Currently Ford Racing is evaluating an intercooled twin-screw supercharger on the 5.0-liter engine. The supercharger is being developed for the 2011 Shelby GT350 and as a Do It Yourself kit for any 2011 Mustang GT owner. According to a recent YouTube testing video, Ford Racing has left the stock internals untouched and are running a safe 4-5 pounds of boost with excellent results. The supercharged 5.0-liter test engine has been evaluated using a 100-hour engine dyno test as well as a 4-hour chassis dyno pull at various temperatures and altitudes.

While some debate the 5.0 liter’s 11.5:1 compression ratio being too high for boost, Ford’s new variable cam engine technology is a brand new chapter in Ford engine performances. While the engine uses a few carryover features from the 4.6 modular engine, Ford says the 5.0 Liter design is brand new and the variable valve technology on all four cams is what allows the high compression engine to work well in boosted applications

Aluminum Block
The 5.0 Liter aluminum engine block is stiffer than previous 2 and 3 valve Mustang GT modular engines. The exterior block features more ribbing and cross-hatching to improve rigidity, a feature that should come in handy when enthusiasts start to add power parts like turbos or superchargers.

Photo Credit: Ford

The bore spacing is 100 mm and features eight 92.2 mm (3.629 inches) bores with 92.7 mm (3.649) stroke to equal 302 cubic inches – a historic number in Mustang history. As with past aluminum modular blocks, the engine features pressed in iron cylinder liners with a new thinner design to achieve the optimum bore size.

The crankcase of a production 5.0-liter block features thick fully machined main webs, oval PCV ventilation ducts and piston cooling jet mounts. The cooling jets are direct result from Ford’s race engine programs and are fed oil directly from the main oil galley. The piston cooling jets bolt to the underside of the block galley and aid in cold engine start-up and prevent detonation. The valley is also optimized for windage and oil drain back under high RPM and sloshing conditions.

The 5.0-liter engine block uses 6 bolt nodular iron main caps with larger bolts. Each cap is bolted to the block with four down bolts and two cross bolts. With such a tight bottom end, crank walk will be the least of your problems with this engine

Crankshaft
5.0-Liter Mustang cranks are manufactured by Kellogg Crankshafts, and are fully counterweighted steel forgings. The counter weighting allows the crank to rev to 7,000 rpms with ease. The leading edge of the crankshaft journal-oiling hole is machined to improve oiling at high RPMs.

Connecting Rods
The connecting rods are forged from powdered metal and designed for reduced weight. The small end features a bronze bushing and full floating pin. With the 5.0 Liters center-to-center length the same as a 4.6-liter engine, we imagine the Manley H-beam type connecting rods found in the 2003-2004 Terminator Cobra would be an easy upgrade for this engine. Race engine builders looking to up the 5.0 liters power output past 600 hp should consider forged H-beam rods

Pistons
The 5.0 liters hypereutectic pistons were designed by Mahle to be tough yet light and come in at 11:1 compression. Updates such as hard anodizing around the top ring groove and friction-reducing moly coating are incorporated to help extend piston life under hard load. On the top end the valve reliefs are fly cut to tight tolerances.

Photo Credit: Livernois Motorsports

Cylinder Heads
The other pride point after the variable valve timing is the 5.0-liter cylinder heads. According to the engine team, the intake valves flow 4 percent better than the GT500 head and better than the old D3 NASCAR head. The 5.0-liter combustion chamber is a well-balanced design featuring two 37 mm intake valves and two 31mm exhaust valves. Intake ports are form a vertical shape and measure 193cc, exhaust ports are round and measure 37mm. Because the engine uses such small valves, the valvetrain is designed to be very compact. Roller finger followers actuated by the cams activate tiny rocker arms. Beehive valvesprings keep tension on the valves and seals the combustion chamber.

Photo Credit: Livernois Motorsports

The 5.0-liter cams provide max lift at 12mm (0.472-inch) on the intake and 11mm (0.432-inch) on the exhaust side. The VCT system can advance or retard the cams from their initial position from 81 degrees to 131 degrees.

Intake Design
The new 5.0 Liter engine features a plastic intake that in past models has proven to be lighter, cheaper to produce and delivers a cooler air charge. Composite intakes are now a given in naturally aspirated applications and a single 80mm single bore throttle body feeds 8 equal length intake runners. Aluminum spacers hold the fuel rails in place as the feed eight high flow injectors

Exhaust Headers
Short tube tuned twin T-style headers were developed by the 5.0 liter engine team to maximize the unique exhaust pulses from the Ti-VCT engine. While the Job 1 cars feature the tubular headers we hear a cast exhaust manifold is in the works for a mid-year update.

Conclusion
With the new 5.0 liter engine already peaked out at efficiency, many will debate the need to add boost to such a great package. But with the engine already designed to handle boost as part of Ford’s EcoBoost future, it will be interesting to see how much the engine can take with a aftermarket supercharger or turbo. It’s evident that Ford Racing has already perfected the low boost supercharger application. Its now up to the various Mustang tuners to attempt a high boost R&D program on an engine that is totally different than the old 3 and 4-valve modular engines.

While its V8 big brother is currently taking up a majority of the spotlight, the new Mustang Duratec 3.7-liter (227 cubic inch) V-6 engine deserves its share of attention from performance enthusiasts. Especially performance enthusiasts on a tight budget. With the 2011 V6 priced at just over $22,000, it’s $8,000 cheaper than the Mustang GT and the monthly insurance rate is much more affordable than the GT. The fact that it makes 305hp at 6,500 rpm and 285 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm makes it equal in performance to some of the heavy hitter Mustangs of yesteryear. The 1996-1998 SVT Cobra’s 4.6 liter engine was rated at 305 horsepower and the 2005 Mustang GT was rated less than the new V6, at 300 hp. All that power combined with a 30 miles per gallon highway fuel economy rating makes it a great value in our book.

V6 Brings Historic Cleveland Plant Back to Life

While we doubt the new Mustang V6 will ever be as famous as the 351 Cleveland, the engine has brought new life to the historic Ford engine plant. The Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 has produced more than 35 million Ford engines since 1951 and got the nod in 2009 to build the Duratec V6 and its “boosted brother”, the EcoBoost V6.

Ford spent around $121 million in retooling the plant manufacturing systems and another $34 million for the launch and engineering of the Mustang V6 engine. Ford expects the V-6 engine to make up two-thirds of the Mustang sales in 2010 and beyond.

Photo Credit: Ford The Duratec V6 engine is new to the Mustang S197 platform. Rated at 305 horsepower, the base car now matches the 1996-1998 SVT Cobra power output.

The 3.7-liter V-6 engine has been in the Ford line-up for a few years and was used in a front-drive configuration in the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Called for duty in the new Mustang platform, it’s been turned 90 degrees into a rear-drive engine set-up and updated with several new parts to appeal to the Mustang customer. New performance parts include a beefier aluminum block, forged steel crankshaft, 10.5:1 notched pistons and a lightweight composite intake manifold.

In the power department, the new engine makes 82 horsepower per liter of displacement, versus the old 4.0-liter pushrod engine’s 52 horsepower per liter. A 57-percent improvement in the efficiency factor should have V8 diehards giving the base mustang a look. A big contributor to the efficiency of the engine is the newly designed valvetrain as the V6 features variable intake and exhaust cams and the latest in overhead cam technology.

