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Titanium and Carbon Fiber - Unique Colors and Materials of the 2024 Dark Horse Mustang
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Amplifying the track handling precision of the all-new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse™, the Mustang team has created a distinctive collection of colors and materials that amplifies its dark aura and digital-age style.

“The sinister and track-hungry attitude of Mustang Dark Horse inspired us to curate colors and materials in a way that underscores the vehicle’s athleticism,” said Carrie Kennerly, Ford senior color and materials designer. “We spent extra time on the cockpit, ensuring the look, feel and function of everything a performance driver could want conveys the performance Mustang Dark Horse is capable of.”

The heart of the Mustang Dark Horse interior is its all-new anodized blue, lightweight titanium manual shift knob. The lightweight six-speed knob is hollow and does not get as hot to the touch as similar aluminum knobs in warmer weather. For customers who chose the 10-speed SelectShift ® automatic transmission, anodized silver paddle shifters provide almost-instantaneous gear...
Pro-Dyno to the Rescue | Broken 2014 5.0 F-150
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Loyalty is important. Be it from man or machine, it’s good to know that when your back is to the wall that there’s someone/thing you can turn to. That’s why I encourage everyone to support your local performance shops, dealerships, restaurants/bars, etc. One of the establishments I have been a long time customer of is Pro-Dyno in Fort Mill, SC. I know when I have an issue Paul and the crew there will have my back, and that’s exactly what went down a few months back.

My father has a 2014 Coyote F-150 he bought new and on which he has subsequently racked up over 176,000 miles. Recently, the 9.75 rear end started to make some noise, and I knew exactly what it was. For some reason, that era of Ford trucks had an issue with failing pinion seals letting in a little moisture which pits the rollers in the front pinion bearing. When this happens it’s often more of an annoyance than an urgent matter. However, Dad likes piling the miles on this rig so I figured I should get it fixed for him...
Looking Back | Mustang Week 2022 | "The Final Trip to The Beach"
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During cold Winter days, like much of the country has been experiencing, it's common to look forward to a warm Spring evening drive. But today I'm thinking back to a blisteringly hot July day in Myrtle Beach, SC during Mustang Week 2022. After a couple of hurricanes and a global pandemic during the September MW events, the show moved back to its traditional July timeframe for 2022. I applauded the move back to July but heard lots of grumbles from those who preferred Sept, which proves it's impossible to make everyone happy.

At the time, this was billed as the Final Mustang Week. We now know that's not going to be the case, but that thought made me take a little more time to inspect and reflect upon the cars present in the show field. I’m always blown away by some of the rare and interesting cars and mods I see at the gathering. Seriously, when is the last time you saw multiple Iris SN-95s and Roush 5.0L intake manifolds in one place? Well they were at MW22. Check out this...
Mach E GT Performance Pack | More Fun Than You Think
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I’ve been waiting for this one. Several months back I got the chance to test out pre-production Mach-E First Edition. I found it impressive, but not something that I found terribly exciting. However, the 2021 Mach-E GT (outfitted with the optional Performance Package) is a different kind of animal. Everything that I liked about the standard Mach-E was there, but the performance edge of the GT has been sharpened significantly. If this car is a hint of future EV performance from Ford, ICE purists might want to take notice.

On the surface the Mach-E is the best car Ford produces, and this GT is a fine example of that. The interior material choices are excellent, and the exterior panel gaps are perfect. If only the S550 Mustang had been launched with this much attention given to initial perceived quality. On the road there’s not a squeak or rattle to be found. You can tell that Ford put their best engineers on the parts of the car that will have the most significant interaction with...
Eliminate Belt Slip NOW!!! | VMP Atlas and Claw Adjustable Idler Bracket Inspection
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The performance of a supercharged car hinges on one simple aspect of the boost building mechanism, the ability to spin the blower. If you can’t turn the rotors (or impeller) at the desired RPM you’re leaving power on the table. Belt slip is the thief-in-the-night of that mechanical system. Everything else can be perfect, but if the belt is slipping on the pulleys you’re not going to see the horsepower you’d expect. With the goal of ensuring that pony makes it to the pavement, the crew at VMP Performance set out to develop a series of products designed for blower car owners to get the most out of their supercharger setups.

