STANG Magazine August 2023

MAGAZINE

Mustang enthusiasts have asked for a magazine that has no ads, no sales pitches, and no bogus “fillers” to eat up space. They have asked for a magazine that is free, easy to access, and nothing but focused on Mustang pictures and content. They have asked for a magazine produced and written by Mustang owners. They have asked for a magazine that highlights the daily drivers and the average Mustang that is driven and is not a trailer queen. They have asked for the chance to one day have their ride, their group, their club, or their cause to be recognized in print or online. It is our absolute pleasure to meet these standards and to give you STANG Magazine. We hope that both our message and our image will be seen in every Mustang community out there. Thank you Mustang fans and enjoy your ride!

- Daniel Ramey, Editor-In-Chief

TALKING WITH TJ

As we begin our journey into the descent of madness that is my mind and the crazy antics of my life, I would like to first introduce myself. My name is TJ, blah blah blah, that sums it up and all you need to know. Whew… got past the CRAP no one cares about! Now for the good stuff.

Mustang culture is one that is very unique and brings together people from all walks of life. One thing is for sure though, the STANG Mag crew isn’t your typical crew. We are a bunch of weirdos, oddballs, and outcasts. We party hard and live by our ride or die motto and have adventures like no other.

From partying in various spots all over the U.S., to touring some of America’s most haunted sites, to having my ass spanked by a beautiful Latina in Las Vegas in front of a restaurant packed full of guests (and owning it), it’s never a dull moment! All I can say is... strap in, rev the shit out of your motor, and let’s go!

BATTLESHIP NEW JERSEY

Boom, Boom, Boom! You know what time of year it is? That’s right, it’s our annual New Jersey Battleship STANG Mag Tour. This year we did something extra special. We spent the night on the ship!

The night view on the battleship was amazing. Philadelphia just lights up at night and creates a beautiful skyline of glistening lights that bounces off the Delaware River. For the overnight crew, the first event was dinner. It was delicious and was not too much or too little. The best part was you literally got to sit in the chow hall and eat as if you were really in the Navy. After dinner we had the battleship tour. This was really cool. We had an actual serviceman from the New Jersey give us a tour. As he gave us the tour, he would tell us little secrets and tid bits of his experiences while serving on the ship. My favorite was the ammunition room where they store the rounds for the guns. Some of the rounds are almost as tall as I am and to move the rounds, they would put oil on the floor to help allow the rounds to slide more easily across the floor.

After the tour we were allowed to explore the ship. They also had a movie playing in the chow hall, Sink the Bismark! I spent my night

walking around the old ship by myself, exploring the various areas. It’s interesting to imagine how people lived on these ships for months at a time.

CAR OWNER

brothers!!

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

One interesting thing did happen after everyone went to sleep around 12:00 am. I stayed up as I am a night owl and I was on my phone in the chow hall by myself and all of a sudden I see four guys in their early 20s speed walking towards me wearing special operations helmets and night vision. Now at this point, I am a little sleepy and was like what the hell... we have a SWAT team aboard the USS New Jersey? I was about ready to go find an AR15 and join these guys. It was like a night raid on the USS New Jersey, but seriously I was not expecting that. They went up the ladder to the top side and I didn’t see them again. What happened to these brave souls? Men in Black? I will never know, but God speed

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

Well afterwards I got tired and finally decided to head below to sleep. We used the original racks to sleep in and I will tell you one thing, they are tiny. I squeezed my fluffy ass in one and it was tight, but honestly it was pretty comfortable once I got into my hole. After waiting an hour for ghosts (which never did show) I passed out and next thing I knew it was morning. They woke us up to Anchors Away, best song ever! And I flopped my jolly ass out of the rack and headed to top deck to see the sunrise. We opted out of morning chow and headed out to a Mexican place for brunch. Well, that was my experience and it was a blast! Anyone can sign up for the overnight sleepover and FYI, it’s cheaper than a hotel! Support the Battleship New Jersey and do it at least once! Until next time, I am signing out.

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

JOKE OF THE MONTH THE US NAVY WILL START TO EQUIP ALL THEIR SUBS WITH EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS...

