There is something inexplicably fascinating about a purpose-built machine, a device created without compromise, dedicated only to the task at hand. Such a machine has the ability to cast an intoxicating spell over us. George Vlachos' Mustang is just such a creation. This car was constructed with a single goal in mind: Kicking ass on the drag strip.
When purchased in 1995, the stock '93 Mustang seemed destined for a life as basic transportation. "I bought it for my girlfriend to use as a daily driver," Vlachos told us. But, being a true Mustanger, Vlachos just couldn't leave well enough alone. He started the familiar one-mod-at-a-time routine that most everyone reading this magazine has done. You know how it goes: It starts with maybe just a cat-back exhaust or a set of pulleys, but next thing you know the fuel injection is gone, the nitrous is plumbed, and the car is running deep in the 9s at nearly 140 miles per hour.
And while you might have expected to find an over-the-top, forced-induction stroker motor underhood, simplicity is the rule here. Displacing just 306 cubic inches, the Ultimate Racing-built stock block is definitely utilitarian but formidable nonetheless. Noteworthy internals include a set of TRW forged pistons, SpeedPro rings, and Clevite bearings. The rods and cranks are stock items. A Crane mechanical roller cam of undisclosed dimensions works a valvetrain that consists of a set of Crane 1.6 rockers and 2.02/1.60 valves nestled in the Dart aluminum cylinder heads. Porting and polishing of the heads was performed by R.C.H.S.
Air and fuel atomization is handled by a Carb Shop-modified 850-cfm Holley and is delivered by an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold. The manifold is plumbed with a NOS Sportsman Fogger system which is jetted for what we can only speculate is a rather big hit (i.e., Vlachos declined to reveal his jetting). The mixture is lit off by a MSD 6AL ignition system utilizing a Blaster coil, Ford Motorsport 9-millimeter wires and NGK plugs. Spent gases are discharged through MAC 13/4-inch headers and 3- inch H-pipe, and muffled (well, sorta) by a pair of 3-inch, two-chamber Flowmasters. Exotic? Not particularly. Effective? Absolutely.
Don't mistake what is seemingly a dearth of ultra-exotic pieces in the engine room for a lack of detail. Subtle aluminum polishing, anodizing and chrome plating on most of the various components and brackets combine for an engine that is downright striking. We've seen so-called show cars that were nowhere near this clean and attractive beneath the hood.
Vlachos rows the Liberty-prepped Doug Nash 5-speed with a Long shifter, while engine torque is harnessed via a Hays 11-inch clutch. Though the stock 8.8-inch rear remains, it has been filled with 4.30 gears and fortified with a pair of Moser 33-spline axles and c-clip eliminator kit. The chassis has been fortified with a six-point cage and a pair of South Side Machine sub-frame connectors. SSM also supplied a pair of their ubiquitous lift bars. Suspension damping is courtesy of Lakewood drag shocks. In a further nod to safety, a Lakewood driveshaft loop has also been installed.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about George Vlachos' LX is its serious, all business attitude. No fluorescent paint or murals on various body panels here. Rather, a smart, understated shade of Lincoln silver-blue and the subtle cowl hood are the extents of the outside mods: No extraneous fluff to be found. Sure, lots of fast Mustangs have top-notch paint and bodywork, but many are done at the expense of good taste with obnoxiously loud colors and even more repulsive graphics. Not so with Vlachos' clean and mean LX.
The purposeful theme continues inside as well. Containing a pair of fiberglass bucket seats, a six-point cage, a RJS harness, and a gaggle of Autometer UltraLite products, it is all business. When asked about the stereo delete plate now in residence in the dash, Vlachos' response was succinct and to the point: "l don't want a radio in the car. There is just no need for it." Indeed, as with a best pass of 9.58/139.80 mph, it is unlikely Vlachos has the time to miss it.
Vlachos tells us he often drives his sanitary 'Stang on the streets around his Mississauga, Ontario home. That is bad news if you happen to cross paths with this guy, as this is one bad Mustang that is entirely capable of proving that less is, in fact, more.