In lower than three weeks, we’ll be again in Las Vegas for the 2024 version of the annual SEMA Present.
Whereas SEMA is an automotive aftermarket commerce present at its coronary heart, it’s additionally one of many world’s largest levels for customized and modified automobile debuts. From the weird to the really beautiful, we’re assured to see all of it. Ten years in the past in Vegas, Dino featured arguably the good brand-new sixth-gen Ford Mustang on the present – Vaughn Gittin Jr.‘s Spec 5 Mustang RTR. Let’s revisit that story for this week’s throwback put up.
2014 Characteristic
If you happen to noticed my put up on the 2015 Spec 2 Mustang RTR, there’s one query you might need been left asking your self: What if you happen to wished extra? The Spec 2 is an superior and highly-capable avenue automobile in its personal proper, however simply think about what you would find yourself with if you happen to upped it a couple of notches… Nicely, you don’t truly need to think about, as a result of Vaughn Gittin Jr. didn’t waste any time placing that automobile collectively both. Then he spent per week thrashing it outdoors the Las Vegas Conference Middle throughout the 2014 SEMA Present…
Seeing as how the new 2015 Mustang created such a buzz all through the present this yr, we simply needed to borrow the ‘Spec 5 Mustang RTR’ – our favorite palms down – and immortalise it in opposition to an unmistakably-Vegas backdrop. Coming from Japan, the place transferring a automobile from a present would require you to fax (sure, fax!) numerous requests to the occasion organizers months upfront, and have them countersigned and authorised by at the very least 25 folks, I’m all the time impressed by how straightforward it’s to do issues like this in the US.
Larry acquired on the telephone to Vaughn and advised him to drive the automobile out of the Las Vegas C0nvention Middle, throughout the again streets, after which meet us up on the highest ground of a large parking construction. Quick ahead 10 minutes and that is the view that greeted us.
You have most likely gathered that I’m fairly a fan of this new ‘Stang. Ford has managed to create a design with bucketfuls of presence, and one that enables just about anybody with a distant curiosity in automobiles to immediately know what it’s. However within the house of some months, Vaughn and his crew have taken the base automobile and pumped it filled with steroids to create the drift machine you see right here.
The automobile was inbuilt a collaboration between Vaughn’s RTR model, MA-Motorsports and ASD Motorsports, and was put collectively with the goal of getting enjoyable. That stated, it not solely needed to look powerful, but in addition have all the flexibility required to carry out each as a grip and drift, a fully-fledged observe weapon if you’ll.
On prime of the enjoyment that Vaughn had creating this automobile – after which driving the hell out of it at SEMA’s exhibition – this Spec 5 idea can be serving as a improvement platform.
As you’d count on, the Spec 5’s exterior is far more in your face than the Mustang RTR Spec 2 highway automobile. The visible impression begins on the entrance finish, the place the RTR signature grille with back-lit ‘nostrils’ is carried over, albeit with inexperienced lighting to tie in with the opposite brilliant particulars and the Group Monster motif.
Environment friendly cooling is super-important in drifting, and to assist direct extra air to the radiator is a secondary grille lower into the bumper.
An aggressively-contoured chin spoiler can be fitted, and beneath {that a} skinny carbon fiber splitter which protrudes additional outwards to assist increase front-end downforce.
Every nook of the splitter is related up with a canard that mounts straight onto the bolt-on over-fenders, and it’s right here we discover the primary promoting level of the Spec 5 conversion.
The over-fenders fatten up the Mustang by 50mm on the entrance and 75mm on the rear, and naturally permit loads of room for large RTR wheels with an aggressive offset to widen the observe and permit a variety of suspension modifications to be made.
The additional girth actually works wonders for the general stance of the automobile, which is extraordinarily aggressive from all angles.
The rear finish is complemented by a diffuser that’s completed in black to supply distinction in opposition to the flat silver wrapped physique.
Totally adjustable coilovers are fitted at every nook to present Vaughn the flexibility to wonderful tune the automobile to any particular course or observe, whereas ASD Motorsports entrance decrease management arms permit for the best form of steering geometry to steadiness the large coupé in full-lock slides.
Then in fact there are the huge 20-inch 3-piece RTR wheels made by HRE – 10-inch and 11-inch large entrance and rear respectively, and fitted with Nitto NT05 rubber.
