Turbochargers need no introduction. You know what they do, you know how they sound, and you may even know how they feel from behind the wheel. When you hear that distinctive whistle in the distance, you know horsepower is following closely no matter what kind of car (or truck) it is strapped to.
What you cannot see can kill you if you're in the opposite lane. Turbos are discreet, and when they're at full song, there's no holding them back. That's why turbos kick ass. So what could possibly make them kick more ass? How about having two of these ass-kickers under your hood.
Unlike most other power adders, turbo-chargers require more forethought to install and tune-two of them side by side makes it twice the challenge. So, whenever we see a twin-turbocharged Mustang, we appreciate and understand what we're looking at. It involves a whole lot of hard work and dedication by an owner that knows his cars. We're also looking at lots of potential power. That's why when we first spotted the twin-turbocharged beast of Ross Carter of Elgin, Texas, we gave him an affirmative nod of approval and an offer to spend time in front of our camera lenses.
The 4.6 you see in this '01 GT was assembled by the trusting hands at JP Motorsports in Pflugerville, Texas. Within that production cast-iron block spins a fully prepped forged Cobra crank with a 3.750 stroke. The Manley pistons and connecting rods dwell within bores that are 0.020-inch roomier than they were before and glide on Federal-Mogul Pro rings. Total displacement is now 301 ci, and thanks to the dished piston crowns, a boost-friendly compression ratio of 8.8:1 is realized. To keep all of those timing chains and overhead valvetrain components happily lubricated, a Cobra oil pump with billet gears and a Canton oil pan keep the slippery stuff on every bearing surface no matter what the conditions are.
Fully ported and polished Patriot Performance Stage 2 heads with lumpy camshafts that check in at 223/237 degrees at 0.050 lift duration and 0.545/0.550 lift (intake/exhaust) afford tons of airflow never before seen within those PI ports. An Accufab throttle body connects to a Bullitt Mustang intake manifold, and with 60-lb/hr injectors squirtin' away, provide plenty of aspiration on top.
For the twin turbo kit, Ross went with an HP Performance setup that features two bad mama jama 57mm turbos and ceramic-coated 2.5-inch hot piping. The front-mounted air-to-air intercooler chills charge air temperatures to within reasonable levels and fits nicely behind the front bumper cover. The stock EEC V with an SCT meter still handle the engine-management chores, while the original coils are still sparking along fine.
The remainder of the driveline is incredibly stock for now. The T45 benefits only from a Pro-5.0 shifter and a Ram 11-inch, 900-pound clutch setup. The factory Ford driveshaft injects plenty of lethal torque into the stock 8.8 that plays host to a set of 3.27 gears and is held into the torque boxes with UPR upper and Maximum Motorsports lower control arms. Tokico dampers and Eibach coils offer a controlled ride with an aggressive stance, while the complete D&D tubular front suspension kit relinquishes the 17-inch FR500s and Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3s from excess weight.
This essentially stock-looking...
This essentially stock-looking silver GT rolls up alongside most of its prey just like this. A quick stab of the throttle results in a wild acoustical orgy as two turbos spool up and deplete oxygen levels nearby. Before you even hear a blowoff valve as Ross Carter shifts into high gear, you're staring at the back end of this Mustang. That's why we love turbocharged street Stangs. Nothing like 'em.
Lurking below the 301-inch...
Lurking below the 301-inch modular is an HP Performance twin turbo kit with 57mm turbos. Shoving 15 pounds of boost into the Bullitt intake manifold and Patriot Performance heads generates 602 rwhp and 615 rwtq. Next up will be 22 pounds of boost, and, unlike his supercharged friends, all Ross has to do is turn up the boost control knob to dial in an estimated 800 rwhp.