Cylinder Block is Ready to Rock

For cylinder block updates, the V6 incorporates a 60-degree engine design that is narrower than the 90-degree layout and allows it to fit easily in an engine cradle that’s designed for a 5.0-liter or 5.4 liter mod motor. With all that room it should be easy to install aftermarket power parts like headers or turbos and don’t be surprised if Ford goes turbo in the next few years.

The block also features additional ribbing and the forged steel crank is held in place by six-bolt main bearing caps to prevent crank walk at high RPMs.

The aluminum block includes go fast mods like; 6 bolt main caps, piston oil squiters and extra ribbing in critical areas.

Anther feature borrowed from high performance race engines is oil squiters mounted in the block. These shooters direct a stream of oil at the base of each piston wall. The oiling jets allow the engine to run a higher 10.5:1 compression ratio, while helping cool the piston. In addition to the oiling updates in the block, the engine is capped on the bottom end by a die-cast deep-sump aluminum oil pan.

The rotating assembly includes cast aluminum fly cut pistons with forged steel connecting rods anchoring the slugs to the forged crank.

Cylinder Heads Showcase Fords Latest Variable Cam Technology

The heads on the new V6 engine is where the real power comes from. It uses four valves per cylinder and double-overhead camshafts, a first for the base mustang engine. The engine features, what Ford calls Ti-VCT, variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust valves.

Ti-VCT camshaft control gives the engine its power and 31 mpg fuel economy rating.

This cam technology allows a full 60 degrees of cam timing adjustment on the intake side and 50 degrees on the exhaust side, allowing the engine to produce big power, clean emissions, and excellent fuel mileage.

The V6 valvetrain uses a direct-acting mechanical bucket (DAMB)tappet between the camshaft lobe and the valve tips, a design that reduces valvetrain friction and improves engine efficiency.

Intake and exhaust valves are opened and closed via Ford’s DAMB tappet system. Intake port is placed high so air and fuel have a straight shot to the intake valve.

The V6 aluminum cylinder heads use an intake port design that is much higher in the casting and allows for a straighter shot of air and fuel to reach the combustion chamber. Fuel injectors are rated at 29-lb/hr and shoot fuel directly at the back of the intake valves. On the exhaust side of the cylinder heads, cast iron manifolds direct spent exhaust gasses to the catalytic converters that are part of a true dual exhaust system.

Air Induction

Aftermarket part manufacturers take note, Ford forecasts 66% of 2011 Mustangs will be equipped with the new V6 engine.

The V6 intake manifold is a lightweight composite piece thats topped off by a 68mm single bore throttle body that is activated by an electronic throttle control. While some might question the durability of a plastic intake, Ford has been using plastic intakes for years with no major leakage issues. Plastic has proven to be cheaper the produce than aluminum and its lightweight helps cut down on excess overall weight of the car. Fuel delivery is via a sequential multi-port electronic system and the ignition is distributorless with a typical coil-on-plug arrangement.

Aftermarket Possibilities

It’s too early in the game to see if aftermarket manufacturers will step-up and produce parts for the V6 Mustang. Most shops are busy trying to get their hands on a 2011 Mustang GT for parts development. In the past, the 4.0 liter V6 never really generated that much business for aftermarket performance parts manufacturers but in reality the 4.0 liter pushrod engine was considered a dog by most Mustang enthusiasts. The new V6 makes as much horsepower per liter as the 5.0-Liter V8 so it has potential, especially with its nearly all-forged internals. We anticipate some shop or Mustang enthusiast will dare to be different and push the V6 past the 400+ horsepower mark with some type of forced induction. The return of an Ecoboosted SVO Mustang project makes perfect sense to us.

It appears that Ford may be trying to bring back the street package for 2011 and the Boss 302R is set to be the race version of the car. The Boss 302R will be limited to 50 units, built on the prototype line at AAI (aka Flat Rock Assembly) and is intended for road race use only.

With the 2010 Camaro set for a full assault in the Koni Challenge Series next year, it appears Ford Racing wants its latest Mustang sheet metal out on the track going head-to-head with the competition. With the five year old FR500C Mustang, Ford has won Grand-Am GS Championships in 2005, 2008 and 2009 and looks to defend its title against Porsche, BMW and the return of cross-town rivals Chevrolet.

Like the previous FR500 Mustangs, the Boss 302R will be a factory built racecar and ready for open track events or wheel to wheel racing in SCCA or NASA races.

The base “turnkey” 302R Mustang will come complete with a 5.0L 4-valve engine rated at 400 horsepower. The engine will be mated to a 6 speed Tremec manual transmission with a race spec hydraulic clutch. A Grand-Am legal roll cage and race seat with safety harness is also installed at the factory.

Ford Racing is offering a $50,000 Boss 302R “upgrade” that will make it legal for the Grand-Am’s KONI Challenge Series. The KONI Challenge 302R will feature a sealed 5.0-Liter engine and close-ratio 6 speed Tremec transmission. Suspension updates include KONI dampers and KONI Challenge spec springs, swaybars and bushings. The Grand Am Grand Sport legal Mustang will also feature a seam-welded body, Grand-Am spec roll cage and trunk mounted fuel cell.

Photo Credit: Brenda Priddy The Coyote 5.0-Liter engine is rumored to be powering the 302R, official word should come at the LA Auto Show.

Rumor is that the Boss 302R will feature Ford’s new Coyote 5.0 liter modular engine to satisfy Grand-Am’s request for a street derived engine in the race version of the Mustang. The previous FR500C “Cammer” engine was a 4 valve naturally aspirated motor not factory installed in a “mass produced” Mustang. In 2005, Grand-Am approved the engine for competition but after a few races and protest from other teams, air inlet restrictors brought the horsepower down to the 400 hp range. The Coyote 5.0 Liter engine is planned for the 2011 Mustang GT and the racing environment will be the perfect test before its showroom debut.

The Boss 302R will be built in the AAI Pilot Assembly Line with bodies produced off the mainstream production line.

The Boss 302R is available through Ford dealers that are in the Ford Racing Performance Parts program. Orders will be taken till mid-December and production is expected to begin in first quarter of 2010. The base Boss 302R is priced at $79,000 while the Grand-Am spec 302R package is priced at $129,000.

Prior to the Saleen 435S test drive, we had the opportunity to meet the core group of Saleen Performance Vehicles management. The group is made up of Michael Shields – CEO; David Byron – Design Director; Michael Timarac – Brand Manager; and Jess Albright – Operations Manager. After meeting the Saleen group, discussing their approach to building Mustangs, and driving the first production model, we anticipate that Saleen will be returning to the top of the performance Mustang ladder. The Saleen group is in a unique situation, building the Saleen name back into a performance powerhouse after months of being off the performance radar. Based on our introduction and interaction with the group, we’re here to tell you that they are passionate about the Saleen name, and plan on utilizing all of the resources within the parent company to produce some exciting products and cars. If the 435S is a hint at what they can produce in a short period of time, the next Saleen S281 model should give the competition a good run for their money.

