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2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Engine Upgrade- The BraveryLethal Performance Dares To Put The Latest Shelby In The 9-Second Zone From the June, 2010 issue of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords By Steve Turner Photography by Steve Turner
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When popping the hood of a... When popping the hood of a spankin' new '10 GT500, you don't really expect to see a fully built Boss 330 Racing aluminum 5.4 topped by a monster 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger. However, that's just what happens when Team Lethal gets its hands on a new project car. To survive the fury of a 4.0-liter blower, Boss 330 filled a Ford GT aluminum block with Manley I-beam rods, custom CP pistons, and a quartet of custom Boss 330 cams. The short-block is topped with heads ported by Kris Starnes at Champion Racing Heads, and ARP fasteners hold it all together. Initial testing on UPR Products' Mustang chassis dyno resulted in 805 hp and 673 lb-ft of torque at the tire. If the name Jeremy Martorella sounds familiar, that's because the UPR general manager not only sells Mustang parts, but he has a storied racing history, including three championships and a competitive run in our beloved Real Street class. Jeremy not only rowed the gears in the Lethal GT500, but set up the chassis as well. It seems that with every new Mustang model, the cooling-off period from driving it off the dealer lot to making the first modification gets shorter. New owners used to ease into the mods with something innocuous and take their time sneaking up on the aggressive additions. These days cars are ordered and parts are stockpiled before said car even arrives. It's a long way from the days of FE and 5.0 owners making do with modified stock parts. The aftermarket is swift and the enthusiasts are willing. Of course, even a willing enthusiast adding a pile of bolt-ons to a new 'Stang pales in comparison to completely revamping a brand-new car. When that new car is a '10 Shelby GT500, it takes a whole new level of bravery-or is that insanity? It's the sort of thing that gives all but the completely power-mad Mustang maniacs some pause. Just like any other challenge, practice makes it easier. For the crew at Lethal Performance ripping into new Shelbys is no big deal. In fact, before diving into this project, the Lethal crew had previously worked over an '08 GT500. The '08 was the company's foray into the S197 movement after establishing itself as a legit source for parts and knowledge for the '03-'04 Cobra crowd thanks to Jared Rosen's black Terminator project car. Jared and partner Jonas Cooper are enthusiasts and savvy marketers that know customers want good service from a company that's in the trenches with the cars. To that end, the black '08 went through a rigorous bolt-on regiment before its modifications took a toll on the car's stock engine. Here's the Boss 330 masterpiece... Here's the Boss 330 masterpiece before it hit the engine compartment. Lethal continued the Grabber Blue/black theme with blue-powdercoated cam covers and black Project 321 coil covers. The long-tubes are 1 7/8-inchers from American Racing Headers (PN ARH-GT5001783OR; $1,499.95), and the stock six-speed will work with a McLeod RXT twin-disc clutch and steel flywheel. On the front of the crank, an Innovators West 10-percent-overdriven dampener increases boost and brings along SFI approval. In fact, it was after commissioning modular-specialist Boss 330 Racing to build a monster engine for the '08 that a mockup image of a '10 GT500 with Grabber Blue stripes caught Jared's eye. "We loved that '08 GT500. It was awesome-then it blew up," he deadpanned. "In the process of building the motor, we saw the spy shots of the '10. I was sold on it. Even before putting the other car up for sale, we had already ordered the 2010. I was in love with the car. I was happy with our '08, but I just loved the look of the new car." And so the die was cast. Rather than finding a home in the '08 GT500, Lethal set aside the Boss 330-built aluminum 5.4 for the forthcoming '10. The '08 received a stock engine, and it was sold to a Lethal customer overseas. This cleared the way for Lethal to focus its full attention on the '10 GT500. Since Lethal is mainly in the parts business, they enlisted recent KOTS participants Power By The Hour in Boynton Beach, Florida, to tear down and rebuild the '10 GT500 in Lethal's image. We were fortunate enough to be there as the car was coming back together. With this combination, the Lethal GT500 would become the first '10 Shelby to run in the 9-second range with a 9.97 at 143.98 mph, and they don't plan to stop there. While the car is still completely streetable, it has quickly taken on a serious demeanor, but Team Lethal wants to keep a connection to its street customers. "It's evolved into more like a track car. It's not hacked up. It still has A/C and we still rock the Sirius satellite radio," Jared said. "We want to be the fastest six-speed GT500. The majority of people with these cars are sticking with a stick. The last thing they are going to do is switch to an auto." "No one else has cracked off an 8 with a '10 GT500," Jared forecasted. Now that's brave...  Power By The Hour main man...  