Autoblog

Needless to say, ROUSH Performance Products didn't need to ask twice when it offered to put its recently-introduced 427R in the Autoblog Garage for a week. We immediately caught the next ride to Livonia, MI to grab the keys, and did our best impression of respectable journalists. The facade of responsibility lasted all of two stop lights, after which we were laughing like maniacs who had just robbed a gun store. And just why were we so happy to get our hands on this machine? The answer is quite simple - the man who's name appears in more than twenty locations on the 427R has a bit of a reputation for making cars go fast. After some time on the street, at the track, and on the dyno, we can say that the reputation is well deserved.

Ford's SOHC 4.6L V8 isn't exactly known for its potential to make big power, and saddling it with over two tons of mass means that Crown Vics aren't exactly feared on the streets unless they're being driven by a police officer. Sal Mennella from Power Surge Performance (a shop specializing in Ford PCM tuning) developed a solution for this problem, however, in the form of a supercharged 5.4L that he snagged from Ford's defunct Lightning sport truck. As delivered from the factory, this engine was usually good for about 330 rear-wheel horsepower - a substantial improvement over the sub-200 RWHP provided by the stock motor.

As if that wasn't enough, the stock Eaton blower was replaced with the substantially more efficient Whipple supercharger to provide more boost. The stock heads and throttle body remain, though, as do the stock cast iron exhaust manifolds. This combination produces nearly 540 horsepower at the rear wheels, as well as a dead-flat torque curve that maintains more than 500 lb-ft over the entire duration of the dyno pull.

This has us convinced that Ford should offer a GT500 version of the CV - just so long as it promises not to offer them to law enforcement agencies.

[Source: Crownvic.net]

With Ford readying one or more special-edition Mustangs to slot in between the GT and the Shelby GT500, there is a need for an engine that will bridge the gap between the SOHC 4.6L's 300 HP, and the supercharged DOHC 5.4L's 500 HP. And it's impossible to ignore the fact that the Mustang GT will soon be bringing a knife to the gunfight, with both the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger threatening to hit the streets with over 400 HP.

We've done some speculating in the past, as have others, about what this mid-level V8 Ford might be, and it appeared as if the direction was towards a naturally-aspirated 5.0L or 5.4L DOHC engine. Stangs Unleashed is reporting that it will indeed be a N/A DOHC engine, but with an aluminum-block bottom end providing only 4.6L of displacement. Such an engine would be similar to that which powered the '99 and '01 Mustang Cobras (pictured above), but possibly with the more potent FR500 heads and a new intake manifold. It's reasonable to wonder if this would be enough to take on the competition, as the proposed modifications may not be sufficient to bump the 320 HP of prior DOHC 4.6L engines up to competitive levels.

Apparently, there is also a bit of speculation around what name (or names) will be used on these special pony cars. We've been saying that the Boss name will return, while it sounds as if the Bullitt or Mach1 badges may also be used. And a bit of daydreaming leads one to think that maybe a Shelby GT350 will join the GT500 in Ford showrooms. Whatever it's called, we look forward to turning over the odometer a quarter-mile at a time.

[Source: Stangs Unleashed]

When creating a vehicle to commemorate a pair of Super Stock drag racing legends - in this case, Hubert "Georgia Shaker" Platt and Randy "Mr. Big Stuff" Payne - it's important not to mess around. Thus, Pure Power Motorsports created the Shadrach, a twin-turbo Mustang that boasts 900 hp and the necessary hardware to put that power to the ground.

Starting with a 2006 Mustang GT, the team stripped the car down to the shell. The engine, built by Al Moody Racing Engine, consists of the OEM block and CNC-ported 3-valve heads stuffed with some aftermarket forged parts. Up top sits a vintage-looking Kinsler velocity stack injection unit, with two injectors per cylinder. A pair of scrolls from Precision Turbo provides the pressurized intake charge, which is then cooled by a water-to-air intercooler setup. A T56 six-speed manual has the unenviable task of directing all of this power rearward.

Think not that the rest of the vehicle has been neglected in the pursuit of power. Ohlins dampers connect to a variety of AJE and Metco suspension parts, while a set of huge Brembo brakes slow things down. A Strange 9" Ford rear axle puts the power to the hopelessly overworked rear wheels.

The exterior gets treated to a Shadrach body kit, a trick side-exhaust systems, a monstrous Pro Stock-like wing, a set of 20" rollers, and vintage "The Going Thing" graphics. Inside lie a 6-point roll bar, a pair of leather-wrapped Recaro seats, and more carbon fiber than the average aerospace plant. Of course, Mr. Platt and Mr. Payne affix their signatures to the dash once everything is to their liking.

Hit the Read link for some more pics.

[Source: Modded Mustangs]