The world of heads-up "street" car racing is quickly advancing into one of the most popular forms of drag racing, mainly because of the outrageous cars in competition. With thousands of horsepower being applied to small tires, it's a nail-biting experience every time one of these Outlaws stages up. Undoubtedly, the Fox-body Mustang is a great platform to build one of these ultra-quick machines, but there's plenty of room for improvement to go from near stock to quarter-mile or eighth-mile rocket.inline_mediumwraptextrightWhen this Mustang entered the Smoky Mountain Chassis shop, it already had a highly modified 8.8 rearend. The crew then narrowed the rearend and slid in the custom-length Strange axles.26715196/tech/mmfp_0912_installing_an_aerospace_dual_caliper_kitmmfp_0912_02_+aerospace_dual_caliper_kit+strange_axles.jpgTrue

The Gen 2 SVT Lightning ('99-'04) has a special place in Ford performance history thanks to its supercharged 5.4L Triton engine and an enthusiastic group of owners. They have modified these trucks extensively, and despite having been out of production for nearly half a decade, the Lightning market is still advancing. One of the leading Lightning performance shops, Johnny Lightning Performance (JLP) invited us to its New Providence, Pennsylvania, digs to checkout the latest boost maker from Kenne Bell Superchargers.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe Kenne Bell 2.6H is a worthy street blower, but there are some Lightning owners who want more than its 650 rwhp.26713792/tech/mmfp_0912_kenne_bell_supercharger_upgrademmfp_0912_02_+kenne_bell_supercharger_upgrade+kenne_bell_blower.jpgTrue

When it comes to modifying your 5.0L Mustang, there are several routes you can take to improve performance. They include increased displacement, basic bolt-ons, boost, and, of course, nitrous oxide. Only your bank account will determine whether these avenues are explored alone or in tandem.inline_mediumwraptextrightDemon Engines supplied a 347 stroker kit that included a 3.4-inch steel stroker crank, 5.4-inch forged rods, and 4.030 forged (flat-top) pistons from Probe Racing.26712082/tech/mmfp_0912_demon_347_short_block_cylinder_assemblymmfp_0912_02_+demon_347_short_block_assembly+347_stroker_kit.jpgTrue

As a project gets underway, it begins to develop a personality all it's own. Some are great on the dragstrip, some seem adept at carving corners. Our project car is no exceptioninline_mediumwraptextrightThis month's upgrades started with the removal of the stock manifolds and Magnaflow X-style midpipe. With the old exhaust out of the way, we were able start the installation of our rearend parts and our new exhaust system.30951966/tech/mmfp_0912_installing_eaton_detroit_truetrac_differentialmmfp_0912_02_+truetrac_differentials+remove_stock_manifolds.jpgTrue

Last month we tore into our resident '90 Mustang coupe and gutted the interior space to make way for a host of new components from Latemodel Restoration Supply and Corbeau. To provide a solid foundation to build on, we called Thermo-Tec for some of its sound and heat insulation material and proceeded to dampen the resonant characteristics of the Mustang's unibody chassis. This month we move ahead with this comprehensive interior restoration by prepping and painting all of the interior pieces, and then tackle the heater core and door-lock actuator installations.inline_mediumwraptextrightDon't use gloss enamel from the local store to change the color of your interior. Latemodel Restoration Supply has the correct paint for a professional result.30949794/tech/mmfp_0912_upgrading_heater_core_and_door_lock_actuator_installationsmmfp_0912_02_+restoring_heater_core_door_locks+gloss_enamel.jpgTrue

It's a common thread among Mustang enthusiasts that going fast is fun. Letting the ponies run wild can be an exhilarating feeling, and there's no easier way to get your thrill than to bolt on a nitrous oxide injection system. Ny-Trex now makes it easier than ever to add 50-150 hp to your S197 Mustang.inline_mediumwraptextrightNy-Trex's Triple-Threat nitrous oxide system for 2005 and newer Mustangs comes with everything you'll need short of the nitrous itself. The 10-pound high-flow bottle can be had in black (shown) or a venomous bright green.30940242/tech/mmfp_0912_ny_trex_triple_threat_nitrous_oxide_injection_systemmmfp_0912_02_+triple_threat_nitrous_oxide_injection_system+ny_trex_triple_threat_nos.jpgTrue

In the pursuit of big power on a low budget, our '93 5.0L SSP coupe has shown a serious improvement with just a few bolt-ons and a couple of old tricks. Last issue, we advanced the timing; installed a BBK Performance cold-air intake, mass air meter, and throttle body; swapped our stock-length belt for a short-belt, and iced the intake. For less than $600, we made 44 rwhp and 58 rwtq. Quarter-mile e.t.'s dropped from 14.522 at 97 mph to 13.669 at over 103 mph. We were very pleased.inline_mediumwraptextright25466561/tech/mmfp_0912_installing_edelbrock_e_street_cylinder_headsmmfp_0912_01_+edelbrock_e_street_cylinder_heads+cylinder_heads.jpgTrue

"Cold air is more dense and carries more oxygen molecules," was the response Justin Burcham of JPC Racing blurted out when we asked about his reasoning for adding the new JPC Racing air-to-water intercooler to many of his high-horsepower, forced-induction customer cars. The modification is a simple solution to an increasing problem that Burcham realized while racing his popular '05 Mustang GT in MM&FF/NMRA True Street competition.

When the first modular motor-powered Mustang rolled off the assembly line and on to dealership lots in 1996, it had the same great looks, but the standard V-8 was a Two-Valve mod motor displacing 4.6L. The popular and successful 5.0L pushrod engine made way for a more complex engine with overhead cams, delicate short-blocks, and a new computer system.

