666 Mustang Gets Updated and Runs Mid 10s

It might have been awhile since you have seen an update on our 666. To quickly recap, our Fox-Body is equipped with a 575 hp 408 Windsor, making about 480 hp to the rear tires.  Though this was going to be the last race we would make with our 408 as we are going to put our 427 Windsor that we had built for 666 sometime ago…we need to make the 666 horsepower goal that we had set to make with the fox body.

The Mustang is going to be used as a temporary race car for the 2011 PSCA racing season.  The class we plan to run is Limited Street, though the Mustang will be there just to gain points while the real car is being built…our ProCharged, LSX powered Project Grandma Malibu.  With that, a few changes have been made to the car.

Wolfe Racecraft 10-Point Cage Add On

We had previously installed a six-point Wolfe Racecraft roll cage years ago.  The kit is designed specifically for a fox body Mustang and each bar is cut to length (and can also be purchased pre-notched), which a decent welder can install in about one day.  Adding onto the six-point cage is Wolfe’s four-point add-on kit.  Along with the six-point kit, this was a built-to-fit application and also came pre-notched.  Sean additionally added a few gusset bars to help reinforce the cage. This week we will have the cage certified to make it all legal.

TCI’s C4 Auto Transmission Swap

You may have remembered that the Mustang was originally equipped with a 5-speed transmission.  In its place is now a TCI C4 automatic, which we installed to help harness the power of our 650+ 427 with consistency and durability.  TCI’s C4 is a standard transbrake, three-speed automatic transmission, sporting the low-drag, six-pinion planetary kit that still uses the stock ratio but has bearings all the way through.

Our C4 features a scatter shield for safety along with an SFI approved bell housing

A late-model, 26-spline case filled setup, it also has a reinforced forward gear drum, a billet intermediate servo assembly, 300M input shaft, a deep aluminum pan, and Red Eagle clutches. It should be noted that these features are all standard equipment on this model transmission. This transmission is based upon a factory C4 transmission case, and designed and intended for use in racing applications.

The design that TCI has implemented decreases the amount of drag considerably, pulling in the neighborhood of 18-20 horsepower, down from what is commonly around 30 horsepower in high gear. And being a Ford transmission where it would be commonplace to find it bolted behind a small block engine that on the average doesn’t typically make large amounts of excess horsepower, that 10-12 horsepower becomes quite a difference.

A deep sump pan holds an quart of additional transmission fluid

The six-pinion planetaries are created entirely in-house by modifying the factory gear assemblies to add in the extra gears. From the factory, the C4 sports a three-pinion planetary, and thus, is doubled through TCI’s process. The three-pinion planetary setup in the factory transmission is notoriously a weak link, and by increasing it’s size, the overall strength of the planetary assembly is vastly improved.

In addition to our TCI transmission, we also installed a eight-inch torque converter. This is TCI’s best selling race torque converter and is suitable for the greatest percentage of drag cars – from bracket racing, to Super Gas and Stock Eliminator.  Most of the models now feature a cast steel stator that is supported by an oversize caged bearing for added reliability.  Current models also feature an improved housing design for less flex or ballooning under the stress of racing, resulting in more consistent times, reactions, and better durability.

AFCO’s Double Adjustable Rear Shock

To help get the rear end planted properly we installed a set of AFCO’s double adjustable, twin tube shocks.  They are compression adjustable from the top side of the shock’s shaft and rebound adjustable via the knob near the lower shock mount.  Having a double adjustable shock allows us to dial in the amount of weight transfer to the rear tires and also how fast the shock will try to recover.

The shock features an outer reserve tube with an inner pressure tube that allows the shock to perform with small body dents. All AFCO R-Series Shocks are 100% dyno tested, rebuildable, and revalvable.

