Temple Performance Cars LM500 Series Mustangs - Legends And Lore

Aside from the exhaust note and starter button, we found the LM500 Series 1 to be quite a bit of fun and comfortable to drive. The styling is all-muscle, and the supercharged powerplant will satisfy the majority of speed cravings. Legend Mustangs also offers the Series 2, which is everything the Series 1 is minus the blower. For those who need more speed, though, see our sidebar on the Legend X.

To have your Mustang converted to LM500 Series 1 specs, you'll need to cough up about $24,000, or you can order your car through Legend Mustangs' dealer network for the sum of $52,000. Pricing is comparable with Roush, Saleen, and Steeda offerings, but the Legend pedigree hasn't been established just yet, whereas the big three Mustang gurus all have an established racing heritage and street cred. Still, the Series 1 offers similar performance with vintage styling, so it's up to you how you want your Mustang to look.

The X Factor
Beyond The LM500 Series 1 and 2 Mustangs that Legend Mustangs offers, there's the Legend X-a 650hp beast that should easily mop up its share of GT500s. Legend Mustangs starts with a 5.0 short-block with forged internals and adds a Kenne Bell twin-screw supercharger, a 90mm mass air meter, and a full performance exhaust from the headers to the tailpipes.

Backing up the stout powerplant is a T-56 six-speed gearbox with a Spec clutch, a short-throw shifter, 4.10 cogs, and performance axleshafts in the 8.8 rearend. Brembo four-piston calipers and cross-drilled rotors keep things within legal limits, and numerous suspension modifications upgrade the underpinnings over the Series 1 Mustang. The interior is well appointed as well.

Legend Mustangs sent us a Legend X in Wimbledon White with blue stripes and shod with CS69 20-inch Shelby wheels. While final tuning wasn't complete, we did throw the X on Horsepower By Herman's (Tampa, Florida) Dynojet to see if it put out the purported power output, and to verify what we felt through the seat of the pants meter. Indeed, the Legend X pumped out 573 rwhp at 5,800 rpm and an extremely flat torque curve that topped out at 510 lb-ft. Air/fuel ratio checked in at 11.5:1, though the boost level had the pump gas running scared at 19 psi.

During our brief time with the Legend X, it proved to be a stout performer on the street, whether our foot was deep in the throttle or just cruising to and from wherever. We'd have liked to evaluate it on the track where it should really shine, but we were unable to do so. Hopefully, in the near future we'll be able to perform more in-depth performance tests in a variety of environments.