Saleen 435S Photo Gallery

Saleen 435S

If you’re not familiar with the Saleen 435S package, it starts life as a 2010 Mustang GT, built at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly plant, and is transformed at Saleen’s build facility with a number of Saleen-built parts. The parts are installed by Saleen technicians, and completed cars are then shipped to one of Saleen’s 180 dealers. Michal Timarac told StangTV that Saleen has a targeted release of around three hundred 435S Mustangs per year.

The Torch Red 435S coupe we drove was powerful, well balanced and stealthy-looking for a Saleen.

One noticeable difference in the 435S when you first encounter it is the absence of “Boy Racer” fascias and overstated aero package. The optional Saleen 435S front splitter and rear wing are subtle and tastefully accent the 2010 Mustang’s styling updates. The standard Saleen exterior add-on items for the 435S include: Saleen 435S fender badging; 435S hood graphics; Saleen trunk panel; and Saleen door and windshield graphics.

While you won’t turn heads driving the car (as with past Saleen models), the understated look has its advantages on the street and track.

Supercharged Power

The most important update on the 435S is the installation of Saleen’s screw-type Series VI Supercharger, which is built in-house and features a two-stage intercooler, new injectors, front mount heat exchanger, and performance engine calibration. Saleen builds the supercharger unit in its sister company’s Power-Tech/Cyltec Manufacturing facility. While on the 435S test drive, we had the opportunity to meet Lee Carducci and Devin Rickey of Power-Tech, and we can tell you that Saleen has big plans for their supercharger program. With the supercharger update, the 435S Mustang is rated at 435 horsepower and 425 ft/lbs of torque.

The installation of the Saleen Series VI supercharger is OEM quality in fit/finish and is quieter than most screw superchargers we’ve driven. When you’re in boost you hear a faint blower whine, but it’s not overpowering like other Mustangs we’ve driven.

The twin-screw, intercooled supercharger looks like an OEM install and produces 120 extra horsepower.

We were disappointed that the base model did not include a boost gauge to monitor boost. We were told that the boost gauge is optional as a dash mounted gauge pod unit, but we feel that it should be standard with any supercharged car.

Saleen builds all its superchargers in its Power-Tech/Cyltec facility. The plant also has a contract with Ford to machine all 4-valve modular heads.

A Saleen technician builds a Saleen Supercharger for a future 435S. This unit will also be available in an aftermarket kit through Saleen’s Speedlab Parts Program.

Saleen has done its due diligence with the supercharger engineering, and hired calibration engineers with OEM experience to develop the PCM update. With that high level of calibration experience, we anticipate that the Saleen calibration targets 100,000 miles plus durability – something most aftermarket supercharger companies can’t brag about.

The extra 120 horsepower makes the Saleen 435S Mustang a blast to drive and at 4,000 RPMs, the 4.6-liter engine pulls hard. The extra power, when combined with the suspension updates, makes the 435S a bargain in the high-performance Mustang arena. To transfer all that new power to the rear wheels, the 435S is equipped with the factory Tremec 5-speed manual transmission and a 3.73:1 rear axle ratio with limited-slip differential.

Racecraft Tuned Suspension

No Saleen Mustang would be complete without suspension updates that make it handle like a well-tuned slot car. The 435S features Racecraft nitrogen-pressurized dampers, 1.5-inch lowering springs, and a stiffer front sway bar. On a washboard gravel road, the Mustang was smooth and tracked straight. When we encountered the rare twisty section of a Michigan two-lane, the 435S acted like it was laughing at us and was ready to take on the corkscrew at Laguna Seca.

The 435S is lowered 1.5 inches compared to the factory Mustang GT. Argent wheels look good on this package.

Saleen offers an optional Watts Link rear suspension setup that centers the rear axle without the factory pan-hard bar. The Watts Link was standard on the Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang, and improves the handling dynamics of the 435S by giving the live axle a true live-center. This allows the axle to pivot through the center of the differential, and move up and down without the tires scrubbing side-to-side. If you intend to open track the car, or if the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina is part of your daily commute, the Watts Link option is worth looking into.

Saleen 435S Interior

The coupe test car we drove had the standard 435S interior updates. The most visual Saleen item is the white face gauge cluster. The font Saleen has selected for the MPH and RPM numbers is similar to a high-end sports watch. All come equipped with Mustang’s MyColor feature, allowing you to change the interior lighting to match your taste.

435S interior includes Saleen white face gauges, short throw shifter, embroidered Saleen logo in headrests, and serialized dash plate.

The front seats feature a Saleen logo embroidered into the headrest, and they have enough side support to keep you centered in the seat at speed. The Saleen short throw shifter was a nice touch and was not as notchy as some aftermarket units we’ve tested in the past.

Package Pricing

What’s so impressive about the Saleen 435S Mustang is the package pricing. For basically $10,000 you get a professionally installed, intercooled, screw-type supercharger and Saleen Racecraft suspension. Throw in the trademark Saleen 18-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels and 435S badging, and it’s a deal. Who else is offering a “world class” serialized limited production Mustang at that price point?

The price of the 435S coupe that we drove, with its braking and aero styling options, was priced at $49,600.00. While some Mustang number crunchers will argue that the price puts you in Shelby GT500 territory, the Saleen is a limited production car built out by Saleen. If you go with a base car, the price is in the mid-40s.

Our test car was number 02 of a planned 300 build. We’re told the Number 01 435S went to a Saleen collector, who bought it at the Mustang Week reveal.

“In these difficult economic times we wanted our first vehicle to deliver a lot for an affordable price,” said Mike Shields, CEO of Saleen Performance Vehicles. “It was created much more for ‘go’ than for show. We focused on power and handling, and it’s a great platform to build on if a customer wants to take it farther later on.”

The Torch red 435S coupe we drove included some of the optional upgrades, including the 14-inch slotted front rotors and 4-piston Saleen calipers with high-performance brake pads. The calipers are made for Saleen by Stop-Tech and are worth every penny if you ever plan on taking the car to a track day.

While we were not able to test the brakes, we hope we’re invited to Saleen’s next track day so we can tell you how well the performance brake option slows the 3400 pound 435S down. We can report that they felt good on our short drive, and the factory ABS still works with the larger caliper and rotor.

The optional brake upgrade features four-piston calipers, slotted rotors and high-performance brake pads.

To be honest, when we saw the photos of the 435S after its July reveal, we were suspicious of what Saleen was up to. With all the confusion around the company’s founder and new management’s direction, we were not sure what was happening with the company. After meeting the management team, touring the facilities and driving the 435S, we look forward to seeing more exciting Mustangs from Saleen in the near future.

We’ve been told that the S-281 Mustang will be revealed by late October, will be on display at SEMA, and will be ready to ship to dealers by the first quarter of 2010. With the 435S and S-281 in the lineup, plus the SpeedLab parts for the DIY guy, Saleen has something that appeals to every buyer in the Mustang enthusiast market.

For more information about ROUSH Mustangs visit the ROUSH Performance website.

ROUSH has been building their performance version of the Mustang since the mid 1990’s. The ROUSH package has a trademark look with unique ROUSH fascias, wheels, interior updates, suspension modifications and a supercharger option. Every Mustang ROUSH builds has already been pre-ordered by a ROUSH dealer. For 2010, a ROUSH dealer chooses their Stage 1, Stage 2 or 427R package with select options and then the factory builds each car to order.

