Over The last several issues, you may recall numerous articles featuring the buildup of a '92 black Mustang notchback unofficially called the Little Juice Coupe. This month, we'll give you a brief recap of the modifications and progress the car has made during its 1,320-foot test sessions. We'll also show you the first part of the Mustang's high-performance transmission install.

The AOD has always been a hindrance in early Fox cars, and this one is no exception. Our Mustang's AOD transmission has seen better days, and its slow shifts indicate it's having a hard time coping with the added horsepower and torque from our engine mods.

The funny thing about this project is that it started out as a last minute fi ll-in. Originally, we had planned to install the Nitrous Express nitrous-oxide system on our '93 Cobra project, Stolen Goods, but we came across this LX and decided a low-buck 5.0 buildup would better suit those readers without fat pockets. It worked out for the best, as this lethargic AOD-equipped coupe needed some motivation.

Our subject vehicle had received some mods prior to us getting our mitts on it, and in addition to the 70,000 miles on the odometer, the coupe had accumulated a 3.55 rear axle ratio, Ford Racing Performance Parts underdrive pulleys, Flowmaster two-chamber mufflers, a K&N panel filter, and MM&FF's 10-minute tune-up. Even with a decent amount of mods, the coupe eased through the quartermile at a leisurely 15.05 seconds and tripped the mph clocks at 92-not bad, but barely enough to keep ahead of your average Honda Accord these days.

We took our time installing the Nitrous Express Stage One EFI system, and the cleanlooking installation shows it. We hid the NX window switch and TPS full throttle unit in the glove compartment, and the nitrous solenoids inside the fender. We also upgraded the fuel system with a fuel pump from Brothers Performance. The BBK 255-lph (PN BBK1607) in-tank pump assured us that the engine and fuel solenoid were getting the proper amount of fuel. Using a set of 245/50/16 Nitto drag radials and NX jetting for 100 hp, the black coupe sped to a 13.62 at 104 mph in the quarter-mile. We backed that up with a 13.75 at 104 mph--an awesome result with a 1.5-second improvement in elapsed time, as well as a 12-mph increase in trap speed.

Our next round of mods began with an offroad x pipe system and 15.8-inch equal-length shorty-style headers from DynoMax. We complemented the improved exhaust flow with an FRPP Cobra intake manifold. By the time we completed these mods, ambient temperature at the track dropped some 30 degrees, so there was a little better air in which to run. On motor alone, we improved our elapsed time from 15.05 to 14.55, and our speed went from 92 to 97 mph. Adding our 100-shot of nitrous allowed us to drop our elapsed time further, going from a 13.62 to a 13.06. Our mph went up from 104 to 110. We were really cooking now.

Since we were so close to the 12s, we stepped up to the 150hp jets. Before doing so, however, we thought it was pertinent to address the stock ignition system. Calling upon the folks at MSD Ignition, we ordered a Digital 6 ignition box, MSD plug wires, and an MSD Blaster Coil. The Digital 6 provided us with a timing retard feature where we could run our advanced timing during normal operation, and then once it received our 12-volt signal from the nitrous arming switch, it would pull 4 degrees of timing.

Back at the track, we managed a 14.67 at 96.59 mph on motor, and with the 100hp jets, the coupe picked up to a 13.21 at 108.99 mph. Weather conditions had a big part in the slower elapsed times, as the ambient temperature was now some 25 degrees warmer than our previous nighttime track excursion. On our next attempt, we heated the tires a bit more. Installing the 150hp jets took all of a few minutes, and our fi rst effort with the big hit was a 13.06 at 112.48 mph. We encountered massive wheelspin at the nitrous hit, though, and subsequently had to pedal the car to get it to hook up again.

On our second attempt, we put more heat into the tires during the burnout. The tires spun, but not as much, and e.t. fell to a 13.04 at 111.84 mph. Unfortunately, we couldn't improve beyond that, as our next three passes came in at 13.14, 13.10, and 13.12. All three runs lit up the tires at the nitrous hit.

Obviously, we needed to remedy the traction issue, but we also wanted to give the engine itself a bit more gusto. To do that, we installed a set of FRPP 1.7:1-ratio roller-rocker arms, a 65mm throttle body, and a mass air meter upgrade from C&L Performance. Since the dragstrip was closed for a couple of weeks, we trekked to HP Performance in Orange Park, Florida, to perform before-and-after dyno tests of the components.

Our baseline came in at 228 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque, which isn't bad given the mild modifications in place and the fact that we're cranking the horsepower through an AOD transmission. With these new parts, we picked up 15 hp and 8 lb-ft of torque at peak, with even greater gains seen across the powerband. A custom SCT chip for the A9P processor improved horsepower and torque by 9 and 14, respectively, for a total of 243 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque. Cracking open the nitrous bottle for the 150 shot produced 378 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

To address the traction situation at the track, we called Nitto Tire and ordered a set of larger drag radials. Our car's owner, Brian Bohnsack, had just upgraded the coupe with Wheel Replica's new Saleen 17X9-inch replica wheels, which led us to the 275/40/17 size. We complemented the drag radials out back with a pair of Nitto 555s up front. Bohnsack also scored a deal on some suspension parts, including Strange adjustable front struts, Lakewood 50/50 rear shocks, and some UPR lower rear control arms.

As the tracks hadn't yet opened for the new season, we still had time to do more work to the engine. We called FRPP and picked out a set of its GT-40X extra performance Turbo Swirl cylinder heads. The heads were a no-fuss installation, allowing us to retain our 1.7:1 bolt-down roller-rocker arms. With 1.90 intake and 1.60 exhaust valves, the heads picked up 24 more horsepower and 22 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

Finally, the track opened, and we hit the local test and tune evening event-nitrous bottle loaded and ready. Traction was never an issue on motor, and the car ran a 13.78 at 101 mph. We didn't waste much time before the 150 jets were slid in the NX Shark nozzle, and our fi rst pass scored a 12.70 at 114 mph. The transmission took so long to shift that it ended up tagging the rev limiter on the 1-2 exchange. Our next pass, sans rev limiter, picked up to a 12.62 at 115 mph.

We called it a night after that, as the Mustang began making a noise from the transmission area. It turned out to be the starter, but we knew the transmission couldn't be in that great of shape either, since we'd shift at 4,000 rpm and it wouldn't complete the gear change until 6,000 rpm.

With the nitrous-oxide delivery on a 3,000-rpm window switch, we knew we wanted a higher-stall converter to get us into that range sooner. We also knew we had to tighten up the shifting. Both of these should drop elapsed times greatly, so we contacted TCI Automotive to see what they had.

AODs Are Fun, Too
The good thing about having an AOD these days is that a bunch of companies have modified it inside and out, and complete high-performance transmissions, as well as parts, are readily available. Knowing that our slushbox was on borrowed time, we called TCI Automotive in Ashland, Missouri, and discussed our options with TCI's Stanley Poff.

Since this is a street-driven Stang 90 percent of the time, we stayed conservative with our torque-converter stall speed. TCI offers its StreetFighter, which has a stall speed that is 1,500 rpm more than stock. But we opted for the Saturday Night Special stall converter (PN 432600), which is a lock-up-type converter that offers a modest 400- to 500-rpm increase in stall speed over stock.

TCI's StreetFighter AOD transmissions are fully remanufactured units that use only updated '88-'93 cores. All of the bushings, seal rings, and gaskets are replaced with quality OEM parts from Federal-Mogul and Clevite, while the steel and friction elements are replaced with new Kevlar-lined pieces. All of the bands and clutches are replaced with higher-performance versions, and the failure-prone, direct-drive input shaft isreplaced with TCI's heat-treated Vasco 300 high-performance version.

TCI also installs its own special pressure regulator spring to increase torque capacity. A Trans-Scat kit is installed for firmer shifts, and it also eliminates Third gear pressure cutback, which raises torque capacity in Third and Fourth gears. TCI offers both lock-up and non lock-up transmissions, and we chose the lock-up version for better economy.

Each transmission assembly is statically tested for individual hydraulic circuit integrity before valvebody installation, then dyno tested to verify proper functions, pressures, and cooler flow.

Our AOD (PN 431000) was also equipped with TCI's new constant-pressure valvebody, which prevents end users from burning up the transmissions due to improper throttle-valve cable adjustment. The T.V. cable still needs connection for proper transmission shifting, but the constant-pressure valvebody provides more freedom when setting part throttle shift points. Line pressure is fixed with no chance of encountering a low line-pressure condition, and the shift characteristics are greatly improved. TCI sells these separately if you want to install one in your own transmission.

While we had the transmission out, it was a good time to replace the mount with a polyurethane piece from Energy Suspension. Part number 4.1124 netted the Energy Suspension motor and transmission-mount set, which fits '84-'95 5.0L Mustangs. Fox-body engine mounts are notorious for cracking and separating once the mileage starts adding up, so we replaced those as well. The Hyperflex performance polyurethane that Energy Suspension uses lasts far longer than rubber, handles more horsepower, and is more resistant to road salt, oil, and other contaminants that can wither factory rubber bushings.

While we weren't able to get to the track to see what kind of improvement the new TCI transmission and converter produced, we have driven it a bit on the street, and we can tell you the results are encouraging. Shifts are crisp, and the converter now flashes the engine rpm to about 2,500, which gets us into the nitrous oxide much quicker than before.

We can't wait to burn some rubber.

The more the merrier-it's a common theme in the performance world. On the surface, it seems like a logical statement. After all, if some performance is good, then isn't more always better? The obvious answer to such a black-and-white question is, yes, but as always, there are subtle shades of gray.

Camshafts are a perfect example, as it's often possible to increase the peak power output of a combination by increasing the lift and duration specs on a cam. The problem is, the increase in power at the top of the rev range often comes with a drop in power elsewhere in the curve. Larger cams also require more valvespring pressure. In addition, putting a huge cam in a street engine can create a drop in torque production, idle quality, fuel economy, and overall driveability. The same thing happens with things such as oversized carburetors, static compression, and even cylinder-head flow, as all offer the potential for increased power, but the potential comes with trade-offs that must be addressed to enjoy said extra power. All of a sudden, more is not better.

One area where it seems more is better is with boost pressure. Doesn't more boost always result in more power? Naturally, this assumes things such as tuning are taken into account, but it's not out of line to state your engine will make more power at 10 psi of boost than it did running 7 psi. As with our previous examples, the more-boost-is-better theme comes with a few stipulations.

Increasing the boost pressure increases the cylinder pressure (especially true of positive-displacement supercharged and/or turbo motors), and with it the likelihood of detonation. Adjustments must be made in the form of timing, air/fuel, and even octane level to counteract this revised detonation threshold. Oftentimes, a substantial portion of the power gains offered by the increase in boost pressure are offset by the required drop in ignition timing. The same can be said for a required richer air/fuel mixture, though you can't cure timing-related detonation with increased fuel supply. The shortcomings of increased boost pressure can be combated to some extent with the introduction of intercooling. Obviously, a lower charge temperature decreases the likelihood of detonation, which is why most every OEM forced-induction system comes with some sort of intercooling. Essentially, there's no free lunch, unless the chef happens to be serving up a heaping side order of race fuel.

