Above 1200 Sq/FT DFB's Garage

[D.F.B]

The Spec!

Up until this point, I just realized that I haven't outlined my chosen spec for this car. Model wise, I briefly entertained the idea of aiming for the top and ordering a Darkhorse. Thing is, I had a strong hunch that Ford were going to ask in excess of $100,000 for them, which many said I was bonkers to think that. History will prove that my hunch proved correct. In any case, I had already decided on a GT Fastback before Ford announced pricing. An EcoBoost didn't interest me, nor did a convertible.

Next, colour. Believe it or not, I actually considered two colours. The delightful Atlas Blue would have made for a different look, but........................Race Red was calling my name again. For me, fire engine red and Mustang's go hand in hand.





To mix things up, I also decided on the Black Pack, called the Nite Pony Pack in America. This brought satin black wheels, black painted roof and side mirrors and black badging. But the best part of the Black Pack is the headlights, the lack of chrome makes the front end look sinister! Even my salesman commented that the Black Pack was the smart choice. Sadly, shortly after my car was built, Ford discontinued the Black Pack due to parts shortages. Very happy that I managed to get it though!

From here, I also knew I wanted Magneride. This is quite an expensive option, one that I didn't question selecting for the improvement in ride and handling it would bring. Had it been available when ordering my S550, I would have ordered it then too. The massive side benefit to Magneride is the red painted Brembo calipers. If you have bought a car with big brakes, I kinda want to see them, not blend into the background like they did on my S550.



I love how Ford are now putting Brembo calipers on the back, makes the car look so much better. The little Pony logo is a nice touch too.



Transmission? If Ford offered the Tremec on the GT, there might have been a choice to make. Other than being very noisy, I never had an issue from the MT82, the shifter feel and weight was perfect. But, I wanted to try something different, and so the 10R80 10-speed auto became the default.

The only other option that I pondered was the Recaro seats. I test drove a S550 with Recaro's a few years ago and thought they were great. But, I had a lot of people telling me that they get old really quick, the firmness and high bolsters becoming an issue. After placing my initial order request, I had later asked for them to be added on my order. For some reason, my ordered didn't get amended. That wasn't a bad thing because by the time I noticed it, I had already changed my mind again. When prices were announced, I was already looking at a considerably more than I had expected to pay, so no Recaro's worked out for the better.

There are three other options I would have dearly liked to order if Ford were more adventurous. First, a choice of wheels! I hate those bird-nest things, especially in black. I would have loved the machined Y-Spokes offered in the US, which are compatible with the Performance Pack.





I know I harp on this, but the Carmine Red interior would have brightened up an otherwise dark environment.





And I would have liked a rear spoiler, the pinched rear of the S650 sort of needs one. For some reason only known to Ford Australia, you can't order a spoiler separately, nor can you have it when selecting the Black Pack, its only available on the Appearance Pack which also includes stripes. However, having seen an S650 in person now, the rear is much better than I had been expecting.



At the end of the day, I'm happy with my spec.

Side story I forgot to mention earlier - I remarked to my salesman that I knew which car he was going home in tonight. Apparently, there was a contest who would be driving my old Mustang home, seniority ruled supreme, and the sales manager won the argument. I should have piped up and insisted my salesman take it first, it was his sale. In any case, I told him to give it hell.

 

[D.F.B]

The First Drive!

Not for the first time, I drove a Race Red Mustang out of that delivery bay. Compared to the first time, this drive was somewhat familiar. I remember being absolutely terrified driving out of the dealership and onto a busy highway. The ultra-low driving position and that loooooong hood made it hard to know where the car was. It took me ages to adjust to that, and the clutch arrangement too.

In comparison, the S650 this morning was a doddle, helped by not having to manage an unfamiliar clutch. The driving position seemed completely normal, and the lower hood line makes visibility a little better. My initial throttle inputs were a little jerky, but soon became normal.

Actually, the first thing you notice is the steering. I wasn't expecting much to be honest, most of the press reviews heavily criticize the steering, in particular a lack of steering feel. Despite being early days, I can safely say that the steering is a marked improvement over the predecessor, it feeling more direct and doesn't have that unconnected feel of the S550. I wouldn't say it has bags of feel, but then most modern cars are the same. The new steering wheel with a smaller diameter plays a part here too.

The second thing I noticed was the ride quality. The early S550's had a very strange setup that was brittle at low speeds with too much rebound, but then went all soft and floaty at higher speeds. With Magneride in Normal, the S650 seems to round off those lower speed bumps. At the moment, I haven't explored higher speed handling or the differences between the modes.

The highlight of any V8-powered Mustang is naturally the engine and how it sounds. The car was handed over with only 24km on the clock, so there won't be any balls to the wall acceleration for a little while yet, but I can tell it's got more poke. Keep in mind, I'm coming from the early S550 with only 306 kW, so this new car is quite a power increase at 345 kw and 550 Nm. Naturally, it sounds epic too, especially with the Track setting engaged which brings some unexpected pops and bangs on deceleration. Nice! I can't wait to open up those dual throttle bodies!



Comparing to my old Mustang which had an aftermarket Borla Touring cat-back, I find that had more noise in more places. In other words, the S650's noise is heavily rear muffler biased. At the moment I'm on the fence regarding an exhaust mod, I may or may not swap out the central resonator for an X- or H-Pipe.

The 10-speed is much better at low-speed running than I was expecting. I have driven two S550's with the 10R80 and found it got lost at low speeds, but absolutely hammered during heavy acceleration. The latest calibration seems considerably better. The paddle shifters are slow to react, but the rev-match downshifts are epic!



One of the things I loved about my S550 was the brakes. Ford stepped things up for S650 by adding 6-piston Brembo's to the rear axle. For me, the previous model was not wanting for brakes, so it will be interesting to see how this upgrade plays out when the red mist descends. At this stage, I'm just happy the front and rear calipers match now.



Interior wise, there is a LOT to take in. I have to say, the configurability is impressive but hugely distracting. I guess once I learn my way around everything, there will be less distraction. Overall, the interior is a few steps ahead in terms of material and build quality, even if there is a lot of common parts shared with the S550. The steering wheel in particular feels very premium.



And yes, the first song on the meaty B&O sound system was predictable..........................

 

[D.F.B]

The First Mod!

Yeah, yeah, I know, this isn't really a modification, rather making the best of a necessity.

Number plates on Mustang's seems to be a complicated topic, no other car I have experienced has had so much thought put into the tin plates screwed to the front and rear bumpers. For the most part, a lot of that has to do with the Mustang being optimized for US-style plates. Ford actually supply each Mustang with a molded front number plate plinth, which totally ruins the look of the car. If you have a Mustang on order, INSIST this is not fitted!





There are a variety of number plate brackets on the market, starting with basic plastic and ranging up to something a little more precise. Because of the creased front bumper, finding a number plate mounting solution became focus. I can’t remember who put me onto these, but my search ended when I discovered Flow Brackets. These are designed to offer a huge amount of adjustment and are superbly manufactured from CNC-milled aluminum and black stainless-steel hardware.

Buy Number Plate Brackets - By Flow Designs Australia

The elegant mounting solution, designed to re-align Australian number plates to your desired location. It eliminates the need to drill additional holes into your car.

flowbrackets.com.au

The Flow brackets can be ordered to suit a variety of plate sizes and styles for each state in Australia. Each bracket comes with a box of hardware to cater for the various plate mounting points on the bumper. The slots then allow for height and side to side adjustment. I had only intended on putting the Flow bracket on the don't, but decided to do the rear as well.

When I rocked up this morning, with the sales manager, salesman and detailer together in front of the car, I sensed a little anxiety. Signing the paperwork, the salesman commented that they had done their best with the plates, which had me instantly on edge! I mean, the whole idea of these plates was to make fitment easier. On inspection, they looked absolutely fine, so it was left at that.

Annoyingly, they fitted those pointless dealer plate surrounds. I know its policy for those to be fitted, but come on, all they did was throw money in the bin fitting them to my car. In fact, I did it for them.....................



To fit the number plate protectors, the plate and bracket had to come off. On closer inspection, they fitted the brackets exactly how I would have done. I later contacted the salesman to say that I had sensed some anxiety when I arrived, and that I wouldn't have done anything different, they were perfect. He admitted that yeah, they were panicking, mainly because of the huge array of hardware supplied with each bracket, which I'll admit was confusing for me too.

Before refitting the plates, I polished out the Kingpin plate protectors, then put everything back on as it was.



At this point, I would show you the finished result, but then I don't show plates. Trust me, they are a very neat solution, the supplied rubber spacers also help the plate stand off the paintwork to avoid wearing through. I remember being roasted for spending so much to screw number plates to a car. But put it this way, what is an extra $300 on a car that cost the better part of $100,000. I can guarantee it would cost way more than $300 to fix damaged paint caused by the number plates.

 

[D.F.B]

Ok, so I'm nearly done. I have to say, it's been a full-on day and I'm about to crash.



I have yet to scrutinize the paint, but a few areas have stood out needing attention, so I have some work ahead of me getting to the level I'm happy with. Put it this way, the car I left at the dealer today was fully dialed in, the new one I drove home has a fair way to go. That's not a criticism, just the reality of a car that has sat outdoors for four months unprotected or never properly detailed.



