2006 Ford Mustang GT - Winner Takes All

Horse Sense: For a shot at winning Project Fire & Ice, go to your local AutoZone store or tune your browser to either splitfire.com or peakantifreeze.com for an entry form (between May 7 and July 1). We're envious; we can't enter.

Got a bad jones for an S197 GT, and nothing but dust in your wallet? Us too-but at least you have a chance to win one. Old World Industries, the corporate mother ship behind Peak antifreeze and SplitFire spark plugs, is offering you the chance to make off like a bandit with the pink slip of what began as a Performance White '06 GT coupe. The folks at Peak call it "Project Fire & Ice" (SplitFIRE, antiFREEZE-get it?). Clearly not just any old stock GT, this is indeed one trick Pony, thanks to an eye-popping list of performance and appearance modifications from Ford Racing Performance Parts, Classic Design Concepts, and SplitFire, along with the tireless efforts of the crew at Paul's High Performance, who made it somehow all come together over a fast-paced week last February.

Like a Wild West hanging judge, Ford Racing Performance Parts threw the book at this venture-literally. Most every part listed in the '06 FRPP catalog for an S197 GT was trucked westbound down I-94 from Dearborn to Jackson, Michigan, temporarily turning Paul's High Performance into an FRPP toy store. Some parts arrived that aren't even in the catalog yet-such as the long-rumored twin-screw supercharger kit that makes this giveaway GT far more than just a pretty face. The folks at Ford also shipped a prototype rear fascia, and our stylish friends at Classic Design anted up some additional tasty and high-quality body bits-all this so somebody out there can win one awesome and unique Mustang.

Until then, look for Fire & Ice to show up in plenty of Peak/SplitFire promotional material, as well as cruising on the Hot Rod Power Tour in June. Heck, we might even wheel it to an NMRA event or two. For all these public and advertising appearances, the revved-up GT has been fully wrapped in what amounts to a full-scale decal-much like a NASCAR 'Cup car-shamelessly promoting the Peak and SplitFire brands, along with the project's other partners, including your friends here at 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords. Of course, if you win it, you'll decide whether to leave the flamboyant vinyl wrap in place or peel it off for the understated look of the body-in-white, so to speak.

With such a desirable ride up for grabs, we thought it our civic duty to bring you a photographic option list of the Ford Racing and other cool hardware that came together as Fire & Ice, which made this the finest giveaway Mustang you're ever likely to encounter. So if you win it, you'll know exactly what's onboard. Frankly, there was such a stack of parts that went in, on, or under the spanking new GT that we'll have to spread our coverage over a couple of issues, even though we're making no effort to show you all the details of installation at Paul's High Performance. We'll just give the visual and technical highlights of a hard week's work by PHP's talented wrenches, Karl Roekle and Mike Sears. This month, we'll begin with some of the engine/powertrain goodies. Next time, we'll look at the exterior and interior mods, and peer underneath at the serious chassis hardware that results in Fire & Ice's muscular stance and massive stopping power.

In yet another upcoming issue, we'll show you in considerable detail the installation of FRPP's new and long-awaited screw blower on Fire & Ice. Yes, this supercharger does exist in both intercooled and non-intercooled form and, believe us, it was worth the wait. Full dyno results and driving impressions will be part of that deal, so stay tuned.

With that, it's time to get down to the business of showing you what you'll be driving home if your name is drawn to win Fire & Ice-better start working on those entry forms.

Major project partner Ford Racing Performance Parts has bundled together some interesting new packages for the S197 GT, including this one, simply called the Drag Pack (PN M-2005-FR2). With the quarter-mile in mind, 4.10 gears (and a gear installation kit not shown) set the tone. Also included are a 90mm cold-air kit, short-tube headers, a Hurst-sourced short-throw shifter, a Ford Racing high-performance oil filter, and a Pro-Cal tool loaded with a premium fuel calibration.

While flipping through the '06 FRPP catalog, you'll notice various kits for the S197 that bring along such a calibration tool. Each calibration is developed by Ford Racing to account for the specific hardware being installed. All require premium fuel for more aggressive timing strategies, and all carry CARB E.O. numbers, making their respective kits 50-state legal.