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

They will be subma-weiners.

GEOFF

CAR OWNER

CARPENTER

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

BETTY - 2018 MUSTANG GT

I WILL OWN THE CAR FOREVER.

My name is Geoff Carpenter from Keizer, Oregon and this is my 2018 Mustang GT “Betty”. My Mustang story started out in 1985, when I was about 10 years old. I had a neighbor that owned a beautiful 1967 Mustang with a 289 4v. That car was gorgeous and I got to hear it run every now and then. That and the fact my older brother always dreamed of a 1967 Mustang started me on that road. My local police department also had a DARE seized Mustang Saleen that I saw. Fast forward to 1994 and my summer after graduating high school, before I went off to college. A friend I grew up with bought a 1969 Mustang with a 302 automatic. She let me drive that car and I loved every minute of it. I told myself at that point I wouldn’t drive another Mustang until I could buy one.

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

Over the years I looked at Mustangs for sale from time to time always gawking at the ones I see driving down the road, rolling the window down just to listen to the sound as they drove past. I was offered rides by friends who owned Mustangs, but I declined. On a Police Officer’s salary with a young family there was no way I could condone buying such an impractical car. Then in 2018 I was yet again looking at the ads and I saw a gorgeous 2018 Mustang GT in Lightning Blue Metallic. The price wasn’t half bad either, coming in under MSRP (I miss those days). I sent the ad to my wife thinking I would get a “nice car” or similar response. The response I got was unexpected it said something similar to “go buy your car.” I couldn’t believe my eyes, less than four hours later that beautiful Mustang GT was in my driveway. I asked the kids what to name her and they both agreed she was forever to be known as “Betty.”

I will own the car forever. I have had her since new and my death or the government will be the only thing that takes her

away. 99% of the mods were done by me with a friend’s help on occasion. Betty gets driven daily, cutting corners, banging gears and having fun, so she is not perfect, but she is perfect to me.

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in

PHOTO CRED: LISA CARPENTER

ALLEN OLIVER

CAR OWNER

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

BUGSY - MKIII FACTORY FIVE COBRA ROADSTER

THIS WAS A CAR THAT MY LATE FRIEND AND MENTOR AL MINER OWNED AND I WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY ON HIS LEGACY.

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

This is a MKIII Factory Five Cobra Roadster nicknamed Bugsy. This was a car that my late friend and mentor Wesley Al Miner owned and I will continue to carry on his legacy. This month marks the one year anniversary since his passing. The day we found out we were able to purchase the car we were very excited. The car has been a part of my family’s life also. When my son was younger, we detailed this car and many others always dreaming of owning a car like this.

The car is powered by a 347 Stroker backed by a Tremek T-5 manual transmission. The rear end is a Ford 8.8 with the four link set up. The car is finished in Mercedes black with Mercedes grey/silver stripes. The car was just missing something when we got it and we added all the upgraded things that I know Al would approve of. This is a real head-turner any where we take it. Another special car to add to our stable.

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in

PHOTO CRED: ALLEN OLIVER

CAR OWNER CAR

NAME–YEAR

& MODEL INFO

JAMES & TESSA SPIELMAN EL –2018 MUSTANG GT

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

I BELIEVE SHE HAS FOUND HER FOREVER STABLE!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

I got my first Mustang at 17 years of age with a 1989 Mustang LX with a 5.0 and GT interior. I later had a 1993 Mustang GT. Both of these cars were lookers in their day. After three kids and a lot of life, my wife and I decided to buy the 2018 Mustang. The first time we drove her we fell in love and just had to have her. We have named her Eleanor or “El” for short. She is a garage queen who only comes out during the summer and nice weather.

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

My wife and I enjoy going to Ford and Mustang shows with her. She can also be seen at local cars and coffee events. This year we took her for the longest drive since getting her and took her to Ponies in the Smokies and the Tail of the Dragon. I

have a high stress job and she often goes for “therapy” drives in the evenings. The car is awesome to drive and garners a lot of compliments. She even has her own Instagram page @ magnetic_five.0. I believe she has found her forever stable!

