Bruce says, "My biggest claim with this car is I am racing with factory electronics-no PMS, EPEC, chips, etc. These are the electronics that 'real street cars' use every day." Along with those people mentioned in this article, Bruce would also like to thank Barry DeYoung at Van Drunen Ford (where Bruce works as Ford sales manager), Rich Bogart, and his sponsors White's Pit Stop, Glidden Racing Engines, and Race Engineering.
For 2002, the '86 received its new Shelby-esque paint by Dale George at Swill Racing. But the car still had a carbureted Outlaw engine in it. In order to compete in Real Street, Bruce had to convert the car to fuel-injected specs. Out went the carbureted 347 and in came the stock block 302 from the black hatch. With many parts purchased from White's Pit Stop and Dale Metlika from ProPower, and the addition of a tubular K-member, a new fuel system, and Bogart Fluted Stars, the car was ready for the NMRA Bradenton, Florida, opener where Bruce ran a best of 10.60 at 127 mph. However, his weekend ended after only one round at the hands of Paul Wiley. At the next NMRA race in Reynolds, Georgia, the car improved to run a 10.45 and finish runner-up.
This engine bay has seen 'em...
This engine bay has seen 'em come and go. By the time you read this, it will have another new tenant in the form of a Glidden Racing Engines-built 311ci powerplant with Trick Flow Twisted Wedge heads and a corresponding Trick Flow street intake. A Voss Performance cold-air induction will feed air to the nitrous'd powerplant. The engine shown now resides in the trailer, just in case.
So far, Bruce has proven he has the fastest nitrous car in the class, and to keep that distinction he had a Glidden Racing Engines-built 311 under the hood by the Columbus, Ohio, race. He hoped to realize a two-tenths gain with just the engine swap, and his 10.39/127 pass there showed the potential. However, with where he is with his tune-up and what he believes he has left, Bruce says "There just may be a nine-second pass in the making. By [running] the first nitrous Outlaw car in the eights, I feel I must [have] the first nitrous'd Real Street car in the nines."
| 5.0 TECH SPECS |
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN |
| Block | Stock 5.0 |
| Rotating Assembly | Stock crank, |
Eagle rods, Ross pistons, Speed-Pro rings |
| Cylinder Heads | Trick Flow Twisted Wedge |
| Intake Manifold | FRPP Cobra |
| Camshaft | Stock |
| Power Adder | NOS nitrous |
| Size of Kit | "Less than most would think" |
| Exhaust | MAC headers, MAC H-pipe, |
and DynoMax mufflers |
| Fuel Pump | Aeromotive |
| Fuel Injectors | FRPP 24-lb/hr |
| Transmission | Pro-Shifted TTC Tremec TKO |
five-speed |
| Clutch | Centerforce Dual-Friction |
| Shifter | Pro-5.0 |
| Rearend | 8.8 with Moser spool, |
Moser 33-spline axles, and 3.55 gears |
| ELECTRONICS |
| Engine Management | Stock |
| Ignition | MSD 7AL 3, MSD coil, |
| Moroso Blue Max wires, NGK plugs |
| Gauges | Auto Meter |
| SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS |
| Springs | Moroso Drag Springs (front), |
| stock four-cylinder rear) |
| Struts/Shocks | Lakewood 90/10 (front), |
| Lakewood 50/50 (rear) |
| Rear Suspension | TRZ adjustable upper |
| and lower control arms |
| Wheels | Bogart Fluted Stars |
| Tires | Mickey Thompson |
| Brakes | Aerospace |
| K-Member | D&D Motorsports |
| Rollcage | Race Engineering |