Ty Henry of Raceskinz double-checks...
Ty Henry of Raceskinz double-checks the alignment of Boss 340's lightweight, Schoneck Composites front-end components. A master with fiberglass, carbon fiber and other unique body materials, Ty methodically positioned, measured (hood and car centerlines), and cut the 'Stang's new hood and Outlaw LX front bumper cover ($795) where necessary, and in the course of a few hours had the front of our project car looking just plain evil, and it's not even close to finished yet!
The road to project-car euphoria is sometimes rough. All of the editors here at 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords are aware of this, yet, when the tough times come, we always seem to summon up the moxie to cast care aside and to forge ahead with conviction-and commitment-to get all tasks completed, and our project Ponies out on the road or track.
As many of you may have also experienced, unless you're handling the work yourself, getting a project car "through the body shop (all bodywork done and painted)" in a timely fashion (we'll use, in 3 months or less as our hypothetical benchmark for "timely") seems to be the Number One task that can make or break a build.
We're currently at that point with Project Boss 340, our '90 Mustang LX drag-car effort (you can learn the history of this project by checking out previous articles and blog updates that are posted on our website; www.50mustangandsuperfords.com).
We've done all of the preliminary assembly work, including mock-fitting the entire drivetrain, and now it's time for the 'Stang to leave the cozy confines of A.R.E. Performance and Machine in Simi Valley, California, and occupy a new space just a few miles away at Raceskinz, the Van Nuys-based car customizers who have taken on the task of performing all of the project's bodywork, paint, graphics and interior development-and in some cases, re-development.
If the world has any chance of being perfect for us, we hope to get Boss 340 through the body shop in half the amount of time that we cited earlier, but we certainly don't want to rush any of the work that is being done, either. It's a Catch-22 that definitely will keep our anxiety high for the next couple of months, but the finished product will be one of the cleanest, trickest, baddest-looking Fox-body race cars this magazine has ever produced (That's a tall order!-Ed.).
We're going to wait for one more issue and not show you the artist's rendering of Boss 340's color and graphic scheme, which Raceskinz owner, president, and lead designer Tirrell Lazada-Smith (aka Cochise) has developed, as there's a lot of work that must be done before the BASF color is sprayed.
Instead, we're starting this leg of the journey by highlighting the installation of the project 'Stang's new Schoneck Composites fascia and hood. The Schoneck brothers of Minnesota Lake, Minnesota, are producers of ultra-lightweight fiberglass (and carbon fiber) bumper covers and hoods for '84-'04 Mustangs, and their Outlaw LX nose piece and to-the-windshield cowl hood are exactly what our Boss needs for a look that matches the sinister sound of its high-revving, Cleveland-headed, 302-based small-block engine.
Boss 340's original fascia...
Boss 340's original fascia was removed by A.R.E. Performance and Machine, prior to transporting the Mustang to Raceskinz...
...and upon its arrival, the...
...and upon its arrival, the Raceskinz team hustled our LX into the shop to begin assessing the project they've been anxious to start working on. Raceskinz will be performing all of the body, paint, graphics and interior work on our race 'Stang, which will include many carbon-fiber treatments that enthusiasts will be able to order for their own Ponies, once the project is completed.
Ty and Raceskinz co-owner,...
Ty and Raceskinz co-owner, Mike Smith (left), start by setting the Schoneck Composites fascia on the Mustang and determining where/how it must be altered for a clean, OEM-like fit. Although Schoneck trims the one-piece bumper covers prior to shipping them, Ty says there is still just a little material that must be removed, in order to give us a clean fit. Notice how headlight pockets are molded into the fascia? A complete Ultra Clear headlight assembly (headlights, turn signals, side markers) from Late Model Restoration Supply will be added when Boss 340 is reassembled after it's painted.
The bumper cover is affixed...
The bumper cover is affixed to the front fenders using Cleco fasteners. Clecos are really convenient for mock-up procedures such as this one, as they help hold parts together prior to permanently securing them with bolts or rivets. Clecos are available in four common sizes (3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-, and 3/16-inch). We're using 1/8-inch Clecos, which are identified by their copper color.
A Fox-body Mustang must lose...
A Fox-body Mustang must lose the front lower portion of both fenders when Schoneck's Outlaw LX bumper cover is installed. After removing the fender extensions, Ty uses a reciprocating saw to clip the edges from our project Mustang's fenders.
The Schoneck Outlaw LX bumper...
The Schoneck Outlaw LX bumper cover includes body-molding that replaces the factory pieces located just in front of the tires.
Ty uses a Cengar pneumatic...
Ty uses a Cengar pneumatic air saw to trim material from the molding so that it falls in the correct location on the body when the bumper is permanently mounted.