Mustang GT’s from Flat Rock Assembly Plant arrive ready for the ROUSH transformation.

Station 1

This is where a your standard Mustang starts the ROUSH treatment. ROUSH starts with a premium package mustang GT manual or automatic. Most of what they were running during our visit was the manual ROUSH 427R Mustang upfit.

The build process begins with interior disassembly. The factory seats are removed and sent to the seat department for up-fit. On the interior, ROUSH pedal covers, illuminated sill plates, light harness for the fog lamps, and ROUSH logo push button for console is installed. The instrument cluster gets pulled for up-fit. On the exterior, the spoiler pilot holes are marked on the trunk lid and rear quarters. After holes are drilled the spoiler and spoiler end plates are installed.

Seats, instrument cluster and mustang sill plates are removed.

The trademark ROUSH rear wing is installed on the decklid.

Seat Upfit Station

ROUSH seat technicians remove the OE leather from the Mustang seats and install a ROUSH signature leather seat cover. In addition to the material update, they also reprogram the occupant classification sensor. The recalibration is set so that senses the 53 pounds for the airbag sensor. This update is done so that in the event a child seat or a light person is sitting in the front passenger seat the airbags will function properly.

The factory seat leather is removed and replaced with a Jack Roush signature leather seat cover.

ROUSH recalibrates the airbag sensor on this machine after the seat is recovered.

Station 2

The front fascia is removed as well as the stock Mustang GT wheels and tires. The ROUSH technicians completely update the suspension with ROUSH spec dampers, springs, and sway bars. The front struts with springs are assembled in the subassembly area and delivered to station 2 in large crates.

ROUSH dampers, sway bars and 20″ 427R wheels and tires are installed.

ROUSH sourced upper torque arm reduces wheel hop during hard acceleration.

Of interest is the installation of a ROUSH spec upper control arm (shown above). One of the first things Jack Roush wanted fixed on the factory S197 Mustang was the wheel hop he experienced during hard launches. ROUSH engineers came up with a new upper arm that slightly changes the geometry and has a performance bushing at the body and rear end mount.

Station 3

Is where they install the performance brake packages. Brake updates include slotted rotors front and rear. The performance brake package option gets a ROUSH four-piston front caliper or monster six-piston caliper and two-piece rotor.

ROUSH Mustangs get slotted rotors and the calipers are optional. They include a monster six piston caliper on the 427R models. This 427R had the four piston caliper installed.

Station 4

The OE mustang front fascia is removed, but they maintain the factory grill and driving lamps. The ROUSH front fascia is prepped with fog lamps and a front chin splitter. The rear fascia is removed and prepped for the ROUSH lower diffuser.

Front and rear fascias are removed and replaced with ROUSH fascias.


ROUSH lower fog lamps are installed in the front fascia. Rear fascia gets a lower diffuser installed.

Station 4 Intercooler Radiator and Pump Install

When the front fascia is off, all 427R’s feature a dedicated radiator for the ROUSHcharger intercooler. The unit is integrated in front of the factory radiator. A ROUSH tech installs mounting brackets, hoses, ducting and a pump to circulate coolant from the ROUSHcharger intercooler to the radiator. After the radiator is installed the ROUSH front fascia is bolted on. For the rear fascia, a ROUSH lower fascia with integrated diffuser is installed to the OE upper bumper cover. After the new diffuser is installed its bolted to the rear of the car. This station also installs the Roush short throw shifter as well as the off road exhaust pipes.

Radiator for the ROUSHcharger intercooler is installed in front of the engine radiator.


Coolant pump and hoses for the intercooler are installed before the fascia is attached.

Front fascia is installed using original front grill from the mustang.

Station 5

The stripe station is where the cars get their vinyl graphics. The 427R gets its unique hockey side stripe. The hood gets the ROUSHcharged graphic and hood stripe and the front windshield gets the ROUSH header decal . Any decals added to the door jams or the vehicle-altered sticker is done here. The serialized number and rear 427R badging is also installed. The ROUSH window sticker and addendum sticker, including 427R revised fuel economy rating, is installed in the passenger window.

ROUSH windshield header is installed along with all other stripes and emblems.

Vinyl 427R hockey side stripe is installed in the striping station.

Station 6

Here the engine is prepped for the ROUSHcharger installation. The coolant, battery, air intake and engine intake are removed. Engine valley coolant tubes are updated as well as the engine wiring harness for the updated ROUSHcharger.

Factory intake cover and intake are removed as well as coolant drained to prepare for ROUSHcharger.

Station 7

The ROUSHcharger is installed as well as the throttle body, air intake, alternator, and the wiring harness jumpers. A dedicated degas bottle is also installed for the ROUSHcharger intercooler system. The 427R also gets a new PCM calibration to work with the updated supercharged powertrain. A “key on” test is also performed and the engine is brought up to operating temperature to test for fit and function. Here the ROUSH Mustang also gets its ROUSH logoed white gauge face cluster installed.

ROUSHcharger with intercooler, air intake, alternator, belts and jumper harness installed. Now its a 427R.

Station 8

After the powertrain updates the 427R moves to the alignment rack, final assembly and final inspection. In the final inspection stage, a 65-point inspection is performed before the car is test driven on the ROUSH property.

The ROUSH 427R is given a new performance alignment since the dampers and swaybars are replaced.

A quality inspector checks over a 65-point inspection sheet before the car is test driven and ready to ship.

Shipping
Once completed each ROUSH Mustang is prepped for shipment to the final dealer. The ROUSH floor mats and offroad exhaust pipes are shipped in the trunk for installation by the receiving dealer.

Once complete the cars are moved to the transport lot in preparation for shipping to the dealer and customer.

The ROUSH 427R is an impressive machine and to watch it through its transformation is very interesting to any enthusiast. ROUSH takes alot of pride in their quality and engineering of the parts before they are installed. Its not just a “make it fit” operation and they follow a system similar to Ford for engineering and quality control. We learned alot about the ROUSH build philosophy and their passion for the Mustang.

If you are in the market for a 2010 ROUSH Stage 1, 2 or 427R its worth a trip to your local ROUSH dealer for a test drive. The suspension updates, 430 horsepower and trademark ROUSH looks set it apart from your standard Mustang GT.

Get more information at www.roushperformance.com

For several years, Jack Roush and Robert Yates considered each other the competition. They were both affiliated with Ford and had separate engine shops and race teams. Robert Yates Racing was known for big horsepower and great restrictor plate engines. Jack Roush had the engineering background with Ford and the resources to try new parts and hundreds of employees to develop those parts.

At one time, it was said the two did not even speak to each other at the track. It was quite a coup when Ford Racing got the two NASCAR legends to combine shops, share engine tuning secrets and start Roush-Yates Engines. Roush-Yates Engines is managed by Doug Yates, Robert’s son, and produces engines for Ford teams competing in NASCAR, Grand Am Rolex Series, KONI Challenge Series and the USAC Ford Focus Series.

RYPP shelves are stocked with mileaged out heads, intakes, rocker arms, etc.