Another way to combat high boost is to reexamine your goals. It's our desire for more power that actually makes us crank up the boost, right? Understanding this statement is important, as our goal isn't usually more boost per se, but more power. If additional power is what we're after, there are other ways to achieve this goal-ways that will actually decrease the chance of detonation. How is that possible, you ask-more power with a reduced risk of detonation? The answer is to actually lower, rather than raise, the boost. Now everyone knows that less boost equals less power, right? Well, that's actually only half right. If we dropped the boost pressure by installing a larger blower pulley (spinning the blower slower relative to the engine speed) or reducing the wastegate setting on our turbo, then the answer would be, yes, we will make less power. However, if the drop in boost pressure comes from an increase in efficiency of the boost combination, then we achieve our goal of increased power with a decrease in boost pressure.

While it seems counterintuitive that we can increase power while decreasing boost pressure, a better understanding of what boost pressure actually represents is in order. I know it may come as a surprise to some, but boost pressure is actually nothing more than a measurement of backpressure. Whether it's from a blower or turbo, the boost pressure we see on the boost gauge is nothing more than excess air that is having difficulty making its way into the engine. If we increase the flow of air to the motor by increasing the blower or impeller speed relative to that of the motor, then we see an increase in backpressure. The increase in pressure provides more airflow to the chambers every time an intake valve opens, but it also increases the likelihood of harmful detonation.

What if instead of increasing the impeller or rotor speed, we increased the displacement of the motor? What if we installed better cylinder heads, a wilder cam profile, or both? As you might have guessed, the answer is that the same airflow provided by the blower or turbo supplied to a more efficient motor will result in a drop in boost pressure. But since the engine can process more air, this drop in boost pressure will result in a net increase in power. In a small twist of fate, the flow rate of a supercharger or turbo (or any pump really) is proportional to the pressure it supplies. That is to say, a blower, turbo, or even fuel pump will flow less at 40 psi than at 20 psi. This, of course, assumes we keep the impeller or rotor speed constant.

A few examples will work wonders here. The first is a test we ran years ago on a Kenne Bell supercharged 5.0L. It illustrated the gains offered by a wilder cam profile on a 302 equipped with a KB supercharger. The 302 was equipped with a set of AFR 185 heads, a GT-40 lower intake, and a stock 5.0 stick cam. The motor was run first with the stock 5.0 H.O. cam and then again with a Comp XE274HR grind. It's not surprising that the motor made more power with the Xtreme Energy cam, but the side benefit of making the motor more efficient with the aggressive cam timing was a drop in boost pressure of just over 1 psi. This came with no change in the blower pulleys because all we did was change the camshaft. The drop in boost pressure from 8.6 psi to 7.4 psi resulted in a jump in power from 440 hp to just over 480 hp. Imagine that-a jump in power that was accompanied by a decrease in boost pressure. You're probably thinking we should have cranked up the boost again to match the original 8.6 psi, but that wasn't part of the test. In our last example with the turbo motor, the turbo self compensates for the artificial drop in boost pressure.

The second test was run on another 302 motor equipped with a set of stock E7TE heads, a stock 5.0 H.O. cam, and a Holley/Weiand 174 supercharger. Just as with the test run on the KB-supercharged 302, this test with the Weiand blower combined a drop in boost with an increase in power. This test paired a cam and head swap together to offer some serious power gains on the supercharged 302. The carbureted motor was first run with a set of stock E7TE 5.0 iron heads and a stock 5.0 cam. After running the supercharged combination, off came the stock components, and on went a set of Canfield heads and an XE266HR cam. The Xtreme Energy grind was one step below the cam run with the Kenne Bell blower, but it offered a significant step up in performance over the factory grind. Improving the heads and cam increased the power output of the motor by nearly 50 hp while simultaneously dropping boost by 1.6 psi. The new cam and heads improved the motor's ability to process air (increased its efficiency), which decreased the amount of backpressure in the intake manifold. The net result was a drop in boost with an increase in power.

The final test illustrated was a recent one with a turbocharged 5.0. This time, we ran the 5.0 with stock components, from the intake and throttle body right through the heads and cam. The single HP turbo system was configured to supply 10 psi of boost to the stock motor. After running the car on the dyno and at the track, we replaced the stock 5.0 heads, cam, and intake with pieces from Lunati, Holley, and TFS. Upgrading these components offered a huge power gain, somewhere near 150 rwhp at the same boost level.

Unlike the superchargers, which have their rotor speed regulated by the relationship between the crank and blower drive pulleys, the turbo isn't regulated by impeller speed. It's regulated by boost, so running 10 psi on the stock motor produces a given impeller speed, while running the same 10 psi on the upgraded components results in an increase in impeller speed. Had we been able to keep the impeller speed the same, the gains would have been less significant, but since the blower supplies 10 psi (in our case) to both combinations, the result was a sizable jump in power with the new components. What we could do with the turbo is drop the boost pressure to 8 psi and still have a significant gain in power over the stock components running 10 psi-thus we would have more power with less boost. Due to the self-compensating nature of the turbo, what we got instead was a lot more power at the same boost level.

Performance Enthusiasts seem to have a one-track mind. No, not the kind that constantly steers us to pictures of Jessica Alba and Pamela Anderson, but the one that provides tunnel vision in our quest for maximum performance-and that's not a bad thing.

Take the fancy '05 Mustang GT, for example. To maximize power from the 4.6L Three-Valve motor, forced induction is a must. Ditto for forged internals, ported heads, and even wilder cam timing. Adding a blower is oh-so common, as boost rules in these applications. In this case, knowing that positive-displacement blowers are ultrasensitive to inlet restrictions, we even modify the air-intake system with a larger throttle body, mass air meter, and filter assembly. In short, we do everything we can to maximize airflow into and out of the blower and into our modified motor. It's this methodical approach that produces exceptional results.

The one downside to this type of inductive reasoning is that we've forgotten one important thing about the internal combustion engine-all the air that goes in must also find its way out.

In our bigger-is-better world, we often forget that the power output of an engine is not determined by airflow readings. We know this runs contrary to the concern for such things as cylinder-head and carburetor-flow figures, but there's much more to the equation than simple cubic feet per minute. In reality, the power output of any internal combustion engine is a function of the amount of air it can process. For our simplistic definition, the term process simply means airflow both drawn in through the induction system and exhaled out the exhaust.

In our quest for performance, we often forget the second part of this equation, to say nothing of how to achieve airflow into and then out of a motor. Unfortunately, the same misguided theories that direct us to top our street motors with 400-cfm heads, 1050 Dominator carbs, and 0.750-inch lift cams are carried over to the exhaust system. As with the intake side, bigger is not always better when it comes to the exhaust, the possible exception being the actual after-cat exhaust. As with everything thing in life, there's something called overkill.

Maybe a couple of examples will help illustrate the bigger-is-better mentality and why it has no place in the performance world. On the surface, it's easy to see why we want to maximize airflow-after all, more airflow equals more power, right? Well, yes and no, as the power output of the motor is determined by the amount of airflow any engine can process. By process, we mean ingest air and fuel, burn the mix efficiently, and then expel the burnt gasses with minimal emissions.

With that, more airflow from an individual component may or may not increase the amount of air actually processed by the motor. A perfect example of this would be the installation of a dual 75mm throttle body on an otherwise stock 4.6L Three-Valve motor. The larger throttle body will certainly outflow the stock throttle body, but the motor can't take advantage of the additional airflow since the stock throttle body didn't represent a restriction (at stock power levels). This situation changes when we add a supercharger, but only once we reach a given power output (which translates directly into an airflow measurement). In this example, if we see vacuum present behind the throttle body at wide-open throttle, a larger throttle body will likely improve the power output.

Simple airflow devices such as a throttle body or even an after-cat exhaust are fairly straightforward, but more complicated are components like camshafts, intake manifolds, and (the subject of this test) long-tube headers.

In truth, this test involved both headers and an after-cat exhaust, but the significant midrange power gains came from the scavenging effect of the long-tube headers. Unlike air filters or throttle bodies that allow enough air past or not, cams, intakes, and headers have a decided tuning effect on the power curve. Camshaft timing dictates at which engine speed the motor will be most efficient, with higher-duration cams dictating higher engine speeds. Intake manifolds work much like long-tube headers in that longer runner lengths (primary lengths on the header) are optimized for lower engine speeds, while shorter lengths promote power higher in the rev range.

The same can be said of runner diameter (or cross section), as larger runners (or primary diameter pipes for headers) will increase the optimum engine speed. That is to say, a 2-inch by 34-inch primary header pipe will be optimized at a higher engine speed than a pipe that measures 1.75 inches by 34 inches. This tuning effect has nothing to do with the actual flow rate, as the diameter and length determine the travel speed of the resonance waves. Primary pipe length and diameter are but two of the many variables that can affect the performance of a set of headers.

Before getting to the test, perhaps a brief explanation of how this resonance occurs will shed some light on how difficult it is to produce the proverbial "ideal" or "best" set of headers for any given combination.

More than simple exhaust flow, true headers promote power production through two effective means of scavenging. In simplified terms, scavenging occurs when both the intake and exhaust valves are open (a position referred to as camshaft overlap). The outgoing exhaust flow helps draw in intake mixture by creating a low-pressure zone in the combustion chamber. This scavenging effect helps introduce more intake air and fuel mix, which allows the motor to make more power.

And this relatively simple scavenging effect is accomplished through two somewhat sophisticated mechanisms-the first being the kinetic energy of the outgoing gases. Since we lack the space for a detailed description of exhaust theory, we will have to revert to the Reader's Digest version. The opening of the exhaust valve produces a compression pulse. The release of this compression pulse creates high pressure in front of the wave but a depression on the backside of the wave. Since the speed of this wave exceeds that of the exhaust gas flow through the pipe, the depression or low-pressure zone produces a scavenging effect. This helps rid the combustion chamber of residual exhaust gases and, in turn, helps pull a fresh air/fuel charge in from the induction system.

The second method of scavenging produced by the long-tube header is called reflected wave scavenging. Once the pressure pulse has been released by the opening of the exhaust valve, the wave travels the length of the exhaust pipe. Upon reaching the end of the pipe (typically the collector), something magical happens. The positive pressure wave is allowed to expand into the relatively larger collector. This expansion causes a momentary drop in density of the air surrounding the end of the primary pipe. The elasticity of the air causes it to rebound toward the pipe exit. This creates a new negative pressure wave that then travels back up the primary pipe to the awaiting exhaust port. This reflection of the positive and negative pressure waves continues indefinitely, though the waves decrease in amplitude (or effective strength). For optimum performance, the exhaust-pipe length should be selected to produce the primary (first order) reflected (negative) pressure wave (at its lowest pressure) when the piston just passes TDC at the end of the exhaust stroke.

Since these waves travel at the speed of sound (which is pressure and temperature dependent), tuning this event for a specific engine speed requires changing the length of the primary pipes. Short primary runners employed on stock exhaust manifolds don't allow sufficient time for the compression wave to leave behind a depression capable of improving scavenging. The short primary lengths also promote early arrival of the reflected wave, which minimizes effective intake and exhaust scavenging.

It's important to note that no header yet produced is optimum for all combinations. The laws of physics dictate otherwise, as the scavenging effect of the headers is initiated by the opening of the exhaust valve, which is also dependent upon the overlap-which is also dependent on the reflected waves produced by the intake design. You can see that this is one fairly complex dynamic system, and that header choice comes down to not only your particular combination, but the point in the rpm curve that you'd like to optimize power production. On any given combination, it's possible to design the headers to improve power down low, in the midrange, and even at high rpm.