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

Mods include 2018 Ford Mustang GT Premium Performance Pack 1, Magnetic metallic paint, lowered on Steeda Progressive springs and Steeda shocks and struts, front camera integrated into factory screen, MBRP Street exhaust, and 25mm wheel spacers.

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

PHOTO CRED: JAMES SPIELMAN

CAR OWNER

JEREMY SILVEY

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

MARILYN - 2017 MUSTANG GT

MARILYN ROLLED OUT OF THE FLAT ROCK ASSEMBLY PLANT

ON APRIL 12, 2017.

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

My earliest childhood memories are standing against the fence at the dirt track races watching my mom race against the guys in her Ford Torino GT and winning! Growing up in the country on dirt roads a lot of my life when it was time to get a vehicle it was mostly gravel road runners. Being a sales manager at a Ford dealership I have spent some time in about everything available Ford and non Ford. I ultimately decided that a good solid pre-loved gen 2 6r80 401a GT was going to be the route I would want to take to start on a build. I watched the market and waited patiently. Then one day I got a bone stock 1 owner S550 out of Arizona. I knew that car was coming home with me the minute I laid eyes on her.

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

ending with a set of Borla 4” black chrome tips. The car was dialed in with dyno pulls, road time, data logging, and a remote custom 91/93 calibration with VMP.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Next came suspension and I went all out with everything in the Steeda street/road course catalog. Independence Audio in Independence, MO worked their local KC area famous magic on the Shaker Pro system with a custom JL Audio components all the way around. Other mods include Forgestar F14 wheels and possible boost in the future.

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

PHOTO CRED: JEREMY SILVEY

Marilyn rolled out of the Flat Rock assembly plant on April 12, 2017, a 2017 Mustang GT Premium 401a in White Platinum Metallic with the black accent package, 6-speed automatic 6R80 transmission, 3.15 limited slip rear axle and hard loaded. The perfect clean and stock look I knew I wanted to stay with as she came from the factory. That’s where this fully optimized, naturally aspirated rowdy Coyote, aggressive touring build began.

Marilyn is now optimized with a PMAS CAI leading to an AFS ported 2018+ manifold. From the engine is a set of Stainless Works 1 7/8 long tube headers with 3” high flow catted lead pipes paired up with Borla Atak catback exhaust with X-pipe

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

TYLER

CAR OWNER

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

HARVEY-SUMPTER MISS SCARLET - 2019 MUSTANG GT

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

I WENT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND CHANGED VEHICLES!

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

This is my 2019 Ford Mustang GT 6 speed 301A “Miss Scarlet”. Visual mods include Cervinis Cobra-R cowl hood, Cervini’s C-series spoiler, front lip extension, front bumper mounted winglets, rear diffuser extension, side skirt winglets, 5% tint, and the infamous Coyote nickname windshield banner. Inside has a white cue ball shift knob, red aluminum dash/center console trim, and red adhesive carbon fiber decals for steering wheel trim. The only engine modification is an oil separator/catch can on the passenger side intake.

Growing up, my father was always into automobiles. He had several Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme 442s when I was younger that fueled my love for cars. Matchbox, Hot Wheels, RC, you name it. Being 35, I grew up in the era of the original Fast & Furious movies and it only fueled my addiction!

The story behind my car came after I had taken my new 2019 F150 to the dealer service center for her 30k mile service. On the lot, there she sat. My 2019 GT 6 speed with only 4k miles on the dash. While my daughter and I waited on my truck to finish, we popped the car seat out of it and

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

into the pony for a test drive. Long story short, I went in for an oil change and changed vehicles! To this day, she has only 22k miles on her and with my dealer’s lifetime powertrain warranty I have “currently” limited myself on engine modifications that would void it. She is not my daily driver and I’m happy with the stock power she provides.

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

PHOTO CRED: TYLER HARVEY-SUMPTER

CAR OWNER

STEPHANIE PHILLIPPI PINKY

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

–2007 MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE

SHE WAS PERFECT, AND TO THIS DAY I STILL THINK THAT SHE IS IN HER OWN QUIRKY WAYS.

