CJ Pony Parts Built A 410HP EcoBoost Beauty

Every project car has a little surprise and delight feature, and the hidden gem on the CJ’s EcoBoost Mustang is the running horse in the grille. “Without a doubt the light-up grille horse,” Bill Tumas said. “I think people will do a double-take for sure, when its turned off it looks like the stock silver horse, but when lit it has a very cool look.” (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

Every project car has a little surprise and delight feature, and the hidden gem on the CJ’s EcoBoost Mustang is the running horse in the grille. “Without a doubt the light-up grille horse,” Bill Tumas said. “I think people will do a double-take for sure, when it’s turned off it looks like the stock silver horse, but when lit it has a very cool look.” (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

This week the aftermarket world is showing off all the gear that you can add to your vehicle and the best way to showcase those parts is on a car. Hundreds of cars are constructed for The SEMA Show each year, but a select few are directly supported by manufacturers like Ford. A company that was yet again chosen to build a project for the Las Vegas gathering is CJ Pony Parts.

This year the company built up a 2017 Mustang with the EcoBoost engine option and documented its creation for a series of videos, much like it has in the past. Building SEMA vehicles has become a bit of tradition for Bill Tumas the lead wrench bender and video star at CJPP.

Pop the hood and a host of Ford Performance Parts upgrades raise the performance level of the stock 2.3-liter engine. The cold air intake, strut tower brace and touring Cat-Back exhaust are all from the pages of the FPP catalog, while a Cobb Tuning downpipe and intercooler at a little extra oomph. All of the mods play well together thanks to a Ford Performance calibration delivered via a ProCal tuner. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

Pop the hood and a host of Ford Performance Parts upgrades raise the performance level of the stock 2.3-liter engine. The cold air intake, strut tower brace and touring Cat-Back exhaust are all from the pages of the FPP catalog, while a Cobb Tuning downpipe and intercooler at a little extra oomph. All of the mods play well together thanks to a Ford Performance calibration delivered via a ProCal tuner. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

“We built a 1965 Mustang Fastback named 50/Thirty that we displayed at the TMI booth at the 2014 SEMA show. It was our first time building a car for SEMA and the car got a lot of attention,” Bill said. “The following year we decided to send in some applications for the Ford SEMA car program and they rewarded us with a Focus ST we built for the 2015 show. Ford was very pleased with the car along with our video and photo content so we decided to apply again in 2016 and got the Mustang.”

EcoBoost is the Future

These days there are a lot of different Mustang variations to choose from, but CJPP opted for the Gas Turbo Direct Injection 2.3-liter powerplant as the basis for its build. These small but mighty engines are designed to deliver the performance of larger engines but with more efficiency—and they really respond to modding.

From the back you can see the AC carbon fiber trunk lid and AC carbon fiber side splitters. The Cat-Back is the aforementioned Ford Performance/Borla Touring edition. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

From the back you can see the AC carbon fiber trunk lid and AC carbon fiber side splitters. The Cat-Back is the aforementioned Ford Performance/Borla Touring edition. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

“A lot of people don’t want to see it but the EcoBoost is the future for Ford,” Bill explained. “We all love V8s and I hope they are around forever but Ford made it clear with the Ford GT and the new Raptor that EcoBoost is the direction they are headed. Ford asked us to build this car specifically to show off what Ford Performance offers for the EcoBoost Mustang.”

Mustangs are prevalent under the lights of the Las Vegas Convention Center, so standing out from this crowd requires a lot of thought and preparation. Bill and the CJ Pony Parts team considered a number of color combinations and paint schemes before deciding on the clean, bold look you see here.

CJ Pony Parts 2017 Mustang Mods

Powertrain

  • Ford Performance Parts cold air intake and tuner
  • Ford Performance Parts strut tower brace
  • Ford Performance Parts radiator cover
  • Ford Performance Parts Hood Struts
  • Ford Performance Parts by Borla Touring Cat-Back
  • Cobb Tuning downpipe
  • Cobb Tuning intercooler
  • Anderson Composites engine cover
  • Scott Drake fuse box cover
  • JLT Performance master cylinder cover

Chassis

  • Ford Performance Parts Assembled Track Handling Pack, including struts, shocks, springs, sway bars, etc.
  • Ford Performance Parts Brembo Brake kit
  • Ford Performance Parts Transmission cooler scoop

Interior

  • Recaro seats
  • Ford Performance Parts Red GT350 push button start
  • Ford Performance Parts shift knob
  • Ford Performance Parts GT350R Steering wheel
  • Ford Performance Parts GT350R rear seat delete