I'm also loving the novelty of the remote start function, via the key fob or the Ford Pass App. However, I can't get the remote-rev function to work. I suspect that is a km thing, as in it needs to have some more time on it before that function is unlocked. The same for the line-lock, which is a shame because I wanted to do a massive burnout on the way out of the dealership.



It's also turning some heads! Takes me back to the early days of my S550. I'm fairly sure I'm the first in this little town to have a S650. I was also drawing the attention of S550 Mach1 on the way home earlier.



The "Easter Eggs" are very cool. I keep discovering hidden nostalgic logos hidden all around the car, I especially love the outline each generation of Mustang etched into the rear windscreen.



I love the gauge cluster customization! At the moment, I'm running the SVT Cobra style setup, I like how easy it is to read.





So much happened today and I feel like I've had a lot to say. No doubt I've missed something, but hey, I have time on my hands. And so, thanks for reading.

 

[littlebean]

finally, pictorial proof that you don't detail everything - I spotted the edge of the bin was dusty.....
new car looks cool but what a wait, bet you're glad it's finally at home

 

[D.F.B]

finally, pictorial proof that you don't detail everything - I spotted the edge of the bin was dusty.....
new car looks cool but what a wait, bet you're glad it's finally at home

I contemplated throwing in the towel several times, and if the "right" used car popped up, then maybe I would have. So yeah, I'm glad to have it home.

Would you believe I just had Jim Farley make contact with me regarding a post I made on Facebook about 10 months ago. I was rather agitated at the time, so I kinda owe Ford an apology. Really random though, on the day I finally took delivery.

 

[jeffcoll]

I contemplated throwing in the towel several times, and if the "right" used car popped up, then maybe I would have. So yeah, I'm glad to have it home.

Having just taken delivery of my S650 last week that I only waited 6 months for I cannot imagine 2+ years!

Anxiously waiting to see what modifications you make. Wheels in particular, I have the staggered 19's, they are not easy to clean.

Good luck!

 

[D.F.B]

Exhausting Work!

The first detailing job on the new Mustang, addressing the exhaust tips. The S650 uses carry over mufflers and exhaust tips from S550, so the pipes themselves are not sleeved with a chrome finisher. I actually quite like the crisp look they bring, even if it means they will require more ongoing maintenance. The condition of the tips at first looked fine, but under closer inspection, they needed some attention to bring to a level I'd be happy with.





Frustratingly, Ford still spray the underside of export Mustang's with horrible black paint, something that I immediately noticed when I got home from the dealer. Seeing smoke pour out from under the hood of your brand-new car is not something you want to see! A customer new to Mustang's would be extremely worried by this, but I've treaded this path before and know that the smell and smoke was from that useless paint. I mention this because that stuff was all over the exhaust tips, you can see it in the second pic above, and that was the good side, the underside was caked in it. This meant I needed to add an extra step this morning.



Before I went any further, it was time to glove up. These tips are renounced for being a finger slicer, that crisp edge is certainly sharp. I'd normally have nitrile rubber gloves on when using harsher chemicals, but they would have been useless here. A clean pair of my garden gloves worked well.



Koch Chemie Eulex is a sledgehammer, no doubt about it, and you should never use it in confined spaces as its extremely heady. It's typically used as a heavy-duty tar and adhesive remover, but this paint is like tar anyway. Turns out it worked very well at softening the paint to the point where it was removed with a towel. The problem here is working around that plastic bumper, care was needed to not get the Eulex everywhere. I worked my back to where the pipe joins the muffler, in other words, I had to know when to stop. If you end up doing this, chose your towel carefully, you will ruin it.



After the paint removal, I flushed the tips with ONR to remove the Eulex residue, which I can still smell in the garage. From here, I could start to polishing. For the inside of the pipe, I grabbed a Maxshine Polishing Cone which I had in stock and worked them over with Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish.



At this point I want to highlight the brilliance of "disposable" microfiber towels. I've been running down a box of Repco Eclipse Microfiber Cloths, which are 200 gsm towels in 30cm x 30cm size. These are not the best towel you will ever have, but they excel in being cheap and sacrificial at 0.65c each. Their replacement I bought some time ago being the TRC Rip 'n' Rag.



I have to say, when TRC launched these, they made a huge song and dance about the concept of a microfiber dispenser pack and the disposable nature. Many companies have delivered this format in the past, long before TRC adopted it. Compared to the Repco towels, they actually have a lower 180 gsm and cost 0.87c per towel. However, with a 70/30 blend, they do seem to be softer and more absorbent, Repco don't publish the blend so I would say their cost per towel is achieved with a higher polyester count vs polyamide (polyamide is the absorbent/softness part).





The inboard right side pipe had some sort of scratch that didn't remove with polish, a light hit with some wet and dry paper sorted it easily, I also used that to round off some of the edge.



It was then time for a favorite of mine, a very obscure product that is so perfectly tailored for its role.................P21S Polishing Soap. I used this a final go-over, it actually feels grittier than the Mothers metal polish. A tub of this is going to last you for the rest of your life, its a must for those who love a clean set of pipes.





The final step was the application of Dr. Beasly's Metal Coat. I got this bottle at great expense through Obsessed Garage, but I see its now available on Amazon...................at great expense too. Like P21S, a bottle will last a very long time.



And the final result. Overall, they are a marked improvement prior to all this work, but I think I can still get a little more out of them. If I can find a tip style I like, I may end up going that route instead.

 

[D.F.B]

The First Wash!

For a car guy, and a detailer in particular, the first wash of a new car is a very important bonding moment. For me, it's the moment where I begin to understand "how" to wash the car. The S550 was my favorite car to wash, the expansive panels and all of those taut lines were strangely satisfying. The colour played a big part too, it might have lacked a metallic element to make it POP, but I could make it look so glassy smooth that you could almost see through it! So, no pressure then on the new Mustang.

I'm approaching this car a little differently than usual. In the past, its been a mad rush to get everything done, for this car I going to take my time and do things in more manageable chunks, the exhaust tips being an example. In theory, this should make the process more enjoyable and less taxing. I'm also exploring a video element, which you will see soon.

The car was presented to me clean, but not to my level. That is nothing against the dealer, it's the reality of production line detailing. And to be fair, I didn't ask for perfection, I simply told them to wash it and make it presentable for delivery. So, my brain really needed to get the car properly clean and up to a base standard.

For the first wash, I decided to make this the decon wash, getting that knocked out prior to polishing in the coming week. This would also give me a proper look at the condition of the car, the paint in particular.



First up, the wheels. Oh boy, these are going to drive me nuts!



To start with, I decided to pre-treat the wheels with ADS Wheel Cleaner. To be honest, on such a new car I wasn't expecting to see much reaction, but that proved wrong.





With that rinsed, I turned my attention to removing the **** they put on the tyres, Carpro ReTyre stripping it with ease. I then foamed down with Brake Buster and cleaned the wheels and wheel arches. Interestingly, Ford are now using carpeted arch liners front and rear, which is probably contributing to the increased cabin refinement that I have already noticed.





I managed to get the Incredi-Brush Flat between the rotor and the inner barrel, but still needed the EZ-Detail to squeeze between the MASSIVE front calipers. On the rear, I have two calipers to deal with as they now use a separate caliper for the handbrake. The intricate lacework of spokes meant the Ultra Wool Mitt is a must.





At this point, I would have normally given the wheels a hit with Carpro Hydr02 to help with drying. However, I'll be coating them in the near future, and because of the matte finish, I wouldn't be able to polish that off. For now, they can remain bare.

From here, this is where I started the decon process by using NV Purify, applied to the whole vehicle. These cars sit out in the open for months prior to shipping and delivery, so who knows what has bonded to the paint in that time.



After allowing to dwell, I foamed down with ADS Decon Soap. Race Red would have masked it to a degree, but remarkably, there was little to no iron reaction from the Purify.





From here, I rinsed the car down to remove the Purify and Decon Soap, then re-foamed using Carpro Descale for the contact wash. Again, parked outdoors for so long, it was bound to have picked up some mineral content in that time. Up until now I had not touched the paint, but again, it was remarkably smooth under the wash pad and my hands.





Yet another rinse, it was time for clay. I could probably have skipped this step, but I had everything set up to go, and I would later find a couple of rough spots on the rear bumper and hood. In this case, I'm using the excellent TRC Ultra Clay Scrubber and Gyeon Clay Lube mixed at 6:1 in an iK sprayer. Applying little to no pressure, I made my way around the car in sections, rinsing after finishing each. That Gyeon Clay Lube is the best I have used, in the past I simply used quick detailer, but this stuff has considerably more lubrication and less grabbiness, smells lovely too.





With the wash finished, I moved into the garage to dry the car. Today I decided to use the Big Boi over the EGO, without anything on the paint, I needed that extra grunt to deal with the bare paint. Actually, it's amazing how much more effective the Big Boi is compared to the EGO.



At this point, the car was 98% dry and I could have left it that. Considering that I'll be polishing soon, I really didn't need to be adding anything with protection to it, a simply quick detailer like Paint Gloss would have been sufficient. But I couldn't resist, out came the ADS Amplify. And what a treat, it adding gloss and slickness that was missing from the equation. I'm glad I did this step because it brought the car to the point where I'm happy.............for now.



