1988 Ford Mustang GT - Back In Black

Hanging on for dear life behind the 302 is a reverse-pattern C4. The Dynamic 8-inch converter offers 4,500-rpm of stall speed, and the transbrake allows for some lightning-quick reaction times. A Hurst Quarterstick with a T-handle and an air shifter allows the driver to concentrate on keeping the shiny-side up while wrestling this seven-legged bull down the tarmac. Out back, a Currie 9-inch rear with Strange axles and spool is cogged with 4.11 gears. Controlled by the QA1 coilovers and stabilized by the Competition Engineering swaybar, the launches are as reliable as they are predictable.

At the other end of this full-frontal dragstrip blitzkrieg is a D&D tubular K-member with super-light Aerospace brakes and 90/10 Lakewoods with coilovers. When the Tree hits the green, the 28x10.5 ET Drags get planted, and short times are in the low 1.3s with a 1.32 best. To give you a visual, we'll let Bob explain how it feels going down the strip: "When releasing the transbrake, the car launches, and you lose sight of the track and see the sky. As long as the car goes straight, we usually have a good run. The car pins you into the seat and never stops pulling."

The all-original black paint was treated with only specialty waxes and other protectants over the years, so little work was needed to make the car look spectacular. To match the hatchback's swoopy lower bodywork, the topside was augmented with a Saleen rear wing and a Cervini's Auto Design 3-inch cowl hood. Red and grey stripes, applied by pal Jack Burr, also add a custom touch to the flanks of Bob's fighter. With all the time saved on the bodywork, many more hours were put into the rest of the car to make it look the part. For instance, the entire wiring harness in the engine compartment was hidden behind the inner fenders, and all the holes were filled for a super-smooth finish. They say it's the details that matter, and in this instance, they certainly do-and they go a long way.

Speaking of details, it appears that Bob and Vince are already planning their next move to get further into the low-sixes in the eighth-mile. An air-to-water intercooler packed with ice, some additional engine tuning, and a 10-point cage should get them easily and safely there. By the time you read this, these mods should have been completed and their next foray down the 660 may well be their quickest ever.

Incredibly, after all those years of working on the car, they still wind up turning wrenches under the hood. Only this time around, it's not for profit-it's for personal satisfaction. "To see this car transform from a stock 5.0 daily driver to a nine-second drag car is unbelievable," Bob says. "While making small changes at a time in the shop, I never thought it would come this far and be mine. Being able to build the engine and do all of the work on this car myself makes it all worth it." Indeed it does. Just don't let anyone else fall in love with it.