The Fourth of July is an American holiday that commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, for most Americans it means cold beverages and a slew of fireworks lightning up the night sky. While the Fourth of July weekend brings out the patriotism, one such car has done the same for years. That car is the Ford Mustang, and at Ford Muscle we have covered quite a few. In celebration of the Fourth of July, here is the Ford Muscle list of favorite Mustangs cloaked in the American flag colors.

1,000 Horsepower Salute To Veterans

What started as a build to honor the service of his father and father-in-law’s military career, took a turn into saluting more than just his veteran family members. Scott Perry decided he wanted to travel the country paying tribute to as many veterans as he could. Instead of building just a show car to parade around, Perry decided to combine show with go, and built his 2011 Mustang GT California Special to over 1,000 horsepower!

To achieve this four-digit horsepower number, a Rich Groh Racing engine was built and a Vortech V-21 XB110 supercharger was installed. To give the Mustang a deep throaty rumble, a pair of long-tube headers were paired to high flow cats and into Bassani mufflers. Scott didn’t decide on just one charity, so he tries to participate in any and all veteran related events as a thank you for their service.

7,000 Miles Of American Roads

The car community is a tight knit group that consists of random interactions that form lifetime friendships. In the case of Rick McGraw, a simple race down a country strip led to a friendship that lasted many years. After a few decades had passed, McGraw reached back out to his buddy from many years ago, only to hear the sad news that his friend had passed away.

To pay tribute to his friend, McGraw decided to build a Mustang in honor of him and take it on the Mustangs Across America road rally, an event that spans 7,000 miles. Some vehicles serve as a means of transportation, but this 1966 Mustang Fastback serves as a means of remembrance to his good friend Jimmy Bankston.

Ultra Street Never Looked So Good

The dragstrip is the proving grounds for most, but there are a few that use it to barbecue and spend time with friends and family to add value to going to the beloved quarter mile. One such person is Darrel Merryman, who makes sure his time spent at the track is filled with fun and lending a helping hand. Like most gearheads, Merryman inherited a love of cars from his father and worked throughout his high school years to build his first Mustang.

While his high school aspirations were probably never aligned with running in the four-second eighth-mile range, that time has become his common place for his Ultra Street Fox Body Mustang. To break away from the competitive norm, Merryman utilizes a 76mm snail on his Modular Four-Valve engine. The power is transmitted through a Powerglide before it reaches the braced and reinforced 8.8-inch rearend.

First Generation Racer

The first generation Ford Mustang did not start as the brute muscle car we all imagine, but Ford has a way of changing the minds of many. Ford had already been in the racing industry promoting NHRA and other organizations, and understood the value of having a car specifically built for class racing. In order to achieve this Ford pulled 11 fastbacks from the production line and built them specifically for NHRA’s A/Factory Experimental. One such car was Gas Ronda. Gas Ronda would go on to have a historic racing legacy, before retiring.

American Love Of Horsepower

The epitome of American hot rodding in the early years involved putting high-horsepower engines into a lightweight chassis. Unfortunately modern cars lack the lightweight part, but thankfully the lust for more horsepower has remained. John Bradley decided to continue the American tradition and have Fathouse Fabrication build him a uniquely powered Shelby GT350.

Instead of implementing a supercharger unit like the elder GT500, a twin-turbo setup pushes 23 psi into the manifold. This combination creates a powerful 1,328 horsepower and 927 lb-ft of torque. What a great way to keep the American horsepower dream alive.

Founding Father

Dave Eber grew up closer to Shelby Mustangs and Cobras than most of us could imagine. This was primarily due to the fact that his father was one of the original founders of the Shelby American Automobile Club. As most kids played around their fathers garage of modified street cars, Eber spent his childhood bouncing in and out of Shelby Cobras that his father had in various states of repair. This led to Eber being closely aligned with the Shelby namesake and even keeping a few of his own, including serial 001 of the supercharged Fox Body Mustang GT.

Old School Ways

Modern technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but for some the old school methods bring a greater sense of worth. Jim Voorhees decided instead of using the internet catalogs to build his car, he would utilize his machinist skill set to build the car of his dreams. His 1969 Mustang sports a chop top and some great power under the hood, all compliments of Voorhees’ work.

Celebrating Country and Cars With Ford Muscle

This Fourth of July be sure and celebrate America, but make time to pull your Mustang out of the garage and enjoy a drive. After all, we’re lucky enough to enjoy the freedom to be able to do so.