I'll also be polishing the glass at some point, but I wanted something on there in the meantime. Opti-Coat Clean & Protect was the choice, this stuff adds some decent water beading from a very simple spray and wipe application, and unlike Clarify Phobic, it doesn't streak.



Both Clean & Protect and Amplify will be removed once the polishing begins. However, I'm happy to have gotten the car properly clean and decontaminated, it now looks and feels up to my standards. Overall, the car has been delivered in decent shape. Naturally, there are a couple of areas that will need some attention, the gloss black hood vent is hazed out, and there are a couple of light scratches on the driver's side A-pillar. And the engine bay needs attention. I'm sure I'll find more, but at this stage, I don't want to know.

Finishing things off, I dressed the tyres with OG Tire Dressing, which was knocked down after 15-minutes. And I couldn't help myself, I gave the wheels a pass with KCx Quick Shine, then wiped down the engine bay with ECH20.



You know, the rear of the S650 originally left me cold. However, the straight on view of the rear is my favorite part of the car now. In fact, I no longer feel the need for a spoiler. Terrible shot, but looking back into my garage at this sight makes me extremely happy....................and its been a long time since I've been able to say that.



And finally, one little touch to make the keys mine.........................

 

[D.F.B]

And so, here is my YouTube on camera debut.........................

Yeah, I know, that's cheating. But, at least you can see some of my words in action with this time lapse. I did the driver's side wheels before turning the camera on so that there wasn't a delay before the action started. I'm multi-media-tasking here, hence the pauses in action to take stills.

 

[ajohno]

Car looks great mate. Just watched your video you can move fast.

 

[D.F.B]

Inner Workings!

Most detailers hate doing interiors! And trust me, I can totally get that. Dealing with neglected interiors is time consuming and tedious, compounded by being cramped up within a confined space. My worst nightmare? Dealing with the cheap and nasty carpet the Japanese and Korean car companies use for their interiors. That stuff just hangs onto every grain of sand and debris, even after using every tool and method under the sun, it still doesn't look clean.

Having said all of that, I don't mind maintaining an interior, that I find cathartic. Maintaining a state of cleanliness means you don't need to reach for the sledgehammers such as heavy-duty interior cleaners and all-purpose cleaners. And while I typically use an interior quick detailer, to perfectly honest, all you need to maintain a clean interior is a damp microfiber.

Now, I know what you are going to say..............."why are you cleaning a brand-new interior".........................because that's what I do! Seriously though, the initial clean is about hitting the reset button, albeit very early on. As mentioned during the first wash, these cars sit out in the open for months, all the while the interior is left to bake and outgas. The most obvious here will be the glass, often witnessed by a fine haze when looking out into the light. The interior in general sees many hands as its assembled, driven off the line, prepared for shipping, moved from Ford's holding yard to the dock, onto the vessel, off the vessel, into a holding yard, driven onto and off the truck, then many dealerships personal as its prepared for sale. Think of like buying a used car, you replace all of the fluids to start from fresh. Same concept here.



I decided to get the rear accommodation sorted first, which means moving the seat back and base all the way forward, then folding yourself into the back seat. The first thing I noticed, Ford have changed from a carpeted parcel shelf to a hard plastic. The natural reaction to that would be, wow how cheap. But actually, vacuuming that carpeted parcel shelf was difficult, so a simple wipe going forward will be much easier and convenient.





First, cleaning the rear glass. Every S550 and S650 Mustang owner needs one of these, the Stoner Reach & Clean Tool. This might seem like a gimmick, but it makes the job much easier, especially reaching right down to the very base of the screen that would ordinarily be missed. This applies to the front screen as well. I teamed this with the classic Invisible Glass.



I then used Griot's Interior Cleaner to wipe down the leather seats and plastics. Why Griot's? Because it's not scented..................you only get that new car scent for so long. Because the rear seats will never have been used, I didn't feel the need for a more intensive leather cleaning back there. After the wipe down with Griot's, I applied ColourLock Leather Shield, including the back of the front seats. A quick vacuum on the carpet, it was time to move to the front row seats.



Again, the Griots was used for a quick wipe down of the console, dashboard and door trims. The front screen and door glass given the same treatment as the rear. For the seats and steering wheel, I used the ColourLock brush and Mild Leather Cleaner. Again, this was more of a reset procedure, so only light pressure was used.







Now clean and allowed to dry, I then applied ColourLock Leather Shield. For brand new leather, ColourLock recommend using Leather Shield up to the 3-year mark, from there you switch to Leather Protector. Leather Shield is an abrasion, discoloration and dye transfer blocker that also allows it breath. ColourLock suggest that signs of wear are most pronounced over the first three years, so Leather Shield was designed to prevent that. For best results, the driver's seat should have this applied every six months, once a year for rest of the interior.



In my case, I applied Leather Shield to the aforementioned rear seats, the front seats, steering wheel, door trims, gear shifter and boot, drift brake, the center console and console lid. Yes, most of that is not real leather, but there is no harm applying it to artificial leather. Like the Leather Cleaner, Shield is unscented.





Leather Shield goes on quite shiny, but as it flashes away, the finished result is a soft, natural, matte finish. No greasiness, no shine. I have to say, afterwards, the leather took on a new dimension, it feeling softer and smoother than before.

Finally, a couple of additions to the boot.

First off, I repurposed the scuff guard and cargo net from my S550. Combined, these two are worth about $140 new.

Genuine Ford Pony Logo FLA Boot Scuff Guard
Genuine Ford Cargo Net Mesh Organiser Backer



Next, a very generous gift from a fellow Mustang 6g/7g forum member after a trip to the USA. This item replaces the standard boot lock cover and provides a grab point to close the boot lid without fingerprinting your paint. Many thanks 5.0ALM, greatly appreciated.





Not an addition per say, but new to me as my S550 didn't come with one, a sizeable subwoofer.

 

[D.F.B]

As was obvious, the two year wait for this car tested my patience, especially between year one and year two! As the wait grew longer and longer, I had people telling me that they would never wait so long for a car.

Many times I considered cancelling my order and buying something else. If the right used car popped up, that may well have happened. Thing is, the right used car was basically a unicorn and meant too much compromise for my liking, especially at the asking prices. Every time to tried to sway, I kept returning to the car I had on order, nothing else ticked all the boxes.

One of the things that kept me motivated and excited about a new Mustang was watching and hearing videos of the new S650 starting up. This will probably sound completely weird, but how a car sounds as it winds-over on the starter and ultimately fires up is something that gets me excited! Those sounds often get stuck in my head, giving me a little buzz when I think about them.

The whirr of a V12 Aston Martin reminds me of the 5th Gear review of the then new DB9.

The rapid turn over and blast of sound from a V8 F-Type is pure heaven!

I also loved the distinctive sound a last-gen Windsor as it wound over. I think FPV used the same starter on the 5.4 Boss V8's too. I always thought the Holden equivalent sounded so lazy as it was turned over.

Same for the Miami V8's, which have quite a long run on the starter before firing off.

And so, as I watched videos of others starting up their very own S650 Mustang's, the excitement for doing that for myself helped keep the faith. What I love most about the S650 in particular is the fast-paced whirr and blast of revs as it fires off. There's just something about it that makes me grin! And the best part, you don't have to be in the car to start it, the remote start function allows you to take a front row position behind the car for the full sensory experience.

Actually, you can also remote start and stop the car with the Ford Pass App. This allows you to start or stop the vehicle remotely, handy if you want to warm the car up before taking off or making sure the battery is charged while you are away on holiday. The App also allows you to lock and unlock the vehicle, provides a distance to empty estimate, tyre pressure monitoring, oil life, vehicle tracking and current location, the ability to book scheduled services or contact roadside assistance.

Ford All-New FordPass App | Ford Australia







At the end of the day, this is probably more about Ford collecting vehicle usage data and research than it is of convenience, but it's an interesting feature of the car and worth highlighting.

Also, think about the fun you could have ransoming starting up a car while you watch on in amusement. Or maybe freaking out a family member while you are at work. Not that I would ever do such a thing..........................................

 

[D.F.B]

I'm probably spamming the internet with my car at the moment, but I've been waiting to show it off for two years, so sue me!

When Ford unveiled the S650, I have to say the rear end did not grab me. Strangely, I now absolutely love the rear styling.



At the front, those brooding blacked out headlights look so sinister!



And today's cluster theme, Fox Body '87 - '93. Both this and the recently added SVT Cobra design are the clearest to view, there's something to be said about simplicity and how it relates to legibility.

Fox Body, take note of my economy reading, it drank more than a 1/4 tank doing just over 100km Not that I'm thrashing the car, its just tight. (That's 11.47 MPG and 62 miles)



SVT Cobra -

 

[D.F.B]

Marilyn Monaro!

This afternoon a very special visitor dropped by for a visit.



This stunning Holden Monaro has been in the family since new! The car was originally my aunt's daily driver but sat unused on a farm for decades, it's only recently been given a restoration by her son. Don't ask me the model, it's not a GTS despite the front quarters, and they decided to keep the original inline 6-cylinder engine and manual transmission. The interior is stunning, that red is so rich! A complete contrast to the black dungeons that pass for car interiors these days.









The car has had a few teething issues on the way through town and onto Wangaratta for the 2024 Monaro Nationals. But that's old cars for you, and one of the reasons I decided not to pursue the restoration of a classic Falcon, something like an XL or XM, I just don't have the temperament for it.

