The new Ford Mustang, what a car! On short supply from Ford, you waited patiently for its arrival. But now you have had the car for a few months and that 300 horsepower is not feeling as extreme as it once did. You certainly don’t think any less of the car; in fact you love it more then ever. You just want to experience that initial rush of excitement you felt before you got used to all those ponies thumping under your right foot. Trust us, we have all been there.
Now you want to make some performance upgrades. But the question is what to do first. Perhaps you are not the most mechanical, so you want not only the best bang for the buck, but something that is on the simpler side of installation.
As the title says, I consider this the perfect “first” performance upgrade. Yeah, maybe you got the cat-back exhaust, but on the 2005-2006 Mustangs, it does little more then add a mean sound. This project can be done in no more then 2 hours in your drive way with simple hand tools. It is so simple, even someone who has little to no mechanical experience can feel comfortable tackling this job. A great project to get your feet wet. It is reasonably priced and gives you a nice 10-12 horsepower bump. Add in a Dyno Tune, and it will gain even more, but we will leave that for another article.
So, what Cold Air Intake to choose? Wow, that is a tough decision for someone new to Mustangs. So many kits are now out for this car. Being a Mustang enthusiast for nearly 20 years, the answer is simple for me. And that is why I am writing this article.
Enter StreetSmart Design. To be honest, most well designed kits will perform closely. But what sets StreetSmart Design apart from the rest of the market is not only performance but also the high quality of their kits. From the minute you open the box, you will understand what I mean. No generic pieces here. All are custom made, just for the application. Carbon fiber filter box, form fitted “thick” rubber tube connections, nylon locking nuts, K&N filter, and well thought out instructions. Wow! The quality of their kits is just unmatched. And StreetSmart claims a 12hp bump in horsepower, and from my experience with the kit, I would say that is under rated.
Installing Streetsmart Design’s Cold Air Induction System:
The instructions included with this system are very well written and easy to follow. It took me all of about 30 minutes to install. Anyone can easily install this system with a couple of wrenches and a screw driver. I have only highlighted the more significant points and the uniqueness of this install.
After removing the factory system from the inlet tube of the throttle body all the way down to and including the factory airbox and snorkel (if you still have yours). This system basically replaces the same components. |
