1986 Ford Mustang T-Top LX Project T-Top Coupe Engine Swap - To The Top

With a fresh powerplant going in, we thought it would be best to tear down and inspect the Performance Automatic Super Comp AODE transmission that has served our project so well. Oliver's Transmissions of San Fernando, California, took care of the freshening for us, using the same clutches, bands, and more that PA installs in every new unit.

We've been asked in the past whether there are any benefits in using a solid transmission mount on a high-horsepower street/strip 'Stang, as opposed to setting the tranny on a urethane mount. While the idea of using a solid mount does seem cool, it's definitely not advised, as there must be a small amount of flex or give in the driveline to prevent catastrophic damage to the bellhousing, transmission's internals, driveshaft, or rearend.

Always remember, heat is the enemy--especially with regard to wiring. Since our coupe's starter wire sits in close proximity to the passenger-side header, a protective sleeve is used to protect the cable from damage.

Your tech editor and Saul "The Surgeon" Gutierrez of Extreme Automotive complete the basic engine-related hookups and bolt-ons such as XFI wiring, fuel lines, pulleys, and so on. These tasks can be accomplished relatively quickly when two people work on either side of the engine bay.

In anticipation of increased cylinder pressure, we modified the T-top coupe's previous evacuation system (AN -10 lines from valve covers into a Moroso reservoir) by adding an electric pump to help pull vacuum under heavy engine loads. The pump unfortunately is a Brand-X piece, but it's truly a necessity for this type of high-horsepower effort, and will eliminate the potential of creating a dreaded oil-vapor smoke screen when the hammer is down.

The Mojave Mile experience with our supercharged '02 Mustang GT taught us a good lesson in how to prevent overspinning--and subsequently burning out a 'Stang's alternator. To protect the coupe's PA Performance 3G from meeting a premature burned-out fate, a larger-diameter (3.5-inch) '03-'04 Cobra pulley was added.

The change from 10-rib serpentine-style blower belt to a full-on cog drive setup is one of the big supercharger-related changes we made in the quest for 1,000 rwhp. On the crank, a 75-tooth gear replaces an 8-inch-diameter pulley. A 33-tooth gear now resides on the Novi 2000, replacing a 3-inch, 10-rib pulley. While the new cogs are smaller in diameter, their ratios should produce the same boost range (19-21 psi) as the serp setup.

The supercharger on the left definitely is the outstanding piece in our quest for big steam. Paxton's Novi 2500 is said to be the new baddest-of-the-bad, all-purpose Paxton blowers for 5.0 and 351-based 'Stangs. We plan on evaluating the new supercharger in a back-to-back comparison with the Novi 2000 as soon as final assembly tasks are finished and our coupe is up and running again.

Internet research led your tech editor to selecting a 5-gallon ice reservoir from Dad's Custom Intercooler Tanks. The TIG-welded tank is made of 6061 aluminum, and features an internally mounted transmission cooler and Rule 2000 water pump that will send chilled water up to the Mondo 'cooler on the engine.

We tentatively plan on mounting the ice tank in the rear-seat area of the project car.

One of our next tasks in this upgrade project is plumbing the intercooler system. Using a tape measure, we estimate needing almost 25 feet of AN -12 hose for water feed and return, 15 feet of AN -6 braided line for the transmission cooler, and an assortment of hose ends and fittings for each system.

With the new engine, transmission, driveshaft, exhaust, and everything else that could be installed during our two-day session, in place, Mario drops Project T-top coupe right back in your tech editor's garage. The height of the Mondo intercooler leaves us no chance of reinstalling the Cervini's 2.5-inch cowl hood without serious mods (see Hoodwinked sidebar). The next steps for the project 'Stang include fabricating a 4-inch discharge tube for the blower, the aforementioned intercooler plumbing, wiring the evacuation pump, installing XFI's new 2.0 ECU, and putting a few miles on the new engine before making the run for 1,000 ponies.