Monaro Club of Victoria - 2024 Monaro Nationals

Despite the obvious Ford bias, I've always loved the Monaro, mainly the first and third generations. To me, I love how effortlessly good looking they are, that graceful sweep of the roof into the rear panels is subtle perfection. Naturally, there was some comparisons being made to my new Mustang, how things have progressed over the years. You know, things like power steering and powered brakes. Also in the same family is a red 1966 Mustang Coupe fitted with a modern fuel injected Windsor, which I've been lucky enough to ride in.

My aunt is a rev head, so having such a racy car at the time makes complete sense. Without fail, she attends the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne every year, she's even traveled overseas to follow F1. She reminds me so much of my grandmother, who died in the late 90's from cancer and robbed me from getting to know her as I got older. The two of them are so remarkably alike, I find myself suppressing a lot of emotion every time we meet. After I had surgery a few years ago, as I came out of the anesthetic, she was the one holding my hand...............I will never, ever forget that.

 

[D.F.B]

I took this image back in November 2017................................



Back then, there was quite a lot of push-back from loyal Ford fans in regard to the Mustang. Or should I say, Falcon fans. At the time, the factory closures were still fresh in people's minds, the Mustang was seen as the enemy and that it was in no way a Falcon replacement. I don't think anyone from Ford ever said the Mustang was a Falcon replacement, rather an avenue for those who still wanted a rear-wheel-drive performance car. The counter argument would then transfer to "but it doesn't have four doors", which conveniently ignored all of the two-door XR and FPV Utes that Ford sold. History will show that Ford clearly got it right because they sold every single Mustang they brought into the country. It also brough people into Ford showrooms that would have never considered a Ford in the past.

At the time, I found it hard to comprehend how there could be so much rivalry within a single brand. I found that I would please one side or annoy another depending on which car I was writing about. The Mustang guys would get their hackles up when I pointed out a flaw, then called me a "Falcon man, not a Ford man" because I was salty about of the demise of the nameplate. Then the Falcon guys would get defensive when I had good things to say about the Mustang. All the while ignoring the fact I actually owned both side by side, which in my mind permitted me to speak with authority about both.

Since then, I think Mustang sort of proved itself in Australia. The lack of rear doors didn't seem to hamper it. And let's be honest, towards the end, how many people were buying (brand new) XR and FPV sedans to drive the kids to school? They were toys in the end, 'cause you obviously need an oversized SUV or pickup truck to do that these days. And I say "brand new" because it seemed, to me anyway, the most vocal of Mustang doubters didn't actually buy Falcon's brand new, which didn't really help Ford and ultimately contributed to the closures.

And so, seven years later, my Falcon's remain, with a new Mustang splitting the two..........................................



When I told people that I would be trading my Mustang when the new car arrived, most were puzzled................ why would I get rid of the Mustang instead of one of the Falcon's? On face value, I guess I can see the point, the Falcon is just a boring sedan, a tarted-up taxi. Thing is, you can still buy a Mustang, but the Falcon's are now irreplaceable. And where would I find another XR6 or XR8 in the same condition? I wouldn't, so I didn't. Simple.

 

[D.F.B]

Out for a drive, because why not?









I had some concerns I would find the 10R80 boring after having a manual, but I'm really enjoying this transmission. Compared to the earlier calibrations of this box, it seems much better sorted in normal driving conditions. The rev-match throttle blips are delightful, somewhat making up for the lack of a clutch pedal and heal-toe downshifting.

I can't wait to see how the engine and gearbox perform under heavy throttle applications. While I don't thrash a new engine, I don't baby it either. So, I'm exploring its responses at varying throttle percentages in different gears, so far it feels punchy. Despite being the same engine architecture, this Gen-4 Coyote sounds very different to the Gen-2 in my old S550. Obviously, that comes down to a completely different exhaust system, but the S650 has such a guttural bark to it. Addictive!

 

[shakenfake]

Yeah the Falcons are way cooler than the Mustang imo. Good choice to keep them.

 

[D.F.B]

Yeah the Falcons are way cooler than the Mustang imo. Good choice to keep them.

See, I hear that a lot from people I converse with in the USA because you guys didn't get them like we did. But over here, outside of the deeply passionate Ford guys, a Falcon is just a taxi.

It's all relative of course, because you could say that the Mustang is just a loud V8 Ford, whereas a BMW or Porche would walk all over it on a track. But then you are forgetting everything that makes a Mustang special, very few cars on the road car turn heads like a Mustang can, or make you smile from ear to ear as it barks out its love song.

So, a Falcon to me represents more than just some four-door family car. Falcon represented what Australian's do best, taking something and making it better. The original 1960 XK Falcon was a carbon copy of the model sold in the USA, which was ultimately its failure because it proved fragile on rough Australian roads. We are talking clapped out ball joints within a few thousand miles here. From then on, Ford Australian implemented its own development procedures. Once the Falcon was discontinued in the US, Ford Australia took the basic Falcon platform then evolved it for subsequent generations. While there were very few if any parts that could trace back to those early models, the was an evolution of parts that went on till the last car drove off the line. The inline 6 could trace roots back to 1960, the bore centers were the same measurements.

These shot shows how far Ford took the Falcon. These were taken in 2010, the 50th anniversary of the Falcon............................













Henry Ford actually visited Australia in the early 60's and grilled the local team on why they hadn't found the ball-joint problems before it went on sale, only to be told that they didn't have a development ground. Henry right then and there granted Ford Australia funds to build its own proving ground. While the factories closed in 2016, the development grounds were retained and continue to be used to this day. The Ranger you guys now have access to had its birth on the You Yang's proving ground just outside of Geelong, Australia.











Then there was the slinging match that began when Ford started to put V8 engines in Falcon's. Holden later joined the party and the war began. That war ebbed and flowed over the years, one dominating the other, one disappearing for a while....................but the end result we got some really fast cars out of it.

And so, you can image the sadness when Ford announced it was closing the factories and retiring the Falcon name. I remember when I heard the news first, it was at about 10am on May 13th 2013, mowing lawns for my largest client. You know when someone begins to tell you something and you sort of know where the conversation is headed. Well, listening to talk back radio as I worked, when I heard the words breaking news, Ford..................I knew what was coming and it broke my heart. Thing is, the writing had been on the walls for years, sales had collapsed, even the government had abandoned them by cutting subsidies, tariffs, co-funding and even buying the cars for government fleets. I remember driving past the factory in 2011 and was presented with cars parked on the grass all around the factory.......................they ran out of room to store them. Looking back, that was the breaking point, that was when the decision was actually made, not when it was announced a few years later.

Luckily for the Falcon fans, Ford continued to make cars up until October 2016, including one last facelift to take it to the end. This was an olive branch of sorts, it gave the factory employees the opportunity to seek new jobs or be redeployed within Ford, and it gave the Falcon faithful one last hurrah. When Holden announced the closures at the end of 2013, they did the same. Compare that to Mitsubishi when they pulled out in 2008, they gave no notice.

When they announced the closure, and that one last model would be released, I knew I was going to buy one. That car would be my XR8, which is just about to turn 10 this year. Ford sort of threw everything at them, it had the supercharged engine from the GT, GT R-Spec suspension, big brakes, the top spec interior. Mine is one of 73 made in Emperor Red with the automatic transmission, so somewhat rare.













One of the things I love about this car is how unassuming it is, especially in grandpa burgundy. And yet, it can punch your lights out once the throttle goes to the floor!

In reality, I could have waited until 2016 and tried to get one of the final special edition Sprint models, but I'm content with how things played out. Actually, I tried to order a XR6 Sprint to sit next to my XR8, but they had all been snapped up, so ordered a Mustang instead.



Another fun fact - When they build the factories at Geelong in the 30's, they were are carbon copy of the factories in the US and Canada. The roof was designed for a certain feet of snow coverage....................which is NOT possible in Geelong! The reason? Henry Ford did not want to pay an architect twice, so all Ford factories were built the same.

Don't ask me how I remember all this. I guess it's what happens when you love something so much, you end up absorbing so much that it ends up pushing other stuff out. Combine this love of Falcon's, detailing and horticulture.........................no wonder I would forget your name 10 minutes after you told me.

 

[D.F.B]

One of the things I had anticipated about my leave, the ability to just step out into the garage and tinker away without a time limit. With two next two days on back on the tools, I decided to just take the opportunity to just hang.

And in case you thought the poor old Falcon's were being ignored, no way! The XR8 was taken out yesterday for no other reason but to just drive it. Having just driven the Mustang, it gave me a chance to compare.



Naturally, the Mustang is the better car. The last Falcon came off the line in 2016, which was based on a model that launched in 2008, which was based on a model that launched in 2002, then 1998, then 1988.......................you get the point. And while the S650 Mustang underpinnings are well proven by this stage, its superiority over the Falcon's is the result of a bigger budget and two generational changes.

However...............................there is a refreshing simplicity to driving a Falcon. While all the tech and customization of the Mustang is impressive, and fun to play with, it's also extremely distracting. And then there's the various drive modes, which can then be further customized to create your own favorite mode. Well, it gets to the point where you end up second guess if you chose the right mode, which then becomes another distraction.

In the Falcon's, you press the unlock button on the key, no keyless entry here, then put the key into the ignition to start the engine, no push button or remote start either. You then put it into gear and release the actual handbrake. Then you drive it. That's it. No modes, no endless screen menu's.

