Erin's Cherry Bomb '17 Ruby GT

Erin apparently ran over an entire gypsy family, possibly a whole village, about a year ago. Every car she's touched breaks something every 1,000 miles or so. She even broke two rental cars in two weeks. It was time to get her something new with lots and lots of warranty.

Add in she was a passenger in a massive wreck, 20 years ago. With brain injuries, after the month long coma, she can't stomach automatics choosing when to shift. I get a wife who loves to row her own.

After a lot of looking around, that was a 2017 Ruby Red GT, black out package, non performance pack (last car was a Mini Cooper S and she's ready for a little more comfort), all of the interior boxes checked (she commutes 50 miles each way in SoCal freeway traffic).

The California Package was tempting but $1,000 more for red stitching, black heat extractors and silver not black logos wasn't worth it to us over the blackout package.

Because she's got a long commute, adaptive cruise appealed a lot. But is impossible to find in a manual with everything else we wanted. So it was a custom order.

While we waited, I got a little too enthusiastic buying parts. Albeit parts that needed to not violate the 6yr/150k bumper to bumper that we're hoping breaks the curse.

Parts list on next post.

Parts

American Muscle:
Thanks [MENTION=10447]AMAlexLazarus[/MENTION]

Lights...
Raxiom switchback turn signal kit
Raxiom smoked side markers
Raxiom 4th brake light
Raxiom stage 1 interior led kit - actually only used the vanity bulbs, decided to go with stg 2s from Diode Dynamics for the rest.

Billet Chrome...
Oil Cap - needed to be obvious, she once forgot the cap after filling oil and killed a car.
Brake Fluid - if it ever comes off back order.
Radiator Cap - really sturdy.
Washer Fluid - flaps around terribly, doesn't clip on well at all.
Dipstick Handle - getting the pin through was a biatch. Dremel came out.

Tints...
Smoked Tint Kit - left the headlights and tail lights off to keep CHP off my case.

Plate...
Flip Down Plate Holder (Manual) - would've got the powered version because it's cool but Erin always grinds the noses of her cars on things and it seemed too vulnerable.

Diode Dynamics:
Thanks [MENTION=9987]Diode Dynamics[/MENTION]

3x 92 lumen HP5s for trunk and map lights. The 92s aren't overwhelmingly bright and we like the extra visibility.

CJ's Pony Parts:
Thanks [MENTION=20475]Dave@CJPP[/MENTION]

Black GT Logo Fuel Door

Big Worm Graphix:
Thanks [MENTION=6592]BigWormGraphix[/MENTION]

Headlights Tint - Wanted to just lose the bright chrome of the lights without being CHP bait.

Just ordered a second set because it turns out Erin's hair, trapped under the first set, doesn't look the best. ;)

JLT/Redline Tuning:

Redline Tuning Struts, Ruby Body Matched

Window Tints

40% rear and sides, 70% front sides, ceramic - keeps it CHP friendly but cooler for SoCal.

DashCam:

Thinkware F770 front and rear, wired in

Stem Caps:

Black Union Flag Stem Caps - Union Flag - the Union Jack is when it's on a ship. Her Mini had red/white/blue ones. The Mustang's black wheels get black & white ones.

EBay:

Sit Down/Shut Up/Hang On Push Button Start Button - Adds 10HP easy.

Running Horse Logo Lloyd's Floor Mats - Front and Trunk

And two scuffed wheels plus 700 miles within the first 48 hours.

So it's being used properly.

Awesome intro! I hope she thrashes it all to hell and loves every minute of it!

Thank you [MENTION]90MUSTANG06[/MENTION]. Your Imperial Guard has been one of our favorite builds. Subtly different to what we want to go for but absolutely gorgeous.

And, of course, I'd never admit in writing that she thrashed the hell out of anything - insurance might see it.

So you'll never hear me say something like: she got it airborne in the first 24 hours.

Haha! Love it! "got it airborne" This is going to be a fun build. Looking forward to it! :ford:

In for a bumpy ride

TheEnglishGuy said:

Thank you 90MUSTANG06. Your Imperial Guard has been one of our favorite builds. Subtly different to what we want to go for but absolutely gorgeous.

And, of course, I'd never admit in writing that she thrashed the hell out of anything - insurance might see it.

So you'll never hear me say something like: she got it airborne in the first 24 hours.

Click to expand...

That's hilarious!!! And thank you very much--it has been a labor of love! Can't wait to see some pics of the Cherry Bomb :cheers:

The Tinted Lights

Here are the American Muscle tints on the lower lights, Big Worm Graphix light tints on the headlights to keep it more CHP friendly.

Also, the 2016 black heat extractors. But no California Package style hood spears nor black mirrors or bright chromed logo on the side of the grille.

Black Gas Cap

I went heavily overboard on filters because, well, it was too fun a set of highlights to play with. I kind of like how it's become an abstract.

But here's the Drake/CJ's Pony Parts gas gap.

Out on the twisties

On the South Grade of Palomar Mountain.

Really liking how the black pony, black scoops, tinted lights all come together for a slightly more aggressive look without going fully murdered out. They seem to play really nicely with the Ruby Red.

I guess I'm not used to Americans' love of Mustangs. Every drive we go on, it amazes me that we get a good half dozen people coming up to us to tell us how sharp it looks.

Wide View

Overlooking Lake Henshaw on the East Grade of Palomar Mountain.

The darker Raxiom smoked side markers ditch that bright red. I like how the black gas cap keeps the black & red theme playing across the side of the blackout package.

Plus note Erin's "Little girl taking an AT-AT for a walk" decal in the window. What can she say, the girl likes playing with powerful machines. ;)

Do you know how hard it is to find anything other than direct light in Southern California?

This also shows the swapped out American Muscle Raxiom Switchback lights glowing white, not amber. They're pushed slightly to yellow by the tints but I still really like the cooler, closer to white, look.

Little Girl And Her AT-AT

A closer shot of that AT-AT decal. Because it's adorable.

Also note the third brake light still clear through the tint.

Rear Tints

We left the brake lights CHP friendly. But tinted out the reverse light (which has the Raxiom Fourth Brake Light installed) and the two reflectors for a cleaner black lower trim (Read the CA laws: You need two working brake lights. The rest are apparently yours to screw with.)