In December, we published a short feature on a 2011 Ford Mustang GT owned by renowned tuning guru Jon Lund, who with assistance from fellow tuner Ken Bjonnes, designed and fabricated a custom twin turbocharger system with help from Jake Long, complete with an air-to-water intercooler to pair with the 5.0L Coyote powerplant. This new combination, which is quite rare in a world of superchargers and nitrous oxide, produced a staggering 606 rear wheel horsepower at just 9 pounds of boost.
At the time, Bjonnes indicated that he’d only begun to play with the Variable Cam Timing incorporated into the Coyote engine design, and that inn addition to further tuning enhancements, an entire new long block assembly was on the horizon with the goal of producing in excess of 1,000 horsepower and time slips in the single digits.
Well, Lund and Bjonnes got the new long block assembly from L&M Engines – paired with the twin hairdryers – buttoned up in time for the NMRA Spring Break Shootout down in Bradenton, Fla. this past weekend, and naturally, their personal best with the 2011 GT fell considerably.
Competing in the Super Stang category, Bjonnes clicked off a best of 9.42 at 150 MPH from the twin turbo’ed mount that he explains is nothing more than a typical, daily driver Mustang that hasn’t been built specifically for drag racing. And, with the stock transmission still in use, Bjonnes indicates he was unable to build boost off the line with the footbrake, although producing 21 pounds otherwise.
A mighty impressive for a 3.850 pound car, and with more tinkering time, we’re sure that 9.42 will prove to be only the beginning.