And engine wise, despite sharing parentage, they are very different animals (see what I did there). The S650 Mustang seems more endowed with torque compared to my early S550, but it's got nothing on the idle to redline torque characteristic of the Falcon's supercharged Miami V8. It's this complete contrast that I love so much about owning both.

Please Note - none of the above is me complaining or sh.tting on one or the other. I've always been analytical, this case is no different. I'm extremely fortunate to have both, which is not lost on me, I love them all for different reasons.

With that said, today was the XR6's turn for attention. Soap of choice here being the delightful Opti-Coat M-Wash, drying aid ADS Amplify, interior wiped down with the transcendent ADS Pilot. With the extra time on my hands, I went over all of the interior glass in addition to the exterior (I hate doing interior glass). The engine bay was wiped down with ECH20, switching back to Amplify for the wheels. Tyres dressed with an old favorite, NV Onyx.



Back to spec, I then put the XR6 back into its position and covered up for the time being.

 

[D.F.B]

Engine Bay!

The engine bay on delivery was in ok condition, but needed some attention to bring it up to spec. At the first wash, I simply wiped it down using Carpro ECH20, but I could see a couple of areas that would need a little more work.



The first thing you notice when opening a S650 hood is the prop rod is GONE! Finally, Ford are now installing gas struts on the production line. At $60,000 for my S550, that was a bit rude, so a prop rod on a $100k Ford would have been downright nasty.

In this case, there was no need for brushes and all-purpose cleaner, or even a dressing. So, a simple rinse down removed what I think was salt residue and any dust that had accumulated prior to shipment and delivery. And before you freak out, yes, I used the pressure washer.





After the rinse and while still wet, this would be where you would apply a water-based dressing such as Carpro Perl, KCx Motorplast or my favorite, Meguiar's Hyper Dressing. However, I decided to just blow dry and wipe over with more ECH20, which I find works really well on black plastics.



The end result, a fresh engine bay.





For comparison, this was my S550 engine bay in standard and modified form. I wish Ford kept the coil covers, and I also note they have included a remote positive terminal post for battery charging. To make way for the dual intake system, the coolant bottle has moved from in front of the radiator to beside the strut tower. Otherwise, the engine bay panels are carried over from S550.







Modifications to the engine? I do want to add the Ford Performance catch can when it becomes available. This and other parts I would have bought well in advance, but the usual Mustang aftermarket suppliers have been extremely slow in releasing parts for S650. I guess they have been waiting for cars to hit the ground, but they have been missing out on customers like me who would have got in early.

Also on the list, I want to get the Roush intake kit, which is basically two high-flow air filters with clear airbox lids. They say that it reduces intake restriction by 30 percent, in turn "increases throttle response, and enhances the sound of your engine—giving you an aggressive growl when you push the pedal". How true that is I don't know, I just like the look and if it boosts induction note, then I'll be happy.

https://www.tickfordperformance.com.au/mustang-products/my24+-roush-air-intake-system










Seeing as I had all the gear out, and the car being wet anyway, I decided to wash the car again. Why? Because why not!



Carpro Reset was used on the wheels, also used on for the rest of the wash and teamed with the Microfiber Madness Deli-Pad. ADS Amplify was again the drying aid, Invisible glass on the windows, ADS Adapt on the wheels and OG Tire Dressing for the rubber.

Next up for the Mustang, next week will be about polishing and coating the exterior.

 

[D.F.B]

Line Lock!

The Line Lock function was originally left off the table for Australian Mustang owners, Ford Australia coding it out to appear politically correct and not raise the attention of Tracy Grimshaw and her posse of "investigators" (Sorry, an Aussie reference). At some point though, Ford quietly introduced it on the later S550’s.

Look, I will probably never use the Line Lock feature, to me it seems extremely abusive. Still, its a feature of the car that I naturally went looking for in the Track Apps section. Except, the Line Lock was greyed out and would not respond.

At this point I will mention how hard it is to photograph these screens. While it doesn't clearly show, the Line Lock is greyed out in this pic and has a broken outline.



I initially thought this was a km thing, as in it needs x amount of km's before it became active. Then Top_Gear mentioned you needed to be in Track mode, but it still remained greyed out. After reading a post about someone having the same issue, it was resolved for him by turning off the auto-hold function. After checking that, it was still greyed out. Even after reading the (online) manual, nothing initially stood out.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?countryCode=USA&languageCode=EN&Uid=G2314389&ProcUid=G2314404&div=f&variantid=9118&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=AUS&buildtype=web

As you can see, there are quite a few boxes to tick before the Line Lock can be activated. And other than Slippery, it can be activated in any drive mode. In the end, what finally clicked for me was the car needs to be in gear and the handbrake disengaged before you can toggle the Line Lock tab on the touchscreen. So, with that done, the greyed-out tab became active.

Again, hard to show but note the now solid outline.



Now that I know how to activate it, I can now forget it exists.

 

[shakenfake]

I definitely understand the taxi thing. I drive a ‘96 Impala SS. Basically a Caprice, which is about as Taxi, Cop car, old man as you can get. Nice and unassuming.

 

[D.F.B]

New (old) Rover earning its keep!



Despite upping the revs for more performance, I'm finding I only need half throttle with this engine as it just grunts through thicker growth which would have had the Kohler spluttering.

 

[D.F.B]

Cluster Themes!

I'm going to get this out of the way right now, I like REAL gauges! I've made this analogy a few times, but it sums up my feelings on the demise of traditional gauge clusters. Ask a watch nerd what's their favorite watch, they are not going to name one of the countless "smart" watches on the market are they. A smart watch might technically provide a superior user experience, not to mention the ability to do more than keep time. But thing is, I don't buy a watch to make phone calls or pay for my coffee. And nor is a watch nerd, they want the tactility and old school charm and craftsmanship that comes with a classically designed time piece.





And so, the same applies to car gauge clusters. There is a beauty to a classic set of dials that move with the engine and speed of the car. Yes, you don't have the customizability, but I love seeing the needles dancing in front of me as I drive, it's just part of the experience of driving a car.





Some car companied have gone all in on this trend, some have played a balanced approach. Porsche for instance kept the traditional tachometer with a screen cast around it, which they have only recently changed to a full screen. The previous generation Mustang offered both traditional and digital gauge clusters depending on trim level. For me, what Ford did right was designing the screen to fit within a traditional hooded cluster, so it looked more natural.







For S650, Ford went all in, the oh so emotive hooded binnacle was canned for a flat, square screen. Actually, there are two versions of this. Lower spec models get two separate screens, one for the navigation/climate control/audio/mode selection, and one for the instrument cluster. High spec models, including all Australian Mustang's, have one large continuous screen. In reality, its actually two screens disguised by a single lens. I remember reading some prefer the two separate screens as it looked more natural and less dominating visually.





At first, I thought this setup was horrible. Ford threw out the traditional twin-hooded dashboard for what looked like something lifted from an Explorer. But here's the thing, if Ford didn't move with the times, they would have been crucified by the press, social influencers and customers. So, while the screens were not my preference, they are integral to the modern Mustang experience.

There is a lot to unpack in regard to the near endless customization offered by the new Mustang. For this post, I'm going to focus on the digital gauge cluster and the seven different themes to choose from.

Ford offer a couple of ways to select which cluster theme you want displayed in front of you. Firstly, if selected, you can have the cluster theme match the drive mode selected via the steering wheel mode buttons, which in theory is most logical. However, if for some reason you don't like Sport gauges with Sport drive mode, you can independently change the cluster, say Sport drive mode with Race Track cluster. This is undoubtably cool, but also somewhat distracting when on the move.



To independently choose a cluster design, press the pony button in front of the gear shifter to bring up the My Mustang page. From here, you can change a variety of settings including Track Apps (Line Lock and Drift Mode), display auxiliary gauges, customize the ambient and display lighting via the My Colour Tab, change the exhaust mode, select a gauge cluster theme, or create and store a custom mode with 6 different presets.









Once you select the Cluster Theme tab, you can then scroll through and select one of the 6 designs on offer. The theme will be displayed on in front of the driver as well as the main touchscreen to show your selection.





So, lets run through the themes on offer.

Calm - This is a very basic mode designed for the least distraction. I can't see myself ever using this mode.



Normal - I think this is the most visually cohesive, if a little un-Mustang like. It's clean, clear and modern. I also like how it simulates two traditional round gauges when compared to the next two.



Sport - This design I find a little hard to read. It certainly looks cool but lacks legibility at a glance.



Race Track - This theme removes a lot of the fluff to preset a very clear tachometer and a basic digital speed readout. Probably not my favorite, but I like how it bounces tachometer bar between gear shifts.



And now for the fun ones!

Fox Body '87 - '93 - When the S650 was unveiled, Ford got Mustang fans raving about the cluster theme that matched the green backlit gauges of the Fox Body Mustang's from the late 80's and early 90's. Actually, that green backlighting was not unique to Mustang, all US Ford's were the same. At first, I didn't see the appeal, why make your brand-new car look 30+ years old? However, this theme is simple, clean and is extremely easy to read. Although, no Fox Body could reach those engine or ground speeds.



