Justin: Hey, everybody, I'm Justin with americanmuscle.com and welcome
to this installment of Customer Builds, the series where we chat with different customers
from our build pages here on the site about their ride and all of its modifications and hey,
maybe give you some ideas for that Mustang at home. Today, I'm pumped to be talking
to a young man from California named Darnell about his 2012 Kona Blue GT
that is just a really well-rounded build, a lot of purposeful mods on there,
and it's done very well as you guys will see here in a minute. Now, if you want a complete breakdown
of all of Darnell's modifications, feel free to check out his build page, of course,
back on the site at americanmuscle.com, or if you happen to be catching this on YouTube,
just go ahead and click on that link below. For now, let's catch up with Darnell.
What's going on, man? How you doing?
Darnell: Oh, man, you know, just chilling. [inaudible 00:00:57.446] I'm even talking to you.
Justin: Listen, I'm glad we get to do these videos because I get to reach out to,
you know, customers and Mustang fans and get to talk to 'em. Darnell, your 2012 jumped out at me,
man. I love the Kona Blue and I love the mods that you did with it, man. Because I'm
kind of a less is more guy and I feel like that's the direction you're going with it.
So, let's talk about the car, let's start upfront because
some of my favorite mods are up there. So, let's start off with that Boss front fascia.
Darnell: You know, I just got the...I really like that myself so that's why I
got it. It's pretty cool and especially the little extra attachments you can put on it,
like the brake ducting system or the fog lights, whichever one you choose.
Justin: Yeah, you ended up doing the brake ducts,
which I don't a lot of people do unless you're, like, really into tracking the
car doing all that. But you take that thing out on the track once in a while?
Darnell: I'm really just on the street with it, but hey, the upgrades, they work. The brake
ducting system, it definitely works, you know? But yeah, the brakes for sure stay way cooler.
Justin: How was that getting installed, you taking the front bumper off and everything? Was it hard?
Darnell: It's not too hard. Basically you gotta take the front bumper off.
I had to trim the inside fender well just a little bit. It was pretty straightforward.
Justin: Okay. Nice. Did you knock out the grille at the same time with the Raxiom LED fog lights?
Darnell: I got the grille in at the same time.
Had to get that combination right there. I love those lights.
Justin: Yeah, talk to me about those things, man,
because they're not like your traditional fog light with just one little bulb in
there. You got a bunch of LEDs. I can imagine those things are pretty bright.
Darnell: Super bright. Nice and clear. Nice color. [inaudible 00:02:31.643] just a little bit,
not too much. I get a lot of compliments on those lights right there, you know? Just a lotta people,
you know, they want to know what kind they is and where I got 'em from, you know?
Justin: And, dude, that's why we do those videos, man, because a lot of people like to...like,
they might see your car and be like, "Damn, what fog lights? What grille is that?" You know,
link people to your parts and give people better ideas for what they can do to their own car, so.
Darnell: So I had to get it in myself because I had never seen nobody else with it.
Justin: I like it, man. That's awesome. Now, you did the Eleanor grille
and you did the MMD pre-painted vents. How'd that go?
Darnell: Hesitant at first, but once I got started I measured everything
where I wanted them placed. It came out pretty good. It was pretty simple once you get going.
Justin: Yeah, right, we give you the template and everything,
you know? You just make sure you measure twice, cut once, that old saying, and don't mess it up.
Darnell: Right. Cut straight. Know where you want it.
Justin: Exactly. I hear you, man. Well, it looks like you did a great job because even under the
hood I noticed you cut, like, the hood liner out for it and everything, so they're functional.
Darnell: Yeah, they're definitely functional. Heat blows up outta there.
You could just feel it just coming outta there. They're definitely functional.
The color was just like factory, on point, and they work great.
Justin: That's awesome, man. Well, I noticed that too because you also got the SpeedForm,
the pre-painted classic window louvers, so the paint matched pretty solid on that, too?
Darnell: Yeah, those two definitely, solid match.
Justin: Nice, man. Now, did you end up switching out the rear spoiler?
Is that the GT500 rear spoiler you got on there?
Darnell: Yes, GT500 rear spoiler, GT500 rear valance.
Justin: Yeah, that's where you ended up throwing the Flowmaster Outlaws
too with the X-pipe. I'm sure that thing's loud as hell, huh?
Darnell: Yeah, yeah, it sounds pretty aggressive, man. I'm loving those, too.
Justin: One of my favorite things I think about the car is that
even though it's a stock part, but a lotta guys, like the '11 to '12 owners like yourself
end up switching out to those '13 and '14 tail lights. And seeing it
[inaudible 00:04:26.135] the Raxiom kit to make that all happen and it looks killer.
Darnell: You gotta have that Raxiom kit to make that all work.
Justin: And it looks good. I mean, I know finding those tail lights in good shape
is not always easy and they're expensive, but the finished product speaks for itself.
Darnell: Yeah, I love those.
Justin: The cherry on top back there, looks like you got the MMD,
the matte black truck surround to kinda, like, just, you know, complete the package.
Darnell: Yeah, I had that too, man.
I was basically trying to get rid of all the little chrome.
Justin: So, you got a lotta suspension going on, too. I know you and I talked about before you had
the SR Performance lowering springs, and those are riding on the KONI Yellows, the adjustables?
Darnell: Yeah, KONI Yellows all the way around. The ride is great
and I ended up going with the J&M Extreme.
