Most stories in human history revolve around a main character who encounters a problem and triumphs over it. Although most of us prefer the main character having complications, but let’s be honest — would you care as much if there weren’t any? The story would not give us the same emotional rollercoaster or the satisfying sense that something was overcome, making it worth reading. While Brian Schenk might prefer not to remember the problems his original Kona Stang faced, the tribulations and the eight-month rebuild make Kona Stang 2.0 a story worth talking about.
Photography by James Elkins
Finding His Passion
Brian Schenk, like many automotive enthusiasts, was introduced to working on and building cars by family members during his formative years. Although his father and uncle were Dodge fans — a sentiment Brian later forgave them for — it wasn’t until 2002, when he rode in a friend’s 1991 Mustang coupe, that he found his tribe. This experience inspired him to build a skill set focused on restoration and performance, starting with a black-on-black 1989 hatchback featuring the renowned 5.0-liter small-block Ford.
Eventually, this skill set led Brian to build the first rendition of Kona Stang, a Fox Body painted in Ford’s Kona Blue, a color offered in 2010 and a few limited years afterward. Brian fell in love with the color after riding in a friend’s GT500. Under the hood was a turbocharged small-block Ford with a deep rumble. Having just finished the build and celebrating his birthday weekend, Brian and his friends headed to Mustang Week 2021. Unbeknownst to him, this was the last time Kona Stang 1.0 was operable.
Brian’s Kona Stang 2.0 Fox Body is painted in Ford’s Kona Blue, a color he fell in love with after riding in his friend’s GT500. This modern hue offers a subtle nod to the Twilight Blue originally found on Fox Body Mustangs, but with a deeper, more intense shade.
A Kick Off Party Turned Sour
With the car freshly finished, Brian and his crew of friends decided to make the trek to Myrtle Beach for the annual Mustang Week. The event brings Mustang owners from across the country together for a week-long span of events, activities, and most of all, camaraderie. A day before the week-long celebration of all things Mustangs kicked off, Brian went out to celebrate his birthday and did the responsible thing by handing his keys off to his buddies so he could have a few drinks.
The impact was so severe that the rear quarter windows shattered and the quarter panel buckled. The rear bumper support was driven into the trunk area, and nearly every body panel was pushed in various directions. The front radiator support was also impacted, forcing it into the radiator. The car was declared a total loss, with the only salvageable component being the drivetrain, which was used for 2.0.
As one friend lead the way in a modern Mustang another was driving his beloved Kona Stang 1.0, when a young and foolish drunk driver decided to showcase all 200 rear wheel horsepower that his 2000s single-cab Chevrolet truck had. The burnout turned bad after the rear tires hooked and sent the pickup on a collision course with Brian’s Fox. With zero braking applied, the truck rammed into the rear, pushing the trunk into the rear seat and creasing the quarter panels and shoving the entire Fox Body into the lead car.
However extreme the incident was and the emotional impact, I was more concerned about the injuries my friend sustained while driving Kona and the friend who was in front of Kona and also got hit. —Brian Schenk, owner of Kona Stang.
After the impact, Brian’s friend, who was driving the Fox Body, got out to assess the situation only to see the truck driver attempting to flee the scene by jumping a curb and aiming straight at him. With only seconds to react, he dived out of the way of the truck. The damage was done though, and the Fox Body chassis was totaled. Upon hearing the news, Brian’s primary concern was making sure his friend was okay.
A Rallying Point
With the release of the video on YouTube and its circulation throughout Mustang owners’ groups, support began pouring in from like-minded enthusiasts. A fellow Mustang lover named Ernest Miller even provided a donor chassis under the condition that the car be built and not used as a parts car — something Brian honored. “I felt like I owed it to everyone to build the new car on my own; I had a point to prove,” said Brian. “No matter how bad life gets you down, with enough love and support, you can accomplish anything.”
The starting point for Kona Stang 2.0 was far from ideal. The car had been left in a field and required extensive work to reach a standard worthy of Kona Stang 1.0. Within eight months, Brian transformed the donated chassis into a show-stopping masterpiece.
The damage to Kona Stang 1.0 was so extensive that the only salvageable piece was the drivetrain. Instead of opting for a Coyote swap, Brian continued to long for the sound of a pushrod engine. His primary reason was that he had already fabricated a twin-turbocharger kit before the engine was built and didn’t want to have to recreate it. The donor chassis, pulled from a field where it had sat for some time, required significant work. Although there was no pressing deadline, Brian made good on his promise to Ernest, and within eight months, the chassis was complete.
The engine was built using a Dart block as the foundation, equipped with Callies rods and crank, and Diamond pistons. It features a pair of Air Flow Reserach 185 Renegade heads, Howards lifters, COMP stainless rockers, and a custom billet camshaft. This stroker engine displaces 347 cubic inches and now sports a twin-turbocharger setup. Mated to the engine is a manual transmission, giving Brian full control. A complete Holley EFI system ties the setup together, enabling remote tuning as well as fine-tuning by a local certified Holley tuner.
While many have chosen modern overhead cam engines like the Coyote, Brian stayed true to his roots by retaining a pushrod Ford engine under the hood. The 347 cubic-inch stroker delivers a soundtrack that Brian loves, but when the throttle is applied and the turbochargers spool up, the sound is surpassed only by the performance. To keep the wheels firmly planted, the car features a complete RideTech air ride suspension.
Desiring to continue enjoying the sound of a small-block Ford engine despite having two turbine suppressors in the engine bay, Brian opted for Pypes M80 mufflers for a smooth exhaust note. When things get rowdy, he can open the two Quick Time Performance cutouts located under the car near the front seating for an exhilarating sound experience. If the sound of Kona Stang 2.0 doesn’t grab your attention, its stance certainly will.
The slammed Fox Body sits low on custom 18-inch BC Forged wheels, equipped with Baer Pro 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers on all four corners. The car is lowered thanks to a complete RideTech air ride suspension, with ride height sensors added for extra precision. With these sensors, Brian can take corners at speed, and the system will automatically adjust the air in the bags to maintain a smooth ride while preserving high-performance handling and stopping capabilities.
I poured everything I had into it, learned how to do so much more on the journey. —Brian Schenk
The interior was updated with Corbeau seats and matching TMI door panels. The center dash controls were replaced with a touchscreen and a Holley EFI monitor, while the original gauge cluster was upgraded to a Florida 5.0 Cobalt instrument cluster.
The Kona Blue paint from Ford offsets the 18-inch BC Forged wheels and red Baer brake caliper and rotors. Inside the interior is equipped with modern monitoring thanks to a Holley dashboard and Florida 5.0 gauge cluster. Brian choose to say with a manual transmission for this twin-turbocharged small-block Ford ride.
Hero Of His Own Story
Kona Stang 2.0’s story is far from over. Brian plans to add 2-inch drop spindles, a 3-inch oval exhaust, and possibly a mini-tub to lower the car even further. His unique approach and passion for building, despite the significant setbacks he faced, have impressed the Mustang community. The results of his eight months of hard work were showcased at Mustang Week and other Ford events throughout the country, even winning several shows. I’m just grateful to have captured the beauty of his creation and witnessed the dedication Brian poured into the chassis firsthand.
While some may seek attention with wild paint schemes or flashy power adders, others take a different approach — incorporating elements from other generations of Mustangs while keeping things simple, subtle, and top-tier. Brian’s Kona Stang did just that and paid the perfect homage to Kona Stang 1.0.