The possible exception is the installation of headers in place of stock exhaust manifolds, as the stock manifolds provide almost no scavenging effect due to their excessively short primary length. Even by replacing the stock manifolds with a quality set of long-tube headers, the gains offered have as much to do with the exact combination tested as the design of the headers themselves.

That said, we can now better understand the sizable power gains offered by not only a quality set of headers, such as the ones chosen for this article from American Racing, but also a 3-inch after-cat exhaust system from the exhaust experts at MagnaFlow. While such an exhaust upgrade would be a welcome addition to any modern Mustang, we applied these to what can best be described as a wildly powerful, supercharged '05 GT.

The GT in question was equipped with a 4.6L Three-Valve motor that had been upgraded with a forged reciprocating assembly from Sean Hyland Motorsports, a set of Stage 3 ported heads from Livernois, and matching Stage 3 cams from the Comp Cams catalog. The highlight of the mod motor was the Kenne Bell 2.8L H-series blower. Feeding the blower was a custom 4 1/2-inch MAF and air inlet, a dual 75mm throttle body, and a prototype of the new Mammoth intake manifold from Kenne Bell.

By minimizing inlet restrictions, we were able to coax just over 25 psi from the twin-screw blower. That the '05 GT ripped off plenty of nine-second quarter-mile times after the exhaust upgrade is a testament to the work put into the impressive Three-Valve motor.

With the induction system well sorted, we decided it was time the supercharged beast was allowed to exhale. This provided an excellent opportunity to test the effectiveness of exhaust upgrades on such a high-horsepower Three-Valve combination.

For our test, the supercharged mod motor was equipped with the stock exhaust manifolds feeding the stock cat pipes, after-cat exhaust, and aftermarket mufflers. The cats had long been removed from the cat pipe, while the stock mufflers had been replaced by a set from Jardine. In this configuration, the supercharged mill produced 779 hp and 691 lb-ft of torque.

The stock components were then replaced by the 1 3/4-inch stainless steel headers (with 3-inch merge collectors) from American Racing Headers, along with the 3-inch after-cat system from MagnaFlow.

MagnaFlow also supplied a universal 3-inch x pipe system that allowed us to connect the American Racing headers to the MagnaFlow after-cat. After the installation of the exhaust components, the peak power numbers jumped to 802 hp and 714 lb-ft of torque. This test is a perfect example of why we include graphs (not just peak numbers), as the exhaust upgrades improved power production throughout the rev range with a maximum gain of 62 hp and 60 lb-ft of torque at 5,400 rpm. While we changed two components at once for this test, the huge gains in the midrange certainly indicate the scavenging effect produced by the long-tube headers was present and accounted for.

The Vortech centrifugal super-charger for the 5.0 Mustang has now been around for more than a decade, and it continues to be one of the company's best-selling parts. It has given many 5.0L enthusiasts bragging rights and win lights, and we're going to show you how to make it even better.

The Vortech Power Cooler is an air-to-water intercooling system that uses a pair of heat exchangers to pull heat out of the intake charge. Think of it as running your car in 50-degree temperatures compared to 90-degree heat. The benefit is that the lower intake charge temperature allows you to run more boost and timing for increased horsepower and torque, all without the fear of engine-damaging detonation.

We had a ready and willing candidate in the form of an '89 5.0L notchback belonging to the author's brother, Brian Baur. The supercharged Pony sports a V-1 S-Trim Vortech blower pullied for a healthy 12 psi of boost to increase the power output. Behind the supercharger is an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, E303 camshaft, Performer cylinder heads with 1.90-inch intake valves, and a stock short-block.

While we handled the majority of the installation in our own garage, we completed it at HP Performance in Orange Park, Florida, where HP's Jason Combs and frequent MM&FF contributor George Xenos handled the wrench turning. Meanwhile, HP proprietor Tony Gonyon keyed up the SCT custom-tuning software. Gonyon also employed the SnEEC datalogging system for EEC-IV processors, and this allowed us to monitor everything from rpm to intake temps to injector pulse width.

The latter caught our eye during the baseline pulls, because injector duty cycle was near 100 percent. With 42-lb/hr injectors and a 255-lph in-tank fuel pump, we were expecting a duty cycle closer to 80 percent. We'll come back to this later.

Installation of the Power Cooler was fairly easy, but we decided to mount the reservoir in the trunk and the water pump at the back bumper, which took some extra effort. This modification necessitated an extra 20 feet of hose and longer wiring for the pump. Our subject vehicle was also equipped with a Vortech Mondo bypass valve, which employs a 2-inch tube for venting the boosted charge when the throttle body closes. We could've used the smaller standard Bosch bypass valve, but we didn't have one from the original S-Trim kit. Vortech Motorsports Director Ricky Best recommended keeping the Mondo valve, given the amount of boost we were forcing into the engine.

In order to make the Mondo valve work, we called upon Tracy Grimm of Speedfab in Orange Park, Florida, who modified the Power Cooler case for us. Grimm has helped us in the past, his work is always impressive, and he usually has some cool customer cars in the shop to check out. To make the Mondo valve work with the Power Cooler, Grimm milled down a piece of aluminum tube stock to provide a lip for the hose to catch on. He then TIG-welded the tube onto the bottom of the Power Cooler and used a hole saw to open the cooler passage to the 2-inch size.

Our baseline numbers were unfortunately skewed due to the maxed-out fuel injectors, which caused a lean spot at the top end of the dyno pull. Still, the 402 rwhp and 382 lb-ft of torque was close to what we had seen on another Dynojet. Intake charge temperatures were in the 170-degree range. With the Power Cooler installed, we saw 387 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. We expected to see a drop in boost pressure, but it remained at 12 psi. The drop in peak power doesn't tell the whole story though, as looking at the dyno graph showed that the 42-degree drop in air charge temperature improved power and torque across the rpm range.

The wide-open fuel injector situation bothered us, since the 42-lb/hr units should've been adequate for the demands. It seemed that the injectors were trying to compensate for a lack of fuel volume. That said, we inspected all of the fuel lines for possible blockage and checked the vacuum lines to make sure the regulator was getting a good signal. Nothing turned up, but the 255-lph pump in the tank was more than 10 years old, so we contacted the folks at Brothers Performance and ordered a new BBK in-tank 255-lph fuel pump, as well as BBK's inline external fuel pump, which flows 50 gph.

Thinking we had plenty of fuel to help out the injectors, we put the blue coupe on the HP dyno only to find out that there was absolutely no change in injector duty cycle or power output. At this point, we decided to hook up a fuel pressure gauge and watch the pressure over the course of the dyno pull. The boost-referenced regulator should increase fuel pressure about 1 psi for every pound of boost pressure. Attaching the gauge showed a base fuel pressure of 41 psi, and we opted to bump that to 46 while Gonyon made some necessary adjustments to the computer program through a custom-burned chip. By the end of the pull, fuel pressure had only gone up to 50 psi, which is why the fuel injectors were working harder to provide enough fuel.

While checking the various vacuum lines underhood, we saw the fuel pressure drop to 20 psi. Shutting the car off and starting it back up showed 46 psi of fuel pressure. Things weren't adding up, so we opted to install another fuel pressure gauge. While removing the fitting from the gauge, we found bits of rubber. It appeared that the regulator had failed. Getting a replacement proved to be a difficult task given our time constraints. Luckily, Grimm and Speedfab just happened to have a well-used, adjustable Kirban regulator taking up space on a shelf.

With the Kirban regulator installed, fuel pressure rose from 46 psi to 58 psi during the pull, and we saw a tad over 12 psi of manifold pressure. Horsepower and torque didn't change, but the injectors were now down to a 90 percent duty cycle. With that problem figured out, we opted to install a smaller 3.33-inch blower pulley and add 3-4 psi more boost. With boost pressure increasing earlier in the powerband, power and torque picked up until we heard a hissing noise at the top end of the pull. The boost graph on the dyno software showed a drop in pressure at about 5,100 rpm, and a subsequent inspection of the engine bay revealed that the EGR spacer to intake manifold gasket had sprung a leak right out the top.

Unfortunately, it was late in the day and we were unable to procure another 70mm EGR spacer gasket to continue. Still, we matched our peak boost level from before 1,000 rpm earlier in the pull and air charge temperatures were still down more than 20 degrees from our baseline. Peak horsepower rose from 387 rwhp to 427 rwhp, and peak torque rose from 392 to 442.

What did we learn from this? Well, first, that tech stories aren't always perfect. Unexpected things can happen to perfectly good cars, and hopefully the parts are available right then and there. Sometimes they aren't. More importantly, we learned that the Vortech Power Cooler works well. At our boost level, some sort of intercooling effect was beneficial to the air charge temperature and that was evident in the power gains we saw. Of course, you can always drain the ambient coolant and fill the system with ice water for even greater gains. A chilling proposition for sure.

Forced induction has the ability to increase power output by 75-150 percent on the average Mustang. As great as that sounds, pressurizing the intake charge does have the side effect of increased intake temperatures, which isn't good for power output. To combat this, Ford, and most supercharging and turbocharging companies, utilize some sort of intercooling method to reduce the intake charge temperature, be it an air-to-air intercooler, or an air-to-water system, such as the one used on '99-'04 Lightnings, '03-04 Cobras, and '07-newer GT500s.

Kenne Bell, one of the most popular Mustang supercharging companies, offers its twin-screw supercharger, which is extremely efficient in its own right. However, the company goes one step further by using an air-to-water intercooler to reduce intake charge temperatures and allow for higher boost and ignition timing levels. Designed for the average enthusiast with a street car, the water reservoir for the intercooler fits neatly in the engine compartment without taking up too much space--a compromise for sure, but effective at its task nonetheless. If your ride is bound and determined to spend the majority of its time at the track, you may want to consider the Quarter-Mile Cooler from HP Performance.

While completely streetable, the Quarter-Mile Cooler is a large stainless steel reservoir that mounts in the spare tire well of your late-model Mustang, and offers an increase in the water reserve to further lower intake charge temperatures for improved power and performance. It bolsters your supercharger's air-to-water intercooler supply by about 8 gallons--more if you retain the original supply reservoir. The reservoir opening is large enough that you can pack it with ice to get the intake temperatures down really low, and the kit comes complete with the tank, lines, and water pump for $650. Some may question the weight penalty of adding 8 gallons of water to your car, but consider that it couldn't be in a better place than right behind the rear axle, which should increase traction.

"When we were building John McGuire's '04 Mustang, we discussed installing a tank in the spare tire well of the car," says HP's Tony Gonyon. "John gave the idea to his brother-in-law, and he designed the cooler from the dimensions of the spare tire. Once he built the first one, we tested it in John's '04 GT and saw inlet temps drop almost 28 degrees right at the start to the finish of the pass. That allowed another 2-3 degrees of timing, which made another 30 hp. On one pass, we went from 450 to 494 rwhp."

We followed along as HP Performance installed one of its coolers in an '05 Mustang GT equipped with a Kenne Bell supercharger. Said Mustang belongs to Jason Cook of Ludiwici, Georgia, and in addition to the supercharger, the Mustang also sports long-tube headers, an x intermediate pipe, and a 4.10 rear gear change.