Classic '67 - '68 - This design was only introduced a few months ago and is pure indulgence. It's not as legible as it could be due to the odd speed gradients, but it's undoubtably cool and a nice touch by Ford. My salesman chose this theme for delivery day, quite fitting with a classic Mustang parked right next to it in the delivery bay.



SVT Cobra '99 - '01 - Also recently introduced, this design will be recognizable for those familiar with the Mustang Cobra's Tickford converted to RHD back in the early 2000's for Ford Australia. Like the Fox Body theme, this setup is clean and very easy to read.



I will say, all three of these heritage cluster themes lack a digital speedometer, which is understandable considering the originals never had one either. However, with the 30 kph numbered increments, it can make typical Australian speed limits hard to sight. So, I would say be careful with this, especially for those in the same nanny state I live in.

So, which is my favorite? I really like the look of heritage cluster themes, especially the '67 - '68. However, I can see myself using the SVT Cobra design most, it's so clean and clear. Of the modern versions, I like the basic Normal setup. Boring, but again, it's cleaner and easy to read than the other options.

 

[Geoff289]

My new BMW 330 daily driver has the same sort of widescreen set up with numerous display options, it's taking a while to get used to it and figure out what I prefer. At least I have the fall back of my 58 year old Mustang and an unarguably cool analogue gauge cluster.

 

[D.F.B]

Just discovered these images using SVE SP2 wheels, the aftermarket version of the HP Performance wheels I kept from my S550.







Hmmm, I like how they allow for a better view of the big Brembo's. I'm thinking when I remove the wheels to coat them, I'll coat the calipers and then put on the HP wheels. This will mean I won't have the car sitting on jacks, which I find nervy, but I'll also see what they look like on the S650. If I like them, I'll have to decon and coat those as well.

 

[D.F.B]

Old vs New!

I remember back when the S650 was unveiled in 2022, there was a lot of conjecture as to how “new” the new Mustang was. This only intensified once the press began to closely scrutinize the new model. The main cause of contention being that this new model was more of heavy refresh and not the new generation Ford would have you believe. And, I guess, that is a valid question. The thing is, Ford have an evolutionary approach to the Mustang. What I’m about to describe will sound familiar to Australian readers and a certain other Ford model.



Ever since the second-generation model went into production, the Mustang has always teetered on the brink of viability for Ford. I don’t mean this in a derogatory manner, it’s just the reality of a volume-centric company making consumer goods. Mustang is not a volume proposition for Ford, but it does have a tonne of market recognition and is seen as a brand builder. That’s not to say Ford lose money on every Mustang, rather the profit per car is significantly lower than a F-150 for example. This then limits Ford’s ability to reinvest come model update time.

You will see this budget constraint in the choice of materials and overall build quality, but also the core engineering of the car itself. And so, when it comes to creating a new model, Ford have to be smart with how and where they spend the money. This is why you don’t see wholesale platform or engine changes at every new model, and each generation lasts often double that of a more mainstream Ford. The exact same thing happened with Australian Ford’s, just on even lower budget.

So, where does the S650 sit in the grand scheme of things? First, we need to consider its predecessor and its legacy in the long line of previous Mustang’s. Many will cite that the S550 was the first Mustang to have IRS, which is not actually the case. The SVT Cobra from 1999 had the same double wishbone IRS found in the AU Falcon, Jaguar S-Type and XF, and Lincoln LS. Still, the S550 was the first to have IRS across the range, which was matched to a redesigned strut front suspension. These two changes fit into the evolutionary model; new suspension adapted to a carry-over platform. In addition to that, the exterior body was all new, as was the interior. In other words, it was the newest Mustang in a very long time.

Early on, there were rumors Ford were going to adapt the new rear-wheel-drive platform that debuted with the current generation Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. I remember there being a lot of push back on that among fans, that the Mustang was going to be lumped with an SUV platform. That’s not how it would have been implemented, Ford would have taken sub-systems from the new platform and built them into the Mustang. Expensive items like the fire wall and engine “box”, electrical architectures and suspension designs would have given Ford economy of scale compared to the orphan Mustang platform. This would have been a more expensive endeavor upfront but would have made sense in the longer term. But……..Ford being Ford chose the cheaper option………….a top hat refresh of the existing platform.

And so, we now arrive at what the S650 became. Keep in mind the chassis hardware had seen significant updates for S550, so it's not like past Mustang’s. Think of this like BF MK II to FG Falcon generational change, a top hat refresh over proven mechanicals. The S550 in comparison was like an AU to BA Falcon type of update. And in some ways, this is not a bad thing.



For S650, most of what sits beneath the skin is carry over. This includes front and rear suspension modules, the floor pan, fire wall and engine bay panels. For the stuff you can see, the roof and both windshields carry over. While the door skins have been changed, the door and glass itself are carried over, including the side mirrors. Ford would dispute that sighting different part numbers, but all they did was change the outer skin and exterior door handle.





The same reskin applies to the boot lid, the actual boot opening is the same and the underside of the boot lid follows the same shape as S550. Actually, it's quite impressive how they changed the look here without a completely new body panel. The rear quarter panels show the most difference, but again, its an outer skin and they follow the carry-over roof and glass hard points.





Obviously, the most visual change has been made via new front quarter panels, headlights, hood and bumper, while the rear had a reprofiled lower truck panel, lights and bumper.







The interior is also a little of something old, a little of something new. The dashboard is completely new, as is the excellent flat bottom steering wheel. The door trims are made with new materials, but are carry over, right down to the same window switches, door handle and grab handle.











The center console is modified for the new electric handbrake/drift brake and a different shifter surround, but otherwise carry over. Seats have new coverings, but also carry over. Missing from the new generation, the secret owner’s manual compartment in the glove box, and the spring loaded compartment below the steering wheel (handy for sun glasses, coins, pens ect). Actually, there is no physical owner’s manual now, its located within the menu system. The pedals, door sill trim panels and gear shifters for manual and automatic transmissions are S550 items too. The most visual change will naturally be those screens and the effort put into the graphics and massive amount of customization options. S650 also moved from Sync 3 to Sync 4 infotainment system.





Mechanically, it’s all about subtle refinement. Both 2.3 EcoBoost and 5.0 Coyote V8 engines remain, but with refinements. The EcoBoost gained a twin-scroll turbo and a small power increase, but it’s only available with the 10R80 automatic. The Coyote enters its 4th generation for S650, it gaining a new dual throttle body and intake system for additional power. Ford also went back to a steel oil pan, probably to suppress the typewriter tick. Exhaust systems carry over, but with different tuning for the Active systems standard on all AUS cars. Both the MT82-D4 6-speed manual and 10R80 10-speed auto carry over, the Darkhorse being the exception, it gets the Tremec TR-3160 6-speed over the MT-82-D4. In the engine bay, some items have moved, the coolant tank for instance, and there is now a remote positive battery post.





While the basic suspension remains, the Performance Pack models come with some significant changes to accommodate the Drift Brake system and inclusion of Brembo calipers. All Performance Pack models take the majority of the rear suspension components used on the S550 GT350 and GT500, you also get a separate caliper for the handbrake. Ford also redesigned the electric power steering for faster and more direct response, Performance Pack models also get the revised steering rack from the S550 Mach 1. Finally, Australian cars now get the strut tower brace.









Please don’t read all the above as me roasting the S650. As I’ve said in the past, the above is me being my analytical self. The thing is, would we have a new Mustang if it weren’t for some items carrying over? Maybe, maybe not. I for one am grateful Ford still sees value in offering the Mustang in its current gas-burning state. A world without a V8 Mustang would be a sadder place, so if the latest generation seems rather familiar, who cares. Ask Camaro fans about this…………….oh wait, GM took the easy path and discontinued their muscle car, and Dodge have done the same by deleting the Hemi V8 for the forthcoming new Challenger and Charger.

Long Live The V8 Muscle Car!

 

[D.F.B]

Polishing!

I have been planning this for more than two years now, how will I be polishing and protecting this new car. And after countless hours of procrastination, I finally arrive at this moment where I immerse myself in getting this car to look the best I can possibly achieve.

In the past, today would have been a very intensive endeavor. Typically, I will wash and decontaminate the car, including iron removal and clay. Drying and taping up would follow, then polishing. This would evidently lead to an element of rush and corners cut. Yes, you read right. Not this time, I wanted to do this at a relaxed pace.

The decontamination took place last week, including iron removal, high pH soap, low pH soap then claying.





After its last wash on Saturday, the car had sat unused while I carried on with my normal schedule of gardening work. So, to start today, all that was needed was a quick rinse-less wash to remove any dust that had settled. Product of choice being the surfactant-based McKee’s N-914, followed by Carpro Eraser to dry the car. I then removed the number plates.



You will notice I have covered up the wheels. After umming and ahhing about buying a set of those for about two years, but I finally pulled the pin. Many detailing companies have a version of these, but to me the Gyeon ones appeared to be better quality compared to the fabric Gtechniq and Maxshine. These simply slip over and hook over the tyre, the base cut straight to line up with the floor. The concept here is to keep polishing dust or splatter off freshly cleaned/detailed wheels. Overall, they proved their worth.

Gyeon Q2M Wheel Covers (4 pack) | Detailing Shed





Then it was time for that time consuming and tedious task of taping up all the trim, badges and headlights. For this car, I took longer than I ever have doing this job.

https://www.waxit.com.au/products/carpro-masking-tape?_pos=1&_psq=tape&_ss=e&_v=1.0





You will see I also placed towels at the base of the windscreen to collect the polishing dust.





