Gotta Have It Race hits the track for the first time in 2013!
After a long winter, spring has finally arrived and everyone on the Gotta Have Builds team was excited to finally be able to get Gotta Have It Race down to the track for some much needed quarter mile therapy. On Saturday, April 20, JLP Performance’s Ford Shootout became the first drag racing event of the year. See how the team did…
Gotta Have It Race waiting to get on the track.
Last November, Bill and Gotta Have It Race were able to run consistent 11.1-11.2 passes with a best of 11.05 seconds at 123 MPH on a cold day with mine shaft air at Cecil County Dragway. Back in November, Gotta Have It Race was on Hoosier slicks and managed a 1.52 60 foot time. Since then, the team has added about 100 lbs. of weight in the form of a Maximum Motorsports 6 point roll bar and changed the shocks out for a set of Lakewood 50/50 drag shocks.
Early in the morning on Saturday, the Gotta Have Builds team gassed up and headed to Cecil County Dragway for JLP Performance’s Ford Shootout. The air was cool, but not as good as the last time out, so Bill wasn’t expecting to break any records and was just looking forward to making some passes and getting some data out of Gotta Have It Race. They arrived at Cecil County and found a nice selection of quality cars already there, so they started getting Gotta Have It Race ready to race.
Their day was almost over before it started when they found a broken valve stem on the front tire, but the team was able to make a temporary repair so Bill could run for the day. They raised the front tires to 45 PSI and dropped the slicks down to 15 PSI, then Bill headed to the line for the first pass of the day. Gotta Have It Race ended up being the first car down the track and Bill had no idea what the prep was like, so he decided to start with a 5000 RPM launch and see what happened. The track had more bite than expected and the tires shook badly, so Bill lifted, then got back in it and went 11.52@122 MPH with a 1.688 60 foot. Given the shake and the lift it was a promising pass.
Gotta Have It Street on display while Gotta Have It Race cools between passes.
Bill took Gotta Have It Race back to the pits, cooled the car down and lowered the tire pressure to 13 PSI so the tires would take more hit and hopefully not shake like the first pass. For his next pass, Bill did his usual second gear burnout and brought Gotta Have It Race to the line. The track was working so he went with a 6000 RPM launch and the car hooked better than ever before! His 60 foot was a 1.503, which was very close to the 1.40s that the Gotta Have Builds team was looking for. Three power shifts later and Bill was rewarded with an 11.19@121 MPH, which was pretty much on par with his November passes but in worse air.
The new Lakewood 50/50 drag shocks were working well with our combo, so it was time for a Hail Mary pass. The team let Gotta Have It Race cool down for an hour, then headed to the line with 12 PSI in the tires. Bill did his normal burnout and pulled the line. Caution was thrown to the wind as Bill revved Gotta Have It Race to 7000 RPMs and dumped the clutch. The car left HARD as Bill pulled both wheels off the ground on the way to a 1.501 60 foot. Again, so close to hitting the goal! Everyone felt that Bill should have been bracket racing, since he ran a near identical 11.17@122 MPH, which ended up being the best run of the day. Bill ran several 11.2 passes and had some great runs versus some other 5.0 powered cars.
Some of the competition cooling off between passes.
Overall, it was a good and competitive day at the track. Everyone had a great time at the Ford Shootout and they are certainly looking forward to getting out on the track some more as the 2013 racing season unfolds.
While the Gotta Have Builds team doesn’t quite have their 2013 racing schedule nailed down yet, you can check out the CJ Pony Parts events page, where that information will be posted as soon as it is available.
Listen to Your iPod/iPhone in Your Classic Mustang!
Do you want all the features of a modern stereo, but the vintage in-dash look of the original radio in your classic Mustang? Well, now you can have just that!
RetroSound has recently rolled out their new Model Two AM/FM radio, the first classic car stereo that works with iPods and iPhones. USB and auxiliary inputs connect your iPod or iPhone to the stereo for full control through the Model Two’s faceplate, while also charging your device.
Another advanced feature by RetroSound is that this radio is Bluetooth enabled, allowing you to stream internet music from sources like Pandora and Spotify. The Bluetooth feature also allows for hands-free calling, utilizing your car’s speakers and automatically muting the music whenever a call is in progress.
The design of the Model Two radio will match the look of your classic Mustang, featuring an authentic push button design and either black or chrome faceplate and buttons. Furthermore, the LCD illumination display is customizable, with several colors to choose from for the text. This text shows song specific information like the track number and track time, as well as the artist, the name of the song, and the album in which the song appears.
Installation
The RetroSound Model Two radio will fit in any classic Mustang, and with a little time and patience, installation is an at home job. In CJ’s installation video, Bill demonstrates how to connect and mount the Model Two radio in our Weekend Wrench project car.
First, after removing the old radio, you’ll want to remove your ignition lock cylinder and then separate your ignition switch from the bezel so you can access the ignition wiring to get power for your new Model Two. Run your new stereo wire over the stud on the back of the ignition switch and then install the spacer. Once this is completed, you can return the switch into the dash; Bill provides several helpful tips on how to do this easily. Then, you’ll need to install a ground wire underneath the dash and connect your new radio to make sure everything works correctly, before completing the rest of the installation and reassembly process. Next, since the Weekend Wrench still has the original AM radio speaker, Bill decided to take advantage of the stereo capabilities of the Model Two radio and installed a new stereo speaker in the dash.
