Jim installed a Kenny Brown street cage, strut tower brace, and lower brace to keep his and the 'Rat's airframe intact during any extreme acrobatics. Corbeau belts, Classic Soft Trim leather seats, and Auto Meter instrumentation keep this pilot secure, comfortable, and informed.
Aerodynamically, Jim installed a Cobra front grille insert, front fender extensions, and side skirts from Cervini's. Jim swapped out the rear cheese-grater taillights for cleaner LX assemblies, but retained the stock rear wing and bumper cover. Beneath the latter pokes a tow hitch, which Jim chose to keep in place because "it's a good skid plate!"
What's next for the 'Rat? "The guy who tuned the chip mentioned there is definitely more power in the engine if I went with a larger throttle body and injectors. I'm waiting on those until I choose which way I want to go with the induction-a Vortech supercharger or a Weber-style eight-pack. Either way, it's gotta fit under the shaker!"
Either aspiration would definitely add jet-like thrust to the 'Rat . . . but we're sure Jim can handle it.
The Details
Jim Buehler's '88 Mustang GT
Engine
- Ford Racing crate engine
- FRPP 347 stroker kit
- FRPP GT40X Turbo Swirl aluminum cylinder heads
- Extrude Honed stock intake
- FRPP E303 camshaft
- FRPP 65mm throttle body
- ProFlow mass air meter
- FRPP 24 lb/hr injectors
- KIRBAN billet adjustable fuel pressure regulator
- Walbro 255-lph fuel pump
- FRPP 9mm ignition wires
- MSD Pro-Billet distributor
- Fluidyne aluminum radiator
- Be Cool dual 11" electric cooling fans
- 338 rwhp @ 5,500 rpm
- 327 rwtq @ 2,500 rpm
Transmission
- Tremec TKO
- Steeda Tri-Ax shifter
- Steeda adjustable quadrant, cable and firewall adjuster
- FRPP King Cobra clutch
Rearend
- FRPP aluminum driveshaft
- Auburn Pro Series differential
- FRPP 3.27 gears
- Moser five-lug axles
Exhaust
- FRPP 1 5/8" shorty headers
- BBK H-pipe with catalytic converters
- Spin Tech side-exit after-cat exhaust with hollow mufflers
Suspension
- Front: Air Ride Technologies CoolRide, Tokico Illumina adjustable front struts, Steeda caster/camber plates, Steeda bumpsteer kit, Kenny Brown strut tower brace, Kenny Brown four-point K-member brace, Maximum Motorsports subframe connectors
- Rear: Air Ride adjustable rear shocks; Saleen rear lower control arms
- Kenny Brown six-point street cage
Brakes
- Front: FRPP M-2300-K brake kit 13-inch disc, PBR two-piston calipers
- Rear: FRPP M-23-K brake kit 11.65-inch disc, Ford single-piston calipers
Wheels
- Front: FRPP Bullitt, 17x8
- Rear: FRPP Bullitt, 17x8
Tires
- Front: Falken GR Beta FK-451, P245/45ZR17
- Rear: Falken GR Beta FK-451, P245/45ZR17
Interior
- Classic Soft Trim leather seats
- Corbeau three-point harness belts
- Auto Meter carbon-fiber gauges (speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure, voltage, water temp, fuel level, fuel pressure, A/F ratio, air [suspension] pressure)
- Alpine AM/FM/XM/CD
Exterior
- Cervini's Cobra grille insert
- Cervini's Cobra front fender extensions
- Cervini's Cobra side skirts
- Banshee Performance Ram Jet shaker kit
- Smoked headlights
- Black Beauty foglights