You’ll be able to nearly make out the large Brembo stoppers behind the wheels’ spokes – 6-pot calipers up entrance to make sure there’s no scarcity of stopping energy.
In my opinion, aftermarket aspect skirts are a few of the more durable aesthetic additions to design, however the RTR Spec 5 objects add simply the correct quantity of continuity between the pumped entrance and rear fenders.
The automobile oozes presence and it appears prefer it needs to go utterly sideways even when sitting nonetheless.
I’ve fairly a lot come to the conclusion that the appears have been nailed to perfection right here, so it’s over to the remainder of the main points that make up this spectacular drift machine.
First up it’s Vaughn’s workplace. Very similar to the skin of the automobile, what actually makes the inside stand out is the sheer simplicity of all of it. However that doesn’t imply it was straightforward to realize.
Opening the paper-thin composite doorways you’re confronted with an array of particulars, from the Wilwood pedal field to the customized dashboard and heart console the place the change panel is situated.
Climbing over the rollcage’s door bars will land you in certainly one of two supportive Recaro buckets – constructed from carbon fiber in fact, and outfitted with Takata 5-point harnesses. Like in all race automobiles, the seating positions are shifted barely rearwards to assist with each weight steadiness/distribution, but in addition to align the seats with the B-pillars for added security within the occasion of an impression or crash.
See what I imply after I use the phrase ‘simplicity’? Take a look at the sprint – a contoured part of polished carbon fiber that has the job of hiding the bar work, body and miscellaneous wiring, in addition to offering a good mounting level for the Bosch Motorsport DDU 7 digital show unit.
As Vaughn rapidly demonstrated, that is one trick little bit of package that’s in a position to provide some fairly cool and customizable shows. His teammates even added some photos of essential moments in his life for a little bit of visible motivation.
All of it comes collectively to kind a enjoyable and really succesful new challenge automobile for Vaughn to drive, however most significantly of all, develop from.
However in fact, a drift’s automobile true potential all comes all the way down to the power-making bits, and within the RTR Spec 5’s case it’s all hiding below a composite vented bonnet.
Carry it up and your eyes immediately word the Ford Racing emblem atop the consumption plenum that feeds the V8 beneath it. The Mustang RTR Spec 2 Larry and I drove impressed us for its broad unfold of torque mated to a punchy mid and top-end – to not point out a pleasant willingness to rev. However the engine fitted to this explicit automobile takes these qualities even additional…
Appropriately named the ‘5.0L Aluminator V8 XS Crate Engine’, this 500hp-plus motor runs all types of top-notch parts to reinforce each side of its naturally aspirated character. It reliably revs all the way in which to eight,000rpm because of Mahle exhausting anodized cast pistons with a low friction coating, Manley H-beam connecting rods, and a lighter but stronger aluminium block with particular cross-bolted principal bearing caps. CNC-ported Boss heads and high-lift cams care for the remainder, making this a robust and impressively responsive setup.
Vaughn’s guys added American Racing headers and a Magnaflow exhaust system, whereas the engine breathes via a Ok&N cone filer, Ford Racing consumption and the large throttle physique you see pictured right here.
To take advantage of the engine setup, the driveline makes use of a close-ratio 6-speed Ford Racing transmission working right into a Driveshaft Store Ford 9-inch diff conversion with 4:56 gears. For further energy, bulletproof Driveshaft Store aluminium driveshafts and axles are additionally fitted.
As soon as all of the mechanicals have been sorted, Revolution Automotive have been left to extract copious quantities of energy and torque, which they did.
This automobile actually represents what the brand new Mustang is all about – an incredible bundle that’s begging to be personalised, constructed up and refined for no matter its finish use could also be.
And if that’s drifting, then Vaughn and his workforce have already proven us the flexibility this automobile has when it comes to tearing up tyres!
Because the solar set over the Vegas Strip I used to be happy that I had the chance to take an in depth have a look at this RTR idea. I used to be impressed by the general execution and appears, to not point out the efficiency. The Mustang legend is unquestionably right here to remain in all its completely different guises!
To wrap issues up, try this clip of Vaughn drifting the Spec 5 (and different machines) at SEMA.
The Speedhunters
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Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Further Pictures by Mike Garrett
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