Idling into the parking lot of the massive Broadway at the Beach entertainment complex in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, our Mustang’s exhaust isn’t the only one audible. In fact, from the street to the lot and all around, we hear the glorious sound of eight-cylinder pony cars with free-flowing pipes. This isn’t just any week at the beach, this is Mustang Week.
I believe we are back where we were if not stronger than when it was in July. — Mike Clay, Mustang Week
Since the Labor Day weekend, this tourist town became a corral for enthusiasts from across the land who have come to celebrate our favorite pony car across the five-day event. The official start to the event was on Tuesday September 4, 2018 as the Meet ’N Greet filled the town’s signature megacenter for dining, shopping and entertainment.
For eight years running Mustang Week and Palmetto Ford of Charleston, South Carolina, have partnered on Mustang Week Edition vehicles. This year was no different as Mustang Week’s own Mike Clay created this machine, while Palmetto Ford’s Tony Barron put together a droptop version. "The one I built is a Performance Pack 2 car. I chose that car because Ford did such a good job with it,” Mike said. “It is a cloth Recaro car and I put wheels and racing stripes on it and it’s just a nice complete package. It has the MagneRide and the Active exhaust, so I really didn’t have to do a lot to it to make and awesome car out of it. Tony built the other car, the convertible, and I am pretty sure it was sold before the event hit.”
As you may recall, Mustang Week rescheduled from July to September starting last year. While the change shocked some, the adjustment period was short. While the new dates and hurricane Irma may have tamed last year’s excitement a bit, this year’s event started off quite strong, with throngs of Mustangs taking over a swath of the complex’s parking lot.
A signature of Mustang Week’s popularity is the enduring line for official event T-shirts and raffle tickets. People line up when the Meet ’N Greet begins and the line sustains for the duration of the event. What’s left of the official shirts will be for sale at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
“It looks really strong. I believe we really are on par with where we were in years past when the event was in July,” Mike Clay of Mustang Week told us. “I know last year with the hurricane we lost some people. We felt good last year, but this year — between what we are seeing on social media and what we are seeing here today — I believe we are back where we were if not stronger than when it was in July.”
We would have to concur, but this event is only the first official gathering of the week. Along with numerous other unofficial gatherings at various locations, the Mustang Week activities come to life at Myrtle Beach Speedway for the second day of fun.
One of the best attributes of Mustang Week is the variety of vehicles it attracts. From the latest Mustangs to a wide range of the classics, you see it all. This stock-as-a-rock 1989 Mustang is the kind of Fox flashback that always grabs our attention among all the modded machines.
“Wednesday we are at the circle track doing fun runs and autocross. Vaughn Gittin Jr. will be out there doing demos,” Mike added. “Thursday we will be at North Myrtle Beach Dragway for the test ’n tune, and Friday we are at the convention center for the car show and back there on Saturday for the cruise-in.”
Of course, we’ll be there documenting the festivities this week, so stay tuned for more. For the official schedule, you can click right here.
The range of vehicles is not only stock to modified, but mild to wild. This wrapped Mustang was an attention grabber. From its license plate wing and roof-mounted surf board to its litany of stickers and crowd-crashing humor, it is anything but subtle.
Engine swaps are all the rage, but this modular Fox really stood out courtesy of a stacked-high intercooler intake manifold that cools of its turbo boost. We aren’t sure how it drives, but this racy Mustang casts an intimidating shadow.
Peace, Love & Meets
If you love checking out Mustangs, there is something going on every evening after the official action wanes. We can’t possibly make it out to all of the events, but we did pop into Burky’s Grill to sample the gathering put on by the Blue Mustang Registry and the Peace, Love, and Mustangs online club. The former was obviously formed to celebrate blue stallions, but the latter came together as a more positive club designed to weed the negativity that can tend to pop up online.
The club has grown to over 4,600 members from over 58 countries, and its event drew a health group of cars after the official Meet ’N Greet. “PLM is all based around Mustangs, but it really is about family,” the club’s Tony Carravallah told us. And, they say you can’t pick your family. Maybe not, but you can pick your Mustang family.