Power By The Hour main man Jake Long showed how tough he is by lifting the monster Whipple into place all by himself. The Whipple in question is Lethal's Stage 3 4.0-liter kit (PN WK-200243B; $5,642.99), which includes a Super Crusher inlet, a 123mm mass air housing inlet, and Super Monoblade throttle body. This is the same blower that lives atop the 8-second-capable '10 Super Cobra Jet. According to Whipple, this blower is good for 2,518 cfm and 18,000 blower rpm. This blower displaces the same air as a Mustang's V-6 engine, and can create way more boost than a stock engine can handle. So if you want a 4.0-liter, prepare to build a short-block first.  Fitting a massive Whipple...  Fitting a massive Whipple under the stock '10 GT500 hood seemed like it might be a daunting task. However, with the addition of a full BMR front suspension system-tubular K-member, tubular K-member brace, and tubular A-arms-and Lethal P '05-'10 adjustable motor mounts, the blower fits under the hood. The mounts allow for stock or a half-inch drop and the K-member allows for another half-inch drop. This inch of lowering was key, as at the time there weren't really any aftermarket hood options for the brand-new GT500.  With the major engine components...  With the major engine components in place, it was time to lower the car onto the new engine and K-member. Unlike the old days of lowering the engine into the car, sitting the car down over the engine has been the preferred modular-engine-swap method. Things were moving along smoothly at this point, but the engine didn't quite go into place on the first try...  ...the downside of lowering...  ...the downside of lowering the engine for hood clearance means you might create other conflicts down below. Such was the case when the ample ARH 1 7/8-inch long-tubes met the stock steering shaft. At stock height, the headers would have fit fine, but at an inch lower, they needed a gentle massage from an air hammer to gain the necessary clearance. With these two tubes slightly flattened, the engine fit like a glove.  The factory GT500 fuel system...  The factory GT500 fuel system is good for 700 or so horsepower at the rear wheels if you install bigger injectors. As you start pushing past 800 rwhp and beyond, it's time to look at a whole system. Lethal worked with Fore Precision Works to create a complete triple-pump fuel system, in return and returnless variants, for S197 Mustangs. The heart of the system is this Fore billet, three-pump, return-style hat (PN FPW-0036-500; $440). It houses three Walbro GSS342 pumps, which move 255 liters per hour each!  From the three-pump hat, this...  From the three-pump hat, this Fore adapter converts the three lines from the pumps into one larger line that feeds the two Fore fuel rails. The full system (PN LP-0709GT500TRIPLERETURN; $1,936.44) from Lethal also includes an octet of 80-lb/hr injectors, and that's the configuration for this car too. Jake ran the lines along the framerail and mounted the adapter near where the stock fuel filter resides.  The fuel lines enter the engine...  The fuel lines enter the engine compartment through this handy existing hole at the back of the rear wheel well. With the fender liner back in place, you don't even know they are there.  Moving to a return-style fuel...  Moving to a return-style fuel system means you need a regulator to control pressure. Lethal's system employs Aeromotive's familiar Pro series regulator (PN AER-13110; $296.59). This boost-referenced regulator will support enough fuel for 2,000 hp, so it's more than enough for any street-going 'Stang.  If you are trying to click...  If you are trying to click off quick e.t.'s, weight is your enemy. Lethal wasn't giving up the creature comforts on its '10 GT500 just yet. As such, every pound is precious. BMR's Lightweight Tubular Radiator Support/Sway Bar Delete (PN RS002; $169.95) drops 26.5 pounds right off the front of your '05-'10 'Stang.  Adding full adjustability...  Adding full adjustability to the front end of the Shelby are pairs of QA1 struts and caster/camber plates paired with UPR coilsprings. These struts feature aluminum bodies, which are 3 pounds lighter than the stockers, and they offer 10 rebound adjustments. UPR offers this as a complete kit with springs, struts, camber plates and coil-over adjuster rings (PN QA1-H2004-100; $799).  Sticking with the stock six-speed...  Sticking with the stock six-speed is one thing, but like the clutch, upgrading the driveshaft is essential. The factory two-piece driveshaft was designed for handling stock power levels in a quiet fashion, not corralling over 800 hp at the pavement. To the rescue is a one-piece aluminum driveshaft from the DriveShaft Shop (PN FDSH10-A; $749.95). The shaft weighs only 17 pounds and is designed to support up to 900 hp. A BMR safety loop will stand watch just in case.  To corral all the power, the...  To corral all the power, the rear of the Lethal GT500 received a complete Steeda suspension, including billet lower control arms (PN 555-4405; $299.95), a Competition upper control arm/mount (PN 555-4109; $279.95), an adjustable Panhard bar (PN 555-2551; $159.95)...  ...and a heavy-duty Panhard...  ...and a heavy-duty Panhard bar brace (PN 555-2555; $89.95).  In this shot you can also...  In this shot you can also see Fore Precision Works' beautiful rearend cover/girdle for 8.8 rears (PN FPW-88DIFFCOVER; $499). Behind it lies 3.73 gears, a Moser spool, and Moser 33-spline axles. The axles ends were also converted to rugged 9-inch bearing ends from Moser.  Rounding out the exhaust fronted...  Rounding out the exhaust fronted by the ARH headers and X-shape crossover is Magnaflow's Magnapack after-cat exhaust (PN 16574; $500.91). The exhaust is lighter than the stock gear and delivers an aggressive sound in a durable, stainless steel package.  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.
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