You've got your vert stang and you are ready to cruise in comfort and style..... but what do you need to watch out for with a convertible, and what specific upgrades will really make a difference? Steeda is here to help with our vert guide!
Vert Basics:
When you cut the roof off a car you are also effectively cutting off a lot of structural rigidity. And the S550 Mustang convertible really shows this off, which is why Ford gave it an equivalent of our IRS rear subframe braces from the factory in an effort to help counter this loss of rigidity. It was a good start but by no means enough. All S550 Mustangs respond really well to Steeda's range of chassis supports and for the convertible, this counts double!
For the vert we recommend:
1. Steeda IRS Base Pack ... consisting of our IRS Alignment Bushes and IRS Subframe Support Bushes. (Remember you dont need the IRS Full Pack..as the vet already has rear braces). Part 555-4450
2. Steeda Strut Tower Brace - To help stiffen up the front end and make the engine bay look good! Part 555-5731
3. Steeda Extreme G Trac K Brace. Stiffen up the front end under the engine. The 2 point brace is also an option.... Part 555-5533 (or 5532) . Note for A10 autos there is a specific Ecoboost part as well...
4. Steeda Convertible Jacking Rails. These are normally to help with protecting the underside of your Mustang and also to help with easy access to jacking the car anywhere. But with the vert we say every little bit of chassis support helps so we really recommend these too... part 555-5307
We regard these 4 parts as an essential starting point for your convertible, whether its a GT or an Ecoboost.
Vert Next Steps:
Of course once you have gone past the basics, as above, the vert will benefit from a lot of the other mods all Mustangs can befit from.. have a read of our other Mustang Steeda guides in the blog regarding GT mods, Ecoboost tuning, Power upgrades, affordable upgrades and more!
Of course with all upgrades one thing should always be kept in mind. What do YOU want to achieve? After all we at Steeda are here to help you build YOUR dream Mustang.... it's your car and your journey....
With a vert you need to bear in mind a couple of things however:
Exhaust Fitment:
With an S550 (2015+) Mustang the first thing many people (rightly!) want to do is enhance the exhaust. The Convertible rear end is slightly different, (partly due to those factory fit support braces) so bear this in mind. Many exhausts are listed as NOT for convertible (or indeed not listed as such, but still not designed for them!). They can often be slightly modified to fit but bear this in mind. Kooks & Magnaflow exhausts were designed for convertibles for example. For a facelift 2018+ Mustang, our most popular exhaust solution is a Steeda H or X pipe which is easily deployed on a convertible.
Styling:
The vert rear deck IS different and so that means some wings and spoilers will not fit on a vert. Bear this in mind when ordering! The Steeda Q Series spoiler comes in a special convertible version if that suits your tastes. Also the vert offers its own unique styling options with the CDC Light Bar being a popular one:
We can't talk about styling without talking about wheels of course. We are big believers in "wheels make the car" here at Steeda and we support and supply Velgen Wheels and OZ Racing wheels to give you the choices you need for great looks and lightweight performance too! Check out the range here
Handling:
For a Vert the ride can certainly be upgraded beyond the basic step one chnages recommended. A set of Steeda progressive springs and our fantastic Steeda "active" shocks which we developed alongside Koni who developed their active valving technology will give an incredible upgrade. However due to the weight of the convertible mechanism in the rear, it can cause the rear end to sit to low and that's why we recommend adding some of our rear 9.5mm spring spacers at the same time to counteract this issue and provide clearance and avoid any bump stop classes, as well as using our own Steeda polyurethane bump stops rather than just cutting down the factory ones.
Can a Vert be hardcore? Some think a vert is the soft option, a comfy boulevard cruiser and no more... Well no, we disagree! With the right set of modifications we can get your vert performing like a winner on the track and on the street. In fact the very first race car we ever sponsored in the UK was a Mustang Convertible.... and it went from nowhere to championship winner after it had a full raft of Steeda upgrades! After all #SpeedMatters!
Enjoy your car, and dig through some of our other blog posts. We hope you think they are helpful, and of course never be afraid to CONTACT US should you want any advice or guidance....