2007 Ford Mustang GT - Full Speed Ahead

If there's one thing Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords has come to learn over the 20 years we've been around, it's that a great many of our readers are serving in the military. Whether it's at a stateside base or overseas, our guys and gals in uniform are reading MM&FF-when they're not carrying out U.S. national policy, that is.

Orange Park, Florida's Dave Ferguson is a Navy career counselor, or NC, and when he's not at home with his family, or behind the wheel of his Mustang, Dave's at sea aboard the 505-foot USS Carney. The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that operates independently or as part of a carrier strike group. Dave handles career counseling for the approximately 250 people on board or traveling to and fro. The USS Carney features an array of Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles that handle business when times get tough.

We happened upon Dave's '07 Mustang GT while putting together a tech story with Orange Park, Florida's HP Performance. HP proprietor Tony Gonyon told us about Ford Racing Performance Parts' new fuel pump setup for the S197 Mustang and that he had one he was gong to be installing. After seeing Dave's ride in person, we knew we had to photograph the car for our readers.

NC Ferguson had several Mustangs, including a fully prepped '00 GT and a '97 GT, which he still owns. The '07 GT that you see before you rolled out of the Duval Ford lot with Dave behind the wheel and a mere three miles on the odometer. Sure, it was a stock Vista Blue GT then, but Dave wasn't about to leave it that way for long.

The factory flanks have been modified with Xenon side and window scoops, Steeda foglamps, front fascia and race cowl hood, and a Classic Design Concepts (CDC) rear decklid trim panel and ducktail spoiler. Visual FX in Orange Park, Florida, handled painting the new parts, and Dave had them color-match the engine cover and valve covers as well. Probably the least noticed mod is the CDC glassback roof, which opens up the interior cabin to the sky. We thought maybe Dave got that idea because he has to go topside for sun when he's at sea, but as it turns out, it was Dave's wife, Tara, who gave him the idea.

Beneath the hood you'll find the stock engine-and a Granatelli Motor Sports (GMS) single turbocharger system. The GMS kit uses a Turbonetics hairdryer blowing through an air-to-air intercooler to make about 10 psi of boosted air pressure. Jason Combs of HP Performance handled the install, and Tony Gonyon performed the computer tuning via SCT software. A set of Vortech 35-lb/hr fuel injectors are fed by a Ford Racing Performance Parts Shelby GT500 fuel system upgrade and provide enough fuel to put down 469 rwhp and 502 lb-ft of torque, all through the stock exhaust system, mind you.

We rode in the Mustang (sorry Dave, we took advantage of you being at sea), and even with the 20-inch Chip Foose Nitrous wheels and Falken tires, the car rides and drives better than stock. However, when the turbo spools up and hits you with full boost, the Vista Blue filly moves a whole lot faster than the USS Carney's estimated 30-knot top speed.

As you can see from the pictures, Dave has come up with his own theme for the Mustang, that being the Glassback GTT-GT Turbo in case you were wondering. The GTT badges were made from cutting up extra sets of GT badges, and Dave also carried the theme inside, where you'll find the nomenclature on the seatbacks and door panels. Florida Automotive Restyling in Jacksonville, Florida, handled the custom interior threads and even built a booster seat for Dave's son, Ayden, who rides along with Dave and Tara whenever there's a car show or cruise-in to check out.

There are custom touches all over the car, and Dave has more in store for the Glassback GTT, including a fortified engine to make a little more power. "The Mustang is very conservatively tuned due to my tuner knowing my driving style," Dave says. "Saying I break cars is an understatement."

Dave speaks highly of the gang at HP Performance, who has done all of the work on his three Mustangs over the years. "Jason and Tony have always been there for me," he says. "Without them, I'd probably be driving a BMW or something."

NC Ferguson gives credit to TK Performance in Jacksonville, Florida, which handles all of his wheel and tire needs; Daddyo's in Jacksonville, for the high-end audio upgrades; and clubs Modern Mustangs of Jacksonville and Speed, Style, and Performance (SSP) of Jacksonville. Such a successful execution of design and performance couldn't have come about without the support of Tara and Ayden, who frequently have to send him off to sea.

To look at the Glassback GTT, one might think no bolt was left unturned, but there's probably more that's still stock on the car than aftermarket. From the engine back to the 8.8 rear axle and out to the brake rotors, the Mustang is still stock. When Dave comes home, though, it's full speed ahead.