Wanting to keep the interior...
Wanting to keep the interior mostly stock, Doyle made a few upgrades to the cabin of the Mach 1. Along with the gauges, a Hurst shifter and a new set of chairs keep him in place and shifting gears with ease in the TKO 600.
With all of that power on tap, an upgraded drivetrain became necessary. The stock five-speed trans was set aside for a TKO 600 gearbox sporting a set of road-race-friendly gears and an 0.82 ratio overdrive. A Hurst billet shifter makes gear changes fluid and easy, and connecting the trans to the rear is an FRPP aluminum driveshaft. Speaking of the 8.8-inch rear, the stock innards were discarded and replaced with a set of 3.55 gears and a Traction-Lok, both from FRPP, and a pair of Superior 31-spline axles.
With an eye more towards corner-carving rather than straight-line domination, Doyle knew that tying up the suspension would be the key to getting the car to handle. A set of subframe connectors were procured from Maximum Motorsports, along with a tubular K-member to get the Four-Valve hunkered down in the engine bay while shedding some weight off of the nose. A set of Tokico coilovers made their way onto all four corners. Maximum Motorsports' Panhard bar, torque arm, and lower control arms were also installed on the Stang. Steeda sway bars keep the body roll to a minimum, and hauling this cannonball down after each shot are a set of Brembo four-piston calipers and 13-inch rotors up front and the stock braking system out back. Doyle added a set of 18x9 front and 18x10 rear chrome Bullitt wheels wrapped up in Kumho Ecsta MX shoes sized 265/35/18 fore and 295/35/18 aft.
The naturally aspirated induction...
The naturally aspirated induction setup normally found on a stock Mach 1 was replaced with a Kenne Bell blower of the 2.1 variety. The positive-displacement huffer blows in 15 pounds of boosted California sunshine.
Since Doyle was in love with the Mach 1, it was no surprise that not much changed in the car's visual appointments. The Shaker hood and scoop remain, though the Mach 1 rear wing was swapped out for a spoiler from Steeda, and the stock front bumper was set aside in favor of one normally found on an '01 Cobra. Doyle added a set of smoked headlight covers, a billet fuel door, and the Mach 1 chin spoiler for a bit more flavor. The final touch comes in the form of the factory matte-black hood stripe being extended onto the roof and decklid.
Inside, a leather-wrapped steering wheel from FRPP and a set of Recaro leather covered seats add comfort and functionality. Doyle keeps tabs on the blown mod mill thanks to a host of Auto Meter Lunar gauges located not only on the A-pillar and in the dash itself, but in the glovebox as well.
"Building the Mach 1 has been a four-year project," Doyle says. "It has taken a bit of money and an understanding wife, but I'm happy with the result. The car is a street monster on steroids, and a pretty good corner carver as well."
While this car may have a red coat, there's no mistaking its American origins. Guess you could say this '04 Mach 1 Mustang is yet another one of those shots heard 'round the world.
Doyle replaced the factory...
Doyle replaced the factory Mach 1 gauges with a set of Lunar series gauges from Auto Meter.
The stock buckets were set...
The stock buckets were set aside and replaced with a pair of Recaro leather-wrapped chairs. Since Doyle was going for a road-race feel with the Mach 1, it was only natural to install a set of buckets designed to keep his derrire planted while cornering.