“With force induction, it’s easier on the entire system to extract all the performance possible with a given pulley setup than it is to just keep pulleying-down to chase more power.”, said Justin Starkey, owner of VMP Performance. This philosophy led VMP to produce several combinations of Coyote FEAD (Front Engine Accessory Drive) components, centered around...
Prototype to Reality | Livernois Tuned Vortech 2021+ Coyote F-150
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A few months ago we stopped in to visit Livernois Motorsports for a little dyno session with our Bronco Raptor. While nosing around the back lot we notice a conspicuously placed 2021 F-150 with a little something extra hiding behind the grill. Turns out that Dan and the tuning crew at Livernois had been helping Vortech Superchargers develop their kit for the 2021+ 5.0L powered F-150.

It's no secret that tuning on these newer Ford trucks have been completely locked down since they were released (this only recently changed). Livernois was one of the very few companies that had cracked the code and could tune the ECUs. That lead Vortech to turn to Livernois to help develop the tuning for their new blower kit. The truck we spotted behind the shop had a prototype tune on it that was currently being tested. Check it out:


We have been holding back that video for a few months because I didn't want to spoil the reveal for Livernois. However...
615HP - 7.3L MEGAZILLA Crate Engine is Here!!! | PRI 2022
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Hanging out in the Ford Booth at PRI is always one of the highlights of the show. Not only is it manned by a great group of incredibly knowledgeable guys, but if you stick around long enough nearly everyone you know in the Ford performance industry will stroll through. That booth essentially becomes an unofficial meeting space for those of us deep in the Blue Oval game. Then there's the parts...

This year the Ford Performance Racing Parts guys debuted the all ne 7.3L MEGAZILLA Crate Engine. Cranking out 615HP and 640 LbFt of torque on pump gas. Even more impressively, it makes over 500 LbFt from 2,500-6,000RPMs. Mike Goodwin, Production Manager for Engines/Drivetrain/Calibrations, took time to walk us through the features of the new pushrod bruiser and Ford's other new products on display. Check out the vid:


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The new front-inlet intake manifold is a dead giveaway that you're not looking at...
Live Coverage from PRI 2020 | All The Race Stuff
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It's the most wonderful time of the year!!! We've once again made the pilgrimage to Indy for the annual Performance Racing Industry Show ("PRI"). Thankfully, the weather is much better than in years past. That will make the post-show activities much more fun. As for the show itself, it looks to be shaping up to be a pretty good event. I'm already seeing quite a few serious race cars and new parts.

We'll be posting coverage from the show in this thread, so keep checking back on it. This morning I managed to sneak in and get an early preview of much of the displays before anyone else was around. That makes getting these shots much easier. I'm going to be running around getting coverage for the next three days, so if there's something specific you guys would like to see just let me know. We have a lot more coming, and it'll all be posted here.


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VMP Renewed Throttle Bodies | It’s Like Free $$$$$$
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Everyone likes to save a little scratch, right? I’m here to tell you that you can make your late model Ford faster, and keep a little extra green in your wallet. VMP Performance has developed a process to take customer returned throttle bodies and rejuvenate them. They then resell these renewed billet pieces at a massive discount.

Often times, there’s very little (if anything) wrong with these returned units. VMP’s renewal process tests, and if need be repairs, both the mechanical and electrical portions of the throttle body. The end result is a perfectly functioning unit that may not be cosmetically perfect because it was previously installed on another car. Basically, VMP is letting you keep ~$400 in your pocket if you don’t mind seeing a few witness marks around bolt holes. I’d say that’s a solid deal. Check out this video for the full details:

When I say these things are $400 less than a new unit, I'm serious. Check out the current price of a...
ModNationals 2023 is Moving to Bradenton Motorsports Park
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At its core; racing is all about rising to the challenge, overcoming obstacles, and pushing yourself beyond your known limits. ModNationals 2022 perfectly embodied that spirit. In the face of a hurricane, Justin Young (ModNationals Organizer) and the entire ModNationals crew persevered and managed to once again put on one of the largest independent late-model Ford focused racing events on the nation. Though it was forced to end early due to weather, Young knew the end of the 2022 race was only the first step in a move that will setup ModNationals to become something even greater. For 2023, Mod-Nationals will be held on its traditional Veteran’s Day date, but at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