"Jason drove down from Georgia a few months back, and we retuned it from the Kenne Bell tune of 379 hp to 425 hp," Gonyon says. "His inlet air temps were approaching 150 degrees, so I suggested installing our Quarter-Mile Cooler, which we had tested and seen over 30-degree temperature drops."

With the added capacity of the Quarter-Mile Cooler, the average intercooler water temperature dropped approximately 25 degrees, which allowed for either more ignition timing or more boost. Since the computer alters the timing for different atmospheric conditions, more boost was added, with a smaller 3.25-inch supercharger pulley. The added 3 psi of boost, which now totaled 11 psi, along with a few keystrokes in the SCT custom tuning software, produced 461 rwhp and 425 lb-ft of torque at 119-degree inlet air temperature.

This is with the intercooler coolant at an ambient air temp of about 70-80 degrees. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to test the system with a cool tank of ice water, but we've tested the effect of circulated ice water on supercharged Cobras before, and have seen about 30 hp above using ambient-temperature fluid, so there's still some horsepower to be released should you seek to achieve maximum elapsed times.

Keep in mind that the Quarter-Mile Cooler can be used in place of most all air-to-water intercooler applications. Cooler intake temperatures have been the key to late-model performance since the first bag of ice was placed on a 5.0 intake. These days, components like the Quarter-Mile Cooler just let you take the bag with you down the track and down the street.

Adding a power adder to a mod motor seems to be easy these days. Forced induction and nitrous kits are abundant in the marketplace and priced to fit anyone's budget. Out of the box, the manufacturer has perfected the fit, finish, and performance to be repeatable, reliable, and--much of the time--50-state legal. The companies ship a product that, when installed correctly, provides an increase in performance without the hassles of failure or too much difficulty during its installation. As with everything in our hobby, however, a little is good and more is better, and it's much too easy and tempting to up the boost and nitrous hit to levels far greater than the manufacturer has set in the kit.

The current crop of Three-Valve engines seems to be tough, and MM&FF has tortured its fair share of them over the past several years. However, when it comes to the Two-Valve market, the story changes, and the short-block seems quite a bit weaker. It's our opinion that roughly 420-430 rwhp is the safety limit for the venerable stock bottom of the Two-Valve engine series. It can go higher, but that's a stick of dynamite with the fuse lit. We've seen people make upward of 500 rwhp with stock short-blocks, but it's risky, in our opinion. This includes our in-house Project Ice Box, which made 520 rwhp before getting a 300ci stroker engine.

We cram the cylinders with additional fuel and air in order to create a more powerful combustion process. The weakest link is usually found under those hard loads--typically it's the powdered rods that fail first. The rods from Ford aren't the only things to worry about, though. "In addition to the rods, the pistons are weak links in Two-Valve engines," says Mike Dezotell of Dez Racing. The rods or pistons fail long before the crank and block could be a problem.

Over the past six months, we've used Keith Johnson's '00 Mustang GT for a series of tests. It began life as a relatively stock car with a ProCharger P1SC blower, exhaust mods, and a set of Anderson Ford Motorsport F-42 camshafts. In this trim, the car pounded out a respectable 441 rwhp and 413 rwtq. Our first tech article with his car consisted of adding a TFS intake manifold. The result was 454 rwhp and 415 rwtq.

A few months later, we added a set of Fox Lake-ported heads, and power shot up to 484 rwhp and 433 rwtq. The heads really woke up the car, but Dez restrained himself from getting too wild with the tune-up due to the fragile bottom end. Thanks to conservative tuning and a stout fuel system combo from Lethal Performance, Johnson drove the car with 485 rwhp for a few months before bringing it back to the shop for another round of modifications. We can't stress enough the importance of having adequate fuel (quantity and quality) and proper tuning, which guarantees longevity and reliability in a near-500-rwhp combination and stock bottom end.

In this issue, we're replacing the wimpy, stock short-block with Ford Racing Performance Parts' Aluminator--a tough and durable piece--in order to up the power to over 600 rwhp. The Aluminator is FRPP's recently released line of crate engines that are ready to ship and are reasonably priced. They're take-offs on the success of the Terminator engine from the '03-'04 Cobra. Essentially, these engines are similar to the Cobra bullets, but with the addition of the aluminum block rather than a cast-iron one. Despite the lighter-weight block and aluminum material, the Aluminator lineup is built to withstand massive amounts of horsepower, well in excess of what the average street car is looking to achieve.

The Aluminator begins with an aluminum block, saving approximately 65 pounds over cast-iron modular blocks, and is filled with heavy-duty parts. An '03-'04 Cobra steel crank is first to make its way into the aluminum foundation. Then FRPP's engine builders add a set of H-beam steel rods, and forged pistons are dropped into place. Engine displacement is standard 4.6-liter fare, which is 281 ci for those who prefer standard cubic-inch displacement measurement to the metric equivalent.

FRPP offers the Aluminator in many variations to suit the needs of the marketplace. We ordered the short-block version, which has two options--one for Cobra replacement and one for a cast-iron Two-Valve engine replacement. Thanks to our over anxious attitudes, we ordered the Four-Valve replacement engine rather than the Two-Valve one. It isn't a problem; the only difference is how the Two-Valve front engine cover is bolted on. If you make the same mistake as us, you can just get a few dowels to replace some bolts and call it a day. FRPP has a Four-Valve long-block (replacement Terminator piece) listed as being ready to ship, and you can even get an FRPP/Whipple 2.3L blower if you so choose. It's basically a mail-order 700-plus-horsepower combination that's durable and reliable. The Three-Valve-style Aluminator should be ready by the time you read this.

Our installation and subsequent dyno testing took a few days. The engine was yanked, and the Fox Lake-ported heads, TFS intake, cam chains, cam gears, and front-engine dressing were removed and bolted on to the new short-block. A new set of AFM camshafts was added--F-72 cams to be exact. They carry a valve lift of 0.576 inch on both the intake and exhaust lobes. We sealed the powerplant with gaskets, an oil pan and oil-pump pick-up tube, as well as timing and valve covers that we sourced from Imperial Ford in Milford, Massachusetts.

Our first dyno runs after installing the Aluminator short-block were performed with an identical blower combo (P1SC with 3.2 blower pulley). Output jumped by 13 rwhp with the new cams--a nice improvement thanks to more aggressive lobes. Boost peaked at 11 psi; it was merely lightly breathing into the manifold. We decided it was time to swap over to the larger and more efficient D1SC unit from ProCharger. We added the company's new eight-rib pulley conversion as we swapped over the front-engine dressing to the new engine. All testing was accomplished using straight-up 93-octane gasoline from the fossil-fuel giant Exxon.

The D1SC offers both a larger inlet and outlet, as well as a different impeller, but it's based on the same housing as the P1SC, so the unit fits in the stock blower brackets. The AFM Power Pipe fit just fine, despite the larger inlet hole. Knowing the blower offers greater airflow, Dez chose a 3.50-inch blower pulley. It's slightly larger than the 3.20-inch pulley we used on the P1SC, meaning it will have slower impeller speed. Thanks to efficiency, the D1SC will move more air even though it's operating at a slower impeller rpm. Dez ran Johnson's Stang on his in-house DynoJet chassis dyno, and it produced an amazing 596 rwhp at 6,700 rpm. The Auto Meter boost gauge read a rather mild 14 psi--nearly 600 at the tires and the Aluminator was more than capable of holding that type of power. We essentially added 112 rwhp with the larger blower and larger AFM cams.

At this point, Dez concluded that more boost would be better. He added a smaller 3.40-inch pulley to increase blower speed, ultimately increasing boost. A few more runs were made, and the belt kept slipping. Dez felt he needed more time to sort out the idler pulleys, belt size, and the smaller 3.40-inch setup. Naturally, as with almost every other tech article, time was not on our side due to publishing deadlines. Dez slapped the 3.50-inch pulley back on, made some back-up pulls, and worked on the computer tune. A bit more timing--still within the safe range for pump-gas use--yielded 604 rwhp and 492 rwtq.

The Aluminator is one bad dude. We beat it up with countless dyno runs to back up our 600-plus rear-wheel-horsepower reading. "Aluminator engines are ready to ship, and our pricing is very competitive," says Jesse Kershaw of FRPP. He also informed us that the Aluminator is available in short-block form for all 4.6L modular engines and complete long-blocks as a Terminator crate engine. It's perfect for those with a project Stang converting to a Four-Valve combo, or for someone looking to replace the fragile bottom end of their modular-powered Mustang or Ford.

It has been a long day at work, and you relish the fact that when the clock strikes 5:00 p.m., you'll be punching out and heading home. Making the drive a bit more tolerable is knowing that sitting in the parking lot is a thundering S197 Mustang. On the way home, you get a bit frisky and take an off-ramp at a higher-than-posted speed. The car settles into the corner nicely, and you're cutting it with precision. That is, until the rearend hits a slight blemish in the road and the rear skips out just a bit, forcing you to swing the wheel in the opposite direction, roll out of the throttle, and realize that when you get home, a change of underwear will be needed.

With the advent of the S197 Mustang came a 300hp Three-Valve engine, some killer good looks, and as far as the rear suspension was concerned, a three-link, live-axle setup with a Panhard bar. While this is great for a factory car, when it comes to handling and cornering, the factory setup has its limitations. To improve performance on our S197, we cruised over to JDM Engineering in Freehold, New Jersey, to modify the standard three-link rear suspension setup with a Saleen Watt's link.

As just mentioned, S197 Mustangs roll off the assembly line with a live axle in a three-link design. A three-link suspension locates the rearend on three different points: two on either side of the rear and one at the top of the housing.

Part of a three-link's advantage is that there are many different variations as to where the links are placed. With each different link placement comes a different set of handling characteristics. In addition, a three-link is more compact than a leaf-spring (or four-link) design.

The disadvantage of a three-link is that it needs something to locate the rear axle laterally. On the S197 Mustang, this piece is the Panhard rod, also known as the Panhard bar, or in NASCAR speak, the track bar.

A Panhard bar is the component of the rear suspension that provides lateral location of the rear axle. It was invented by the Panhard Automobile Company of France in the early 20th century and has been used in many different applications since its first iteration. It's a rigid bar that runs from one side of the car to the other at the rear axle. The bar is attached on either end with pivots that enable it to swivel up and down, thus allowing the axle to move in a vertical plane only. One end of the Panhard bar is connected to the axlehousing, while the other is attached to the chassis. The length and position of the Panhard bar is what determines movement, and in a sense, handling, of the rearend.

When you tune into a Sprint Cup race and hear crewchiefs comment about raising or lowering the track bar, they're discussing using the Panhard bar to make the car handle properly in the corners. By either raising or lowering the Panhard bar, they're changing the range of motion of the rear axle, thus increasing or decreasing an understeer (push) and/or oversteer (loose) condition. While these expensive cars have adjustable Panhard bars, your street Mustang does not. When compared to a Watt's link-style suspension, the Panhard bar, as well as the Watt's link, has advantages and disadvantages. Before we get to that, however, let's see exactly what is a Watt's link.

A Watt's link suspension is a complex system that utilizes a pivot and more solid attachment points on the rear axle to keep the housing from moving side to side when cornering. Carlos Duran of Saleen gave us the scoop on the Watt's link. "With this setup, the Panhard bar is removed and replaced with the Watt's link. The Watt's link bolts on the passenger side to the stock Panhard bar mounting point, and on the driver side to an added mount. In the middle, it's mounted to the differential cover."

