A 250 shot of juice is employed...
A 250 shot of juice is employed to get things going in a hurry.
For an engine, a stock block was bored, and when combined with the stock crank (3-inch stroke), it displaces 306ci. The Keith Black pistons yield 11:1 compression and receive air via a Comp Cams bumpstick (.541/.544 lift) and ported stock heads. Carl built the engine himself and farmed out the machine work and cylinder head porting (D&S Engines). He junked the EFI and went with a carb setup using an Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap and a Holley 750 double pumper. BBK headers whisk away the gases, and dump into a custom x-pipe and a pair of Flowmaster mufflers. A NOS Big Shot nitrous plate system adds two hits of nitrous to the mix, worth a combined 250 horsepower increase. Backing the engine is a T5 five-speed manual trans, which is shifted using a UPR short-throw shifter. A Ford Racing King Cobra clutch holds all of the nitrous-enhanced power.
Carl opened up the UPR catalog when it came time for chassis modifications. In the front, the heavy stock K-member and bulky A-arms were tossed and UPR's tubular setup replaced it. The struts were wrapped in the company's coilover conversion kit. It dampens the street bumps and adjusts ride height. A bumpsteer kit and Flaming River rack-and-pinion keep the car going straight and respond to driver steering requests. UPR Pro Series rear upper and lower control arms offer adjustment and the ability to plant the rear tires. Carl wanted to go one step further, so he added mini-tubs, rear coilover shocks, custom subframe connectors, and a six-point rollbar.
Nitrous wheels check in at...
Nitrous wheels check in at 18x8 in the front and 18x10 in the rear and are covered with BF Goodrich rubber.
The outside is where Carl excels above the average hobbyist. The ordinary silver, like what was applied a few years ago, just wouldn't do. Thankfully, Carl's grandson has been hanging out through the process, so he turned to him for a suggestion. The two-year old, Dominic, tastefully picked out orange-his favorite color. A custom formula was concocted and it took nearly 20 different blends to get just right. Thankfully, Sherwin Williams' Planet Color Automotive Finish (Troy, MI) staff was very patient as Carl kept tweaking the blends until he was satisfied. "I think the color is what makes this car different. There are no other cars painted like it; this was a custom formula," says an enthusiastic Carl.
The big homecoming came this past summer; Donald arrived home to a loving family as well as getting the keys back to his awesome Mustang. His dad built it exactly as Donald wished. Topping off the hard work and dedication-the coupe won First Place in the Mild Hardtop '80-Present class at the 2008 Detroit Autorama. Mission accomplished.
 Extensive interior mods were...  Extensive interior mods were made, and Carl tapped UPR for most of the billet components. |  Auto Meter gauges give engine...  Auto Meter gauges give engine feedback to the driver accurately and in style. |  It's hard to notice at times,...  It's hard to notice at times, but when the light is at the proper angle you can see a UPR logo in the flakes in the paint. Carl is a master when it comes to painting cars. |