With the current state of the economy, it's tough out there for a lot of Mustang enthusiasts. Finding spare cash to buy car parts can be difficult, but we think we've found some simple, yet effective bolt-on parts for your S197 Mustang that you can afford on a monthly basis. Together, they can turn your Mustang into one peppy thoroughbred.

Makin' Mods
Sticking with our plan to kick it old school, we headed back to the dyno to make our changes. We started with ignition timing. First, we cleaned the harmonic balancer with sandpaper and marked the crankshaft at 10, 14, and 16 degrees before top dead center (BTDC). Then we removed the SPOUT connector (located in the ignition harness near the distributor), and using a timing light, we found the timing to be set at the base timing of 10 degrees BTDC. Removal of the SPOUT (for SPark-OUT) allows timing adjustments while the engine is running without the ECU interfering. Ensuring we had 93 octane in the tank, we rotated the distributor clockwise until we achieved 14 degrees of timing advance. We reinstalled our SPOUT and spun the rollers with impressive results of 219 rwhp and 254 rwtq, a 14 hp and 32 lb-ft gain. We then advanced the timing another 2 degrees to 16, yielding 221 rwhp and 255 rwtq, a gain of another 2 hp and 1 lb-ft of torque.

If we were to query a group of Ford enthusiasts-not just the late-model crowd-about the performance potential and popularity of the 351 Cleveland, we'd be overwhelmed by stories and historical events that helped shape Ford performance.

The Fox-body Mustang that many of us know and love is now 30 years old. It's hard to absorb that since most of the late-model, fuel-injected versions that we own and modify are a bit newer, but the chassis design is old. The rest of the car, at best, is 16 years old.

The curve was more aggressive through the mid-range thanks to the timing chart that Burcham plotted. The timing removal started off passive and grew more aggressive as the boost went higher. It is a technique that couldn't have been done without the capabilities of the MSD programmable 6AL-2 box. This allows the car to have more low-end as it starts making boost and keeps the engine safe at high psi readings. In naturally aspirated trim, the test vehicle produced 309 rwhp, showing a gain of 151 rwhp with 10 psi of boost. For those keeping score, that amounts to 15.1 rwhp per 1 psi of boost.

Over the past several months, we've been assembling and dyno testing a small-block 331ci engine. This month we conclude the buildup by installing the engine in the car and turning the chassis dyno rollers to see just what the powertrain loss is after backing it up with a C4 automatic transmission.

In 1986, Ford replaced the tried and true four-barrel carburetion setup with a sequential multiple-port fuel injection system. This new EFI-equipped 302 scared the heck out of many Mustang enthusiasts, but offered improved driveability, fuel mileage, and smooth performance. And while Ford hadn't quite worked the bugs out for hot rodders wanting to bolt on intake manifolds, heads, and some lumpy cams, the future would eventually be bright for EFI.

Times are tough for many Mustang enthusiasts. In these uncertain economic times, we are forced to watch every penny, even though maximizing power is always high on the priority list. We all crave more power and better handling, but who has the big bucks for exotic parts? When times are tough, trade offs become necessary and in some cases, this involves trading expense for either knowledge (of the sort you find in the pages of MM&FF) or good old-fashion elbow grease.

Everyone wants to go faster. That's the whole idea behind hot-rodding a vehicle. Our competitive nature nags for speed-more than the guy in the lane next to you-but from a vehicle systems point of view, adding more horsepower leaves deficits in other areas of the car, such as the cooling, suspension, and braking systems.

Granatelli Motor Sports (GMS) has been a name synomous with Mustang performance for a long time. Not only is owner Joe "JR" Granatelli a prominent figure in Mustang drag racing and parts manufacturing, his family racing lore goes back decades.

With our '10 Mustang back at 160 degrees, Jones made another pull on the Dynojet. The addition of the electric water pump freed up 3 rwhp, bringing our total number to 289. "I was extremely surprised to see such a minimal gain from the Meziere pump," explains Jones. "We install these pumps all the time, and this is the first time we haven't seen at least an 11 rwhp gain." Even without the usual gain, Meziere's electric water pump is still a must for anyone who runs open-track days, autocrosses, or drag races. The added cooling benefits of constant water flow make this simple bolt-on invaluable the first time you need to keep your engine cool on a hot day.

New Edge Mustangs ('99-'04) are quickly becoming ultra-affordable modern muscle cars. They benefit from a solid engine with 260 factory horsepower and a great foundation from which you can build the Mustang of your dreams.

In the performance world there are certain monikers or names that have great meaning. For instance, you can say Hemi, Shelby, Boss, or Terminator and no explanation is needed.

We racers are driven by numbers. How much quicker are the e.t.'s? What's the horsepower improvement? How many g's does it pull? In today's world, no one trusts the 'ol seat-of-the-pants feel or "butt dyno." We want hard facts.

There's no denying that supercharging and turbocharging engines is becoming more and more popular every day. Substantial increases in horsepower and torque, along with stock-like driveability make these power adders very appealing to a great many enthusiasts. In order to take these power gains to the next level, an intercooler must be employed, and we're going to tell you why you might need one, and what is available for your muscle Mustang or fast Ford.

Forced induction is a huge part of the Mustang aftermarket. The unfortunate truth is that mod motors are handicapped with a less than desirable displacement from the factory and don't have the big-inch capabilities of their slightly larger 5.0L predecessor. Even with big-bore blocks and stroker crankshafts rapidly becoming readily available, cubic-inch limits are still relatively small compared to the mod motor's push-rod relatives.