With the merger and so much development work going on, Roush-Yates has hundreds of used and mileaged out cylinder heads, engine blocks, pistons, rocker arms, cranks, etc. And with the development of the new FR9 enginethere will soon be pallets of Windsor R-452 racing blocks and D-3 cylinder heads looking for new homes.

To help market all these parts, Doug Yates and Jack Roush opened Roush-Yates Performance Parts just up the road from the Mooresville NASCAR Cup engine shop. The store is staffed by Don Moore and Ronnie Bentley, two experienced Roush-Yates engine shop employees, and their goal is to make the Roush-Yates program more accessible to the grassroots racer.

Recently, Don and Ronnie have been making inroads into the drag race market and signed on to sponsor Terry Bren — a local Mustang racer. Terry, a long time Mustang fanatic, initially found out about Roush-Yates Performance Parts through the Ford Racing dealer program. In April, just prior to the Pinks All Out event at ZMax Dragway, Terry was looking for one of the new Ford Racing Boss engine blocks. He had just blown his original 70’s era Boss 302 block and Pinks was only weeks away.

Terry went block shopping on Ford Racing’s website and found Roush-Yates Engines was the closest Ford Racing dealer. When Terry visited the RYPP parts shop he was impressed with the friendliness and accessibility of the sales staff. After a quick pitch by Terry, Don and Ronnie agreed to sponsor Terry’s Twisted Cheeto Mustang for PINKS event and for the 2009 season.

Don Moore and Ronnie Bentley staff the Roush-Yates Performance Parts counter

Since April, Terry’s Twisted Cheeto notchback Mustang sports Roush-Yates Performance Parts decals and he has become a great ambassador for the parts program. Terry got quite the surprise recently when Doug Yates encountered Terry’s car at the shop for a recent car show. “Doug wanted to hear the engine run and did his typical blip of the throttle and tune by ear test he’s done countless times on Cup engines,” said Ronnie Bentley with RYPP. “Terry’s eyes got real wide when Doug revved the engine to 8 grand.”

When asked about the unique name for the car, Terry recalled all the cool historic drag car names like Chi-Town Hustler and Tijuana Taxi thus the Twisted Cheeto name was invented. Terry bracket races the Mustang at several tracks in North Carolina and has run a best elapsed time of 10.60 seconds in the quarter mile.

Terry Bren’s Roush Yates Performance Parts sponsored Mustang at PINKS

Recently, RYPP called Terry and asked if they “happened to have” an extra engine laying around would Terry put it in his Mustang. “About a week or so went by and I stopped by on the way to test and tune and they took me in the back room and there were twelve NASCAR engines on the floor”, recalled Terry. “Don and Ronnie said to pick one out. Wow, who would have ever thought a Roush-Yates engine would be going in my car.”

Terry’s Twisted Cheeto Mustang has been displayed at several Roush-Yates events.

Terry’s car will be a test case for the Nationwide series NASCAR engine in a drag race application. Recently we got word that Don Bowles is also testing a Roush-Yates Cup engine in a S197 NMRA Open Comp Mustang.

Terry Bren with the 800 hp Roush-Yates Nationwide engine before installation.

The Roush-Yates engine looks right at home in the Twisted Cheeto engine bay

The 358 c.i. Roush-Yates Ford engine has already been installed and Terry expects the car to run deep into the nine second zone. With over 800 horsepower, nine seconds should be easy to attain. Roush Yates Performance Parts will continue to evaluate the program and looks for drag racing to be a new market for all the obsolete parts from the NASCAR engine program.

Future plans include making the modular engine parts available from the Grand-Am cammer engine program. Could this be a return to the good old days of Holman-Moody, Fords do-all engine builder from the 1960′s? Roush-Yates goal of expanding markets my help the grassroots racers with what was once parts and pieces made of “unobtanium” materials.

For more information check out the Roush-Yates Performance Parts website at www.roushyatesparts.com or visit their shop at; 261-2A Rolling Hill Road, Mooresville, NC 28117.

For more information on the 2010 ROUSH Mustang check out the ROUSH website.

This Kona Blue Metallic ROUSH 427R was build number 10-0075 and after seeing the 2010 reveal images online, it was nice to finally see it up close and in person. Our first observation after a quick walk around was the trademark ROUSH front fascia. The 2010 ROUSH front fascia looked great, it’s simple yet the look sets it apart from the standard 2010 Mustang GT or Shelby GT500.

Right above the new ROUSH fascia is the standard Mustang GT grill with a blacked out Mustang emblem. Mustang GT’s from the factory come with the pony emblem blacked out. We liked the look on the dark car.

Another trademark ROUSH item is the rear spoiler. The styling on the 2010 rear spoiler is rather tame compared to the ROUSH spoilers of past. We like the look, as it’s not overstated or boy racer-ish. The ROUSH rear spoiler accents the 2010’s newly shaped rear end and is the right length. It appears that all ROUSH Mustangs get a restyled ROUSH lower fascia with diffuser. The dark color combined with the black diffuser looked good for what they had to work from.

The 427R white graphics package went well with the Kona Blue color and it definitely says ROUSH from 200 feet away. You can’t go wrong with a hockey stick stripe on a muscle car and kudos to ROUSH for the retro themed graphics.

The 18” ROUSH five-spoke wheels look to be a carry over from a previous model year. The polished forged wheels are the right choice for the dark Kona Blue Metallic car. This particular 427R did not have the ROUSH big brake upgrade and it shows with the standard wheel. The stock GT brakes look OK but you might get a call out by a well-versed ROUSH Mustang aficionado asking the question, “Why you didn’t get the big brake package”?

Inside the Mustang, ROUSH made minor updates to an already upgraded factory interior. The 2010 Mustang interior has been a big talking point by the Mustang designers and ROUSH added aluminum pedals, gauges, floor mats, shifter and ROUSH emblems. One interesting gauge was the boost gauge mounted in the left driver AC vent. It’s easy to read in that position and I assume the vent will still provide a lot of cool air for those hot sticky summer days.

We did not get a chance to look under the hood but the ROUSH addendum sticker had listed a complete ROUSHcharged engine package producing 435 horsepower and 400 ft-lb’s of torque. I would feel confident that the engine updates and re-calibration is top notch as ROUSH engineers help Ford with a lot of their Mustang development work. I guarantee what they learn on Mustang development gets passed over to the ROUSH Performance team to apply on development cars.

We also noticed the $50,616.00 price on the ROUSH addendum sticker. Some might have sticker shock for a $50,000 Mustang, but considering the updates and it’s an early production ROUSH, I’m sure the dealer will have no problem selling it.

A “mule” is a factory prototype that was made from an existing vehicle, a Cobra Jet hardtop test mule was made from a red V-6 Mustang while the black Super Stock convertible mule was made from a GT 500.

For background information on the car build check out the 9500rpm.com website.

George Wright and Jimmy Ronzello are longtime Ford racers. They have raced Thunderbirds, Probes and Mustangs in NHRA and IHRA competition. When it was announced that Ford Racing was launching the Cobra Jet parts program they were the perfect candidates to start the project. They were close to Dearborn, had a background with Fords and could provide feedback to the CJ engineers on what worked and what did not work.

