Ready For Liftoff
Yes, your brand-new S550 has a prop rod, but Redline Tuning can fix that
By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Redline Tuning
A technological tour de force, the 2015 Mustang is a state-of-the-art Pony car. However, at its heart the Mustang DNA is about keeping things affordable. As such, engineers have to pinch pennies where they can and spend money where it counts. That means some compromises are made. Case it point, the S550 still rocks an old-school hood prop rod.
![Redline Tuning’s bolt-on QuickLIFT and QuickLIFT Elite systems feature a unique end-of-stroke-dampening that raises the hood without assistance and stops it smoothly. These systems fit all 2015 Mustang models.](http://www.svtperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-2015-Mustang-Hood-Lifts.jpg)
That said, one company’s compromise is another’s opportunity, and Redline Tuning has made its name with products that allow us to leave the prop rod in the past where it belongs.
“Redline Tuning was the first company to design a Mustang hood lift system back in 2002. We have constantly refined our QuickLIFT systems and now have applications for over 200 different vehicles,†Andreas Keller, co-owner of Redline Tuning, explained. “Our Hood QuickLIFT systems are the core of our business and our customers are the most important part of our company—their satisfaction is our success! Creating products that enhance their automobiles aesthetics, function, and fun are what we strive to design.â€
![Redline Tuning’s base system, the 2015+ Ford Mustang Hood QuickLIFT Plus (PN 21-11028-02; $99.95) includes black, e-coated gas springs and black-powdercoated hardware. If you are into color-matched parts, one of Redline Tuning’s dealers, JLT Performance, offers this system paint-matched in factory colors.](http://www.svtperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2-2015-Mustang-Hood-Lifts-275x300.jpg)
Its latest system is a patented, bolt-on affair for all versions of the 2015 Mustang—even right-hand-drive models. Using powdercoated bracketry and custom-tuned gas springs, Redline offers an easily installed, yet elegant solution to lifting your Mustang’s bonnet. (It is a global car now.)
“The 2015 Mustang presented many design challenges for our QuickLIFT design. The tighter packaging space under the hood limited the possible mounting locations. Another challenge was due to this being the first ‘global’ Mustang design we had to ensure that our system would work on both left- and right-hand-drive vehicles,†Brian VanderHaagen, co-owner of Redline Tuning, said. “Listening to our customers we found that they preferred a bolt-in design, but we did not want to sacrifice the functionality of the system. After exploring many options we were able to design a system that is easy to install and meets our list of design requirements.â€
![Redline Tuning’s 2015+ Ford Mustang Hood QuickLIFT Elite (PN 21-11028-03; $129.95) is a premium system featuring black-powdercoated mounting hardware and stainless-steel gas springs.](http://www.svtperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/3-2015-Mustang-Hood-Lifts-300x298.jpg)
To meet the needs of a variety of customers, Redline Tuning offers two versions of the system, the QuickLIFT Plus (PN 21-11028-02; $99.95) and the QuickLIFT Elite (PN 21-11028-03; $129.95). The Plus system features black, e-coated gas springs and black-powdercoated hardware, while the Elite system includes the same black-powdercoated mounting hardware, but adds shiny 316L-stainless-steel gas springs.
So, if you are looking for your first easy mod, you can install one of these bolt-on systems in less than 10 minutes and leave that clunky prop rod in the garage.
Doesn’t the trunk have struts?? Why the hell can’t they put struts on the hood?? My 2004 Jeep has hood struts.