Speaking of business, even though Evo's positive-displacement supercharger upgrades seem to do just fine on customer vehicles, the company is now marketing a twin-turbo kit for the GT500, though it bears little resemblance to the one on our feature car. And we suppose we should mention that Fred Cook says it makes a 1,000 hp on pump gas. Call 'em for details.
The Evolution continues...
5.0 Tech Specs
Engine and Drivetrain
Block FRPP aluminum 5.4-liter
Bore Stock
Stroke Stock
Displacement 330 ci
Crankshaft Forged
Rods Manley Pro Series I-beam
Pistons CP custom
Camshafts Evolution Performance custom turbo grind
Heads Stock, ported by Evolution Performance
Intake Stock, ported by Evolution Performance with custom hat
Power Adder Twin Precision 67mm turbos
Wastegates Tial 44mm
Blow-off Valves Tial 50mm
Throttle Body Accufab
Injectors 160 lb/hr
Fuel Pump Aeromotive Pro-Series with Evo polished rails
Headers Custom stainless by Evolution Performance
Exhaust 3.5-inch stainless
Transmission Turbo 400 and 5,500-stall converter
Rearend S&W Race Cars 9-inch w/ Strange 40-spline, plus Strange aluminum spool and 4.30 gears
Electronics
Engine Management Big Stuff 3 with Evolution Performance tune
Ignition Big Stuff 3 LS-style coils
Gauges Auto Meter
Chassis And Suspension
Front Suspension
Springs Santhuff
Struts Santhuff double-adjustable coilovers
Brakes Strange lightweight drag brakes
Wheels Bogart, 15x4
Tires M/T 27.5/4.5-15 Front Runners
Rear Suspension
Springs Santhuff
Shocks Santhuff double-adjustable coilovers
Control Arms Strange Ultra-Pro four-link
Brakes Strange lightweight drag brakes
Wheels American Racing TrakStar, 15x16
Tires M/T 32/16-R15 ET Drag
Like Father, Like Son
Since so much of the Evolution Performance business plan now revolves around Shelby's GT500, it didn't take them long to get a 2010 project underway, a Grabber Blue street car to pair with its Grabber Blue racer. The new coupe is both a regularly driven street car by its owner Nelson Whitlock Jr. It is a regular competitor in NMRA's Modular Muscle class, and also serves to showcase some of Evo's rather lengthy shopping list of GT500 hop-ups.
Its power adder consists of the exclusive Kenne Bell/Evolution Performance Competition kit, consisting of a KB Mammoth 2.8H twin-screw in a black billet case, contrasting with a polished and engraved inlet, twin 75mm throttle body, 130mm Big Oval mass air housing, and black aluminum pulleys. The kit also brings a dual Boost-A-Pump, specific spark plugs, flow-matched 72-lb/hr injectors, and Evo's custom street and race tunes. Under 23 pounds of boost, Evo has dyno'd it at 861 hp and 792 lb-ft of torque at the tire.
Though it appears nearly stock on its street rolling hardware, the '10's chassis has also been attended to with Eibach springs, Tokico D-spec dampers; an upper control arm mount, adjustable third link, and lower control arm relocation brackets, all by BMR Fabrication; Steeda billet lower control arms, and Evo's own Panhard bar and brace.
The resulting well-balanced performance of Evolution's 2010 Shelby earned it an invitation to be one of our King of the Street competitors in Bowling Green last October. Since I'm writing this in early September, I'm curious to see how it does...