If not for the 10-point cage,...
If not for the 10-point cage, it would be an unassuming cockpit. Only the Snow Performance methanol-injection controller hints at its far beyond stock power levels. The methanol system is part custom and part Snow. It draws cooling liquid from a reservoir in the trunk and sprays it directly into the front of the Whipple supercharger, not only to cool the boost but also the blower itself, as boost ramps up to 21.5 psi.
If you followed our buildup on this car back in the June 2010 issue ("The Bravery," p. 80), you know that the results of the marriage of the Boss 330 5.4 and massive Whipple spun the dyno rollers at UPR Racing to the tune of 805 hp and 673 lb-ft of torque. Of course, the dyno was only part of the testing procedure. Lethal planned to earn its cred on the dragstrip. Naturally, it's not as simple as just bolting the combination together.
"After the build was finished and the car was custom-tuned by Jon Lund of Lund Racing, we made a visit to the track. Our first time out, we ran a low 10 but experienced some issues," Jared said. "After a little poking around, we ended up replacing the alternator and made another visit to the track. That was when Jeremy cracked off our first 9..."
Jeremy is none other than UPR's Jeremy Martorella, an experienced drag racer and professional sunglasses model, who was kind enough to lend his mastery of the manual trans to the Lethal cause. He also lent quite a bit of the suspension-tuning knowledge he's learned from the likes of Billy Glidden to help hook up the 5.4's massive power at the track. The combination of Jeremy's suspension tuning and driving paid dividends in the form of a milestone achieved-the first 9-second '10 GT500.
"Another few weeks went by and another trip to the track yielded us our quickest run so far, which was a 9.66 at 146.19 mph. All of this basically put us on the map and earned us some good street cred in the GT500 community," Jared added. "Not bad for some 'parts guys' in south Florida.
The custom methanol-injection...
The custom methanol-injection system relies on a controller from the boost-cooling experts at Snow Performance.
"At this time we've made a few changes to the car. Most importantly we've switched over to E85. We're looking to raise the boost to make more power and crack off an 8-second pass with the stock TR6060 six-speed." If that goal weren't lofty enough, the Lethal crew recently acquired a Grabber Blue '11 Mustang GT, and they're looking forward to pushing the Coyote-powered Pony to new heights as well.
We know where this is headed. Another Mustang is going to take a beating in the name of performance, and we're going to love every minute of it.
Menacing is the best way to...
Menacing is the best way to characterize the front end of '10-and-up GT500s.
5.4-liter Ford GT aluminum
Displacement 330 ci
Crankshaft Stock GT500
Rods Manley I-beam
Pistons CP Racing
Camshafts Boss 330 Racing, custom grind via Comp Cams
Power Adder 4.0-liter Whipple Super Crusher
Cylinder Heads Kris Starnes Racing-ported GT500 Four-Valve
Intake Manifold Stock GT500
Throttle Body Whipple Super Monoblade
Fuel System Fore Precision Works return-style hat w/three Walbro GSS 342 fuel pumps, Fragola lines and fittings, Aeromotive regulator, and Bosch 16-lb/hr injectors
Exhaust 17/8-inch American Racing Headers long-tubes, 3-inch X-pipe, and 3-inch Magnaflow axle-back
Transmission Tremec TR-6060 six-speed w/ McLeod RXT twin-disc clutch; Steeda Tri-Ax shifter; and D.S.S. one-piece, aluminum driveshaft
Rearend 8.8-inch w/Moser spool, 3.73 gears, and Moser 33-spline axles
Electronics
Engine ManagementSpanish Oak w/Jon Lund custom tune
Gauges Stock
Slung low over Bogarts, the...
Slung low over Bogarts, the Lethal Shelby looks, well, lethal. However, it doesn't outwardly emote 9-second performance. At least, not until you hear it running.
BMR fabrication
Control Arms BMR tubular
Springs UPR
Struts QA1
Caster/Camber QA1
Brakes Stock
Wheels 17x5-in Bogart GT Drag
Tires Hoosier
Rear Suspension
Springs Ford Racing Cobra Jet
Shocks QA1
Control Arms UPR Competition Series
Brakes Stock
Wheels 15x10-in Bogart GT Drag
Tires Mickey Thompson ET Drag
Chassis Stiffening 8.50-certified 10-point cage by David Dodge of Tig Vision Welding