"different by design"

Ron Baugh's '91 LX

Article by: Caleb Richards

    I have to say that since FCM opened it's doors nearly two years ago, some interesting cars have crossed my desk. Here's the thing, despite some of them being the most hideous thing I have ever seen, you simply can't insult someone else's taste. Everyone has their own style and flavor, and flavor is the spice of life. There is however a line I have to draw on what cars we  feature. I get asked on a daily basis how I choose feature cars, and there really is not a clear answer to that . The biggest thing I am looking for is quality. Quality workmanship, quality parts, a great story behind the car, and an eye for details. This could come in the way of a bone stock fox body, or 2k horsepower drag car. 

    When Ron Baugh sent us some pictures of his '91 notch, at first I didn't know what to think. There was a ton of detail in the car, and loads of quality parts for sure. The more I looked at it, and read the story behind the build, the more I liked it. Ron is the sales manager for Forgiato wheels, and has been working in the automotive aftermarket since 2001. Forgiato wheels are ultra expensive wheels, that are typically reserved for luxury cars, and high end sports cars. At first I figured a guy in his position would be driving something more exotic, considering the cars he is exposed to on a daily basis. 

    Ron is actually a fox body guy, and has been for many years. His first car was a '93 GT, and he was hooked ever since. This specific car was bought out of Oklahoma back in 2013, as a two-owner car with only 50k miles, it was in exceptional condition. The plan was to build a canyon carver, to surprise the Corvette and Porsche owners of Southern California. The car already sported a built 306 with a Vortech Supercharger, but Don had a freshly built 351 in his possession, and the notch was getting the Windsor. 

    A year into the build, Ron's girlfriend surprised him with a trip to the Tokyo Auto Salon, and the build changed at that point. Having been to the SEMA show more than a dozen times, Ron was blown away by the cars in Tokyo, and he loved the styling of the '70 Nissan Skylines, which reminded him of older American muscle cars. 

      Once back home, Ron got to work totally transforming his fox body into a tribute of sorts. Securing sponsors like Bear Brakes, QA1, Cobra Seats, and Toyo tires; things began to come together. The first order of business was to graft in custom fender flares, to make room for the massive meats that would reside on the car. The wheels are Forgiato Formula Vintage series, that Ron designed himself. Formed from 7000 series forged aluminum, the wheels are ultra light, as well as strong. If you are confused by the pictures, Ron has different wheels on either side of the car. Why? Because he couldn't decide on one wheel, and he didn't have to.  On the driver side, the wheels are Forgiato FV1s, which are inspired by the Ronal/AR wheels, used on Saleen Mustangs in the '90s. Size checks in at 19x10 in the front, and 19x12 in the rear; weighing just a tick over 20lbs each. 

   Other exterior notables are the front mounted oil cooler, which was a trend for '70 Japanese sports cars, and while it takes some getting used to; it sets the car apart. Next up is the hood mural, which is actually a wrap, and was done by Ron's favorite artist; Takashi Murakami. The fender mounted mirrors also  tie into the Japanese look, and add even more detail to the build. 

    Under the fiberglass hood, Ron's car is all business. A forged 351 Windsor rocking AFR 185 heads, Trick Flow R series intake, FRPP F303 cam, and Vortech V1 S trim supercharger put down nearly 600 horses to the pavement. Although the tune hasn't been dialed in, the car is already an absolute animal. The trans is a tried and true T5, as Ron is still working to complete the car, but a Tremec will be in its place shortly. 

    Underneath, Ron's notch sports a Maximum Motorsports k-member, QA1 coil overs, Bear 14" brakes with six piston calipers, and rides on ultra meaty Toyo R888 tires, measuring 295/30/19 up front, and 325/30/19 in the rear. Consider the grip; handled. 

    Like it or not, Ron has created a totally unique fox body build, that's a far departure from what most guys do. Seeing different ideas, and creativity on a build is what keeps the hobby fun, as well as interesting. If everyone did the same thing, I would not have much to write about, and you wouldn't be reading this. So keep putting your own spin on your fox body, keep innovating, keep doing it "Different by Design". CR