Thanks to construction and New Jersey traffic, our testing didn't begin until the afternoon. That meant we had to make quick work on the track and not beat up the car too badly. That way, our results would be repeatable. Dez made nine 60-foot runs-four without the two-step and five with it-in order to evaluate the consistency in the short times. We prevented him from running the car out the back door on each pass so we could keep it fresh for a barrage of 60-foot runs. The ProCharged Pony was run through the quarter-mile only a couple of times, and only because Dez couldn't help himself. The best time was an 11.50 at 122 mph. This was accomplished on a set of Mickey Thompson Drag Radials (275/50-15).
We recommend a long, lengthy...
We recommend a long, lengthy burnout with drag radials. That seems to be the best technique in order to get them to hook. Leave the wimpy burnouts for the sport-compact crowd.
Dez started the day without running the Launch Control unit, and his inconsistency on the starting line showed it. On the first run, he left too high and clicked off an anemic 2.24 60-foot. This was with a 4,500-rpm launch, which he thinks changed when he glanced up at the Tree. Next, Dez tried to leave at 3,500, but with the same result, though not as bad. The car barked the tires with a 1.93 60-foot, but Dez again reported he couldn't be certain he left at 3,500 rpm when he took his eyes off the tach. He backed up the 3,500-rpm launch with a 1.94 on the next run. The third back-up hit at 3,500 rpm had a disastrous result with a 1.99 60-foot. He said he went above 3,500 rpm despite trying to keep it steady. "I couldn't even concentrate on hitting the Tree since this car is so sensitive with the leave rpm, especially while running on drag radials," Dez says about his frustration with the launch rpm.
The MSD box plugs right into...
The MSD box plugs right into the coil for each cylinder.
Dez mounted the unit on top...
Dez mounted the unit on top of the fuse box using Velcro and glue.
The ground wire was fastened...
The ground wire was fastened to an existing ground on the radiator support.
It was time to turn on the Launch Control, and we started out at 3,800 rpm. The engine stuttered as the MSD unit did its job-not the harsh two-step sound like the typical bracket racer's car, but rather a smooth pup-pup-pup. Dez quickly let out the clutch pedal, disengaging the Launch Control in the process thanks to it being wired off the clutch pedal. The M/T tires chirped and the car clocked a 1.95 60-foot time. On the next trip, Dez lowered the leave to 3,500 rpm, and the car loved it. Away the silver GT went, covering the 60-foot time in only 1.87 seconds. Two more runs produced 1.84 and 1.86 60-foot times. Despite three solid runs (3,500-rpm leave) under our belts, we prodded Dez to do one more just to verify the 60-foot time. Sure enough, the silver Two-Valve flyer knocked off a 1.86 60-foot time.
We were satisfied, and Dez summed it up best, saying, "The Launch Control basically eliminates a major factor when driving. You just floor it and let the MSD controller do its job. Then I could concentrate solely on the Tree. It also makes the car very consistent, helps you find the sweet spot on the tach, and lets you nail it every time."
When the clutch pedal is depressed,...
When the clutch pedal is depressed, it completes the ground circuit. That activates the low side rev-limiter. When the clutch is released, the Launch Control box switches to the high-side rev limiter. We have to admit, Dez was not going all the way to the floor with the clutch pedal, so he didn't have to worry about engaging the low-side limiter during his runs. He recommends using this setup in conjunction with a Line-Loc kit and have the launch-rpm function coincide with a micro switch or button from the Line-Loc. MSD's detailed instructions describe how to wire it into a Line-Loc function.
The white and the blue wires...
The white and the blue wires are used for the two-step with a 12V source.
The blue wire is for use with...
The blue wire is for use with a ground source. Dez wired the blue wire through the factory neutral safety switch under the dashboard. Utilizing a two-pin pigtail that was sourced from a '99 Mustang, he plugged it into the open slot under the dash of this '01 GT. He then ran the blue wire into the switch and had the other side of the pigtail run to a ground.