Make a note on your calendars, fellas. May 26, 2009, is the day that a ton of Boss 340 weight was lifted off my shoulders, because it's the day that nearly all of the finishing parts for our 1990 Mustang LX hatchback race-car project arrived here at "5.0 West" in Los Angeles.

If you're building a Mustang from scratch like we are, or simply modifying a 'Stang that you've had for a while (Fox body, SN-95/New Edge or S197) and need common and/or hard-to-find OEM (and reproduced) parts, I strongly suggest you keep the Web info for three major sources for such items at the top of your "Favorites" lists.

Find out who we went with, after the jump...

With our race car chassis currently at Raceskinz (for paint, graphics and interior resto), I let my fingers do the clicking across the Internet to nail down the remaining hard-core racing parts (and also some race-support pieces/trailer items) that are needed, as well as interior/exterior trim, weather stripping, lights, latches, etc that are necessary for finishing Boss 340.

Summit Racing Equipment (www.summitracing.com), Late Model Restoration(www.latemodelrestoration.com) and MPS Auto Salvage (www.mpsautosalvage.com) definitely are the "Big 3" when it comes to finding pretty much anything you need to repair, restore or build a Mustang.

We're all about the one-stop shopping, and through this trio I was able to procure every item on the fairly long checklist of pieces that A.R.E. Performance and Machine's Rocco Acerrio, the Raceskinz team, and I determined we'll need.

Through Summit, I ordered such parts as a Powermaster high-torque starter, Optima batteries, Hurst line-loc, Safecraft fire-suppression system and more. Late Model had the new Ultra-Clear headlights and new LX tail lights, new mirrors, all of the new weather strips, new hatch struts, and the mega-elusive, OEM sunroof latch hardware and sunroof-compliant headliner that the Boss needs.

When it comes to finding used parts in excellent condition, I firmly believe that a Fox-body 'Stang can be completely built through a single order at MPS Auto Salvage. This outfit has it all, and lots of it. Through MPS I scored a set of kick panels, A-pillar trim a bunch of retaining clips for the headliner trim and a complete (I'm talking, "including a key") hatch latch/lock/striker assembly.

It's all but done, now, and I'm breathing easier. We just need to get Boss 340 through its makeover process and hopefully the 'Stang will be on the strip before the end of the summer!