Justin: Yeah, the lower control arms. Looks like you also got the J&M Panhard rod
and some BMR stuff back there as well. I can imagine it's pretty planted in the back.
You also went, like, again, Maximum Motorsports bump steer kit. I mean,
your purposeful mods, man, just trying to get that alignment and the suspension on point, huh?
Darnell: Yeah, I got the alignment on point. I got the...
Justin: Did the Eibach Pro-Alignment camber adjustment bolts.
Darnell: Yeah, that right there, you snatched it right outta my...
Justin: Dude, listen, I'm ready, man. I got your list right in front of me here.
I'm prepared. I bet that thing handles pretty good. What tires you got on those wheels?
Darnell: I got the Nitto G2s. So, I've just been trying to mess around my suspension stuff first
to get all the suspension right before I really get into the engine. That's just the
way I want to go to get the suspension done first and then pretty much more engine.
Justin: Gotta set the foundation, man. I get it, you know, do the suspension. You also did
the brakes which a lotta people don't do. A lotta people dive into the performance first,
make their car fast and then don't stop. But you did the brakes too with the PowerStop kit, right?
Darnell: The PowerStop Extremes.
Justin: The cross-drilled and slotted rotors and you did the Z26 pads, it looks like.
Darnell: And the brake pads, they work super great, no brake dust. Because before I was getting
a lot of brake dust. I just go around one block and it's just dusted out, just looking all...but
now they stay clean [inaudible 00:06:24.642] dust doesn't really get on there from the road.
Justin: Yeah, you don't wanna dust up them wheels because I've had some black wheels in my day,
and you'd think black would stay clean,
but I feel like they showed dirt more than like a silver wheel, you know what I mean?
Darnell: For sure.
Justin: Just like a black car. Like, and that's a dark car, too. I'm sure,
like, keeping that thing clean is probably not that easy.
Darnell: No, it's not.
Justin: We talked suspension, we talked about the brakes. The engine you don't
have a lot going on right now. Looks like you have the Airaid,
the tube to work with the stock airbox. And any other future modifications coming for power?
Darnell: Yeah. Actually, I'm trying to save up my money right now, I'm trying to
get a supercharger. So, I was either thinking about trying to go with the Roush Phase 1 or
the Eldelbrock Phase 1. Those are the only two [inaudible 00:07:09.849] that was
50-state legal for California. So, I was looking at one of those two soon.
Justin: All right, I like that, man. Listen, as a Roush supercharger owner on my '14,
I definitely recommend that. The nice thing is with the Phase 1 you can upgrade it down
the road if you wanna go Phase 2 or Phase 3 and car is gonna rip. That's awesome, man.
Darnell: Yeah, I ain't trying to do too much right now, just a little something.
Justin: I feel like your mods have been very, like, purposeful, you know? That Shelby,
that dual ISO reservoir kit, same thing I put on my car because I was having clutch issues with
the clutch pedal sticking on the floor sometime, and that cured it right up. How about for you?
Darnell: Yeah, I got that. The reservoir and the Steeda clip spring,
those two alone made a big difference in that sticking to the floor problem at high RPMs.
Justin: Yeah, and I love the handle too, by the way, the Coyote handle.
Darnell: That's it right there.
Justin: You don't see the pistol grip a lot, man. Usually,
it's like a ball shifter or something like that, but you don't see the pistol a lot.
Darnell: Yeah, trying to get rid of that ball. Tried that pistol out and it took me probably,
like, maybe a day or two to really get the feel for it. But once I got the feel for it,
I love it. I damn near won't never go back. You can grip it so much better, you know?
Justin: I might have to try that out then. It's a super clean car. I love the Kona.
You don't see 'em a lot in Kona, I think like that's kind of a little harder to find color,
especially in that year, but it's real sharp, especially with the factory HIDs.
Darnell: I ended up going all the way outta my way just to get that car, to Vegas.
Justin: Oh, really?
Darnell: Yeah, so I drove out to Vegas to get that car.
Justin: Darnell, I always like to ask guys, last question,
it's kind of a corny one for some people, but hey, you never know, do you have a name for your car?
Darnell: Yeah, I actually do have a name for my car. I call it Blue Blur.
Justin: I like it. Blue Blur.
Well, it's gonna be even more of a blur once that blower gets on there.
Darnell: I can't wait for that.
Justin: Awesome, man. Well, dude, Darnell,
thank you so much for joining me today, man. Super clean car, keep modding.
Darnell: Oh, for sure, for sure. Appreciate the call, man...
Justin: Absolutely.
Darnell: ...and everything else.
Justin: Hey, dude, it's my pleasure, as always.
All right, well there you go, guys. That was Darnell. Super clean 2012 Kona Blue GT,
just built with a purpose. He did it right. Didn't dive into a bunch of horsepower and
leave everything else stock. He took care of the suspension, he took care of the brakes.
Obviously, the appearance is looking killer with the Boss front end, the GT500 rear valance.
Just a really well-rounded car. So, Darnell, well done, man. Keep it going. I know you're
a big Mustang guy, but yeah, get that blower on there and have some fun.
Guys, we hope you enjoyed this installment of Customer Builds. And if you wanna see a complete
breakdown of Darnell's mods, feel free to check out his build page back on the site, of course, or
if you're catching this on YouTube, just go ahead and click on the link in the description. For now,
I'm Justin, thanks for watching. For all things Mustang, keep it right here at americanmuscle.com.