ModNationals has a reputation as an event that focuses on two groups, which often have a large overlap, Veterans and Racers. Since its start, the event has givenaway tens of thousands of dollars to ModNationals Veterans racers and has some of the largest class payouts in Late-Model Ford Racing...
TopLift Pro Makes Pulling the BRaptor Roof a 1-Man Job | Full Review
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In the few short months we’ve owned our Bronco Raptor I’ve had the factory hard-top off and on more than a few times. While the BRaptor looks killer stripped down, it is a bit of a PITA to remove the bolted on rear section of top. That set us out searching for a better solution for the removal and reinstall process, which is where TopLift Pros came in.

As it stands, removal of the aft most section of Bronco top is best done with three sets of hands. It’s not that the roof section is heavy; rather it is just awkward to handle. Weight-wise, one person could easily lift it. However, finesse is needed more than brute force in order to not mar any of the finished surfaces. So not wanting to have to find a couple helpers every time I was going to R&R the top, I started searching for a little mechanical advantage. After a little research we settled on ordering a rolling lift system from TopLift Pros out of Melbourne, FL. It would make top removal a one-man job...
BRaptor gets a Homemade ("JLT") Oil Separator | 1,000 Mile Review
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I can't believe I haven't posted this yet. The day after picking up my BRaptor I headed over to @Livernois Motorsports for a little bone-stock dyno session. However, before spinning the rollers I wanted to get an oil separator plumbed into the intake tract. Certain EcoBoost engines (such as the Raptor's 3.0L) are particularly susceptible to coking up the intake valves because they don't have a port fuel injector spraying on the back of the valve. That fuel spray goes a long way towards keeping things clean. Not having that means keeping oil from the PCV system off the valves is paramount.

Luckily, I had a pile of old JLT oil separator parts laying around. I had used these units on several Fords in the past, and always been happy with the way they performed. So with a little help (and loaner tools) from the guys at...
Bronco Raptor on the Lift | Video Inspection of the Undercarriage
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While we were installing our prototype Whipple Intercooler at Pro-Dyno we decided to take a closer look at out Bronco Raptor on the lift. It did not disappoint.
2023 Bronco Sport Adds Black Diamond Off-Road Package
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Elevating its adventure game, Ford is introducing a new off-road package that brings increased capability and style with the new Bronco Sport Black Diamond Off-Road Package and is expanding Bronco Off-Roadeo access for customers that purchase a new 2023 Bronco Sport vehicle.

“For adventurers who want to get more from their Bronco Sport, we’re enhancing the ownership experience by offering more trail capability with the new Black Diamond Off-Road Package, plus an included opportunity to learn what their SUV can do at Bronco Off-Roadeo,” said Mark Grueber, Enthusiast Vehicle Marketing Manager. “Today, nearly 90% of Bronco Sport customers that attend Off-Roadeo are likely to go off-roading again, and 97% of customers are more knowledgeable and confident doing so, furthering our goal of getting into the wild.”

The Black Diamond Off-Road Package – available on Big Bend and Outer Banks series – delivers even more off-road capability by adding four steel bash plates covering key 4x4...
Go Topless More Often | Test Fitting a BronCover on the Bronco Raptor
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There’s just something about owning a Bronco that makes the ladies in your life want to go topless. That’s just a fact, don’t ask me to try to explain it. However, the last thing you want when you’re running wild and free is to get caught out without the proper protection. That’s where the fine folks at BronCover come into play.

One of the ever present threats of owning a convertible is getting caught out in inclimate weather with your top down. With a Bronco that anxiety can be compounded by the fact that you can remove the doors as well. If you have a hard-top that makes about half-a-vehicle worth of body panels you’ve pulled off, and that takes a little time commitment to reinstall. That’s why I like having a BronCover in the cargo area as a little added insurance.

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Every BronCover comes in this awesome reusable storage bag. I just throw it in the back any time we pop the top.