Jim and George took delivery of the 2007 Shelby 500 convertible in early 2008 with plans to build it to fit the NHRA Super Stock eliminator class. Once the Cobra Jet program was announced they obtained all of the necessary Cobra Jet unique parts like the hood, hood scoop, front fascia, 9-inch “Cobra Jet” real axle, Team Z anti-roll bar rear suspension, lightweight radiator support, and other unique parts to construct the car. A 10 point sub-9 second legal roll cage was built to protect the driver and provide support to the S197 frame. The “Cobra Jet” was approved by NHRA and was placed in the NHRA classification guide on 12/18/2008.

Midway through the home built project, with some input form Ford Racing, they decided to build the car to race in both NHRA Super Stock and Stock class. Plans are to run Super Stock at select NHRA National events and Stock Eliminator at Division 3 events in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. With minor updates the car is NHRA Super Stock legal and its a chance to try the stock suspension set-up in a quicker class. Stock suspension mustangs are running in the 7-second zone in other race series so an 8-second or 9-second pass should be easy for this Cobra Jet.

The car has been testing recently at Milan Dragway and has proven to be competitive. It’s cool to see a stick-shifted Cobra Jet convertible competing in the Super Stock and Stock category. It shows the versatility of the new Cobra Jet parts program. We’re cheering Jim and George on to make the car competitive in both classes.

Jimmy and George would like to thank the following for help on the project: Ford Racing, Eaton Performance Products, Aeromotive, American Racing Headers. MPR Race Cars, Dave DeMarco, Steve Egan, Joe Hodson, Joe Hodson Jr., John Kaminski, Jeff Pfeiffer, Kenny Sawyer and Dennis Wydendorf

If you are wondering about the Cobra Jet’s sponsor Laid Ford. The dealership is in Frankston, Texas and has helped Jimmy and George over the years with their Ford drag racing program.

When we were there, we were delighted to see some of the rides under progress – owned by none other than Team Ford Racing employees Brian Wolfe (Motorsport Director) and Jesse Kershaw (Marketing Manager). Brian had his black coupe, and Jesse had his (cough) LTD. We have to give Jesse props though – LTD’s are cool foxes. Let’s take a look:

Here is Brian Wolfe’s black Fox body Mustang. It’s super clean – with the silver cage and airbrushed graphics accenting the jet black paint. Apparently, when not heading up Ford Racing, Brian enjoys wrenching on the notch. He’s even been known to build his own engines!

Wolfe’s black LX already has some serious cage and bracing complete with a funny car cage and wheelie bars. Dave Zimmerman said his plans were to update the car with a Team Z tubular front K-member and drag front suspension package. Updates to the rear include a Team Z rear suspension with adjustable anti-roll bar and adjustable shocks.

Power to the M/T 28 x 10.5 x 15W rear tire comes from a naturally aspirated, fuel injected 427 c.i. 351-Windsor based engine. Brian got his start in Pro 5.0 racing years ago with a naturally aspirated/nitrous combo, we think its cool that he sticks to the naturally aspirated and nitrous camp in a world full of boost. We’re told that the airbrushed blue flames and “wolf” graphics were done by Brian’s wife.

It’s good to see a “grassroots racer” at the helm of Ford Racing. Over 6 months ago Brian took over as director of Ford Racing and he’s made great strides in reaching out to the sportsman racers. I’m sure we will see Brian racing this car out at Milan Dragway this summer.

Looking somewhat out of place in a shop filled with slickly painted drag mustangs sat a well worn, grocery getter Ford LTD.

Leave it to the “marketing guy” to own a brown and tan Ford LTD – none other than Jesse Kershaw of FRPP. Team Z has been directed to make it “light and tight”. The Ford LTD shares the same Fox-body platform as the 79-93 Mustang so most parts are a easy fit.

Dave has installed a tubular front K member, hidden sub-frame connectors and a host of other mods to the ultimate sleeper. Plans are to install a 3 valve 4.6L V8, six-speed Tremec transmission and set it up for performance driving as well as cruising Gratiot (a.k.a Eastsiiiiide). Here’s hoping Jesse shows up at Milan this year to make some runs in this work of art.

While we there, we also front and center was Jason Schembri’s bright yellow notchback. Jason is having the full Team Z treatment done to his car. Updates include; 6-point chromoly roll cage, through floor sub-frame connectors, tubular front K-member and tubular 4130 A-arms with Strange struts. Updates for the rear include a Team Z rear suspension with anti-roll bar and five-lug conversion with FRPP rear brakes. In addition to cruising around Livonia, Michigan (a.k.a. Westsiiiide) Schembri plans on bracket racing the car at Milan Dragway this summer.

That’s it from the Team Z shop!

As with any race engine program, the parts and pieces eventually find their way into other forms of racing. The “Yates” Cylinder Head developed in the early 1990’s is very popular with today’s Mustang drag racers. Ford Racing’s C3 and D3 NASCAR cylinder head is finding its way to the drag racing market too.

With “Pro 5.0” founding father Brian Wolfe at the helm of Ford Racing and Doug Yates looking outside of NASCAR for new business, the FR9 could be between the frame rails of a Mustang Outlaw drag car in a couple of years.

In the 1960s, Ford had a lot of success building racing engines off mainstream production blocks and heads. The “FE” engines were competitive from the start, powering such drivers as Ned Jarrett and David Pearson to championships. During the 1970s, when NASCAR mandated a 358-cubic-inch limit, Ford’s “Cleveland” V-8 engine was called into duty.

To say that Ford Racing has done a lot over the years with the current production-based racing engine is an understatement. In 1991, Ford switched from the Cleveland-based small-block V-8 to the venerable 351 “Windsor” engine. Other than minor cylinder head updates over its 18 years of service in NASCAR, the basic Windsor block configuration has remained unchanged. Chevrolet, meanwhile, has launched two updated engine packages, and there have been brand-new engine programs from two other manufacturers, Dodge and Toyota, who have entered the ultra-competitive series

To get the inside story on this historic race-engine program, we visited the Roush-Yates engine shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Over two days, we toured the impressive facility and visited with David Simon and Doug Yates.

David Simon and Doug Yates of the FR9 Team – in front of their crown jewel.

New Engine Development FR9 was Ford Racing’s first opportunity to develop an engine that wasn’t constrained by mass-production engine dimensions.

In July 2007, Ford Racing and Roush-Yates Engines sat down together and assembled the new program. The first step was to determine the best possible engine dimensions, working within NASCAR’s requirements for any new engine submission. The NASCAR engine “box” is fairly tight, and manufacturers don’t have a lot of leeway in design parameters.

Per NASCAR regulations, “FR9” is a 90-degree V-8 that displaces 358 cubic inches and retains the classic two-valve pushrod technology. But there were a lot of innovations on the table, so the engineers designed a variety of key technical advances into FR9, including front and rear engine-plate mounts; a new head bolt pattern that improves gasket seal and strengthens cylinder bores; and a new coolant-flow design that reduces hot spots at critical locations in the block and heads.

Other updates include special in-block oil feed passages, improved fasteners and pre-formed sealing components that allow technicians to disassemble and assemble the engine faster.

“With FR9, we now have the opportunity to change valve angles and other aspects of the engine that we’ve never been able to change before,” said David Simon. “It was a huge opportunity for us to research the optimum setup for these engines. Some [things] you can change, and some you can’t.”