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

Pinky is my daily driven, 240k mile 2007 Mustang GT. I traded in my WRX for her at a dealership in South Carolina in 2019. I was extremely picky about color and options. Honestly, I wanted a Grabber Orange convertible GT, but I couldn’t find one in a manual anywhere.

I watched multiple listing sights like a hawk, until one morning, there she was - a black GT, 5-speed, convertible with a little over 120k miles. I immediately called to ask when I could come in for a test drive. The very next day I picked her up. She was perfect, and to this day I still think that she is in her own quirky ways.

The pink wrap didn’t come about until a year later. I had the wild idea that I wanted something different. Rose Gold was my original choice, but I ended up going with

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

Bubblegum Pink because it reminded me of my old pink Plymouth Duster. The original wrap lasted less than a year, unfortunately, due to a trailer running over the front end as I was getting gas. It was so painful to watch. Two long months later she was finally put back together. She’s by far no show car, but she makes me happy!

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

DEKETT

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK

PHOTO CRED: STEPHANIE PHILLIPPI

BRANT AVANT

CAR OWNER

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

ROUGE –1996 MUSTANG GT

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

THE MUSTANG I HAVE NOW WAS A FATHER’S DAY GIFT FROM MY WIFE AS A PROJECT FOR MY SON AND I TO WORK ON.

My passion for cars started when the first Fast & Furious movie came out. I loved all the LED/neon lights people had on their cars with the loud exhaust.

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

dow trim black along with the spoiler because I like the red and black look. It’s not an award winner but it takes really good photos.

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in

PHOTO CRED: BRANT AVANT

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

MODS

• Lowered

• Ford Performance spark plug wires

• Caster camber plates

• Stock motor

• Replaced stock hood

• Painted exterior window trim

CAR OWNER

BILL SHERLEY

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

TABITHA’S REVENGE - 2023 MUSTANG GT/CS

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

My relationship with the Mustang began way back in 1985 when I was 18 and my dad let me take a spin in his ‘64 1/2 coupe. Man, it was rough – the passenger side floor was totally rusted out, so we had to remove the seat to keep it from falling through! I was crushed when he sold it for $2,500.

Things came full circle in 2014 when I bought myself a new 2014 Mustang 3.7 base coupe and discovered that Mustangs really do have something special about them. Of course, 2017 brought some drama when I got behind on payments and the bank repossessed it… only for me to find it 6 months later at a used car dealer for thousands less than I owed on it. When I sold it in 2021, that car had over 198,000 miles under its belt!

Then one day at the dealership, I saw the 2023 Mustang GT/CS and realized that all my upgrade attempts on my old 2014 Mustang had been to try and turn it into a California Special - scoops, louvers, spoilers… you name it. Now I’m

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

the proud owner of this beauty and can’t wait to see where the wind takes me next!

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

PHOTO CRED: BILL SHERLEY

ALL MY UPGRADE ATTEMPTS ON MY OLD 2014 MUSTANG HAD BEEN TO TRY AND TURN IT INTO A CALIFORNIA SPECIAL...

CAR OWNER

KEVIN KLEINSMITH

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

THE MAN IN BLACK - 2008 MUSTANG CALIFORNIA SPECIAL

MY LOVE FOR CARS COMES FROM MY DAD HAVING A 1915 MODEL T.

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

My love for Mustangs began when my uncle took me to register for kindergarten in his 1969 Mach 1. Since that day I’ve always loved Mustangs. My love for cars comes from my dad having a 1915 Model T. That car has been shown at Das Awkscht Fescht in Macungie for the past 60 years every August. Cars and car shows have been in my blood for a long time. I’ve owned several Mustangs over the years and currently own a 1983 V6 Convertible and since December this 2008 GT/CS. I’m part of a great Mustang family in the Valley Forge Mustang Club.

