S197 Mustang Ditches Blue Ovals for Bow Ties with LS2 Inside
Instagrammer’s LS2-powered S197 Mustang guaranteed to drive Ford and Chevy purists insane, and leave them all in a cloud of tire smoke.
The S197 Ford Mustang was one of handful of vehicles—like its fellow stablemate the Ford Thunderbird, as well as the Volkswagen New Beetle, Chrysler PT Cruiser, and Chevrolet SSR—to ride the retro wave during the late 1990s through the early 2010s. Its appearance as a modernized early first-gen Mustang grabbed the hearts of those who grew up with the first Mustangs, as well as those who liked its retro-modern take on a classic.
Of course, there’s more ways to improve upon the past. Instagrammer LSX shined the spotlight on fellow Instagrammer Scott Squires’s mid-2000s S197, which once had a 4.6-liter V8 under the hood. Once.
Since Squires took ownership of the ‘Stang a couple of years ago, that 4.6-liter V8 has since been tossed into a lake with a chain linked to LS-powered speedboat. Now, it boasts a turbocharged LS2 with Holley EFI on deck pushing tons of power (somewhere above 500 horses, if his hashtag “#dontmake500” is anything to go by) to the rear pair of Weld Racing wheels wrapped in sticky DOT drag radials. The build is quite streetable, as well, as it only needs pump gas from the nearest Wawa to dominate the track and the street.
As if the LS2 under the hood isn’t already enough to send both Ford and Chevy purists into a frenzy against the “blasphemer,” Squires took his Detroit mashup to the next level by freeing the Mustang logo from its corral, chopping the corral down for firewood, and classing up the the space left open with a golden bow tie. The pearls both sides must be clutching so hard by now may have either become dust or been transformed into a new sort of diamond.
Squires has more plans for this LS2 ‘Stang coming in the winter months. Until then, enjoy the glorious sounds this S197 now makes, thanks to a little LSX magic.
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