• Compression is adjustable from 1 (softest) to 8 (stiffest), with an infinite number of positions in between (no clicks)
• Rebound is adjustable via a keyhole in the shaft from 1-valve to 12-valve, with an infinite number of positions in between (no clicks)
• Lightweight aluminum design
• Valving is extremely sensitive to change–even a small adjustment can be felt, allowing you to find the “sweet spot” in your setup
• Strong, dependable adjusters will keep your settings until you change them again
• 100 percent dyno-tested to ensure all AFCO drag shocks match in performance
• In-house manufacturing maintains high tolerances
• Can be mounted upside-down for reduced unsprung weight

Red Line Oils Add The Viscosity

With a vast amount of overhauls completed, the need for a fresh set of lubricants.  First off was a bottle of Red Line’s Water Wetter. Unique agent for cooling systems that doubles the wetting ability of water. Also to keep the block and heads free of gunk, rust and corrosion protection allows for use of straight water in racing or reduced antifreeze levels in warm climates.

Next up was six quarts of Red Line’s 5w30 synthetic motor oil.  It features excellent wear protection and friction reduction across a wide range of operating conditions. Als0 superior high temperature stability and oxidation resistance increases lubrication of hot metal compared to other synthetics.

The gear oil of choice was 75w-90 fully synthetic. This is the most popular Red Line gear oil, with thousands of applications for passenger cars, light trucks, and racing vehicles. It contains additional friction modifiers for suitablity with clutch-type limited slip differentials – for most LSDs, no additional friction modifiers are required.

Trip to Fontana with High 10s on the Mind

Our trip to the track began surprising early, with a departure time of six o’clock in the morning, in order to arrive at the track in time for a prime pit spot. As it turned out, we ended up a 1/4 mile from the staging area. We used the two mile asphalt circle track that is parallel to the pit area as a point of reference in measuring the distance. This is the same oval track that NASCAR holds their annual Fontana races on.

A quick check of fluids, tire pressures and window cleaning, and we were set. No sooner than we got James stuffed into the driver’s seat, the call came over the public address system for cars to start moving to the staging area.

Our initial choice to enter in the Sportsman class turned out to be a mistake and we chose to move up into the Pro class. On the first run we left at 3,500 RPM of the trans brake, and our project car rebounded with a 1.497 sixty foot and a 7.179 @ 94.23 mph eighth mile where he lifted and coasted out the rest of the track to a 11.920 @ 87.93 mph. James reported an issue with the shifter possibly being mis-adjusted. One the second pass of the day the car managed to rebound with a 1.432 sixty foot and a 7.069 @ 94.35 mph eighth mile time and rounded out the quarter mile with a 11.177 @ 117.70 mph pass. We did notice during the run, each gear change resulted in a loud bang through the exhaust system.

Another five minute walk back to the trailer and our worst fears were confirmed. The pop in the exhaust was substantial and we needed to track down the source. After listening to the engine, we determined that there was a problem with an leaky exhaust gasket that was drawing fresh air into the exhaust flow.

Another five minute walk to the staging area where we met James waiting to move into the burnout box. James drew the left hand lane, where he started on the first run of the day. The car launched much smoother than the previous runs and the gears shifted smoothly resulting in a breakout run. We had dialed a 10.80 and ran a 10.568 @ 116.94 mph while on the rev limiter the last 150 feet, due to the lack of rear gear. With the proper gearing and being able to stay in it the entire duration of the track, we felt that 10.30s would have been feasible.  The last five minute walk was a bitter sweet feeling because of the nice run but the reality of breaking out and going home meant the end of the day.

Our three time slips throughout the day with car number 7555. Click the picture above for a larger version.

About the author

Mark Gearhart

In 1995 Mark started photographing drag races at his once local track, Bradenton Motorsports Park. He became hooked and shot virtually every series at the track until 2007 until he moved to California and began working as a writer for Power Automedia. He was the founding editor for its first online magazines, and transitioned into the role of editorial director role in 2014. Retiring from the company in 2016, Mark continues to expand his career as a car builder, automotive enthusiast, and freelance journalist to provide featured content and technical expertise.
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