Xtreme Street'Stangs
Remember when you learned to diversify your investment portfolio in economics class (at least on the day you didn't skip)? It meant spreading your investments around dif-ferent money-making avenues to keep from losing it all on just one stock, mutual fund, or certificate of deposit. Invest in a variety of stocks or mutual funds and you have a better chance at making money, instead of watching it tank. There are quick money-making ventures, such as a pharmaceutical company about to make the latest and greatest cure-all drug, and there are slow money-making avenues, such as a mutual fund or a 401K. Either way, having your hand in a variety of financial pots provides more opportunities to earn big returns.
Ed Van Every of Wau-kesha, Wisconsin, has followed the logic of diversity throughout his life, and his '00 GT convertible is no different. Born in Long Island and growing up in Kings Park, New York, Ed spent most of his summers on Prince Edward Island in Canada. He attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) and traveled the world as a midshipman. He then moved to Washington, D.C., to be a marine engineer for Advanced Marine Enterprises. Later, he worked with the U.S. Maritime Administration as a systems manager for computing resources. Then a move took him to Morgantown, West Virginia, to the National Energy Technology Laboratory where he worked as a network administrator and network application developer for the Department of Energy. Next up was a stint as a computer crime specialist for the National White Collar Crime Center. Currently, Ed is CEO, software developer, and co-owner of Digital Intelligence, which designs and develops state-of-the-art computer forensic hardware and software.
Not surprisingly, Ed applied that same diversity to his GT. He purchased the car in April 2000 and went right to work tinting the windows and updating the Mach 460 stereo system with a Sony CDX-MP70 MP3/CD player combination head unit and a Delphi SkyFi XM radio unit. The interior boasts a Classic Design Concepts light bar, a Valentine 1 radar detector, a Garmin Street Pilot III navigation system, a PNI electronic compass/altimeter/ temperature gauge, a full set of Auto Meter gauges, and a plethora of billet goodies to spruce up the insides.
To bring the car's exterior up to its interior standards, Ed added a Pro-Fit fuel door, ATS sequential turn signals, and HID lighting to the headlights and driving lights. The big visual treatment comes with the addition of Eibach springs, a Cervini's Stalker hood, and SSR GT-3 18x9 three-piece wheels wrapped in Bridgestone S-03 Pole Position shoes. Of course, Zaino freaks will be happy to know Ed applied the six-step show-car polish to the car as well.
Now let's move on to the most important part-the go. Ed started out on the right foot by adding a Bassani X-pipe and after-cat exhaust, but the big boost came when he dropped in a Vortech S-Trim with MaxFlow Power Cooler. "I did the install between Christmas 2001 and New Year's," Ed says. Consequently, when he ran into problems, he couldn't get anyone on the phone, except for Tony Beake at Need-4-Speed in Clearwater, Florida. "Much thanks to Tony for calling me back-even though his shop was closed-to diagnose a problem computer chip."
Ed says that although the Vortech kit ran well, he wanted to get a custom tune on the engine for maximum reliability and performance. While his goal was to have a powerful car, he also wanted to make sure he could hop in it at any given moment and take off for parts unknown. Ed's search led him to Chris Johnson at JMS Chip. Prior to the 900-mile trip from West Virginia to JMS' Mobile, Alabama location, Chris sent a mail-order Autologic chip to Ed, along with 42-lb/hr injectors and a recalibrated mass air meter. Once at JMS, that chip allowed the car to make 390 hp at the wheels. After a conservative optimization Chris had the car up to 405 at the wheels. "If you've never seen your vehicle screaming at full throttle on a platform 4 feet off the ground, be advised it's not for the weak of heart," Ed says.
Once again taking advantage of his Garmin Street Pilot III navigation system, Ed drove the car to Need-4-Speed in February 2003 for a built bottom end. Drawing on his past experiences with Tony, Ed said, "I felt it was worth the 1,400-mile drive to leave the vehicle in the hands of someone I trust."
Need-4-Speed added a built short-block using a stock block, forged ModMax 17cc pistons, forged Manley rods, and a Cobra crank. Up top, the stock heads were treated to a Fox Lake Stage 3 port job, stock cams, and ModMax valves and valvesprings. Enhancing intake chores even further is an Anderson Ford Motorsport Power Pipe, an Accufab throttle body, and a Bullitt intake. With the increased intake airflow, the exhaust needed updating as well, and those needs were met using new Bassani Mid-Length headers and a new X-pipe.
While he was at it, Ed had Tony add 3.73 gears, a Cobra billet-steel flywheel, a Spec Stage II clutch, and a Steeda adjustable cable and clutch quadrant for greater holding power and clutch engagement. With all the improvements, Ed made what had to be a fun 1,400-mile trip home in June 2003.
Ed took the car to Borchardt Speed Automotive in Milwaukee for a couple dyno runs. He was a little disappointed when the car made "only" 425 hp to the wheels, but he removed the three temperature probes within the intake tract and-bingo-464 hp.
Now that's what we call compound interest.
| 5.0 TECH SPECS |
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN |
| Block |
Stock, 0.020 over |
| Rotating Assembly |
Cobra crank, Manley |
|
forged H-beam rods, ModMax |
|
pistons and rings |
| Displacement |
283 |
| Cylinder Heads |
Stock, Fox Lake Stage 3 |
|
ported, ModMax valves and valvesprings |
| Camshafts |
Stock |
| Intake Manifold |
Bullitt |
| Throttle Body |
Accufab |
| Mass Air Meter |
Stock |
| Power Adder |
Vortech V2 SQ, Vortech |
|
Aftercooler, Anderson Ford |
|
Motorsport Power Pipe |
| Exhaust |
Bassani ceramic-coated |
|
Mid-Length headers, Bassani off-road |
|
X-pipe, Bassani after-cat |
| Fuel System |
Walbro 255-lph in-tank pump, |
|
stock lines and rails, Ford Racing |
|
Performance Parts 42-lb/hr injectors |
| Transmission |
Stock T45, Spec Stage II |
|
clutch and pressure plate, |
|
FRPP billet-steel flywheel, |
|
Pro-5.0 shifter |
| Rearend |
8.8, 3.73 gears |
| ELECTRONICS |
| Engine Management |
Stock, TwEECer |
| |
Tuner Chip |
| Ignition |
Stock |
| Gauges |
Auto Meter |
| SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS |
| FRONT SUSPENSION |
| K-Member |
Stock |
| Struts |
Stock |
| Caster/Camber |
Hotchkis |
| Springs |
Eibach |
| Brakes |
Stock |
| Wheels |
SSR GT-3 18x9 |
| Tires |
Bridgestone S-03 Pole |
| |
Position 245/40 |
| REAR SUSPENSION |
| Shocks |
Stock |
| Springs |
Eibach |
| Brakes |
Stock |
| Wheels |
SSR GT-3 18x9 |
| Tires |
Bridgestone S-03 Pole |
| |
Position 245/40 |