RetroSound’s “InfiniMount” system, which provides flexible mounting options, makes this radio capable of fitting in any Mustang. This shaft/bracket system will come with a vehicle specific bezel, shift and knob kit which requires assembly. Once this kit is assembled, you’ll connect your wires to the Model Two, fish it up under the dash, and fit it in place in the old radio’s slot. Secure the washers and bolts and install the knobs. Total installation only takes a couple of hours, then you’ll be enjoying much better sound out of your classic Mustang.
Make sure to check out our selection of RetroSound Model Two radios today to enjoy iPod/iPhone compatibility, Bluetooth streamed music, and hands-free calling all with top quality sound, yet maintaining the classic look you want for your Mustang.
Introducing the Forgotten Fastback, CJ’s new 1965 Mustang fastback!
A few weeks ago, CJ Pony Parts added a new project car to the fleet. We’d like to introduce you to the Forgotten Fastback, our new 1965 Mustang fastback!
CJ’s originally acquired the Forgotten Fastback quite some time ago when it was, basically, a rusted out body shell that would need massive amounts of work before it could be considered roadworthy. In fact, our team could barely get it on the rollback when we bought it, since it was falling apart so badly, and the CJ’s team was planning to just use it as a parts car. However, after making that initial evaluation, Ben, one of CJ Pony Service‘s techs, decided to revive it and made the Forgotten Fastback his personal project car.
The Forgotten Fastback before Ben’s rebuild.
Ben had to do some major work on the Forgotten Fastback. He started by grabbing his CJ Pony Parts catalog and ordering nearly every body and sheet metal part he could find. Ben had to replace every structural and appearance piece of body and sheet metal, basically rebuilding the Forgotten Fastback from the ground up over a six month period. In fact, the only parts from the original car that he was able to save were the original doors and the trunk lid.
Since CJ’s was looking for a new project car, Ben stepped up and sent the Forgotten Fastback back to CJ’s. We have a vintage restoration planned, along with a few modern updates. We’re also looking for your input…what would you like to see installed on the Forgotten Fastback? Comment and let us know!
Make sure you follow along with the entire Forgotten Fastback build on our project page. Access each of the install videos and the entire build sheet, so you can even do these projects to your own project car. CJ’s also will be updating our Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Pinterest pages with plenty of Forgotten Fastback news, so you won’t miss a thing!
Rear window louvers upgrade our 1969 Mustang Mach 1
Back in 1969 & 1970, rear window louvers were popular options for Mustangs. Today, they’re even more popular, so many owners, including CJ’s, are adding them to Mustangs that weren’t equipped.
The 1969-1970 Fastback Rear Window Louver Kit is painted black and looks about as close to the original, factory rear window louvers from 1969-1970 as you can get. Plus, it is pretty easy to install. The kit includes everything you need for installation, including the louvers, gaskets, hinges, latches and the mounting kit.
1969-1970 Mustang Fastback Rear Window Louvers
As you can see from Bill’s instructions in the video, this installation isn’t a major project. We do recommend that you ask a friend for help, as it makes putting the louvers on your window much easier, which is a step you’ll have to do multiple times for fitment before final attachment.
Installation itself will take about an hour and only involves a drill, a few drill bits and some basic hand tools. The process involves the installation of the gasket and latches onto the louver, then fitting, marking and drilling holes for attachment. After that, just attach it to your Mustang and you’re done. As always, Bill gives you the complete details in the video, walking you through each step so you can easily install this part on to your 1969-1970 Mustang Fastback.
So, if you’re after a classic look with aggressive styling on your 1969-1970 Mustang, with an easy installation, this Rear Window Louver Kit is exactly what you want!
CJ’s starts a new Mustang project car with a new Pop Open Gas Cap!
Did you know that, in the late 60s, Ford offered four different gas caps for the Mustang? One of the most popular was a Pop Open Gas Cap, which we’re installing on our new Mustang project car.
Our 1969 Mustang Mach 1 project car is new to CJ’s. As you can see in the video, it really needs some appearance work and we have some big plans in the works. The new Pop Open Gas Cap is the first in a long list of improvements and, if you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel, you’ve seen how we’re progressing on other projects. We’ll be sharing more about those projects soon.
For our new Pop Open Gas Cap, CJ Pony Parts has quite a few gas cap options available for 1967-1970 Mustang that we could choose from:
The 1969 Running Horse Logo Pop Open Gas Cap
- 1967 Running Horse Logo Pop Open Gas Cap
- 1967 GT Logo Pop Open Gas Gap
- 1968 Running Horse Corral Logo Pop Open Gas Cap
- 1968 GT Logo Pop Open Gas Gap
- 1969 Running Horse Logo Pop Open Gas Cap
- 1969 GT Logo Pop Open Gas Gap
- 1970 Running Horse Logo Pop Open Gas Cap
Our 1969 Mustang Mach 1 project car’s original gas cap was in poor shape, just like the rest of the exterior. So, we chose to install a 1969 Running Horse Logo Pop Open Gas Cap, knowing that it would fit perfectly and look great on our Mach 1 project car.
In the video, Bill tell you exactly what you need to install it, and then provides the step-by-step instructions on how to do it. The installation only requires three tools that just about anyone would have readily available: A Phillips head screw driver, a small Phillips head screw driver, and needle nose pliers. The whole process, from removing the old cap, assembling the new one and installing it will really only take 20 minutes or so, with the longest part being the assembly of the new gas cap.
So, if you’re like us and are beginning a major restoration on your Mustang, or just want to replace an old, ugly gas cap, a Pop Open Gas Cap makes for an easy upgrade and looks great!
