Shawn’s Mustang isn’t your ordinary ford. Hell, it’s not your ordinary Mustang GT either. Meet this Roush Stage 3 Phase 2 Mustang GT owned and built by Shawn Novinger.
Shawn’s build inspiration is a successful combination of subtlety and aggression. On the outside, the car distinguishes itself from other Mustangs with its full Roush body kit, including hood, grille, rear spoiler, front and rear valances, and window and body scoops. The Roush kit comes with wheels and tires, which Shawn kicked to the curb in favor of Vorsteiner VFF-107’s at 20×10″ in the front and 20×11″ in the rear, wrapped in Nitto 555 G2’s at 275/35R20 in the front, and 305/30R20 in the rear. The reason for the switch? “I was having traction issues last year with the Roush wheel and tire combination…the Roush wheels just couldn’t support the width of the tire I wanted to enable the car to handle the power,” Shawn told us. For more on exactly what power figures the Roush wheels couldn’t keep up with, keep reading below.
The Roush Stage 3 Phase 2 performance package includes the following performance goodies: supercharger, pulley, injectors, Boost-A-Pump, wiring upgrades, heat exchanger, throttle body, intake, spark plugs, and engine cover. Shawn took it a step – or a leap, rather – further, and added Injector Dynamics 1050X injectors, PMAS intake, VMP Twin 67 throttle body, Boundary billet cam and oil pump gears. The car roars to life with a Roush catback exhaust and x-pipe. The car was tuned by DGR Performance using HP tuning software, and a 1000hp-rated McLeod clutch and ford racing half shafts help translate all that power to the flowformed Vorsteiner wheels. How much power? A whopping 800hp at the crank, or 663rwhp! An 800hp S550 just blows our minds!
Shawn’s Mustang sits on an Eibach Sport Plus suspension package and Roush bump stops with Maximum Motorsport caster and camber plates. Shawn’s subframe is built to handle all the power he’s throwing at it, with a BMR IRS and rear cradle bushing lockout kits, BMR driveshaft loop, BMR adjustable rear tow links, UPR vertical links, and a Steeda IRS subframe alignment kit. This car is as sturdy as it is powerful!
Through Shawn’s history at ModBargains, we’ve gotten the chance to know him better, and understand the man behind the build.
“I was born into a family of car enthusiasts,” Shawn tells us. “From the time I could walk, I was in my Grandfather’s service center. I spent my summers sweeping the floors, taking out the trash, and soaking up whatever knowledge my Grandfather was willing to share. This is really where my love of cars began. By the time I was 14, I could drive a 3 speed on the column, a 4 speed on the floor, and just about anything that needed pulled into the garage or taken out.
“My Father and my Uncles’ on my mothers side were all about muscle cars. I grew up listening to stories about my Dad’s SS 396 Chevelle and my Uncle’s 68 Z28 Camaro. When I was 11, my Dad bought a 68 Camaro SS 396 convertible… My Dad and I began working on that project as we stripped the car down to expose all the areas needing repair. It was a multiple year project in phases as money was available. One morning I remember waking up under the car. I had fallen asleep while on the creeper the night before. I guess you could say our bonding time was spent turning wrenches on the car.
“I turned 15 in 1990 and my Dad asked me what car I wanted. I responded that I wanted a Smokey and the Bandit T/A. He laughed at first, but I ended up with a 75 T/A in blue with a white interior, 400, 4spd, and 360 rwhp. My Dad thought he would keep me in check by turning down the timing on the car. It didn’t take long to figure it out and then I was hooked! After that, I was introduced to handling versus raw power and owned a 79 and 81 Datsun 280ZX. My next ride came after I had a full time job. I bought a Probe GT with the turbo 4, and I drove that until I landed a job selling cars.
While working at a Pontiac dealer, I stumbled across a 67 Firebird convertible sitting in storage at the dealership. It hadn’t been moved in over 8 years and I instantly had to have it. So, I bought the car 1994 and still have it today. Historical data tells me the car is an original H.O. 326 car and it still has the original motor, trans, and rear that came in the car. Over the years I have had several cool daily drivers that include a 1990 SHO Taurus, 1993 V8 Grand Cherokee, 2000 Grand Prix GTP, 2006 Mazdaspeed 6, and most recently 2017 WRX and 2018 GTI. Last year I was able to purchase the jewel of my garage. A 2015 Mustang GT with Roush Stage 3 Phase 2 package.”
Shawn reached out to us to help take his Roush to the next level.
“I contacted ModBargains back in February of 2018. I immediately liked the fact they were willing to do some additional research on my behalf in an attempt to get a wheel and tire combination that met my needs and expectations. We ended up going with the Vosrsteiner VFF-107 with Nitto tires. ModBargains was instrumental in assuring the wheels and tires would fit my car without any clearance issues. We worked together researching and waiting for availability for three months. What impressed me the most, was their dedication. They never got frustrated or gave up on me as a potential customer. Their patience is appreciated. I would like to think that Mod Bargains gained a customer and I gained a friend. Thanks ModBargains for providing outstanding customer service before, during, and after the sale!”
Thank YOU Shawn, for choosing ModBargains to have the honor of assisting you with your car! If you like how Shawn’s Mustang turned out, drop us a line! You can contact any one of our team of highly trained and experienced Mod Experts by emailing sales@modbargains.com, or calling (714) 582-3330! Each one of us has a rich history of car modding and can help with mod suggestions, fitment help, and more! If you’re local, let us handle the install at ModAuto! Get it done right the first time and schedule an appointment today by calling (714) 582-3330.