In terms of paint condition, it's a mixed bag. It's funny, when you get this up close and personal with a car, you start to notice things. Overall, there were very few scratches, only a couple on the driver's side A-pillar that were easily removed. The gloss black hood vent is atrocious, it being hazed out quite badly, but that's part of the deal with gloss trim. I could also see some mild isolated water spots on the hood and a dust nib on the roof. The main concern for me though is the alarmingly thin paint on the edge of the doors. All of these can be dealt with or ignored, you have to reach a point where you understand that this is a mass-produced car.

In terms of pad and polish, I started with a proven combo of Sonax Perfect Finish on an ShineMate blue intermediate foam pad. After a test spot, I felt I needed just a little more, so switched to the firmer yellow ShineMate cutting pad. I then did the front quarter panels and decided to try a second set of passes with Carpro Relfect and the orange ShineMate polishing pad. Winner! So yeah, I'm effectively two stepping this car.







Now, you might question why I'm two stepping with finishing compounds? Well, Perfect Finish can do some decent cutting, especially teamed with a cutting pad like I did, but then "finish" down acceptably. In my case, adding the super fine Reflect on a softer polishing pad was purely for refinement and extra gloss. I mean, I could have swapped the Perfect Finish for something more aggressive like CutMax of DA Coarse, but why remove more paint when it wasn't needed. I will probably have this car for a while, I want to leave something in the bag for later down the track.

Adding that extra step, I was glad I decided to keep my old ShineMate EB351's, no pad swapping between steps! This also gave me a chance to use both my new Rupes and ShineMate side by side. For the Perfect Finish, I used the Rupes HLR 15 5-inch and the ShineMate 3-inch. I was initially apprehensive about how the new Rupes would perform with the ShineMate pads, there has been suggestion that the HLR doesn't like non-Rupes pads. However, the two worked well together, probably due to the Rupes and ShineMate pads being similar thickness, which helps with regard to the wafer thing backing plate of the HLR.

Switching to the ShineMate 5-inch for the Reflect, you certainly notice how much smoother than Rupes is, but the difference is not the gap you would think. I find the ShineMate's run slower in every position but seems to have a slight edge in torque. The Rupes spins faster and has more speed headroom, but pad stall seems a little more prevalent. And yes, you do need to be mindful of the battery placement on the Rupes, but it's not the issue many would have you believe.



And this is where I started to zone into the job at hand and the photo's stopped. In my ears today, the always entertaining Smoking Tire Podcast. Compared to my usual approach, I started on the vertical panels for this car instead of the usual hood, roof and boot. I worked several panels before calling time for today. The car was then covered up and I'll resume proceedings in the morning.





I still have plenty left to do, including the glass. I'm still un-decided on what to do with the wheels, but the factory items need to be coated before they get too much brake dust exposure. I think I'll get the polishing done, coat the paint, glass and trim, then pull the wheels off and replace them with the HP items off my S550. I can then coat the S650 wheels at my leisure while I make my decision which set will stay on the car.

 

[D.F.B]

Well, I have had the S650 for a week now, it took the same time for my old S550 to sell.



I have to say, this is the saddest I have felt about letting go of that car, I couldn't have loved that car more if I tried. If only the new owner knew what that car did for me, and ultimately, I hope they cherish it like I did.

 

[Mark_17]

Just curious, did you think about having PPF applied anywhere on your new car?

I got my wife a new M2 back in November and did full PPF, as it will see year round driving and a lot of high way miles. It has really put my mind at ease.

 

[D.F.B]

Just curious, did you think about having PPF applied anywhere on your new car?

I got my wife a new M2 back in November and did full PPF, as it will see year round driving and a lot of high way miles. It has really put my mind at ease.

I'm contemplating having the black roof covered with PPF, but there aren't many installers around where I live.

 

[D.F.B]

Polishing Continued...............................

Back on the polishers today as I continue working around the car. Today, I started on the hood, in particular the gloss black hood vent. I knew this would test my patience, so starting on it while I was still fresh made the most sense. While this part of the car looked ok from a distance, it was hazed out and dull when viewed up close. I tell someone had a go at polishing it, the dried compound the giveaway.



I'm going to be honest here, I did my best but I just couldn't get it corrected like I wanted. First, I started with Reflect on the yellow Rupes, but the marring was still present. I then tried Perfect Finish on the same pad, again, no dice. I then tried a microfiber pad with Perfect Finish, no luck there either. So, after another pass with Reflect with barely any pressure, I concluded that I was both removing and installing the marring. In the end, I gave it one last polish by hand using Carpro Essence and walked away. The black roof in comparison was easy.



This hood vent reminds me of the gloss black trunk panel on my S550, which would scratch by just looking at it. Because these gloss black trims are not actually painted, I think the only real solution for this would be to have it painted and clear-coated. It's an easy removal, so I'll have to think about it. In the meantime, I'll just coat it and try to ignore it.



I also got the glass polished today using P&S Clarity Creme. To avoid plastering glass polish all over the rubber trims, I went around the edges with a Carpro glass hand polishing block, which uses the same rayon material as their normal glass pads. I then put a Lake Country SDO Blue pad on my 3-inch ShineMate and took care of the inner sections. I really like this product, its so easy to use and does not require micromanagement like CeriGlass does, or require a sledgehammer to remove the residue afterwards. That 473ml bottle will last you the rest of your life, negating its cost.



From here, I removed the tape and began cleaning up polish residue and dust out of the cracks and crevices by using compressed air, rinse-less wash and Carpro Eraser. I also had to break out the Meguiar's M39 to remove some residue from the rear GT badge and 5.0 fender badges.







Am I 100% happy? Probably not, mainly because of that hood vent and a couple of imperfections that I will need to address. But overall, the car has taken on a much deeper, crisper tone to its paint. This is something that was noted by the guys at the dealer last week, that despite both being Race Red, they looked different side by side. That would be down to the polishing and ceramic coating that my old car got before trade, that work bringing out a more defined glass-like depth to the paint.

Up next, a thorough wipe down with a prep spray, then coating the paint, trim and glass. I then have two sets of wheels to coat. No rest for the wicked!

 

[D.F.B]

My 5-liter Trace-less and Touch-less v2 arrived today.

Bilt Hamber Trace-Less
Bilt Hamber Trace-Less Super Wetting Glass Cleaner - Detailing Shed
Bilt Hamber Trace-Less | Streak Free Glass Cleaning | Obsessed Garage

Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Pre-Wash
Bilt Hamber Touch-Less V2 Snow Foam Pre Wash - Detailing Shed
Bilt Hamber Touch-Less | Snow Foam | Car Wash Soap | Obsessed Garage



I gave Trace-less a quick whirl, it certainly has a strong solvent aroma peppered with a scent, and it flashes away to a streak free finish with minimal towel effort.

Use on interior and exterior glass plus acrylic, and infotainment screens. Safe on tinted glass, mirrors, spectacles and hard glazed surfaces. Only use clean lint-free cloths free of detergents and fabric conditioners – these will cause smearing.

For Touch-less v2, its double the concentration and will require me to recalculate the panel impact ratio match my pressure washer and foam cannon outputs.

 

[D.F.B]

Ceramic Coating!

For the last two years, the thing I procrastinated over the most was what I would put on the paint of this car. My first thought was to go with Gyeon Mohs EVO. After using Pure EVO on my Ranger and Jaguar, I wanted something that was naturally slick, which Mohs addressed over Pure. I then changed my mind and decided to just put a wax on it, Collinte 845 the likely candidate, or perhaps Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant...........both favorites of mine for their gloss and slickness. But that all changed at the 11th hour.

After feeling like a wax wouldn't do the car justice, I went ahead and ordered Armour Detail Supply Quartz. The main attraction here being the natural slickness it was said to possess, backed by the claims of superior real-world durability.

ARMOUR Detail Supply Armour Quartz Coating (3+year coating)

Industry Leading 66% Solids 99.9% Purity Quartz Coating Armour Quartz Coating is the new standard in ceramic protection, with a solids content of 66% (SiO2) at a purity of 99.9%, Armour Coating leads the way in consumer-available protective coatings in only a single layer! The advanced formula...

detailingshed.com.au

The car had sat covered overnight to limit dust settlement. The first step was to go over the whole car with ADS Panel Prep. I wouldn't say this is my favorite panel prep, but that centers around the pure joy I get from using Carpro Eraser, that scent is so distinctively pleasant.



It was then time for the coating. To start, I applied the coating to the horizontal surfaces, trunk lid, roof and hood. The ADS coating lays down rather thickly, feeling quite sticky under the applicator. After it has "sweated", it's then leveled down with a towel, then buffed with a second towel to remove any residual. Rinse, repeat. Because of how this coating cures and hardens, you will need to swap out your applicator halfway.



I have said this before, but I always feel nervous applying coatings, they just aren't as forgiving to use. After that first panel, I was reminded of this. The ADS coating is very grabby on the initial wipe, actually I felt like I had to fight it, which is very disconcerting. However, after those initial wipes, the surface turns to a lovely slickness. This is a unique characteristic of the ADS coatings, something I have come across with their wheel coating. So, I was prepared for that.

The coating went on the paint, lower unpainted black plastics and the window trims. Afterwards, I then applied Gyeon Quick View to the glass.

