1991 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 - Livin' The Dream - Street/Strip Foxes

If all of us could have two Mustangs instead of just one, many of our problems would be solved. When we have just one Mustang, we're caught up in making it faster, and faster, and faster, until it's basically a track-only car that's living on the ragged edge. We get frustrated and sell the car so we can start all over and get something streetable and fun. Don't argue with us, you know you've done exactly the same thing a time or two.

What we all need are two Mustangs like Palatine, Illinois' CJ Williams. He has this '91 GT for the street and show field, while his '93 Cobra cures his need for speed: truly the best of both worlds. CJ is a custom home builder by profession, and he's done plenty of building on both his GT and Cobra in order to get them on these pages. The GT has been redone from the ground up, while the Cobra didn't need quite that much work.

Pretty much everything on the GT has been replaced or painted to look better than new. CJ says he spent $24,000 on just the body and paint, and the results speak for themselves. Incaudo's Auto Body applied the House of Kolors Wild Strawberry paint, adding Candy Orange flames. The exterior was treated to a Cervini's Auto Designs Stalker front bumper cover and cowl hood. Plus, the door handles were shaved to give the car a smooth look--CJ just has to remember to keep the remote's battery in good working order or he'll have to climb in the back hatch again (I still have those pictures, too). The interior received new leather upholstery, carpet, a headliner, and several billet items thanks to Goldstar Automotive.

Under the Cervini's cowl hood lives an Automotive Engine Specialties-built 347, based on a Sportsman 5.0 block with an Eagle crank and rods, JE pistons, and custom cam from Comp Cams. Up top are a pair of Edelbrock Victor Jr. heads with a Trick Flow R Series intake, a BBK 75mm throttle body, and a Pro-M 80mm mass air meter. That would be more than enough for some people, but not CJ. For more go, nitrous was added to the mix with NOS solenoids and an NX Shark nozzle for an extra 125 hp.

We liked the GT so much we invited CJ to the 2007 King of the Street competition. Even though the GT made 512 hp to the wheels, CJ's ride finished dead last in the hotly contested Horsepower segment. Transmission shifting issues hampered quarter-mile performance, as well, negatively impacting the Drag Race score. In the other four categories, CJ's GT scored well, representing the Fox crowd strongly.

Representing the Fox crowd in an overwhelming way is CJ's '93 Cobra. The car was a quarter-mile bracket car, and it already featured a four-link rear suspension when CJ bought it. Along with the rear suspension, the chassis and 'cage were certified to 8.50, and harnessed a 363ci alcohol combination.

However, that just wouldn't do for CJ. "It was still a great buy and a solid car when I bought it," CJ says. The Cobra's body is as you see it, in great shape, but CJ saw room for improvement in many other areas. First order of business was the chassis. Out came the old 'cage and four-link, and in its place went a Duncan Race Cars 25.5 chassis with a Jerry Bickel Race Cars four-link setup. For safety, CJ equipped the GT with a Safecraft fire-suppression system should the unthinkable happen, and a parachute to help slow things down on the big end.

CJ also stepped up the Cobra's power enough to mandate a parachute. He summoned Fast Times Motorworks to build a 363ci, alcohol-powered small-block. Not only that, but a NOS Pro Shot Fogger was added as well. With the proper support from upgraded fuel and ignition systems the new combo propelled the Cobra to 8.50s at more than 158 mph.

CJ had upgrades planned for both cars, but the major economic downturn has really put a damper on custom home builds, CJ's profession. As such, CJ is sticking with what he's got for the moment. Even so, we'd enjoy coming in for the real thing from these two Foxes any day of the week.

