STANG Magazine September 2022 Issue

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 out casts. 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

One of the coolest events of the year is the annual STANG Magazine and Locked and Loaded Battleship Bash. For the past couple of years, we have been going to the USS New Jersey, in Camden, New Jersey. The USS New Jersey has a long history protecting America, which dates all the way back to December 7, 1942, when the ship was officially launched. The USS New Jersey is an Iowa-class battleship. The Iowa-class battleship was a class out of six classes of fast battleships, which was ordered by the U.S. Navy between 1939 and 1940. These battleships were designed to intercept fast capital ships (which are typically larger leading ships, which are heavily armored and have larger caliber guns, which are considered the most important ships of a navy) and also capable of serving in a traditional battle alongside slower battleships acting as its fast wing.

What makes the USS New Jersey so special is that the ship has earned the most battle stars for combat actions compared to the other three Iowa-class ships. The battleship earned a Navy Unit Commendation for service in Vietnam and 19 battle and campaign stars for combat operations during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanese Civil War, and service in the Persian Gulf. The USS New Jersey supported the assault on Iwo-Jima by screening the Essex group in air attacks on the island on February 19-21, 1945. USS New Jersey also screened

the Essex group right after Iwo-Jima to attack Tokyo aircraft production sites, then Okinawa. USS New Jersey was directly engaged in the taking over of Okinawa from March 14 until April 16, by fighting off air raids, used her seaplanes to rescue downed pilots, defend carriers from suicide planes, while shooting down at least three and assisting in the destruction of others. Prior to the invasion of the Okinawa beach, the USS New Jersey carried out heavy bombardments of the Okinawa beaches to prepare for the invasion. The USS New Jersey was the only US battleship providing gunfire

JOKE OF THE MONTHWHAT DID THE SAILOR SAY TO THE OTHER SAILOR WHEN THEY HAD A PROBLEM?

We are in the same boat.

TALKING WITH TJ

support during the Vietnam War. On November 25, 1968, the battleship launched its most destructive bombardment against Vietcong near Quảng Ngãi, destroying 182 structures and 54 bunkers, inflicting heavy damage to 93 structures, and demolishing several tunnel complexes.

The USS New Jersey’s main battery consisted of nine 16”.50 caliber Mark 7 guns in three, three-gun turrets, which could fire 2,700-pound (1,225 kg) armor-piercing shells some 23 miles (42.6 km). The secondary battery consisted of twenty 5”.38 caliber guns mounted in twin-gun dual purpose (DP) turrets, which could hit targets up to 9 miles (16.7 km) away. With the rise of air power, battleships needed to gain and maintain air superiority in order to protect the growing fleet of allied aircraft carriers, which lead the USS New Jersey to be fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns. When reactivated in 1968,

the USS New Jersey had the 20 mm and 40 mm AA guns removed and was tailored for use as a heavy bombardment ship. When reactivated in 1982, the USS New Jersey had four twin 5”.38 caliber DP mounts removed and was given four Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) mounts for protection against missiles and aircraft, and eight Armored Box Launchers and eight Quad Cell Launchers designed to fire Tomahawk missiles and Harpoon missiles.

USS New Jersey was decommissioned for the last time in 1991 and spent the remaining years in the navy reserve fleet or mothball fleet, after serving a total of 21 years in the active fleet. In 2001, the battleship was donated to the Home Port Alliance, in Camden, New Jersey, where the battleship is held on display for tours.

Pretty cool history huh? This battleship has played an integral part in our nation’s history and I am glad to

be a part of the annual battleship bash were proceeds go to continue restoration and preservation of this living piece of history. This year was a special event for us, since we did a WWII rockabilly theme. Many of our Veterans dressed up in their old military uniforms and non-Veterans dressed in WWII military style costumes, bringing back history and making it memorable for people who attended the battleship that day. Now me, I am not a Veteran. I am plus sized and I couldn’t find a military costume, so I did the next best thing. Every Navy guy in our group loves the movie Down Periscope. If you have seen the movie, then you know the infamous pirate scene where they threw the Executive Officer Marty Pascal overboard for mutiny. So, I dressed up as a pirate in honor of our Navy Vets’ favorite movie. Now unfortunately, my costume went over many peoples’ heads, and instead it became why in the hell is TJ dressed as a pirate to a battleship? Well,

you know what, I don’t care, you know why? Because I got to go be on a battleship dressed as a pirate!! ARRRRGGGGG. Who else can say that!!! Most importantly, my costume made a Veteran battleship employee who drives the golf cart around the battleship smile, as every time he passed me, he would laugh and scream AAARRRGGG!! Kids also loved the costume and made comments as they passed by me. That is what it’s all about. Why we do what we do. It not just about us, but the impact we have on others. If my lame ass pirate costume made one person smile then, I say that it was a successful day! Don’t ever be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, be bold, and stand out. Fair winds and following seas.