This type of suspension is used predominately in Trans Am racing, and more recently has been installed on the Saleen/Parnelli Jones Mustangs. The Watt's link helps to give the axle a better roll center. When it comes to roll center, there are two definitions. The one commonly used is the geometric, or kinetic, roll center, while the other is a force-based definition pioneered by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Geometric roll center is dictated by the suspension geometry, while the SAE force-based definition is the point in the vertical plane of the rear axle at which lateral forces are applied to the sprung mass without producing suspension roll. Basically, roll center is the point at which the rear moves side to side as it moves up and down.

If you were the one in the opening paragraph who had to change his underwear after the off-ramp excursion, it's because the Panhard bar and its ability to center the rear while moving up and down was overcome by, say, the right-side tire hitting a bump and causing the rear to move sideways at the same time. With the Watt's link, the roll center is lowered and the rear movement is more fluid. The Watt's link allows the rear to stay centered better under hard cornering, which makes the car's handling much more predictable.

As with everything else, however, both the Panhard bar setup and the Watt's link have their pros and cons. To get a better feel for both rear suspension styles, we sat down with Duran. As we mentioned previously, Saleen offers the Saleen/PJ car with a Watt's link suspension standard, and it's the one we installed on our subject Mustang.

"The Panhard bar is an easy and cheap solution for the large manufacturer, but it greatly compromises the rear axle," Duran says. "The Watt's link allows the cornering forces to be consistent under all circumstances, making the car very predictable as it's mounted in the middle of the axle, offering the same characteristics in either direction, left or right. The difference is big enough to change the car from having an understeer condition to a more neutral one, just by changing to the Watt's link." Saleen also changes the rear sway bar to a stiffer, 24mm-diameter piece for better balance.

"The only disadvantages are that the Panhard bar is a simpler device, and that the Watt's link is heavier than the counterpart it replaces," Duran says. Either way, Saleen feels so confident about the advantages the Watt's link offers, that the company not only offers it on the Saleen/PJ Mustang, but starting this year, the S302E and H302SC cars will be equipped with the Watt's link as well. "We're already seeing more and more cars equipped with the Watt's link," Duran says. "The handling is greatly improved over that seen with the Panhard bar, and it's easy to feel when driving a car after a Watt's link has been installed in it."

To see what all the hub-bub was about, we decided to check out a Watt's link install. Our cruise to JDM Engineering yielded us not only an '06 Mustang for a test subject, but a Saleen Watt's link suspension kit as well. JDM is a Saleen distributor, as well as its East Coast warranty shop, so JDM tech Craig Silverman handled the install for us. The kit replaces the factory setup with a host of upgraded parts and pieces specific to a Watt's link suspension system. It comes with a reinforced rear differential cover, a billet-aluminum pivot, steel control arms, an upgraded sway bar, and high-durometer bushings.

Jim D'Amore of JDM Engineering also clued us in to a couple of other differences between the Saleen kit and the stock rear suspension system. "First of all, Saleen offers the kit powdercoated in red, but we're the only ones that have a black powdercoated version, which Saleen makes for us," he says. "Secondly, the Saleen sway bar is approximately 0.050 inch thicker than the stock rear sway bar. Finally, the rear differential cover is a meatier piece. It's a thicker aluminum casting as opposed to the stamped factory differential cover. It also has the pivot point for the link bars."

The install was a breeze and took less than two hours. We learned a few things along the way, too. First, the hardware for the Panhard bar and the underbody brace were reused. When removing the bolts, however, make sure you either take a digital photo or mark each bolt with tape, identifying where the bolt went and in what direction, as this is a critical part of the install of the Watt's link. Secondly, once all of the components are on, lower the car to the ground and tighten the link arms to their proper specs. Doing so while the car is on the lift without a load on the suspension causes the car to sit awkwardly and, more importantly, not perform well.

Once all was said and done, the car handled much better and the ride was slightly smoother. We say slightly because we did go for a ride on local, pothole-filled New Jersey roads.

Guess you can say that, thanks to the Watt's link, our test car's handling is on the ball.

Not one to forget our roots, MM&FF offers yet another 5.0L-themed tech article for you to get your mitts on. This month, we're modifying a 5.0-/AOD-equipped notchback with a set of cylinder heads from Ford Racing Performance Parts.

If you've read the last several issues, you'll remember that this slick, black coupe is no stranger to these pages. We began by installing a Nitrous Express nitrous-oxide system, and followed that up with a bevy of bolt-on hardware that has helped us slash quarter-mile elapsed times and increase horsepower and torque.

For the most part, we've been verifying our progress through dragstrip testing, with the exception being the last article, in which the Florida seasonal track closures forced us to hit the dyno. While we were there, we took advantage of having one of the best tuners in the country, HP Performance's Tony Gonyon, burn a custom chip for the coupe.

This month, we went back to HP Performance in Orange Park, Florida, as we figured the GT-40X Turbo-Swirl cylinder heads should produce a sizeable gain in power. We were also anxious to get back to the track to see what times the little juiced coupe was capable of with all of the new speed parts that we added.

Before all of that happened, though, we opted to address a few things, such as the tire situation. At the track, we found the 245/50/16 Nitto drag radials we had mounted on the stock Pony wheels weren't enough to handle the 150hp nitrous hit. With that in mind, we called Nitto for something a bit wider, while at the same time, our coupe's owner upgraded the wheels. The new Saleen Fox-body replica wheels from Wheel Replicas measure 17x9 inches at all four corners. With the larger wheel package, we stepped up to Nitto 275/40/17 drag radials out back, and paired them up with a set of 255/40/17 Nitto 555s up front. Weight wise, the new package is about a pound heavier at each corner, so unsprung weight isn't greatly affected despite the sizeable increase in wheel and tire size.

About the same time, our car owner scored a deal on some suspension components that should help the coupe plant the power more effectively. A package deal for a few hundred dollars netted UPR chromoly rear lower control arms with urethane bushings, Lakewood 50/50 rear drag shocks, and Strange Engineering 10-way adjustable drag struts.

Installation of the cylinder heads took a little more than a day to complete. When we get involved in a build like this, we end up detailing many of the components, not to mention the engine area, and this takes a little more time, as do those runs to the parts store. We've covered in-depth cylinder head installs before, so this time around we centered on the particulars of the swap as well as the results.

Here are a few tips. Make sure you have intake plenum gaskets for your particular intake before you start, especially if the intake is aftermarket and has been on the engine a while. If you're doing away with the smog setup (illegal to do on a road-going car, by the way), including the thermactor bypass at the back of the heads, make sure you order a set of threaded insert plugs to fill the holes in the heads. A small propane or benzene torch comes in handy in removing rusty and/or stubborn bolts and plugs. Don't lose the factory dowel pins that keep the cylinder heads located on the block, and make sure you have the head bushings for the cylinder-head bolts, if applicable. You'll also want to make sure that the deck surface is immaculate before dropping the cylinder heads onto the block.

Once the heads were bolted on the car, there was an immediate seat-of-the-pants difference in performance. Our slugomatic AOD Mustang now finally feels like the quarter horse that it is, and HP Performance's Dynojet dynamometer showed we had picked up 24 hp and 22 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. This put our coupe at a total of 265 hp and 303 lb-ft of torque on muscle alone. HP's Tony Gonyon noted that the same combination with a manual transmission would produce about 30-40 hp more. We were happy with the results, and even happier once we cracked open the nitrous bottle and let the happy gas loose. With the Nitrous Express system delivering 150 hp worth of nitrous, power output jumped to 378 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. All of that torque was available by 3,500 rpm, too.

Having used HP Performance for previous Fox-body tuning, we knew we'd be logging each dyno run using the Race Systems SnEEC-IV real-time datalogger. We're glad we did too, because the SnEEC-IV revealed that our stock 19-lb/hr fuel injectors were seeing a 98 percent duty cycle, which isn't exactly safe since fuel injectors can lock up when run wide open. Since our nitrous system is a wet system, the added fuel comes in through a fuel solenoid, and it turned out that the tune-up is actually safer on the jug.

The power numbers from the dyno looked great, but what we really wanted to do was get it to the track. Heading to Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, we arrived with the nitrous bottle full, intent on slaying our previous best elapsed times of 14.55/97 mph on motor and 13.04 at 112 mph on the sauce. With the extra horsepower from our last few rounds of bolt-ons, we ran a 14.13 at 100 mph.

Our available track time was coming to an end, so we cracked open the Nitrous Express bottle and heated up the hides. Our black notchback responded with a 12.89 at 114 mph--better than our 13.04, but we heard the rev limiter at the 1-2 shift and knew it killed some e.t. The AOD was taking so long to shift that moving the shifter at 4,000 rpm still allowed the engine to tag the limiter at 6,000.

For the next run, we shifted a tad earlier, and the car quickened to a 12.69 at 115 mph. For our final run, we left the shifter in Drive and let it do its thing. The transmission shifted at 3,500 each time, and the Pony charged to a 12.68 at 115 mph. It would've been a faster run had the tires not spun at the nitrous hit.

Next month, we'll install a fully built AOD from the folks at TCI, along with one of their higher stall-speed torque converters. Quicker shifts will help elapsed times as will the high stall speed, which should get us into the nitrous sooner. We'll also take care of the maxed-out injector issue and step up to a slightly stickier tire package, so stay tuned.

Working on a college budget? Low budget? No budget? Not everyone has an unlimited cash flow, so here's a list of modifications and suggestions to keep you on the fast track to fun rather than bankruptcy.

It's easy to dream big in this hobby of ours--big boost pumping through a wild stroker engine and channeled to the ground via a customized chassis and exotic six-speed transmission. Reality sets in and you quickly realize that it's not feasible to drop 100 grand into your hot rod. But that shouldn't discourage you from going out and having fun with your Mustang on the track and the street. There are plenty of reasonable-cost modifications that won't send you into debt or force you to rob a bank.

The staff at MM&FF knows what it's like to be on a budget when selecting performance parts. We've all been there, done that. I remember eating lunches of nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a month so I could afford a set of gears and an exhaust. I won't even tell you what it took to plunk down the cash for a Vortech blower the summer between sophomore and junior years in college--nothing illegal, but I still have nightmares about the work schedule I pulled through July and August.

We tried to keep the modifications applicable to all model years and have somewhat succeeded by covering the popular 5.0, Two-Valve, and Three-Valve cars. There are a couple of modifications that are more beneficial/applicable to certain year Mustangs, but for the most part, all mods can be applied to '79-'08 Stangs. We've included approximate costs (as sourced through advertisers in MM&FF), a variety of manufacturers of the parts, and ease of installation based on a rating of 1-10, with 1 being the easiest.

So keep your credit-card debt to a minimum and maximize your fun on the track or street. Here are the top 10 modifications under $500.

Rear Gears
Approximate Cost: $180-$250
Available From: Ford Racing Performance Parts (www.fordracingparts.com), Motive Gear (www.motivegear.com), Strange Engineering (www.strangeengineering.net), Moser (www.moserengineering.com), and Pro-5.0 (www.pro50.com)
Ease of Installation: 7

Changing the gear ratio in the rearend is one of the biggest bangs for the buck and a time-honored tradition in hot rodding. "Gears are a torque multiplier, and allow the engine to use it and get through the rpm range faster for quicker acceleration," says Tony Gonyon of HP Performance. Typical gear ratios from the factory (2.73, 3.08, 3.27, and 3.31) are designed for a mix of mild performance, miles per gallon, and rpm range at cruising speeds. The new Mustangs are offered with 3.55 gears as an option, but for the most part, the rear gears from the factory aren't optimal for drag racing or the performance we expect out of our cars. Also note, when talking about gear sizing, the lower ratio gears are numerically higher--4.10:1 is a lower ratio than 3.73:1.

