Factory belt tensioners weren't...
Factory belt tensioners weren't really designed for the sort of aggression thrown at them by enthusiastic Mustangs. In many cases the sudden on and off action in the burnout box will shatter the stock unit. Stronger in every respect, this billet beauty (PN TR-GT500; $395) from Thump RRR Racing is a bolt-on replacement for the stock GT500 tensioner. It is said to reduce belt slip and put fears of tensioner failure in the past.
Developed specifically for...
Developed specifically for the GT500's unique cooling system, Reische Performance's 170-degree thermostat is available exclusively from Lethal Performance, so it's only natural it would find a home in the Lethal '10 GT500. Apparently the stock GT500 'stat is similar to a SOHC 4.6 thermostat, but it reaches farther and features a larger-diameter bypass. We've tried it in PVT and it really does make a difference.
Included as part of the Whipple...
Included as part of the Whipple kit is this cold-air induction system (PN WP-SGTCA1; $598.49). It features a huge 123mm mass air housing and a 127mm inlet tube. The heat shield is even designed to accept the stock ram-air tube. Though it was designed to meet the airflow needs of the big Whipple, it will work with the stock GT500 blower as well.
If you are going to pump 20-plus...
If you are going to pump 20-plus pounds of boost into your engine, upgrading the factory intercooler system is critical. After gaining a groundswell of online support, the dual-pass, dual-fan heat exchanger from Revan Racing was officially ordained by Shelby Performance Parts.
It not only really lowers...
It not only really lowers blower discharge temperatures, but it's an official Shelby part (PN SPP-GT500DUALPASSHE; $750). It features a dual-pass core built by C&R, and Revan says it will drop inlet temperatures as much as 50 degrees. As any hot rodder knows, cooler air means more power. It also wards off detonation, so the Revan/Shelby heat exchanger is a great addition to this combination.
For the street, Lethal's '10...
For the street, Lethal's '10 is rolling on the same set of True Forged 20-inch wheels, but on the drag the car will get down to business on Bogart Bolted GT wheels-17x5-inch front and 15x10-inch rear. Those wheels run Hoosier front-runners and Mickey Thompson stiff-wall slicks, respectively.
In Testing
How do you nearly double the output of your brand-new GT500? Well, adding a 4.0-liter Whipple and a Boss 330 custom engine was obviously a good plan. Lethal Performance took its '10 Shelby from 421 hp and 440 lb-ft at the wheels to an incredible 805 rwhp and 673 rwtq on UPR Products' Mustang Dyno thanks to the gear you saw in this story. Moreover, with UPR's Jeremy Martorella in the driver seat, the Lethal machine started out at 12.74 at 112.29; at press time he had run a best of 9.66 at 146.19 mph. They are still upgrading and tweaking with an 8-second goal in mind, so this project is far from over. Stay tuned for more impressive numbers from Team Lethal.