I'm not sure if this is obvious, but I was a little stressed out applying this coating. I'm sort of conflicted if I should have just done wax as planned. However, after applying Amplify (after 4 hours), I'm feeling much better about the end result.





Next in line, the wheels.

 

[D.F.B]

Wheels!

Prior to the sale of my old S550, I removed the Ford Performance HP Performance wheels from the car. I didn't necessarily do this with the intention of fitting them to the S650, rather they are worth more than the original gloss black Performance Pack items that came on the car. The same with the solid black lug nuts.





Like the S550 Performance Pack wheels, I'm not in love with the standard S650 versions. Actually, they look pretty good, especially in the graphite colouring rather than the satin black that my car came with. I have two main gripes with both S550 and S650 PP wheels, they hide the brake calipers and......................they take forever to clean.

And so, curiosity has got the better of me, I've decided to trial the HP wheels on my new car. With two sets of wheels to choose from, I have effectively doubled my wheel workload.

I bought these wheels new in mid 2021, effectively addressing three key factors. First and second being the above-mentioned caliper visibility and cleaning ease. The third being a functional aspect, ridding the car of the diabolically bad Pirelli P-Zero's. For a performance tyre, these couldn't have been worse if Pirelli tried. For a powerful rear drive car, the lack of traction you would understand in performance orientated driving, but not low-speed driving in residential areas. Replacing them for Michelin PS4S transformed the car. Having said that, the latest P-Zero Ford is currently using are apparently a marked improvement.





Being a brand-new set of wheels, I wanted to go all out in keeping them looking good. At the time, apart from applying DLUX to plastic trim, these wheels would be the first time I had used a ceramic coating on a painted surface. After looking at a few coatings, I settled on NV Wheel. Considering how nervous I was, the coating went down well, and I learned a new skill.





I never really loved that coating, it just didn't exhibit the sort of hydrophobic qualities I was expecting. From what I can tell, to get the durability needed on wheels, the slickness and water behavior tends to suffer on wheel-specific coatings. For me, both of those aspects matter to me just as much as the actual protection.

NV Wheel did provide decent longevity and was still mildly present when the wheels were removed, however, I wanted to start fresh with a new coating. The problem here being the satin/matte finish, you can't simply polish off the remainder of the previous coating, unless you want a gloss finish. So, I needed to do the best I could working with that constraint.

First up, I applied Gyeon Iron Remover to each wheel and left them to soak.



From here, I rinsed off the iron remover and used undiluted brake buster to get them clean. I then clayed using a traditional clay bar and Gyeon Clay Lube. After this, I grabbed the Big Boi to get the wheels and tyres dry.

Next, onto one of my favorite detailing tasks, refreshing tyre sidewalls with Stoners Tarminator. Both front and back sidewalls were done...................yes, I know.



I then did three rounds of prep spray, starting with Carpro Eraser, then Rupes Reveal Strong, then ADS Panel Prep.



The choice of coating wasn't really a choice, rather a mere formality. After first applying ADS High Temp Wheel Coating to the XR6 this time last year, I couldn't be happier with this product. It goes on quite thick, and has some grabbiness during the first wipe off, but it transforms to a lovely slick finish. Water behavior is exceptional and cleaning stupid easy. I may not be 100% sold on paint coatings in general, but on wheels, this coating is a must.



The ADS wheel coating is a single layer product, but it can be layered if desired. Considering how matte wheels are somewhat porous, I decided to apply two layers. The barrels in particular soaked it up, to the point where leveling was pretty pointless. After four hours, I applied ADS Ceramic Sealant to protect the coating as it fully cures.







Overall, I'm very happy with how these came up, the coating has brought additional depth and richness to the finish. I'll keep you in suspense a little longer though, I'll be swapping the wheels over tomorrow, coating the calipers as I go.

 

[D.F.B]

Took the XR8 out for a spin today. This car will turn 10-years old in a few days.

 

[Dixie_Flatline]

Just finished reading through your thread, so I apologize if I missed it somewhere along the way, but have you taken a look at the low-rise lifts? Perfect for getting your cars up off the floor and no worries of sending it into the ceiling. Cheap end of the scale is around 1k USD, and high end is probably in the stratosphere, not sure what pricing in Oz would be since I am just a dirty Seppo!

Any suggestions for a super durable coating that is inexpensive for large quantities? I need to polish and wax my RV, but its 11.5 meters long if I did the conversion correctly. 38 feet per side, then there is the nose and tail to contend with, it takes a lot of time and a lot of product to handle the job. I've read some people online using commercial floor wax on the exterior since it lasts for quite a while, looks good if applied properly, and doesn't break the bank. Then there are the nay-sayers, who think it is an incredibly silly idea.

The painted portion is in decent shape, needs to be polished for sure, but the fiberglass unpainted sections are in rough condition. The previous owner told me he used 30-second outdoor cleaner, even offered me the jug he had been using, which explains the fiberglass and vinyl decals looking poorly. Going to grab some P&S Clarity Creme next time I am in town, local shop stocks their line thankfully so no shipping to deal with. Would you say there is any benefit to this over just using some Stoner's glass cleaner? That's my usual go-to for windows.

 

[D.F.B]

Caliper Coating & Wheel Change!

I have to confess, I'm a bit of a brake nerd! There is something about a big set of brakes that gets me fired up. Obviously, there are practical benefits to having big brakes, but I also love geeking out over how they look. On a performance car, those two things are equally important.

On the S550, all Australian-market Mustang GT's came with meaty 6-piston front calipers acting on 380mm vented rotors. At the rear, a single piston sliding caliper on 330mm vented rotors. I never found a situation where I felt the need for more brakes, not something I could say about my two Falcon's. The only drawback? That Ford chose not to paint the calipers, instead going for a grey anodized finish. I did ceramic coat them, but they sort of blended into the background, especially with the Performance Pack wheels.









For S650, Ford made some sizable improvements to the braking package. Firstly, this helps offset the weight increase over the S550, but it also has visual benefits. The front calipers are still 6-piston Brembo's, but they are considerably larger than before and includes brake cooling ducts. At the rear, Ford ditched the single piston caliper for a 4-piston Brembo caliper. Rotor sizes have increased to 390mm front and 355mm on the rear. Also on the rear, a separate caliper for the electric handbrake, this change necessitated the inclusion of GT350/GT500 suspension components.

Aesthetically, Ford are also now painting the calipers in blue, red or black depending on model and options chosen. In the US, there are several brake colour configurations, be that bundled with an option package, or via a standalone option for $600. In Australia, it's a little more straight forward. The default colour for Mustang EcoBoost and GT is gloss black with white lettering. For Darkhorse, Ford uses Notorious Blue with Grabber Blue lettering.

There is one exception to the above, when Magneride is ordered, Ford also includes red painted calipers with white lettering. Magneride will set you back $2950, which is something I wanted regardless, so the painted calipers are a rather handy side benefit.





With my old HP wheels coated, today was about swapping them onto the car, while also taking the opportunity to ceramic coat the calipers while I was in there. Working corner to corner, I removed the PP wheel and cleaned the caliper using a brush and N-914. Typically, you would use an iron remover as well, but I skipped this today as they are virtually brand new, not to mention using an ADS Wheel Cleaner on them during the decon wash.



After rinsing with water, I hosed down the caliper with Carpro Eraser, wiped dry, then went over it with compressed air to remove any trapped moisture. I then followed with Rupes Reveal Strong for just before the coating went down. Coating here was again ADS High Temp Wheel Coating.



Coating the calipers can be a bit fiddly, but I decided to use up some Gtechniq AP2 finger applicators I had in stock, this made it really easy to apply.



I'm sorry, but these things are pure ***********!





Take note of the anodized hand brake caliper on the rear.



As each caliper was coated, I then offered up the HP wheels and secured them in place with the solid black lug nuts I took off the S550. Mustang's use a crazy high torque value on the lugs, 150 ft-lbs or 204 Nm. I then dressed the tyres with OG Tire Dressing, buffed down after 30-minutes.







And so, here are the finished results. In some ways, these wheels make the car look like my S550. But then, they also show off those **** calipers. Actually, I love them!







But there is a problem, one that burst my bubble. Of all the parts that Ford carried over from S550, for some unknown reason, they changed the TPMS sensors from 315 MHz to 433 MHz. This means they don't talk to the car, throwing a pressure warning. They can't be coded or reprogrammed either, so of course, the only way to fix that is to remove the tyres and replace the TPMS. Now I have yet to see the warning light, I haven't actually driven the car as I'm waiting for the caliper coating to cure. Also, the PP wheels are in the garage and still talking to the car.

****** ****** ******! Ford kept certain highly visible parts on the new model, but decided to change something that is not seen. This will annoy a lot of people in the US where Mustang owners often have a separate set of wheels with winter tyres, probably transferred from a S550 as well.

I was feeling so good about this wheel change. Apparently the TPMS light doesn't flash, so its a case of just ignoring it, or pulling them back off and have them swapped. I was going to coat the PP wheels I took off the car today anyway, so they will have to go back on if I have the TPMS changed. Not the end of the world, just an unexpected roadblock. Cars!

 

[D.F.B]

I still have a few things to do, but below is the result of countless hours work. Other than cropping, there is no editing on those images, straight off the Nikon.