If you own a 5.0 Mustang, the two most popular gear choices are 3.73s and 4.10s. With 3.90 gears coming to the market in the past few years, that size has become more popular. Automatic-equipped cars will benefit greatly from 4.10 gears because of the greater rate of acceleration. Typically, anything numerically higher than 4.10 reduces driveability, as highway cruising rpm is drastically higher and performance tends to fall off with stock engines' power range.

The Two-Valve crowd should go after lower gear sizes such as 3.90s and 4.10s. Justin Burcham of JPC Racing says, "These cars don't have a lot of torque, so they respond well to gears." He also says that with 3.90s or 4.10s, the rpm drop-off on gearshifts is not as severe, and that helps performance. Those enthusiasts with Three-Valve combinations found in '05-up Mustangs should run 4.10 gears, as unanimously selected by Gonyon, Burcham, and Mike Dezotell of Dez Racing. They said that for enthusiasts who don't want something as steep, the 3.90s are sufficient, but nothing numerically smaller works well to warrant the gear swap. The more hard-core drag racers out there should consider 4.30 gears.

The speedometer must be adjusted when changing rear gears. In the 5.0-era Stangs, a simple swap of the speedometer gear at the end of the cable (that goes into the transmission) is required. Each different speedo gear has a certain number of teeth for the various rear gears. The '96-newer Mustangs don't use a speedometer cable, but rather a sensor. The computer must be modified using a handheld tuner, chip, or reprogrammer to account for a rear gear change.

A few notes about changing rear gears: Installing a set in your driveway adds a degree of difficulty. Mustang shops can easily swap in a set of gears for a reasonable price and keep your bill under or around $500. An installation kit usually comes standard from most companies, but check to make sure it's included with the lower-priced gears on the market.

Short-Throw Shifter
Approximate Cost: $150-$200
Available From: Pro-5.0 (www.pro50.com), MGW (www.mgwltd.com), Steeda (www.steeda.com), D&D Performance (www.ddperformance.com), UPR Products (www.uprproducts.com), BBK (www.bbkperformance.com), Hurst (www.hurst-shifter.com), Ford Racing (www.fordracingparts.com), and B&M (www.bmracing.com)
Ease of Installation: 3

The stock shifter in all Mustangs feature long throws and aren't the best piece of equipment when you're under pressure and banging gears. Ford designed the manual shifters to be easy to drive in everyday situations and also easy to manufacture. Turning to an aftermarket shifter provides many benefits that will make life in aggressive and passive driving scenarios easier and more effective. The first and foremost benefit with an aftermarket shifter is the shorter throw offered for each gear selection. You will no longer need to push the lever three feet before engaging the next gear. The short throw gets it in gear quicker, meaning your car will run quicker. As Burcham says, "A short throw shifter, while doing some spirited driving, allows you to concentrate on other things besides shifting. The gears literally fall into place when using a good aftermarket shifter.

"The shifter stops also help extend transmission life by not allowing you to 'overshift' the gear and cause shift fork damage." Gonyon agrees with Burcham's assessments, and adds that with easier shifting comes more confidence and better driving on the track. Installing the shifter can be done with regular tools, and there's some disassembly required to the center console to gain access to the shifter base. The S197 Mustangs ('05-present) are a little more involved than the previous Fox-body ('79-'93) and SN-95/New Edge ('94-'04) cars. The S197 features an arm that attaches to the transmission and is easily accessible from underneath the car. The center console removal is a little more complicated but still within reason for a beginner.

When changing shifters, the quality of the mechanism is also greatly noticeable. The notchy feel of the OEM stuff is gone, and you can also add a different shifter knob to the aftermarket unit for comfort and better leverage when you powershift.

Overall better performance from the driver and the equipment is a surefire way to run quicker and faster.

Nitrous-Oxide Injection
Approximate Cost: $450-$600
Available From: NOS (www.nosnitrous.com), CompuCar (www.compucar.com), Nitrous Works (www.barrygrant.com), Edelbrock (www.edelbrock.com), ZEX (www.zex.com), Nitrous Pro Flow (www.nitrousproflow.com) and Nitrous Express (www.nitrousexpress.com)
Ease of Installation: 8

Our list is for parts under $500, and depending on which system you buy for your Mustang, nitrous oxide falls into that category, although we felt that even at $600, a mere hundred more shouldn't keep the always-pleasurable giggle juice off the list. It's worth the extra dough, as nitrous is the most effective bolt-on and offers the highest horsepower per dollar over anything else on the market. "Adding a Zex dry kit is one of the best ways to go fast on a budget," says Mike Dezotell. "A Three-Valve with gears and a Zex kit can run mid-11s."

The cost can go up if you decide to have a custom tune in the computer to go along with the hit of nitrous. According to Burcham, if you keep the nitrous system at 75 hp in S197 cars, then a custom tune isn't required. Once you start adding more nitrous, there comes a need to add a fuel pump, tuning, and other hardware that drives up the price. Nitrous has a continuous cost factor since the bottle will need to get filled. Base kits come with a 10-pound bottle, which means it carries 10 pounds of nitrous and tips the scales at 25 pounds when filled to capacity. When the bottle gets too low, it costs about $4.00-$5.00 per pound to refill it.

Nitrous oxide adds a potent kick to your Pony by filling the cylinders with more air and fuel for the combustion process. There are two types of nitrous systems: wet and dry. The wet system sprays both nitrous and fuel--which mix at the tip of the injection nozzle--through the intake manifold as one mixture. A dry system is run with just nitrous flowing through the intake, and the additional fuel is added, usually through the fuel injectors in the form of increased fuel pressure. A moderate dosage is highly effective, but exercise caution because too much nitrous in a relatively stock engine can cause damage. Nitrous oxide is a fun and effective modification when used properly.

Handheld Tuners/Computer Chips
Approximate Cost: $275-$500
Available From: SCT (www.sctflash.com), DiabloSport (www.diablosport.com), Sniper Tuning (www.snipertuning.com), Anderson Ford Motorsport (www.andersonfordmotor sport.com), Hypertech (www.hypertech.com), and Superchips (www.superchips.com)
Ease of Installation: 1 (handheld tuner) and 2 (computer chip)

Computers are a big part of today's automotive aftermarket, and digital technology has enabled us to do things that were never thought possible with carburetors. Here's a quick breakdown: '86-'93 Mustang 5.0 cars are equipped with the EEC IV computer. The '94-'95 Mustang 5.0 rides have a variation of the EEC IV. These computers require the use of a computer chip to modify the engine-management controls. Generally, a chip is not required with bolt-on items, as fuel delivery can be controlled by adjusting the fuel pressure and manually changing the ignition timing. But Dezotell did remind us that if you want to get past the factory rev-limiter, then adding a custom computer chip is required. Custom chips for 5.0 cars are reasonably priced and can be mail-ordered. There are also handheld tuners, such as the PMS from Anderson Ford Motorsport, that plug into the EEC IV computer.

The '96-current Mustangs do not share that requirement, as those cars employ the EEC V. They can benefit from a computer chip, but the more popular--and easier--method is to use a handheld device that plugs into the OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics) port under the dashboard. All '96-newer cars feature the port in this location. Previous years have an OBD-I port, but it's under the hood and doesn't monitor or access the computer as extensively as the OBD-II system. The OBD-II port is used to monitor emissions and troubleshoot sensor problems by reading the computer and finding out what's wrong. Several clever aftermarket programming companies came up with the ability to gain access to the computer through that port, extract the computer program, and install a modified one.

Most handheld tuners come with basic programs already installed inside the unit, but authorized dealers can create custom programs that are uploaded to the handheld and then into the car's brain. Two-Valve cars benefit from a tuner after some basic modifications and can help adjust for different gear ratios in the rear as well as diferent tire sizes. A new tune is required to be uploaded to the computer in order to account for new heads, cams, a blower, and so on. So you either get one now or down the road when you install a fancy new heads/cam and blower combination.

The '05-up Mustangs benefit the most from the addition of a handheld computer thanks to the complicated Spanish Oak computer system. Using an off-the-shelf tune will benefit a new Stang greatly. Case in point: My '07 Mustang GT went from a 13.79 in stock trim to a 13.56 just by uploading a better tune from a DiabloSport Predator. The Drive By Wire parameters are rewritten to help throttle response and torque management. The factory Spanish Oak computers are programmed to pull out power through closing the throttle body, reducing timing, and even pulling camshaft timing. This is done for drivetrain warranties and fuel economy. The joke around the office is that Ford gives you a 300hp engine but doesn't let you use it all. Swapping the computer tune unlocks the rest of the power the potent Three-Valve powerplant produces.

Burcham said it best about tuners. "All handheld tuners, or chips, for any modular engine allow the ability for future modifications (N2O, turbo, superchargers). The tuner also allows the user to adjust shift points, firmness, adjustments for off-road exhaust, the ability to read trouble codes, data logging--the sky's the limit for the uses of a handheld tuner. If one is available for your vehicle, always drop the extra money for the tuner over the chip."

Drag Radial Tires
Approximate Cost: $300-$500
Available From: Nitto (www.nittotire.com), BFGoodrich (www.bfgoodrichtires.com), and Mickey Thompson (www.mickeythompsontires.com)
Ease of Installation: 3

What better way to apply all of your horsepower to the ground than to run a set of tires that don't spin? From type to size, there are a variety of options when selecting tires. Luckily, the aftermarket is full of choices that fit every need and application.

Among the most popular sticky tires for mildly modified Mustangs are the Nitto 555R drag radials. Nitto has focused these tires to be perfect for everyday driving but also to satisfy the weekend trips to the dragstrip. The concept is to buy one set of tires and use them for both performance and street. It works great on mildly modified Mustangs as well as higher-horsepower rides. We've run these tires on everything from near-stock 13-second test cars to our in-house supercharged '01 Mustang GT, which ran 10.80s on the 555Rs.

If you want something a little stickier, check out BFGoodrich's Drag Radial tires. They're more aggressive than Nitto 555Rs and can still be driven on the street, albeit not as much as the 555Rs. BFG Drag Radials were the first radial tires designed for excessive acceleration. The company released the tires in 1997 and they have grown in popularity since.

Moving up the scale in rear grip, we arrive at the pinnacle of drag radials, the ET Street Radial as offered by Mickey Thompson Tires. These tires offer the ultimate grip for radial tires and carry a DOT-rating, much like the BFG and Nitto tires. However, we don't recommend these tires for street driving. Wet-pavement performance is sacrificed for the outstanding racing surface performance, and the tread-wear is next to nothing. These tires should be mounted on another set of wheels and swapped at the track.

Sizing depends on the body type--'79-'93 cars fit up to 275/50 or 275/60 tires on 15-inch wheels. The '94-'04 and '05-current Stangs have larger wheelwells and Dezotell, Burcham, and Gonyon all agreed that anything from 275 to 315 series tires on 16-, 17-, and 18-inch wheels will work. Important: Remember that when changing tire sizes, a taller tire knocks down the gear ratio, so be prepared for a decrease in performance if you go with a tire that's too tall. Also, all '96-present Mustangs will need to have the computer tuned, as a drastic change in tire size will throw off the speedometer and send the computer into safe mode.