I was at the Mustang Owners Museum in Charlotte last April for a show and there were a few 05-09 S197s there and that’s when I got the itch to own one. I started looking in December and by the 27th I picked this one up. Once I walked up to it, I realized it was a California Special. I knew I had to have it then. It is number 355 of 718 CSs built in black for 2008. Having

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

only 52,000 miles on it I knew it had plenty of smiles left. I think the 05-09 body style was the best looking one Ford has done. Having liked Johnny Cash music and this all black that’s how it got named ”The Man in Black”.

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

So far, the mods I’ve done have been a Roush CAI and an SCT tune along with some minor enhancements to make it look better. Next up will be some stripes and a better exhaust. I take pride in doing as much work on vehicles as I can so this will be a work in progress. While black isn’t my favorite color,

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

having the Model T makes me remember what Henry Ford said, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.”

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

PHOTO CRED: KEVIN KLEINSMITH

CAR OWNER

ANDREW WITT

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

1COOLGT –2012 MUSTANG GT

I

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

My passion with Mustangs started with my mom telling me about the one Mustang she has always wanted which is a 1964 1/2 or 1965 289 V8 Convertible in Caspian Blue with white leather interior and a white top. My late grandfather also once owned a 1994 black Convertible Mustang GT with Saddle Tan leather interior that I would love to find some day. It also continued with going to different car shows while growing up and seeing all of the awesome classic and modern Mustangs that made me want one of my own. Once my passion for Mustangs started, it wasn’t going to stop! I started with a 96 Mustang GT then owned a 2004 Mach 1. I took automotive classes during high school and some college which also kept my passion going.

The story behind my current 2012 5.0 is I bought it on June 21, 2018 from Wagler Ford in Sigourney, Iowa. I was told about the car from a friend of mine who knows the previous owner that traded it in at the dealership. I made some calls to the

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

WANT IT!

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

salesman at the dealership about the car and scheduled a day to come look at the Mustang. I took my grandfather with me to go look at it. When I got to test drive the Mustang, I fell in love with it and knew I had to have it. I bought the Mustang and have loved it ever since. I have been little by little over the years building it the way I want and don’t want to stop adding my own touches to it until I feel like that’s the way I want it!

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Hope you all enjoyed reading my story about how my never ending passion with Mustangs got started!

PHOTO CRED:

ANDREW WITT

LICKS_PHOTOGRAPHY

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!

E.MS_PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO CRED: ROB WALKO CHUCK DEKETT

DON’T WANT TO STOP ADDING MY OWN TOUCHES TO IT UNTIL I FEEL LIKE THAT’S THE WAY I

“JUST THE TIP

SMOKE ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM

I know we all keep our cars in pristine shape, and no one has ever had a problem with any of their vehicles smoking out of the exhaust pipes. But if you do see a car that is smoking from the exhaust, the color of the smoke can tell you a lot about what is going on. What does different colored smoke mean?

Black – Black smoke out of the exhaust means your air to

fuel ratio is too rich. Too much gas for the amount of air that is going into the engine. This could be caused by a leaking fuel injector, a faulty fuel pressure regulator, or a bad air filter. If your engine is running this rich, it can cause serious problems and your Check Engine light is probably glowing proudly.

Blue-ish – The blue smoke can be hard to tell from grey smoke. You really need good light to see it, but you’ll notice a slight blue hue to the color. This is generally caused

by an engine that is burning oil. This is probably caused by worn engine components such as valve seals, PCV valves or worn piston rings.

White or Grey - Billowing white or grey smoke that does not go away, means you have a serious problem. This is caused by engine coolant leaking into one or more of the combustion chambers. This could be caused from a multitude of things, from a cracked cylinder head, cracked block, blown head gasket, or several other factors. Whichever it is, it’s going to be a costly repair to take care of.

Steam – OK you got me. It’s not smoke. But just because something that looks like white smoke is coming out of your exhaust does not mean it’s smoke. Water is a natural biproduct of fuel combustion, and coming out of a hot engine, that water will turn to steam. Steam coming out of your exhaust should evaporate and dissipate rather quickly once in contact with the air, whereas smoke will continue to drift in the air.

If your car is billowing black, blue, white and grey smoke at the same time, just call the coroner and get it over with. It’s dead.