Stang Pit

I saw some Mustang rendering of what some think the 2014 Ford Mustang may look like.  I ran for the bathroom, and after feeling utter nausea for at least an hour, I looked at the rendering again through the fingers covering my face, like gawking at a bad accident.

2014 - Time to barf

As far as the front end, please don’t make it look like the Camaro!  At least slant the upper outside edges inward like the Shelbys, rather than the rendering which has the whole overdone Toyota-trying-to-mimic-BMW-but-looks-like-a-Pontiac headlight-thing going on.

Don’t have a supercharger or turbo so you’re not worried?  Think again!  Neither do I!  Have you checked your throttle-body lately?  This amount of oil blow-by comes out after only 250 miles of driving.  You don’t want this gunk getting sucked back into your intake do you?

After just 250 miles

Nasty.  Make sure when you clean your throttle-body that you only use cleaner that is safe for coated throttle-bodies, or you will eat the finish right off, not good.  For about $100 you can get a nice looking billet oil catchcan.

I went with the UPR Products version.  I’m happy with it, but I have a few complaints and UPR didn’t care nor did they offer a remedy.  I’ll get into that later.

See the tube coming out of your driver’s side valve cover and going into your intake in front of the throttle-body?  Yeah that’s the guilty party.  The vacuum is needed in the valve covers or you lose power, that’s fine.  But you don’t want this junk getting sucked in your car’s lungs with it do you?

You may need one on both sides if you have a turbo system or supercharger.  Just make sure you don’t lose vacuum.  Also, DO NOT just pour this blow-by back into your engine.  It contains vapor and other junk you don’t want to put in your engine.

Now about the UPR catchcan.  Overall I’m happy with it, but here are my main beefs:

• They ship it with radiator hose that breaks down from oil AND collapses under vacuum and heat.
• They suggest mounting it under an existing bolt near the strut tower on the driver’s side, but that location will not allow you to remove the reservoir for dumping.
• I had to drill a new hole nearby their suggested location and buy some hardware to mount it in such a way that I can remove the “tank”, since you have to do that every 500-1000 miles or so.
• There is a wire mesh in the top to help catch particles and blow-by, but some people have reported this mesh breaking down and getting sucked into your engine as well.  I have not seen this yet, but removed mine nonetheless just to be safe.  I don’t see how removing it will hinder it’s performance.
• UPR claimed to have never heard of any of these issues and didn’t care that I had these problems.

Either way, the UPR kit is otherwise well made, just keep in mind that you’ll want to get some nice braided tubing and connectors so the tube doesn’t collapse or break down over time.

Now go stop that blow-by from gunkin up yer junk!

If you didn’t make it to the Mustang car show at Perry Farm in Bourbonnais, IL today, you missed out! It was an awesome display of some of the hottest Stangs from every generation.  There were Shelbys, Saleens, Roushs, you name it. 2nd gen Mustang Cobras were in the house, even a ’67 GT500KR. It was incredible.  

The weather couldn’t be more perfect. Prizes, trophys, food, cool t-shirts, and we took the scenic route along the Kankakee river.  Be sure to make it next year, it was a great way to get a major Mustang fix in for the weekend.

The pictures don’t do it justice. That shot is a small fraction of the plentiful pile of pretty ponies that pranced about.

Stay tuned for coverage of Perry’s Farm Ford and Mustang Show, which is of course TODAY, Sunday, August 1, 2010, at 459 N. Kennedy Drive  in Bourbonnais, IL.

It’s going to be a beautiful day, with a crapload of beautiful Mustangs down there, just past Joliet.  Git yer butt down there if you’re not already there.  If you can’t make it, don’t worry.  StangPit is covering the event and will have tons of pictures soon.

See tons of Mustangs like this one!

HAPPY MUSTANG MOTORING!

The picture is what Chicago looks like from I-90 at 2:30 AM on a Thursday morning, on tax day.  Why is this a cool picture?  It’s not.

You know it’s going to be a bad day when you never went to sleep, but wanted to, then you find out at 1:00 AM that you have to go to work, 40 miles away.  The only saving grace was I got to take the Stanger out for a roadtrip, albeit unplanned, though I suppose most of mine aren’t planned.

Ugh. It's 2am Chicago!

Not cool.  Then I got back in the Stanger thinking I could go home at 4:00 AM, just to find out I had to go right back in.  And it’s tax day.  What a sucky day.  Hey, at least it’ll be warm in Chicago today!

It wasn’t long ago I spent a nice, relaxing, warm morning cleaning my engine bay. Yet on my way to work today, I had to bust out my winter coat, hat, and honestly I wish I brought my gloves!

Recent Warm Detail Session

I’d be lucky if it was even 40 degrees out here, and I long for our estranged friend, summer. I miss the car shows, the shadowy morning detail sessions, and rollin’ with the windows down.

They say you get used to the weather, but let me tell you, I’ve lived here my whole life and… you never get used to it!

Ah, Chicago…

This weekend was just one of those weekends when my wife and I both worked, I don’t remember the last time I spoke with my parents, sister, or friends, and I sit here Sunday evening still having to do taxes.

Is this what life is all about?  Sometimes I feel like I’m looking in a side-view mirror, watching life go by at a weird angle.  You see things you’ve passed up, some good, some bad.  It’s good to take pictures of these events, since it sure makes them easier to remember.  I think it’s good to enjoy yourself as you go.  That’s where Mustangs fit into our lives.  Whether you’re young, or just young-at-heart, these cars let you get in, hit the open road, and purr your worries away.

Watching Life Go By

We enjoy roadtrips.  We look through all the photos often… it’s fun to reminisce.  However, I think sometimes people dwell on the past too much.  Looking at the side-view mirror is great, in fact it’s necessary.  But I remember what my driver’s education teacher and my parents taught me:  “Check your mirrors often, but the most important thing is where you are and what’s in front of you.”

What a great metaphor for life.  Here’s to Mustang motoring!