5.0 Tech Specs

1991 Mustang GT

• Engine and Drivetrain
• Block Sportsman 5.0
• Displacement 347 ci
• Rotating Assembly Eagle crankshaft and H-beam connecting rods, JE pistons
• Camshaft Comp Cams custom
• Cylinder Heads Edelbrock Victor Jr., Automotive Engine Specialties-ported, Harland Sharp 1.7 ratio roller rockers, Cometic gaskets
• Intake Manifold Trick Flow R series, ported
• Throttle Body BBK 75mm
• Mass Air Pro-M 80mm
• Power Adder NOS solenoids, NX Shark nozzle, 125hp shot
• Fuel System 255-lph fuel pump, stock lines and rails, 30-lb/hr injectors, Aeromotive regulator
• Exhaust Custom headers and 3½-inch cross-pipe exhaust system, Flowmaster 40-series mufflers with Pro Dumps
• Transmission Astro Performance A-5 transmission, SPEC Stage II clutch and flywheel, Pro-5.0 shifter, QuickTime SFI scattershield
• Rearend 8.8, Strange Engineering 33-spline axles and differential, 4.10 gears, TA girdle

Electronics

• Engine Management Stock computer, SCT tune by Bob Kurgan
• Ignition MSD 6AL w/Blaster coil and Pro Billet distributor, Autolite spark plugs
• Gauges Stock, Auto Meter Phantom air/fuel, oil pressure, nitrous pressure, fuel pressure, water temperature

Chassis and Suspension

• Front Suspension K-member Ground Pounder tubular
• Springs Coilover QA1
• Struts QA1
• Caster/Camber Hotchkis
• Brakes Wilwood, vented and slotted rotors
• Wheels Weld Racing Magnum 15x3½-inch
• Tires Mickey Thompson Sportsman front 26x7x15LT

Rear Suspension

• Springs QA1
• Shocks Competition Engineering single-adjustable
• Control Arms Competition Engineering chrome-moly upper and lower control arms, antiroll bar
• Brakes Wilwood, vented and slotted rotors
• Wheels Weld Racing Magnum 15x9-inch
• Tires Nitto 555R Extreme Drag radial 275/60
• Chassis Stiffening Mike Miller Performance subframe connectors and torque box reinforcements

1993 CobraEngine and Drivetrain

• Block Dart 351-based
• Displacement 363 ci
• Rotating Assembly Ford Racing Performance Parts crankshaft, Eagle H-beam connecting rods, JE gas-ported pistons, Childs & Albert Z-Gap piston rings
• Camshaft Comp Cams custom grind
• Cylinder Heads Trick Flow High-Port, Indy Cylinder Heads-ported, Harland Sharp roller rockers, Manley Performance valve
• Intake Manifold Edelbrock Super Victor 8.7
• Carburetor Barry Grant Demon 850cfm, custom alky setup
• Power Adder NOS Pro Shot Fogger nitrous system
• Fuel System Barry Grant 400-lph fuel pump for the alky, Aeromotive regulators, Barry Grant 280-lph for the nitrous system, Aeroquip fuel lines
• Exhaust Kooks long-tube headers
• Transmission DRC Transmissions Powerglide, Coan torque converter, Hurst Quarter-Stick shifter
• Rearend Strange Engineering Fab9 housing with 35-spline axles, Pro carrier, and 4.56 gear

Electronics

• Engine Management FAST Wideband, Computech EGT Plus
• Ignition MSD 7531 with Pro Billet distributor and coil, Taylor 409 spark plug wires, Autolite AR3932 spark plugs
• Gauges Auto Meter

Chassis and Suspension

• Front Suspension K-member Custom tubular chrome-moly K-member
• Springs QA1
• Struts QA1
• Caster/Camber QA1
• Brakes Aerospace Components
• Wheels Bogart
• Tires Hoosier

Rear Suspension

• Springs QA1
• Shocks QA1
• Traction Device Jerry Bickel Race Cars four-link
• Brakes
• Aerospace Components
• Wheels Weld Racing Alumastar
• Tires Hoosier 14x31x15-in drag slick
• Chassis Stiffening Duncan Race Cars 25.5 chrome-moly 'cage with Funny Car hoop