When we saw this gorgeous 2016 Mustang, we knew right away that we were going to have to talk to the owner and get some more details. Obviously, a good-looking vehicle, there is a lot more to this car than what you can see at a glance. Under the hood and in the cab, there are a few surprises we think you might like, but it’s also the decal on the door that makes this car so cool — Mission 22.

Let’s start with a little bit of background on the owner and the build, and then we’ll get into why Mission 22 is so important. The car belongs to Steven Zimmerman of Olympia, Washington, and he bought it with intent to take it to the track.

“I purchased the car as a Mustang GT base with the only option being the GT package,” Steven said. “I knew it was going to be used for the track.”

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This 2016 Mustang’s vinyl wrap is amazing and the deep purple-blue color changes depending on the angle you look at it. The real carbon fiber is also a stellar design choice from both an aesthetic standpoint and a weight-loss standpoint. (Far right: photo credit to TMcEwen Photography)

He quickly started making changes and tore into his car to build the ideal racing machine. He started with a Roush supercharger kit to bump the performance numbers to 727-horsepower and 610 lb-ft of torque, he added a Roush front fascia to allow for more air to the intercooler, and he worked with the folks at Anderson Composites to lighten his car.

The hood, fenders, trunk, and rocker moldings are all carbon fiber. “Anderson Composites has been a  big help from the start,” Steven told us. “The finish on the carbon is far beyond what you see from the other manufacturers.”

 

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Just look at that color. (Far right: photo credit to TMcEwen Photograph)

The amazing vinyl wrap job was done by the folks at Fusion Graphix out in Tumwater, Washington. The wrap itself is from Fellers Wrap Company, and not only does it look absolutely fantastic, but it does a great job keeping the paint underneath from getting any scratches,

“They do a really good job,” Steven, who had nothing but positive words about the folks at Fusion, said. “They are a family run company and their pricing was better than everyone else in the Seattle city region and round Portland. They do a great job and make an honest living at it.”

Supporting Cast

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The name of this color is Roaring Thunder Blue Red.

Under the car Steven has Koni yellow adjustable shocks, Steeda front and rear springs, Steeda sway bars and Steeda suspension bushings. The suspension work really benefitted Steven’s performance.

“I was able to adjust the sway bars and give the front end more bite to improve cornering performance dramatically,” he said.

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The dash and instruments were kept nice, clean, and simple.

For the interior, Steven has OMP HTE-R FIA approved full containment racing seats with Simpson Racing five-point harnesses. Steven’s Mustang also features a full roll-cage from Watson Racing.

“The roll cage is engineered to fit the car without modification,” he explained. “It doesn’t need any adjustment.”

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Steven is a Marine Corps veteran and races with the Mission 22 badge on the side door of his car. The movement means a lot to him and he uses his car to bring awareness to the disconnect between veterans and the treatment they need, but are not getting.

“Through different sources online and groups I am part of I see more and more people that come back and a short time or a few years later end up committing suicide,” Steven explained. “The VA is really understaffed and it’s hard to get treatment.”

“I have a door number for hill climb racing,” Steven continued, “And with that door number being 22, I use Mission 22’s logo and I’m really just trying to bring more awareness to the cause. In my Instagram I have a link to where people can donate to Mission 22.”

The goal is to get people to see that number and ask him about it, or get curious and look it up. “Obviously people ask questions about the car and it leads to this,” he added.

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There are some videos on the Mission 22 YouTube channel where you can learn more about the mission. This is something that means a lot to Steven and its part of both himself and his car, so take a look. It’s worth the time to watch a couple videos and learn more about what you can do to support Mission 22.