up front, augmented by Hawk pads and stainless lines. The rears may see Cobra pieces fitted in the future, but for now the stock arrangement makes due with upgraded pads and rotors. Cobra R 18x9.5-inch castings are genie Ford Racing Performance Parts offerings, with the standard finish that's consistent with an open-track theme.

Craig is fortunate to have his GT reserved for weekend duty, avoiding the dings and dents that so often accompany the daily drive. While the miles remain low, the fun factor is clearly high, with multiple track events and auto-crosses now in the books. Not content to stay close to his Tacoma home, Craig has traveled with friends Brian Bogden and Dave Lennartz to California for a session at Thunderhill, with plans for more out-of-town track days in the future. And has Craig any regrets about missing out on that special-edition Bullitt? Well, with a GT packing this much ammo, would you?