With the kit being nonintercooled, the blower is advertised to create only 5-6 pounds of boost. While this may seem like a small amount, it's actually a great boost level for the Three-Valve. "On the 400hp kits, we kept the boost limited to a point where we could make the (horsepower) number safely without adding more complexity," Kershaw says. "Thanks to the excellent thermal efficiency of the twin-screw blower Whipple provides us, we were able to make 400 hp without requiring an intercooler, and it's still very safe. By keeping the intercooler out of the base system, it requires far less install time and keeps the cost down.
 Next, we removed the fuel...  Next, we removed the fuel rails and coil packs. When removing the fuel rails, carefully drain the fuel into a cup or small jug as it will keep the gas from making a mess of things. |  At this time, Winter also...  At this time, Winter also swapped the stock plugs for the ones that come with the kit and torqued them down to 25 ft-lb. |  Once all of the vacuum lines,...  Once all of the vacuum lines, wires, and hoses are out, loosen the bolts to the stock intake manifold and remove it. Once it's off the engine, take out the O-ring from the throttle body mouth, and throw the manifold in the discard pile. |
"One of the reasons why the kit is so easy to install is that it comes with everything needed to bolt it on and go in two days time. "With this kit, you shouldn't need anything else," Kershaw says. "We include new injectors, which are sourced from the Ford GT, along with every-thing you would need to make it a painless installation."
While it's not recommended for automatic-equipped cars, those with S197 GTs can upgrade to the 500hp kit if they so choose. "When you go over 400 hp, you will need more fuel delivery," Kershaw says. "This is non-negotiable. If you don't have the extra fuel, at cold temperatures the fuel pump won't be able to keep up with the fuel demand no matter what size injectors you run. To get to the 500hp level, we include the GT500 fuel pumps with a unique wiring harness."
You could also swap the blower pulleys, but once again, this requires a change in the fuel system and in the software. "The pulley size is only one part of the equation due to the drive-by-wire and torque-limiting software," Kershaw says. "This software controls the power output via the throttle body. Changing the pulley without changing the software may result in nothing more than making your blower work harder for no good reason."
 We figured that while we were...  We figured that while we were doing the blower swap, we would spruce up the engine a bit and swap out the drab factory valve covers for a set of FRPP's nifty black crinkle valve covers. |  We went with the black crinkle...  We went with the black crinkle because it matches the Whipple's blower case nicely. We also threw in FRPP's painted billet oil-fill cap cover for a bit more flare. |  Once the intake manifold was...  Once the intake manifold was off, Winter rerouted the heater core lines that were in the intake valley. |
 He then installed the supplied...  He then installed the supplied water crossover and slipped the alternator between it with the kit's brackets. |  The factory idler pulley was...  The factory idler pulley was ditched for the smaller one supplied with the kit. |  The pulley and supplied bracket...  The pulley and supplied bracket would make installing the serpentine/blower belt down the road a lot easier. |
Since we agreed that Project MILF would be a docile yet hungry animal, we decided to leave well enough alone and install the 400hp kit as FRPP intended. We cruised Project MILF over to Crazy Horse Racing in South Amboy, New Jersey, where Chris Winter performed the task of getting our steed to breathe deeper. The install took us two days, was straightforward, and, thanks to the expansive and clear instruction manual, surprisingly easy. In fact, there was no fabrication involved. The only glitch came with the strut tower brace we installed previously. Due to the blower's taller height, the brace would not fit. Keep in mind, though, that as we mentioned in the last issue, FRPP is currently developing a fix for this problem.
The end result was noticeable. After performing both before and after dyno and dragstrip tests, the car showed a gain of almost 85 hp and almost 44 lb-ft of torque. That equated to an increase of 8 mph (into a 12-mph head wind), and we saw a decrease of more than 0.8 second in the quarter-mile. We went from 13.52 to 12.66 in the quarter, still on the stock tires. Along with the better numbers, the car felt factory stock on the street, unless you get into the loud pedal, during which time the car will break the rear tires loose without a second thought. Hitting the local supermarket will be a drag of a whole other kind now.