TOUCH TOO MUCH

JASON SIDER

A TOUCH TOO MUCH–1996 GT LOOKING GOOD ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR AT CAR CRUISES.

We just like to call my 96 Mustang “Baby”. I bought Baby in Wichita Falls TX, September 1999 after a deployment to Turkey. I served in the USAF Security Forces at Altus AFB. OK 97-01. Before I even signed the paperwork I was stopped and cited for driving too fast in her. Friday and Saturday night drag racing outside of the Altus AFB South gate were a common thing against other Mustangs, Camaros, and Imports.

My wife Jenn, who’s also a Security Forces Veteran, and I moved our lives to Pennsylvania and started a family and I began a career as a PA State Trooper. I banged the car up a few times with deer and guard rails and had it looking pretty bad at one point. My wife refused any conversations about selling it. About

eight years ago, I had it painted by my friend Gary Lineman who brought her back to better than new condition.

Looking good only gets you so far at car cruises. I was embarrassed to pop the hood at shows because of the lame 4.6 and the miles of black tubing. So, my cousin and I built a 408 Stroker and mounted it on an AJE K-member. Just to be different we put a Holley 650HP carb on a Victor Jr. intake, and added AFR 185 heads, Jesel Rockers, COMP Thumper cam, BBK long tubes to the MAC exhaust, a TKO-600 tranny, built rearend, and Brembo brakes up front. She’s pretty much a completely new car front to rear.

Baby now shares a new garage with my wife’s all original 55 Mercury Monterey and my 21 GT 500.

JASON SIDER

PHOTO CRED:

BARRICADE

STACY PHILLIPS

GT

TO SAY, “IT’S JUST A CAR,” COMES FROM A PERSON WHO HAS NEVER OWNED A MUSTANG.

To say, “It’s just a car,” comes from a person who has never owned a Mustang. Anyone that owns or has ever owned one knows it is “NOT just a car.” It is a love, a passion, and even a hobby.

Barricade shown here is a unique replica styled after the bad cop Decepticon from the Transformers movie. This is my third Mustang and by far my favorite. I have had the most fun with this car if you can imagine why! I am not the original owner of the car. I purchased the vehicle with all the Barricade decals and wrap already on the vehicle. All the lights that were originally installed were in the trunk and I have never reinstalled them for fear of going to jail within 24 hours! There are very few mods to

this vehicle, so most of the car is still original. Barricade has GT 500 lowering springs, Roush CAI, and it has the stock exhaust except for CAT delete and GT 500 mufflers. Since owning the car I have had a lot of the wrapped pieces redone and some new decals put on.

For anyone who has owned a Mustang before understands as I mentioned earlier, there is a passion for them. There are car clubs all over the country with hundreds of members that all feel the same way. And this amazing vehicle has brought us all together to share in the love we have for them.

In a way, my story is a little different and it is definitely not just a car to me. Starting back with my first Mustang and still to this day, I have met the most amazing people. I have very little family and the people that this car has brought into my life have now become my family. So, along with owning the most amazing car ever, I have gained the most amazing friends and family and they will remain in my life always.

PHOTO CRED: STACY PHILLIPS

ELEANOR

CODY BOLDEN

GT

I’VE ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR CARS, SPECIFICALLY MUSTANGS. THIS IS MY FIFTH AND EACH HAS BEEN A FAVORITE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.

This Mustang is owned by Cody Bolden of Centerville, Georgia. “I’ve always had a passion for cars, specifically Mustangs. This is my fifth and each has been a favorite for a different reason. This manual six-speed V8 is an incredible machine to drive.”

Cody enjoys working on cars, going so far as to completely rebuild the engine in one of the Mustangs in high school. He likes the challenge of figuring out what is going on and loves that every car is different. Cody has been involved with a few different car clubs and groups. You can see this car at shows and meets around middle Georgia throughout the year.

