What kind of street car does a person drive when their weekend ride is a 2,300hp Mustang that runs in the sixes? Obviously, an ordinary 225hp 5-liter Mustang doesn't cut it.
It takes a hot rod like the one on these pages to keep Tim Lynch of Woodstock, Georgia, happy. The plain-looking '87 coupe prowls the Georgia streets on a weekly basis. Don't let the sedate looks fool you--this car runs mid eights at over 160 mph at the dragstrip.
Thanks to a pair of turbochargers under the hood, the coupe remains completely streetworthy and docile sounding. If it weren't for the full cage and beefy rear tires, most people wouldn't look twice at it. Usually the stance or the sheer guts attracts most people--either way, this has to be considered one of the baddest Mustangs to ever hit the streets. The radio works, and if it weren't for the turbo placement under the hood, the A/C would still function. We love that Tim can jump in the car and hit the freeway without thinking twice about it. Let's just say there are a few Hyabusa and other street bikes in the Atlanta area that won't mess with a blue notchback anymore.
Building the car was simple. Tim had plenty of parts laying around that came off his Outlaw Mustangs over the years. As he puts it, "I needed something to do in between working on the race car." What started off as a mild street machine escalated into one of the sickest rides we've ever seen.
A quick look around the shop showed Tim there were plenty of parts from which to choose. An R302 block was in one corner, while a set of TFS Twisted Wedge heads sat across the way. He left the engine building in the hands of Steve Petty of Pro Line Racing Engines, a shop that specializes in forced-induction combos. Steve is a partner with Tim in the Outlaw car and knew exactly what his buddy needed for his latest project.
The R-block was bored out to 4.100 inches, and a 3.400 crankshaft was dropped into place. A set of Venolia pistons and rods were attached to the crank, and final displacement checks in at 362 cubes. Chris Howe hogged out the ports of the Twisted Wedge heads and gave them a good valve job. A Cam Motion camshaft was selected--a critical decision since the bumpstick is so important with a turbo engine. If the cam specs aren't correct, then building boost can be a problem, and no boost equals no power.
When Tim Lynch isn't behind...
When Tim Lynch isn't behind the wheel of his six-second, 200-mph Outlaw Mustang, he's cruising in this '87 Mustang LX.
An ordinary, run-of-the-mill...
An ordinary, run-of-the-mill engine combination could not satisfy Tim. So longtime friend Steve Petty of Pro Line Racing Engines built this twin-turbocharged, 362ci powerhouse. It makes 1,308 hp at the rear tires.
The interior has a few extra...
The interior has a few extra bars running around, but it's not bad for an eight-second ride. The radio still works, as do most of the factory gauges. The stock front seats have been replaced with Kirkey aluminum pieces. Tim recently added a five-point harness on the passenger side.
The unassuming coupe leaves...
The unassuming coupe leaves the line without much drama. Its best time to date has been 8.30 at 167 mph.