1990 Mustang LX - Utterly Bodacious

After Scott secured the new bullet in the chamber, it came time to handle the induction, exhaust, and the rest of the things that go along with making the engine run at full song. An Accufab 90mm throttle body funnels air into a Spyder upper manifold and an Edelbrock Super Victor lower. Fuel is injected via an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump set at 40 psi. A set of 42-pound injectors supplies the gas to the ports. The stock computer was swapped in favor of a Simple Digital Systems piece by Western Motorsports and tuned by Scott himself. The computer sends the spark signal to an MSD 7AL2 box, which in turns forwards the spark through an MSD coil and distributor, then down the line through FRPP wires, where it lights the mixture via NGK plugs. A pair of Kook's long-tube headers evacuate the burnt gasses and dump into a Dr. Gas x pipe system and 3-inch setup. Adding a sizeable kick in the pants is a Nitrous Express multiple-stage wet kit that adds 125 hp on launch and another 125 further down course.

Here's where Scott decided to be different from everyone else. Minus the fact that everyone told him to keep the powerplant carbureted (he went with the fuel injection), he actually has a transmission for both nitrous and non-nitrous use. When he runs a 26-inch tall tire and no juice, squashed between the engine and the driveshaft (an aftermarket aluminum one by the way) is a G-Force T5 five-speed and complementary clutch built by Pro Motion. When running on the sauce and the 28-inch tires, in goes a C4 three-speed automatic and a 4,800-stall converter courtesy of Performance Automatic. "Originally, I loved the five-speed," Scott says. "I love banging gears, but with the nitrous, I have to run a 28-inch tire, and it raised durability issues with the T5. That's why I switch between the two. When on that tire and running the nitrous, the automatic is much more consistent and reliable, plus it makes the car much more streetable. The converter sucks up a lot of the cam, making it easier to drive on the street."

When it came to prepping the rearend and suspension to handle the juiced stroker's power, Scott went down yet another dissimilar path. "I love being different, and I have always been a drag racer," he says. "The road course stuff is cool, but it's far easier to go to a dragstrip with whatever you're driving and go racing. Plus, setting the car up more for the strip served to be a perk for me at work, as the car does most of the company's testing on its more hard-core or drag-race designed parts."

It comes as no surprise then that the underpinnings of this Fox-body showcase an abundance of parts from the Steeda catalog. A QA1 K-member and tubular A-arms mate with Tokico five-way drag shocks, Hyperco springs, Steeda caster/camber plates, and a bumpsteer kit to swing the weight rearward upon launch. Lightening up the front end even further is a Flaming River manual rack. Out back, the 8.8-inch rear is suspended by Steeda double-adjustable upper control arms and a set of Weight-Jackers lower control arms that are also off the Steeda shelf. Lakewood 50/50 shocks, stock springs, Steeda full-length subframe connectors, and an antisway bar get the rearend to hunker and plant the big sticky meats. The rear showcases 3.90 gears, Moser 33-spline axles, an Auburn Pro differential, and an adjustable-mount differential cover, while the rolling stock consists of classic Weld Draglite wheels. A pair of 15x3.5s are found up front, with 15x10s out back. All four corners are graced with DOT rubbers, with the Nitto Front Runner 1320 tires up front and a set of 325/50/15 drag radials in the rear. The stock brakes were left untouched, though a pair of Hawk pads and Powerslot rotors hide behind the front rims.