PHOTO CRED: MICHAEL DOSTER

LOUIS SOFIA

FAMILY OF STANGS–2017 GT, 1986 LX , 2020 GT 500, 2020 GT/CS, & 2012 GT/CS

MUSTANG PASSION IS NOT ONLY MINE IN THE FAMILY, IT IS A FAMILY THING!

The Mustang passion is not only mine in the family, it is a family thing! The love of all things Mustang comes from my dad and uncle and was passed on to my cousin and little brother and a few other family members. A few of us currently have Mustangs and mess with them.

Well since the days of Foxbodys, we have all moved to the more modern platforms. My father with a 2020 GT 500 and still has a 1986 Foxbody with a big block in it, my cousin has a 2017 GT, and then there is my Mustang and my littler brother’s Mustang. We both have California

Specials. I have a 2020 Mustang GT/CS and he has a 2012 Mustang GT/CS.

To me, these cars are not just a thing to do with my family. They have lead me to do and see some rad stuff and meet awesome people who share the car passion whether it be going to shows, racing, or just using them as our daily drivers.

I like to call my 2020 California Special “Ronda” and she is equipped with Eibach sport lines, JLT intake, H pipe, Roush axle back, and a stop the hop kit.

PHOTO CRED:

PHILIP SOFIA

JEFF

IT IS ALWAYS FUN WHEN I POP THE HOOD AND HEAR PEOPLES’ FIRST WORDS. IT’S USUALLY “WOW”, “OMG”, OR “DAMN!”

My Mustang passion started with the rebuilding of a 1970 Mustang Coupe with my dad in high school at the age of sixteen. This started a lifelong passion for the cars. My story is a little bit different than the normal with Gumby. My wife and I bought Gumby (her high school nickname) new in January of 1999. I always wanted a new Mustang that I could say I owned from day one. We saw this car on the dealer lot of

Earnhardt’s Ford in Arizona. It was the only Mustang that they had and it was Electric Green Clearcoat Metallic. I was never a big fan of green and we test drove the car for four hours until I decided I could live with the color. Once we decided we could live with the green, we bought the car and brought it home. I have grown to love the color and its uniqueness but have found people either love it or hate it. It was my daily work car for three years.

After we moved to the Midwest, it was relegated to summer driving and local cruise nights. That was until I found the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City and joined them. When that happened, the whole direction of the car changed. It became a show car.

JEFF KITZMANN

GUMBY–1999 GT

However, it does continue to get out on cruise events, parades, and day trips. This is where the direction turned from what most do with a New Edge car. The car has absolutely no modifications to it. It is as stock as the day it was delivered. It only has 43,000 miles on it. It has spent the last four years attending Mustang Club of America national shows.

It shows in the Concourse Driven class and has earned a gold every time it is judged. The judging sheet is 23 pages long and worth 700 points. On the typical show, Gumby will only loose 3-5 points, depending on the judge. The car has earned its Blue Grille Medallion and earned the Prestige Award for Concourse Driven class.

It has just been moved to the Conservator class of the MCA. Mike Boos, Ron King, and I have started a group and we call ourselves The New Edge Crew. Gumby currently shares the stable with a 1970 Pastel Blue Mustang Coupe and 1993 Bronco patiently waiting to be rebuilt.

PHOTO CRED: JEFF KITZMANN TIFFNEY KITZMANN CHEYENNE KITZMANN TRACE KITZMANN

HADES–2020 ECOBOOST

I WENT WITH THE ECOBOOST PLATFORM OVER THE COYOTE ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A TURBO CAR.

This is Hades, my 2020 Ecoboost. I have owned this car for about a year and a half. It’s easily been the most fun I’ve had with any car I have owned. From doing all the bolt on installations myself, to pulling and reinstalling the suspension multiple times, it’s been all worth it seeing the looks it gets at shows.

I have been a professional installer for car audio, video, performance, and lighting for over 15 years now so working on cars is nothing new to me. My dad always

had cars he was working on and always had me help whenever I could. Big thanks to him for fueling my love for cars.

I went with the Ecoboost platform over the Coyote only because I have always wanted a turbo car. The s550 platform caught my eye years ago when they first came out. I thank my wife Laurie for supporting me when the car became available. Every modification was made possible because of her. I can’t be happier with what I ended up with. I have many more plans for this car and hopefully it will be just as fun mod after mod.

