The trickle-down effect from...
The trickle-down effect from the Cobra Jet program is seen here with the Whipple Crusher inlet. Removing any restriction in front of a positive-displacement blower helps it provide more boost, without spinning the supercharger harder.
The positive side of the 750hp kit is that it is 50-state emissions compliant, which is amazing given its extreme output. The 50-state legality is only when the FRPP tune is utilized. Kershaw continues: "There are many cases of customers getting one of our kits and then immediately having the calibration re-done to find more power. Those calibrations, however, do not have the durability built in like the FRPP tune. It's common to see catalyst failure and exhaust valves take a tulip shape from the exhaust heat in those cases. In addition, custom tunes do not have emissions approval."
This kit was designed specifically for the '10 GT500. It can't be used for '07-'09 Shelby GT500s due to the calibration difference, as well as the inlet system. Ford Racing sells a specific '07-'09 Shelby GT500 supercharger upgrade system. Its boasts 605 hp (at the crank), and the factory warranty remains if it's installed by an authorized Ford Racing shop.
Kershaw noted that Whipple offers a tuner kit directly; it fits '07-'09 models as well. The system produces the same 675 rwhp that we witnessed from the FRPP kit we tested on the '10 GT500 model.
Lacko and Cook lower the 2.9L...
Lacko and Cook lower the 2.9L twin-screw blower on top of the stock lower manifold, which houses the air-to-water intercooler. ARP bolts are used to fasten the blower to the manifold.
Shaun Lacko and Bob Cook of Downs Ford Motorsport handled the installation; we then made the short drive to Big Daddy Performance for chassis dyno testing. The installation was easy and straightforward, except for the rear bolt on the supercharger. Lacko had to make a custom tool to reach it. The custom tool was basically a straight metal bar with a wrench welded to the end of it. The makeshift tool allowed Lacko to reach the bolt and tighten it down. Other than that, it was a simple blower swap, drop-in fuel pump assembly, and ECU recalibration.
On the dyno, the 2.9L supercharger peaked at 19 psi at the top of the pull, and the dyno read 675 rwhp and 629 tq. That was up from our baseline of 501 rwhp and 474 tq-gains of 174 rwhp and 155 tq.
"There is a bit more left in the tune," said Dwayne Gutridge of Big Daddy Performance as he pointed at the air/fuel mixture. The FRPP tune showed a consistent 12.5:1 A/F ratio, and "the 4.6L and 5.4L modular engines, whether it be the Two-Valve, Four-Valve, or Three-Valve-any of them-like to run rich in the 11-11.5:1 range," says Gutridge.
The stock eight-rib blower...
The stock eight-rib blower belt is reused.
Adding more fuel to our test GT500 would have netted more power-Gutridge wouldn't say how much, but we wouldn't be surprised to see 700 rwhp. Although, as Kershaw stated earlier, doing so would eliminate the emissions-legal status of the kit.
The 750hp package instantly puts the '10 Shelby GT500 into ZR1-slaying territory-just add sticky tires.
Another component sourced...
Another component sourced from the successful Cobra Jet program is this dual-bore billet throttle body. Each bore measures 65 mm, and while a mono-blade-style throttle body makes more power, this FRPP billet unit is said to have stock-like idle qualities and driveability.
The engine is almost ready...
The engine is almost ready to fire up. The 123mm MAF sensor and cold-air kit are installed. The FRPP kit continues to employ the ram-air tube from the front grill, which is a standard feature on the '10 Shelby GT500.
Cook fills the supercharger...
Cook fills the supercharger with a proprietary lubricant, which was thin. According to Lacko, the Whipple blower features an inspection window to check the level. There isn't a set timeframe to change the fluid as it depends on use and abuse. Lacko told us that the fluid should be changed when it looks dirty.
A new FRPP high-output fuel...
A new FRPP high-output fuel pump assembly is dropped into the tank. The drop-in pump setup is a simple swap-and-play system that plugs into the same wiring harness as the stock setup. The two pumps are modified and flow 255 lph each.
From 501 rwhp to an impressive...
From 501 rwhp to an impressive 675 rwhp in a short period of time-the total installation took around 3-4 hours, including the fabrication of a custom wrench to tighten a hard-to-get bolt.
"Ford Racing tests its calibrations...
"Ford Racing tests its calibrations extensively in a wide range of conditions," said Wayne Geoffrey of FRPP. "Our engineers take extreme care to provide as much power and torque as can be safely delivered, and also to deliver high durability and exceptional drivability. Ford Racing calibrations are developed with certain protections against damage, both short-term and long-term, caused by particular internal conditions-mainly heat, spark knock, or pre-ignition."
Due to multiple calibrations,...
Due to multiple calibrations, FRPP requires an online registration and will ship the tune to the customer. A memory chip is installed in the handheld programmer. It is connected to the ECU through the OBD-II port under the dashboard.
We relied on Big Daddy Performance...
We relied on Big Daddy Performance for our dyno testing. It's home to legendary Mustang racer Dwayne Gutridge and is located in Lakewood, New Jersey.