Body

  • Custom Stealth Grey paint with Acid Green highlights; body and graphics are all painted, including hand pinstriping by Kerry Buckley
  • Anderson Composites custom carbon fiber hood
  • Anderson Composites carbon fiber upper grill
  • Anderson Composites carbon fiber front splitter
  • Anderson Composites carbon fiber trunk lid
  • Anderson Composites carbon fiber side splitters
  • Rally Innovations three-piece front lower splitter
  • Rally Innovations side lower splitters
  • Smoked painted taillights
  • Custom Ford Accessory light up grille Pony
  • Lighting by Diode Dynamics

Wheels & Tires

  • Custom Rotiform KPS wheels powercoated by PA Powderworks in two-tone black with acid green hardware, 20×10 front and 20×11 rear
  • Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, 275/35-20 front and 305/30-20 rear
“We went through quite a few ideas with Ford before settling on this design. The goal was to build a forward thinking car showcasing the 2.3 EcoBoost engine,” Bill said. “Modern design, eye-catching colors, and a car that is at home on the track or a car show.”

Free Rein

Often Ford sets up new SEMA project builders with mentors to guide them through the process, but with a few builds under its belt, CJ Pony Parts had a bit more freedom to express itself on the blank canvas that is a Mustang. This car started in factory black, so on the graphics and imagery you see here are painted on, including the pin striping sprayed on by Kerry Buckley.

A lot of people don’t want to see it but the EcoBoost is the future for Ford.

“Given our history with Ford they told us what they wanted to see and let us roll with it,” Bill said. “Last year was our first Ford build so they wanted lots of updates, progress pictures, etc. This year we got the car and pretty much did our thing. They have seen pictures and video of the finished product and from what I can tell they are pretty happy.”

We aren’t surprised. It is easy to go too far when you are trying to stand out from the crowd, but Bill and his team really put together a sharp car that let’s you know it’s something special without sensory overload.

“I love how the car turned out and hope to get the car out and about this year,” he said. “It is a great looking car, makes plenty of power, and handles amazing as well. It really is a well-rounded, all-around package.”

If you can’t make it out Las Vegas this week to see the car, don’t fret. Bill plans to take the car out to several shows and events throughout the next year, including several the CJ Pony Parts hosts or sponsors.

“Once the SEMA show is done we plan on hitting as many shows and events as we can with it,” Bill explained. “We have a few planned already but will consider anything within a reasonable driving distance. I also compete every summer in a Rally North America road rally that CJs sponsors. I think it will make an excellent rally car!”

Inside, the CJ Pony Parts 2017 Mustang gained Recaro seats and a litany of Ford Performance gear, including a Red GT350 push button start, Ford Performance-logo shift ball, a GT350R Steering wheel and a GT350R rear seat delete. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

Inside, the CJ Pony Parts 2017 Mustang gained Recaro seats and a litany of Ford Performance gear, including a Red GT350 push button start, Ford Performance-logo shift ball, a GT350R Steering wheel and a GT350R rear seat delete. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

It certainly should be fun driving this turbocharged machine anywhere, so look for Bill to have a big smile as he pilots the CJ Pony Parts EcoBoost Mustang on the event circuit. One event Bill and the team at CJ’s definitely would like to repeat is next year’s SEMA show—with an all-new project.

“I hope so,” Bill added. “This is our third year in a row and I would like to continue that streak. It is always stressful building something in such a small time window but also very rewarding to see your work at such an impactful show like SEMA.”

Custom-powdercoated Rotoform KPS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires continue the theme of black and yellow accents on the CJ Pony Parts Mustang. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

Custom-powdercoated Rotoform KPS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires continue the theme of black and yellow accents on the CJ Pony Parts Mustang. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

From the side you can see how the paint scheme follows through from front to back and is subtly tied into the wheel and even the brakes with matching coatings. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

From the side you can see how the paint scheme follows through from front to back and is subtly tied into the wheel and even the brakes with matching coatings. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

As Bill says, EcoBoost is the future of Ford, so that’s why CJ’s decided to construct this model for a trade show that definitely looks ahead. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

As Bill says, EcoBoost is the future of Ford, so that’s why CJ’s decided to construct this model for a trade show that definitely looks ahead. (Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

CJ Pony Parts didn’t just upgrade the performance lurking under its hood, the company also made the engine more presentable by ditching the prop rod with some Ford Performance hood struts. Once the hood is up, the engine looks better thanks to an Anderson Composites engine cover, a Scott Drake fuse box cover and a JLT performance master cylinder cover.(Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

CJ Pony Parts didn’t just upgrade the performance lurking under its hood, the company also made the engine more presentable by ditching the prop rod with some Ford Performance hood struts. Once the hood is up, the engine looks better thanks to an Anderson Composites engine cover, a Scott Drake fuse box cover and a JLT performance master cylinder cover.(Photo Credit: CJ Pony Parts)

Photo gallery

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About the author

Steve Turner

Steve Turner brings decades of passion and knowledge in the world of Ford performance, having covered it for over 20 years. From the swan song of the Fox Mustang to the birth of the Coyote, Steve had a front-row seat.
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