10-Minute Tune-Up
Approximate Cost: $50
Available From: Local Auto Parts Store
Ease of Installation: 4

The 10-Minute Tune-Up was first broke by MM&FF many years ago; the exact date of implementation is unknown. Essentially, former magazine scribe and now freelance extraordinaire Neil Van Oppre, along with former staffer Tony DiFeo, collected several popular modifications for a stock 5.0 and packaged them together as one group, affectionately called the 10-Minute Tune-Up. The package has taken on legendary status in the 5.0 world.

First on the list is bumping the ignition timing to anywhere from 13-15 degrees, with the spout out. Some cars like as much as 15 degrees of timing, while others can tolerate only 13. Other stuff on the list include dumping the air silencer assembly in the fenderwell and replacing the stock air filter with one from K&N. Icing the intake manifold in between dragstrip runs yields great results on a 5.0, or any car for that matter. Just be careful not to let the water puddle on the manifold and spill out under the car during a run down the dragstrip. Disconnecting and/or removing the front antisway bar helps weight transfer on the launch. It allows the nose to come up easier and plant the rear tires. Street driving is effected with this modification, and we suggest you reconnect/reinstall the antisway bar before leaving the track.

The final two mods are parts you can buy at the local auto-parts store. A 70.5-inch serpentine belt allows the power steering and alternator to be bypassed in an effort to save on parasitic loss. A 160-degree thermostat is also a staple on the 10-Minute Tune-Up list. It opens the radiator at 160 degrees rather than at 190 degrees (stock thermostat setting) to cool the engine sooner and help in between round cooldown.

Exhaust Upgrades
Approximate Cost: $150-$500
Available From: Ford Racing (www.ford racingparts.com), Bassani Xhaust (www.bassani.com), MagnaFlow (www.magna flow.com), Corsa (www.corsaperf.com), BBK (www.bbkperformance.com), Pypes (www.pypesexhaust.com), Kooks Custom Headers (www.kookscustomheaders.com), JBA (www.jbaheaders.com), Hooker (www.holley.com), Flowtech (www.holley.com), SLP (www.slponline.com), Borla (www.borla.com), Flowmaster (www.flowmaster.com), Dynatech (www.dynatechheaders.com), MRT (www.mustangracing.com), UPR (www.upr products.com), American Racing Headers (www.americanracingheaders.com), Steeda (www.steeda.com), Stainless Works (www.stainlessworks.net), and MAC Performance Products (www.macperformance.com)
Ease of Installation: 2-5 depending on which exhaust component and model year.

There's nothing like the distinct, throaty growl of a Mustang. The topic of modified exhaust systems is a heavy one, as many companies offer something for Mustangs of all years. The effectiveness of headers, midpipes, and after-cat exhaust systems vary on the different generations of Mustangs. The older 5.0 cars are more responsive to exhaust mods than the newer S197 models--thanks to Ford supplying it with a 2.5-inch exhaust.

Factory 5.0 cars come with tubular headers that feature crushed pipes, a dinky 2-1/2-inch H-pipe with four catalytic converters, and a 2-1/2-inch after-cat exhaust. To say adding larger exhaust and mufflers adds substantial power is an understatement. Typically, adding a 2-1/2-inch x pipe system and after-cat exhaust increases power by 25-30 rwhp.

"We don't find much when changing headers on the modular Mustangs; the exhaust manifolds are pretty decent in stock combinations," Dezotell says. He said most '96-'04 Mustangs that roll in the shop get a larger x pipe system and an after-cat exhaust, which generally picks up 20-or-so rwhp. Burcham and Gonyon agree about leaving the exhaust manifolds in place on stock engines and spending the money elsewhere.

As for the S197, our experts all agreed that swapping mufflers in these cars should be done to tailor the exhaust tone to your liking--just don't expect to see the same gains you would with a 5.0 car. Simply swapping to an x pipe system and after-cat exhaust brings about a 10-rwhp increase. Power gains with exhaust modifications increase as you wring out more power from the Three-Valve engine.

Cold-Air Intake
Approximate Cost: $130-$500
Available From: Western Motorsports (www.wmsracing.com), Anderson Ford Motorsport (www.andersonfordmotorsport.com), Airaid (www.airaid.com), BBK (www.bbkperformance.com), Steeda (www.steeda.com), C&L Performance (www.cnlperformance.com), Granatelli Motorsports (www.granatellimotorsports.com), Roush Performance (www.roushperformance.com), JDM Engineering (www.teamjdm.com), Ford Racing (www.fordracingparts.com), and JLT (www.jlttruecoldair.com)
Ease of Installation: 2

It's a simple concept: Let more air into the engine and the powerplant to make more horsepower. Naturally, "more" is a relative term, but keeping restrictions before the throttle body to a minimum certainly helps performance. Mustangs are restricted from the factory when it comes to letting air into the engine. The 5.0 cars suffer from a goofy air- silencer assembly; the mod motor-equipped Stangs don't have the optimal inlet assembly to feed the air-starved engine. A simple fix is to add a cold-air intake to ensure the throttle body allows in as much air as possible. The cold-air moniker is due to the notion of the inlet kit grabbing air from the fender rather than from under the hood.

Replacing the rubber elbow and air filter is common, and there are many companies on the market that offer effective induction solutions. Simply running an open throttle body or no air filter on a MAF sensor is not the best method. Air needs to have a clean and channeled path so it moves efficiently. "Cold-air kits usually yield 10-15 hp," Burcham says. "Most of the gain is from the conical filter, but the smooth-radius bends and larger-diameter pipes don't hurt, either. Most of the factory air kits already draw air from the fender, so there's not much to gain from filter location."

Swapping cold-air intake kits onto S197 Mustangs sometimes requires the computer to be retuned due to the change in the MAF sensor signal. Most kits come with either a handheld tuner standard or as an option. Other companies produce cold-air intake kits that don't require tuning. Our testing has found that there are considerably greater improvements with the addition of both the cold-air intake and an aftermarket tune-up, but combining the two on an S197 car drives the cost higher than our $500 price ceiling.

Intake Manifold Upgrade
Approximate Cost: $100-$500
Available From: Accufab (www.accufab), C&L Performance (www.cnlperformance.com), Ford Racing (www.fordracingparts.com), Edelbrock (www.edelbrock.com), Holley (www.holley.com), Professional Products (www.professionalproducts.com), Steeda (www.steeda.com), Granatelli Motorsports (www.granatellimotorsports.com), UPR Products (www.uprproducts.com), and Trick Flow (www.trickflow.com)
Ease of Installation: 4-6 depending on model

Swapping an intake manifold pertains to 5.0 and Two-Valve engines. The Three-Valve stuff still relies on the stock intake--that is, until the aftermarket comes out with some viable options.

The Two-Valve engine benefits from two different intake manifold swaps. The first is a simple swap of the upper plenum, which is a reasonable-cost component. The other intake option is to get a completely new intake manifold from Trick Flow, Professional Products, or the forthcoming BBK Two-Valve intake. Replacing the entire manifold puts the cost factor above $500, with the Professional Products entry around $530, and the Trick Flow intake significantly more.

Most people just replace the upper plenum and throttle body on the Two-Valve cars and find 10-15 hp. It might not sound like much, but the increased airflow yields even bigger results when you put on a supercharger or swap the heads and camshafts. The factory PI intake manifold ('99-'04 Two-Valve intake) works surprisingly well, and while many companies have tried, they have yet to top that intake in performance for a street/strip Mustang.

The 5.0 market seems to have a plethora of intake manifolds available for a variety of applications. The factory E7 intake manifold chokes the stock E7 heads, especially when you start adding 1.7 roller rocker arms and other bolt-on pieces. Opening up the intake helps the heads breathe a bit easier, and it shows a horsepower increase of about 15-20.

"I'd go with a Trick Flow Street for a mostly stock 302," Dezotell says.

Burcham threw in his two cents on intakes for 5.0 engines, saying, "The Cobra or Trick Flow would work best for stock or mildly modded engines. The Cobra will work the best all around for a stocker, but the Trick Flow isn't far behind. The Cobra is nice because it works well when you go with better heads and other future engine mods."

Gonyon had this to say about intakes on the venerable 5.0 combo: "I suggest going with a Cobra, Explorer, or GT-40 intake."

Brake Upgrades
Approximate Cost: $200-$500
Available From: Hawk Performance (www.hawkperformance.com), EBC Brakes (www.ebcbrakes.com), Bendix (www.bendixbrakes.com), and Powerslot Brakes (www.powerslot.com)
Ease of Installation: 4

"Brake mods are well worth the investment if you plan on some spirited driving," Burcham says.

"If you're going to make it faster, you're going to have to make it stop," Dezotell says.

Let's face it, the factory brakes are pretty weak and in dire need of attention, especially if you autocross or road race your Stang, as doing both takes a toll on tires and the entire braking system. Be prepared to change the brake fluid often. Heat is a killer as it breaks down the fluid and wears out pads quickly. The wearable parts tend to last a bit longer in the autocross arena than on road courses. Another reason to get a set of aftermarket brakes is the cool factor--it's neat to peak behind a wheel and see a stout disc-brake setup. It also helps to have more stopping power on the street. We all know how bad drivers suddenly stop short in front of you for no reason at all.

Swapping to four-wheel disc brakes can be an expensive proposition, as it's easy to gravitate to the serious stuff like Brembo and Baer. Although each of those companies offer entry-level braking systems, they're still far above the $500 maximum we imposed on our Top 10 list. We're here to say that the high-end companies aren't the only sources for aftermarket brake kits. Companies such as Power Slot are a great alternative for performance and aesthetics. With some investigation, you can piece together a braking system to suit your needs and budget. Many companies make nice upgrade options for existing disc brakes as well as disc-brake conversions for the rear-drum-brake setups found on the '79-'93 Stangs. The '94-present Stangs have four-wheel disc brakes, and upgrading to better calipers and rotors will help stopping power.

The larger rotors help dissipate heat better as well as provide more surface area for larger calipers and brake pads. The larger caliper and brake pads provide more frictional area to help slow down the wheel speed. If upgrading the rotors and calipers isn't an option, a better brake pad will help, as several aftermarket companies make brake pads that grip much better than the stock units and are relatively inexpensive, around $50-$60 per pad.

This month, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords is all about going fast on a budget and picking performance parts that are cost effective, so we grabbed hold of our recent 5.0/AOD bolt-on Pony and threw some tried-but-true performance parts at it.

Our subject vehicle, a slick little notchback, had been mostly track tested until now, but we had to throw it on the dyno to get some results, as our local tracks here at MM&FF South were closed for a couple of weeks during the holiday season. That being the case, we loaded up the coupe and headed for Orange Park, Florida, a small suburb of Jacksonville and home to HP Performance, where we planned to pound out the horsepower on its Dynojet dynamometer.