Simon explained: “You see things like valve angle and it’s very tight. Do you want to be at 10 degrees or 11 degrees, or somewhere in-between? In other cases, for things like spark plug position, it’s not regulated – so we went and did an optimization loop on spark plug location and discovered some things. Now we have a new spark plug location relative to the current engine, and we found it made quite a difference.”

The new engine’s power potential begins where the old engine’s maximum left off. The FR9 even requires preparation time. It took more than 100 hours to prepare an R452 block casting for build-out. The new engine block takes less than an hour. The prep process consists of engine bearing installation, followed by a final honing before it’s ready to assemble. The new engine will save Roush-Yates customers a lot of money on engine-lease programs, simply from the ease in prepping the block.

Doug Yates has been very hands-on in the development of the FR9 engine. From someone who has done it all – from breakdown room to engine tuning – Doug is excited about the project. “When I started working in 1990 right out of college, the engine was making 650 horsepower,” said Yates. “The same block architecture today makes 900 horsepower. That’s pretty amazing, considering it is carbureted, not to mention all the carburetion rules.

Now they have a chance to design an all-new engine, and it’s really exciting to be a part of the development. In 40 years, somebody is going to look back and say, ‘Those guys are pretty smart,’ or, ‘Maybe they should have changed something here,’ or all of the above.”

The Roush/Yates facility where the lion share of the development occured.

Doug is still impressed with the performance of the Cleveland- and Windsor-based engines, but he embraces the opportunity to help design a dedicated race engine for Ford. “It has taken 40 years to understand not just what we needed from an engine standpoint, but from an application standpoint,” said Yates.

“If we were to go and hire a company to design the engine, they would not have that understanding of the needs of the team, the series and the sport. This is our moment in time where we can say we’ve worked all these years to make this product the best for our teams. Now we hope to go out with it and win races and help Ford Motor Company.”

Below is the official “press release” from Ford on the FR9:

Ford Racing and Roush Yates Engines will debut the new “FR9” engine during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

DEARBORN, Mich., January 22, 2009 – Ford and Roush Yates Engines already enjoy a reputation for producing some of the best power and reliability in the sport, but its latest NASCAR-approved engine has raised expectations to an even higher level for 2009.

Code-named “FR9,” this new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR racing engine to ever come out of Ford Motor Company. Its design has been spearheaded and developed by Ford Racing engineer David Simon, and famed engine builder Doug Yates, along with input from legendary Ford Racing engine engineer Mose Nowland.

“This is an exciting time for us to say the least, especially with the way our two companies have worked so well together on this project,” said Yates. “I’ve never had the opportunity to work on a NASCAR engine with a clean sheet of paper, but that’s basically what we’ve done and I’ve enjoyed every second. We feel we’ve got a piece that will not only be better than what we’ve got now, but will give us room to grow.

“With the exception of a few cylinder head changes through the years, we’ve had the same engine since 1991 and have been able to squeeze out every ounce of power and speed possible,” continued Yates. “What’s got me so excited is we’ve won races and championships with an engine many consider old, and this new piece is definitely a notch above, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to for years to come.”

There are three key differences between “FR9” and the current engine. First, the cooling system has been re-worked and will allow teams to optimize the amount of tape they can put on the front grille and improve downforce. Second, the valve train has been improved, and, third, the production and assembly of “FR9” will be much easier than today’s model.

Another thing is for certain, this isn’t your father’s 351 because “FR9” does not retain any of the original production 351 dimensions as the current model.

“Our main priority when we started this project was to get the bones of the engine right. We wanted to make sure we had the proper layout, the right block structure and that the overall skeleton of the engine was correct,” said Simon. “Even though we’ve been working on these engines for decades and know a lot of things about them, there was still a lot we didn’t know. In that case, we went and did some testing to get the answer.”

That data driven philosophy for designing the engine was crucial for building an engine that would not only be reliable and efficient, but powerful as well.

“It was a completely different mindset and approach to making power,” recalled Simon. “We did not finalize any part of the engine until we acquired the data that told us what was going to be our optimum setting or optimum dimension. The key to all of this in the first phase of our development was to produce as much power through the design of the engine as possible and to make sure we had the very best layout, the very best dimension, and the very best combination of dimensions that we could within the framework of the rules.”

Since taking over as Ford Director of North America Motorsports in August, Brian Wolfe has had to learn a lot in a short amount of time, but he’s been impressed with how well “FR9” has developed.

“Before taking over this job, I worked in powertrain development at Ford for 26 years, and it’s always great to see a new product,” said Wolfe. “To see the way everyone has worked together on this project is extremely gratifying and I know when “FR9” is ready for the race track, we’re going to be spending a lot of time in Victory Lane.”

Just when “FR9” is ready for competition remains to be seen, but a tentative target date is the second-half of the 2009 season.

“We’re not going to rush this engine into competition until we’re 100 percent sure it’s going to meet our strict standards,” said Yates. “We don’t feel a need to rush because our current engine is still strong and that gives us the luxury to take our time and make sure we do “FR9” right. I know we’ve got a winner here, and I can’t wait to see it on the track.”

For a brief history primer, Bob’s grandfather, Bob Tasca Sr. was a legend in Ford Racing history. In the 1960’s, he and his dealer mechanics helped develop the Cobra Jet engine and gave it to Ford on a silver platter. The Cobra Jet engine option would go on the change the wimpy Mustang into a muscle car contender. Tasca Sr. went on to campaign a ’68 Super Stock Cobra Jet and Mustang Funny Car with driver Bill Lawton at the wheel. You could say Bob Tasca III was destined to drive some type of fast Ford and win.

The original Tasca Funny Car driven by Bill Lawton, Photo Credit: Ford

After a stint in a street-legal nine second fox-bodied Mustang, Tasca attended the Roy Hill Drag Racing School and earned a Pro Stock license. After a few years of racing the Mustang locally he stepped up to Frank Hawley’s Alcohol Funny Car School and earned his NHRA Alcohol license. For several years, Tasca battled Frank Manzo and the other NHRA Alcohol Funny Car teams with much success.

Tasca and team in victory lane at the Gatornationals in Gainsville

In 2007, Tasca made the move into the NHRA Nitro Funny Car class. With help from Motorcraft and Ford, he put together a nitro team in four short months. “That’s what I do, I drive Mustangs”, said Tasca in a recent interview. “I drive them on the track and off the track, for the last two and a half years it’s been an incredible ride.”

30 percent of his job is on the track racing but the other 70 percent is spent running the team, Ford dealership in Rhode Island and the Motorcraft / Quicklane dealer training program. Top Fuel Funny Car has been the ultimate challenge for Tasca. Other than Matt Hagan, Tasca is the least experienced full time driver on the NHRA tour. He knows he has a lot to learn but the first win in Gainesville earlier this year meant a lot to the program.

Tasca admits the team has struggled lately with different tune-ups but looks to rebound in the warm weather events starting in June. “People ask why we did so well in Gainesville and have only gone two rounds since then. Well, the truth is its just tough to do. Look at John Force, his program has only one win, my program only has one win. What we do is never guaranteed,” Tasca said.

Tasca’s main goal is to put his team in a position to win every weekend and he is looking forward to running on some of the hotter racetracks where the team performed well at last year.

