2005 Mustang GT Convertible Mach 1 Tribute - Maching Out

MRT Creates The Car Ford Could Have Offered In 2005

By Wayne Cook

Photography by Tracy Stocker

Bill Birch of Indianapolis, Indiana, is a dedicated Ford enthusiast. When Bill decided he wanted something extra in a Mustang, he dreamed of a car with all of the attributes of a Mach I and with a convertible top to boot. Since Ford didn't offer the Mach I package on the latest Mustang incarnation, Bill contacted Scott Hoag, founder of MRT (Mustang Racing Technologies). While Scott was at Ford Motor Company, he was the driving force behind the Mustang's popular Mach I package for '03 and '04 with its retro interior, graphics package, and immediately recognizable Shaker hood and scoop setup. Who better to contact when the plan was to create a Mach I using the '05 convertible platform?

Bill was interested in a car with not only the visual attributes of the Mach I, but he also wanted his car to run a little better than the rest when the light turned green. It just so happens that MRT specializes in all kinds of Mustang performance upgrades, so Bill knew he had found the right outfit to create an authentic-looking and -performing Mach I Mustang tribute, both on the outside and under the hood. MRT worked closely with Bill in the creation of this one-of-a-kind project. Although the formula included upgrades to improve the car's appearance and acceleration, the guiding concept was simple-build the Mach I that he wished Ford had built. After review and consultation, the decision was made to build an engine with increased power and also the ability to handle incremental performance modifications later on. This included a tear down and rebuild with the typical forged internals used for big-power blower applications. A billet steel crank from Kellogg and the modular standard; Manley forged rods found their way into the aluminum 4.6L block. They decided to make as much power "on the motor" as possible, while retaining manageable street drivability characteristics. Bill agreed to sacrifice some idle smoothness and went with an aggressive Comp Cams Three-Valve cam package, including phase limiters, matched with the factory 5R55S five-speed automatic transmission.

Although not the typical street package, the end product is a fast and fun boulevard cruiser that has outstanding throttle response and gets a ton of thumbs up and smiles with its authentic and distinctive Mach I presence. Let's take a closer look at the cool convertible and see just what MRT has done to make the combination work.