led to the creation of
Fat Man Fabrications’
late-model strut IFS
conversion kit for 1964½
through 1973 Mustangs.
This system bolts into the
stock Unibody sheetmetal
structure and provides for
an adjustable 2- to 3-inch
drop, large disc brakes,
power rack-and-pinion
steering with a mount that
reinforces the frame, and
zero bumpsteer. The stock
suspension is notorious
for its bumpsteer, so
eliminating it altogether
yields big handling advan-
tages, especially with
wider-than-stock tires.
To complement the
Fat Man Fabrications
IFS, VanDervort installed
a RideTech 4-link rear
suspension setup. This
bolts onto the stock leaf-
spring mounts and requires
welding four small tabs to
the axlehousing to attach
the upper bars. VanDervort
chose to go with HQ Series
ShockWave air suspension
struts for the rear. The
4-link suspension drops
ride height about 2 inches
and provides much more
precise handling than the
factory suspension. The
ShockWave air spring and
shock absorber assemblies
feature 24-position re-
bound adjustment that
enables drivers to fine-tune
the suspension to their
needs and wants.
In addition to modifying
the chassis in 2005,
VanDervort also chose to
make several subtle but
noteworthy changes to the
body before repainting the
car. “We nipped the rear
fender lips just a little bit
to fit 17-inch tires back
there,” he explains. “We
also relocated the gas fillto under the trunk lid
and removed all exterior
emblems for a cleaner
appearance; fabricated
an all-metal, Shelbyesque
front valance; molded the
rear fender caps into the
quarter-panels; installed
LED turn signals into the
front bumper; and made
a custom rear spoiler that
resembles what was used
in the 1969 SportsRoof
Mustangs.” Once the
bodywork was finished,
the car went from the
turquoise-and-white
“Barbie Dream Car” scheme
to a much more masculine
Ford copper color.Both the first time
around, when he restored
this Mustang for his
daughter, and when it
was born again in 2005 to
serve as a testbed for the
new independent front
suspension he engineered,
VanDervort designed a car
that could be driven year-
round with confidence. And
drive it he does, averaging
about 8,000 miles per year.
As planned, it respects its
OEM roots with numerous
updates, upgrades, and
enhancements that make it
safer, more reliable, and a
whole lot more fun than it
was when new.QCustom front lower valance and LED turn signals molded into the front bumper are
subtle but effective modifications.SEPTEMBER 2019 35
QVanDervort moved the fuel filler to the
corner of the trunk recess.