PHOTO CRED: JUSTIN OLIVEIRA

KAZURE

HECTOR

MY PASSION FOR MUSTANGS STARTED AFTER THE VERY FIRST TEST DRIVE. I HAD NEVER OWNED A FORD BEFORE, HOWEVER THAT FIRST DRIVE GOT ME HOOKED!

My passion for Mustangs started after the very first test drive. I had never owned a Ford before, however that first drive got me hooked! Having recently retired from the police family, I missed the camaraderie very quickly. Owning Kazure brought that back in a big way. I have met so many other Mustang owners who have the same passion and love of Mustangs, old and new. Now I belong to the Mustang family having met lifelong friends and international friends through Kazure.

The name Kazure was my husband’s idea and came about by combining my nickname of “Kaz” and “Azure” as the car is blue. Put that together and she became “Kazure”.

My mods are mostly cosmetic. I doubt I could ever drive her as fast as she can go so I have left the motor as it came - a V8 6 speed manual.

CRED:

RODNEY

DOUGLAS SOREM

GT

MY OLD MAN ALWAYS LOVED MUSTANGS SO IT PASSED THROUGH THE FAMILY.

Mustang passion started when I was growing up. My old man always loved Mustangs so it passed through the family. I started out with a 1998 Mustang V6 back in high school at 16-17 years old.

When I was getting back into the picture of owning another stang a few years down the road, I did a little digging into the exact color I was looking for. It lead me to “Sapphire Blue” or JA as the color code was known.

These cars where only produced in 1995 with only 2584 made. That was the last year of the pushrod 5.0.

One other unique feature to add... the badges being “gold” is definitely a different look to this car and I have only ever seen chrome till I bought this car. In the 90s, the dealership offered the gold “anodized” chrome badges for an extra cost and not many dealerships offered it.

I plan to keep this car with how it sits with small chang es. Possible future mods would be tint, new headlights, and a second set of rims. These cars are getting hard to find and it pulls a lot of attention. It is a great talking piece for car shows and meets. Kids seem to love the color and it always makes a good day seeing the younger generation interested in the older cars.

PHOTO CRED: @GVMIHO

IN THE

BASED IN SUMMERVILLE, WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE “THE HOLY CITY” OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, BRANDED’S MEMBERS ARE A QUIRKY CROSS SECTION OF FAMILY ORIENTED ENTHUSIASTS WHO ENJOY ALL THINGS MUSTANG.

The Branded Mustang Club was formed in the Fall of 2020 and has been growing ever since. Based in Summerville, which is just outside “The Holy City” of Charleston, South Carolina, Branded’s members are a quirky cross section of family oriented enthusiasts who enjoy all things Mustang. Since its inception, Branded continues to support local communities in any way they can. In just two short years, Branded has grown to now hosting an annual car show, sponsoring a yearly fundraiser to benefit a local horse reserve, and participating in weekly and monthly shows, events, and cruises throughout the Low Country.

A particularly distinct aspect of Branded’s membership is inspired by the practice of branding wild horses on the Western Plains. Upon acceptance into the Club, each new member receives their own unique “brand” by way of a decal consisting of a set of symbols representing the year of their Mustang, body style (SN95/S197 etc.), and year you became a member. Branded takes great pride in fostering an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion regardless of race, religion, political beliefs, and sticker price! So if you find yourself visiting the Charleston area, keep your eyes… and ears…on the lookout for Branded rollin through the streets!

PHOTO CRED: AUSTIN CHATTERTON

help with performance as it lowers the center of gravity of the car for better cornering but more importantly, it just looks cool! There are several ways to go about this, such as air ride systems or lowering springs. However, if you are dropping your Pony, you need to adjust the front and rear wheel alignments to match. An often-overlooked aspect of lowering a car, that will have a negative impact on performance, tire wear and steering. Think of your car as two different entities. The top part, which is the frame, body, engine, seats, etc., and the bottom part, which is the wheels, rear axle and steering components that make contact with the road. The top part is riding on the bottom part

in the suspension. You may wonder, what happens when a car gets lowered? The short answer is: while the car is riding on the springs, there are other components such as the steering rack, control arms, sway bars and track bars that are connected to both the top and bottom parts of the car. When the car is lowered, it changes the geometry of all these parts. When that geometry changes from factory specifications, it affects tire wear. The wheels will have negative camber (wheels tilting from top to bottom), which affect how the car steers and the handling of the backend. In future episodes, we’ll discuss track bars, caster/camber/tow, and other aspects of a car’s suspension. But for now, if you drop your ride, adjust the suspension.