Our 5.0 Mustang always responded well to the simplest of modifications, and today, we're looking to improve the 302's breathing through some choice induction and valvetrain mods. As far as bolt-ons go, our coupe has seen its share. The AOD-equipped ride has a 3.55:1 ring-and-pinion upgrade, a full performance exhaust from the headers back, a Cobra intake manifold, Ford Racing Performance Parts underdrive pulleys, and a K&N panel replacement filter in addition to advanced initial ignition timing. We're also running 150 hp worth of nitrous at the dragstrip, but for these tests, we'll keep things au naturel, as we're looking to bump up the engine's performance with only gasoline.

That being said, we decided to open up the induction side of things with a bigger mass air meter, a larger throttle body, and a set of higher-than-stock roller-rocker arms to move the valves a little more.

We found out by utilizing the Dynojet's wide-band air/fuel meter that the coupe was running rather rich for a naturally aspirated car (about 11.6:1), which was certainly hurting power a bit, as well as mileage. We thought the new meter might lean things out, but it wasn't enough, so HP's Tony Gonyon whipped up a little program and loaded it onto a chip for our A9P automatic processor. The added timing did the trick, and we picked up even more ponies.

Installation-wise, the throttle body and mass air meter were rather simple and easily accomplished by the beginner. The roller rockers require a bit more technical knowledge, but if you can pull off your upper intake manifold, it shouldn't be too difficult. Figure about three to four hours for the novice, or less than one hour for someone who knows his/her way around the 5.0 Mustang engine bay.

Within this article, you'll find some interesting information from C&L Performance's Lee Bender, who provided us with pictures and test results from his custom flow bench on which he develops C&L's product line. C&L's proprietary computerized flow stand, which is capable of not only measuring the capacity of entire high-performance air-intake assemblies at a full 28 inches of depression, but it's also used to generate mass airflow calibration information for its different aftermarket upgrade MAF housings and complete intake assemblies for the newer applications. Bender also gave us some insight to the C&L meter, along with installing it on our car.

"Our calibration is intended to be used with a high-flow filter in the stock airbox assembly," Bender says. "This calibration was developed on the dyno to create the maximum power with a stock computer tune and a normal fuel pressure level." That being said, it stands to reason that vehicles equipped with adjustable fuel-pressure regulators set outside of the 40- to 42-psi static range may have their air/fuel ratios influenced by those factors.

"The stock air/fuel ratio typically hovers in the 11.8-12.2:1 range, and removing the stock airbox assembly and replacing it with a cone air filter on the end of the stock mass airflow body will result in a MAF calibration/signal that is 10 percent leaner," Bender says. The 76mm unit was designed to deliver an air/fuel ratio that is within the ideal range, and graphing the output of this unit is virtually identical to the stock MAF with the cone filter attached on the end.

"Installing a cone filter on the C&L piece could lean out the air/fuel ratio to a range that is leaner than ideal, resulting in an air/fuel ratio that will not deliver maximum power," Bender says. He noted that this would not cause you to run lean enough to be "concerned," but simply leaner than it needs to be for maximum power. Adjusting the fuel pressure can help to counteract this effect, but C&L recommends the panel assembly for best overall fit, finish, and convenience.

Check out the captions to see how our round of penny-pinching power parts performed, and be sure to check back as we've been looking at cylinder-head options and plan to get back to the track as soon as it opens for the '08 season.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Dyno
While holding down the MM&FF South office in Tampa, Florida, I often find myself traversing the Sunshine State in search of tech and feature articles. On my way to the dyno session, the little juiced coupe decided to have a blowout. Not normally a big deal, but here's the situation. The spare tire was flat, the tire iron didn't fit the lugs for the brand-new wheels, I had to turn in the tech story the following day, and I still had 2-1/2 more hours to drive to HP Performance.

Even if I had AAA, it probably wouldn't have gotten the coupe up and running and to my destination, so I had to turn to family and friends for help. As editors, we do much of our installs during the normal workweek, when everyone else is at work as well. Luckily for us, frequent MM&FF installer George Xenos and his nephew Mark Watson were available. They picked up a spare set of wheels, a jack and tools, and came to the rescue.

I would just like to say thanks to them, and ask all of you to think about your friends and family who bail you out of jams. They're an invaluable part of the hobby, and life in general.

Ask your wife or girlfriend what matters most to her, and she'll likely say it's the "little things." Take, for example, a marriage proposal. Sure, every girl loves receiving a diamond engage-ment ring, but what separates the experience from that of her friends is the manner in which the ring is presented. Take it from us: Proposing to your girl after a romantic ride through Central Park in New York City goes over a lot better than popping the question in the middle of the mall.

In a sense, the same thing can be said for running nitrous on your muscle Mustang or fast Ford. Sure, just about anyone with basic common mechanical knowledge can install a nitrous system over the course of a weekend and get it to function. The difficult part is getting the system to function correctly, keeping the bullet under the hood intact and running as well as it can while sipping from "the jug." The way to keep your powerplant safe and running the best it can while on the laughing gas is to select the proper accessories to go along with your kit.

Before delving into what you need to complement your nitrous kit, it first helps to have an understanding of what nitrous is and how it works. While we could spend almost a year's worth of issues on nitrous-the theories surrounding it, differences in the numerous types of kits out there, and much more-we'll simply break it down into something a fifth-grader could understand.

Prior to the combustion process in an internal combustion engine, air and fuel are mixed by either the carburetor or through the fuel-injection system. When compressed in the combustion chamber and lit by the spark from the spark plug, the oxygen and the fuel burn rapidly. The ensuing pressure created by the burning air/fuel mixture forces the piston downward at an extremely fast rate. When nitrous is introduced, there are extra oxygen molecules available for combustion. This extra oxygen creates additional power by allowing more fuel to be burned. In addition, nitrous acts to buffer, or damper, helping to cool the combustion process. All of this adds up to more power when the button on the system is pressed.

While in theory nitrous oxide is simple, it has its complications. For starters, the fuel system should be sufficient to provide enough fuel volume to match the amount of nitrous injected. At higher horsepower levels, the fuel system should be stepped up. The last thing you want is a fuel system that is inadequate for the amount of nitrous you're running. This will result in the engine going lean-after which, detonation and a big kaboom! follows.

We spent some time strolling around the Internet and burning up the phone lines with numerous aftermarket companies to get an idea of what accessories should be installed with a nitrous kit to maximize both performance and reliability. Tag along as we show you the ins and outs of the squeeze play.

Cometic Gasket
Largely known for its line of head gaskets, Cometic has stepped up to the plate in the nitrous arena with a pair of nitrous controllers: the NOX BOX-1 and the NOX BOX-2. Both units have identical features and capabilities, except the NOX BOX-2 can directly drive two nitrous stages with progressive control, also known as modulated flow. The NOX BOX-1 is limited to on/off control and requires external relays.

While the NOX BOX-1 requires the external relays to do what the NOX BOX-2 does independently, both are designed to drive two nitrous stages as well as a purge solenoid. Each stage is independently programmable based on throttle position, rpm, vehicle speed, time delay, and First-gear lockout. In addition, both boxes are dataloggers and come with a USB cable so you can download the logged data to a laptop for analysis.

Zex Nitrous
Zex came up with a few items worth noting, one being its new dual-outlet purge kit, pictured here. The dual-outlet kit creates a V-pattern nitrous cloud through the use of two discharge tubes to let you aim the nitrous purge. The kit utilizes the largest and highest-flowing purge solenoid on the market and comes with all of the parts needed for an easy installation. The purge kit allows you to rid the system of any air it might encounter upon activation, and is a must-have to keep the engine from feeling the effects of an air bubble when the nitrous is activated.

To help keep the tires planted when the nitrous kicks in, check out Zex's new traction-control window switch. It allows you to easily select the rpm range of nitrous activation.

The ability to set this window is critical to engine safety because hitting the juice below 2,500 rpm can cause detonation and engine damage. In addition, hitting the rev limiter at high rpm with the nitrous engaged causes the intake manifold to quickly exit the engine. The Zex unit is completely self-programmable and allows you to block off First-gear activation, so you don't blow the tires away.

Another notable item is Zex's V-8 Spark Plug Tuning Kit. Offered in two versions--400 hp and 700 hp--the kits come with a full set of Igniter Core technology plugs, a hard-side plug carrying case, a spark-plug gapping tool, an illuminated spark-plug magnifier, and a spark-plug tuning guide. This kit allows you to swap over to a colder set at the track, while running the normal plugs on the ride to and from. As you probably know, colder plugs are needed when running nitrous to stave off detonation.

Nitrous Works
When it comes to running on the bottle, getting the bottle pressure to the right level is key to proper performance and consistency. Nitrous Works helps out in this area with its MaxPak bottle heater kit. The bottle heater regulates bottle temperature to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which translates to optimal bottle pressure between 1,000 and 1,100 psi. The MaxPak requires a continuous 12-volt power supply and is thermostatically controlled for safety. The kit comes with a choice of -4 or -6 AN lines, a pressure sensor with automatic shutoff, an arming switch, a pressure gauge, a safety-valve vent tube, a bottle blanket with the Nitrous Works logo, and detailed instructions.

Nitrous Works also has a purge kit that comes with a choice of -4 and -6 AN lines, as well as a bottle-pressure gauge and adapter. The purge kit is self-explanatory, while the gauge and adapter allow you to fashion a pressure gauge to the top of the bottle, giving you the ability to monitor bottle pressure.

MSD Ignition
The rule of thumb when running nitrous oxide is to retard timing 2 degrees for each 50hp increase. While the stock ignition system may be fine for a small shot, to get the most out of each hit of the sauce and have peace of mind that the engine will stay together when the nitrous is activated, we chatted with the folks at MSD Ignition to see what they offered. We were impressed with the company's Digital Multi-Retard Control. The ignition controller was designed with nitrous oxide users in mind, and uses a microcontroller to manage four different stages of retard that can be activated independently as each stage of nitrous is activated. The retard amounts are adjusted with built-in dials, so there are no programs to memorize. The ignition controller also features an adjustable-start retard function and a magnetic pickup compensation circuit, so you can select a trigger design that matches your application. Of note, though, the ignition controller must be used with an MSD ignition control, so grab an ignition box and accompanying components when you order the ignition controller.

While you're at it, don't forget to check out MSD's Digital RPM Window Switch and TPS/RPM Activated Switch. The digital switch is programmable from 200 rpm to 15,000 rpm in 100-rpm increments, and can be adjusted simply by scrolling through the LED display to the desired rpm. The TPS switch offers the same as the digital switch, along with the ability to select a throttle-position sensor activation point. For those with S197 Mustangs as well as Fox-bodies or SN-95s, the TPS switch works with both normal or drive-by-wire throttle systems.

Nitrous Express
Nitrous Express offers a wide variety of kits, along with what it bills as the ultimate nitrous system accessory, its Gen-X or GenX-2 accessory packs. The packs come with all of the components needed to make your nitrous system dependable and worry-free, including a fully automatic bottle heater with pressure transducer, a fuel-pressure safety switch (which cuts off the nitrous if fuel pressure falls below a certain level), a liquid-filled nitrous pressure gauge, an NHRA-approved pressure-release fitting and blow-down tube, and all of the electrical connectors and wiring needed to complete the installation. The GenX-2 kit comes with an extra purge valve and Nitrous Express' Ice-Man solenoid.

Nitrous Express also offers a really cool remote bottle-valve opener that allows you to open and close the bottle with the press of a button. The company's Octane Series Bottle Volume Display Controller tells you exactly how much nitrous is in the bottle in either percentage or time. The bottle-v