Tasca after his first NHRA Funny Car event win

New for 2009 is a Tasca Racing shop in Charlotte North Carolina. After having the team run the 2008 program out of a suitcase and trailer, Tasca and crew chief Chris Cunningham built a shop smack dab in the middle of NASCAR country. In March, they moved into the new facilities and are working on a blower dyno and other testing equipment. “It’s amazing. I’ve been around it for several years with John Force Racing. The level of detail and the logistical aspects of our program is challenging. Every race no matter how challenging it is you learn something that makes things better at the next race.”

When asked about the challenging economic times being a Ford dealer and racer, Tasca replied. “My grandfather coined the phrase ‘Win on Sunday Sell on Monday,’ thats absolutely why I have the Motorcraft program today. When we went into this program a major part of this deal was selling Motorcraft and Quicklane. The credibility factor of being a Ford dealer goes a long way. When I speak to a dealer about what we are doing at the dealership, its legit. We have as much Q&A about what is going on at the dealership than we do about what it feels like to go 300 mph. That’s very satisfying and fulfilling and I value that as much as the racecar. I whole hardly believe that post recession racing is going to be about return on investment to the sponsor. It’s not good enough to win or be competitive its how we go to market with racing.”

Tasca’s 8,000 horsepower nitro funny car

Tasca’s race weekends are not entirely focused on racing the Funny Car. Mixed into qualifying sessions and warm-up Tasca motivates Ford dealer personnel on the Motorcraft and Quicklane program.

“NHRA gives us a great platform. On Friday we have the Quicklane dealers out and we do prospecting and training. On Saturday we have Motorcraft distributors and customers out and it more motivational and on Sunday distributors and dealers invite their customers and employees out. We leverage all aspects that NHRA gives us. Then throw in the Motorcraft display for the fans and its very comprehensive. And at the end of the day we give Ford a great bang for their dollar. “

Tasca’s 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang in “throwback graphics” ready to do battle.

As the 1968 Cobra Jet’s founding family and consultant for Ford Racing’s 2008 FR500CJ edition, Tasca’s dealership took delivery of a car in February. In testing at ZMax dragway, Bob ran a 9.88 et at 140 mph. Plans are for Bob’s uncle Carl Tasca to race the car in NHRA’s Division 1 and at other tracks. “My uncle Carl calls it a time capsule. When he is in the car nothing else matters but driving and going for a win light,” recalled Bob.

“For Carl it’s kind of a time warp going back to when my grandfather raced, the Cobra Jet, the Fairlanes and the Mystery 7 funny car. He is going to get his Super Gas license and do some racing. I don’t know how crazy he’ll get, its just fun to be a part of the program. The 50 cars showcased the best powertrain that Ford Racing has to offer in the 21st century. We take it very seriously, we’re going to have a fast Cobra Jet if not one of the fastest out there. We’ll see what Uncle Carl wants to do with it.”

One new product that takes personalization to a new level is a custom sill (a.k.a. scuff plate) for the late model Mustang. Once looked at as an afterthought when customizing the Mustang interior, new advances in technology can turn the “door step” to your Mustang into a personalized billboard.

The scuff plates are manufactured by Michigan based Interlum and can be custom ordered with any name or motto plus a number of Mustang themed logos. In addition to being cool, the plates are built from OEM quality materials since the company manufactures scuff plates already for Ford, Lincoln and many other OE manufacturers.

We were invited to Interlum’s Plymouth, Michigan custom shop to see how the personalized scuff plates were made and to meet the team that developed the unique product. Mike Judge is the owner of Interlum and has been busy over the past few months launching the product and developing the process to custom order the plates.

A few months ago, www.fordcustomscuffplates.com was launched and the site allows a customer to select what script and logo they want on their personalized sill plate order. If a computer is not accessable, a 1-800 line has been set-up to order, the number to call is 1-800-367-3788. The scuff plates retail for $199.95, not a bad deal considering they are personalized, include LED lighting and made just like the OEM Ford units.

The Interlum technician sets up the nameplate material in Corel Draw, a program used by the laser-engraving machine to etch the material.

Once Interlum receives the order, a technician sets up the nameplate material in Corel Draw, a program used by the laser-engraving machine to burn the top section of the material. For our custom plate, we brought the PowerTV logo eps file and selected the words “Turbo Mel” for the personalized section on the plate. Turbo Mel is a nickname for Melissa Lawrence’s Turbocharged 2010 Mustang daily driver. The Mustang is a current PowerTV project car that features a Hellion Turbo system. To balance out the plate, the layout technician selected a Ford Oval logo to the right of the script and after final sizing we were ready to engrave.

The raw personalized plate material looks similar to brushed steel and the laser etches the top silver layer leaving the clear bottom section untouched.

Interlum uses a laser engraver, a device similar to a laser printer, to create the plate section of the scuff plate.

Once the technician had the layout set, he instructed the Epilog Laser Engraver to start engraving. The laser engraver works similar to a laser printer but uses a beam of ultra-hot light as the engraving tool. The laser burns the top layer of the sheet and no part of the machinery actually touches the material being engraved. Laser engraving produces a permanent, crisp, highly detailed mark, engraving images at up to 1200 dots per inch.

In addition to engraving, the laser can also be instructed to cut the material. Once the Turbo Mel text and logos were engraved, the technician plotted off the final size of the sill plate and instructed to laser to cut out the plate.

Interlum’s owner Mike Judge checks the finished etched plate before final installation of the light pipe and scuff plate.

With the personalized plate section done, Interlum was ready to assemble all the sill plate components made up of the sill plate body, light pipe, wiring harness and personalized plate.

The sill plates feature an LED “light pipe” that runs the entire length of the script section and backlights the script when the interior lights are activated. At night the backlit plate really sets off the interior especially when the door is opened for entrance or exit. Interlum has developed the proprietary LED light pipe technology that casts an even light over the entire length of the plate. Combined with the Mustang’s MyColor interior option the color options are limitless.

Factory Scuff Plate Removal

The factory 2010 Mustang scuff plate features the Mustang logo and looks like every other 2010 Mustang GT rolling around town

The first step was removing the factory installed sill plate. This was accomplished by forcing the sill plate out of the snap points with a trim removal tool and unplugging the lighting connector. Its up to you to decide what you want to do with the old sill plates, the instructions showed a trash can symbol but we tend to hang onto things for craigslist or a future swapmeet.

The factory 2010 Mustang scuff plate was removed with the aid of a trim removal tool and the factory connector was unplugged.

Custom Scuff Plate Installation

The Interlum custom Mustang scuff plates came well packed in a custom box to prevent damage. Easy to follow instructions were included and we followed their step-by-step guide.

We took the new Interlum Custom sill plate out of the shipping box, laid them over the lower door seam and plugged in the OE lighting connector. One the electrical connector was solidly in place we snapped the scuff plate in place and removed the adhesive tape backing.

Prior to installing the scuff plate, we plugged in the new scuff plate electrical connector into the OE plug.


The adhesive tape backing is removed prior to securing the outer edge of the sill plate to the rocker panel.

The new Turbo Mel scuff plates look great and combined with the new logos add a personalized PowerTV touch to the car.