BronCover makes an extremely high...
Records Fall | A Look Back at ModNats 2021 | Make Plans for 2022 Now!!!
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Mod-Nats 2022 is right around the corner, and SVTP plans to be in attendance to bring you all the sweet coverage you’ve come to expect. And since we are so close waking up to the sweet smell of VHT and the sound of a tractor dragging the track, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at ModNats 2021. You still have about a week to make plans to make it to South Georgia Motorsports Park to check out the 2022 edition of one of the best Ford drag racing events of the year. We’ll see you there.

All I can say is that you should have been there. We gave you a quick preview of what to expect from ModNats 2021 last week, but I’m here to tell you that the event exceeded all of my expectations. Though it was painfully cold at times for we Southerners, you could not have asked for better racing conditions. The mornings and evenings were both highlighted be negative Das. If you like racing in mine-shaft air, South Georgia Motorsports Park in November is the place for you...
Keeping Your Cool | BRaptor Whipple Intercooler Install/Test | IAT Buster
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We hold this truth to be self-evident, More Boost = More Better. You know the thing. The problem is, more boost also leads to power robbing increased charge-air temperatures. That’s where a part like the Whipple Intercooler we recently installed on our Bronco Raptor has the opportunity to shine.

While the entire Bronco lineup is capable of impressive off-road performance, the factory equipped intercooler leaves a lot to be desired in terms of power production potential. This is especially true for the unit found on the higher powered 3.0L EcoBoost equipped Bronco Raptor. In our testing we’ve found that it heat soaks fairly quickly, and really starts to have trouble when you throw more boost at it.

A few weeks back we installed a JB4 module from 5 Star Tuning, which gave us a very nice bump in performance. It works by basically fooling the factory ECU into...
Adventure Van | Ford Introduces the 2023 Transit Trail
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Van life just received an upgrade with the arrival of the new 2023 Ford Transit Trail van.

For more than six decades, Ford has provided travelers with vans, trucks and chassis built for life on and off the road. In fact, more motorhomes are built on Ford chassis than any other brand.1 Today, Ford Pro announced it is continuing that tradition with Transit Trail, an upfit-ready adventure van that leverages the same capability, versatility and customization options that helped make Ford Transit® America’s best-selling commercial van.2

“No matter the task at hand – delivering packages or enjoying life off the grid – customers can rely on their Transit to get the job done,” said Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO. “Our decades of experience in the motorhome industry and insights from the van-life community helped us design a vehicle that makes it easier for adventure seekers to start their next journey.”

Equipped to take on more of life’s adventures

Available in three cargo van...
2023 Ford Super Duty Gets Major Power Increases - 500 HP & 1,200 lbft
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The all-new 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty offers best in class performance right where customers need it with 1,200 lb.-ft. of torque*** available, 40,000 pounds maximum towing*, and 8,000 pounds of maximum payload**. That high level of capability coupled with ingenious new confidence-inspiring technology helps customers haul more** and tow more* than any other heavy-duty pickup truck while a new suite of cloud-based services adds productivity both on and off the jobsite.

“The all-new 2023 Super Duty is designed and engineered for America's builders. Our job is to help make our customers’ work feel easy, and this truck nails that commitment,” said Andrew Kernahan, Super Duty chief program engineer. “The combination of purpose-built construction, powerful engines, 10-speed transmissions and new technology means our customers can work, tow and haul with absolute confidence.”

Tow Heavy, Tow Confidently

Heavy-duty pickup owners use their truck for towing, so Super Duty offers...
Slick | Ford Bronco Raptor Gets Cilajet Ceramic Coating at Gorno Ford
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Nearly two months ago I posted a thread looking for advice on ceramic coating for my then soon-to-be-purchased Ford Bronco Raptor. The detailing gurus on SVTP gave solid advice, and I appreciated their input. However, I wasn’t looking for the typical car show level of ceramic shine. I just wanted bug guts and dirt to come off the BRaptor more easily. Since time was of the essence (I needed to drive 800 miles the next two days) and the price was reasonable ($1500) I decided to give the detailing crew at Gorno Ford a shot. I was not disappointed.

They got the BRaptor in the wash bay early in the morning, and for the next few hours a crew of guys got to work on my new ride. They were super friendly and as you can see from above, invited me to film the process. They used ceramic products from the Cilajet line. This was not a quick process, and they took their time to make sure everything was properly applied. I was super happy to see the attention to detail they showed my new...


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