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New Best!

Spent the weekend down at Norwalk and ran the Bird in True Street class on sat and did brackets on Sunday. Had a great weekend and the car was awesome! My previous best on slicks was a 12.40 @ 110 so I had to switch to a MT ET Street R tire to keep legal for True Street class and boy do I like these tires. I launched the car at only 3500 and she ate it up even with a hint of clutch slip. I had my new Snow meth kit on but something still isnt right with it cuz it went pig rich and only ran a 12.75 @ 105 in the morning time trials.

I turned the Snow kit off and let it rip anyway. Car responded by dipping right into the 12.teens at 114mph on mid 1.60 60ft times. I added a touch more fuel and 1* of timing up top and was rewarded with my best pass so far.



Next pass the clutch slipped bad on the 3-4 shift and it slowed to a 12.15 @ 113 and I got beat so my race was done.  Left with a huge smile anyway!

I cant believe how this car is coming around. Never would have thought a 98% stock Explorer motor with only 3.55 gears and a single exhaust would be trapping 115mph at 3600lbs!

If I can get this meth kit to work right I see no problem running in the 11s solid with a car I can jump in and drive over 400 miles a week to work in. My goal is so close I can smell it!

Waiting to get vids off my GF phone to post up too.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

New Best!

Reply #1 –
Congratulations.
Impressive that a 3600lb car with a basically stock 5.0 can turn those times.

It almost makes me wish I had kept our 97 Mountaineer to swap that engine into my wife's 86 GT vert.
Ron
Speed is just a question of MONEY How fast can you go?    (M. M.)

New Best!

Reply #3 –
I'm going to have a similar combination with my 86, once I get the time to swap out the powertrain. I don't want to run my V2 Vortech with the stock AOD, so I plan to use my recently acquired 4R70W.

I hand ported a set of GT40 heads and am working on the lower Explorer intake as well. Currently installing my 3.73 8.8".
1986 Thunderbird Elan 5.0 EFI AOD, 3.73:1 SN95 rear, 17" Mustang Bullitts w/Firestone WO Indy 500's. Future plan: 349 stroker, C9 block, forged dish pistons, Scat 9000 crank, 4340 I beam rods, ARP head/main studs, ported explorer intake, 1.72 CC RR, Vortech V2 supercharger, Mr. Freeze Meth Inj, intercooler, TFS 190 11R CNC heads (66CC), BBK shorties with 2.5" duals, 4R70W Transmission, Taurus fan.

New Best!

Reply #4 –
If I didnt drive this car 400miles a week Id swap a 3.73 in it and I know it would gain a lot. Im crossing the finish line at 5200 in 4th gear so the blower is only making 6-7psi instead of 10psi I see at 6000.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

New Best!

Reply #5 –
Quote from: deathbypsi;461884
If I didnt drive this car 400miles a week Id swap a 3.73 in it and I know it would gain a lot. Im crossing the finish line at 5200 in 4th gear so the blower is only making 6-7psi instead of 10psi I see at 6000.

Are you running a stock T5? As you get that car into the 11's and you will, the temptation is going to be there to leave harder and shift harder. That will likely be lights out for the T5 in a heavy car like ours. I give you a lot of credit for keeping it alive behind the Vortech. Your car looks really nice on the vids, by the way:bowdown:

I have a T5 in my Maverick behind a 306 and I only have 360 FWHP. Knowing my much younger self is still buried in an older farts body, I myself would be too tempted to leave on the limiter and break the trans or 8" TL rear.:burnout: Nonetheless, don't think I haven't given thought to boosting that flyweight car instead of the Bird.
1986 Thunderbird Elan 5.0 EFI AOD, 3.73:1 SN95 rear, 17" Mustang Bullitts w/Firestone WO Indy 500's. Future plan: 349 stroker, C9 block, forged dish pistons, Scat 9000 crank, 4340 I beam rods, ARP head/main studs, ported explorer intake, 1.72 CC RR, Vortech V2 supercharger, Mr. Freeze Meth Inj, intercooler, TFS 190 11R CNC heads (66CC), BBK shorties with 2.5" duals, 4R70W Transmission, Taurus fan.

New Best!

Reply #6 –
The t5 isnt stock and was rebuilt with some upgrades like billet keys, carbon fiber rings and Im only using a King Cobra clutch kit so it slips a bit already which I think is a good thing for now
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

New Best!

Reply #7 –
Quote from: deathbypsi;461893
The t5 isnt stock and was rebuilt with some upgrades like billet keys, carbon fiber rings and Im only using a King Cobra clutch kit so it slips a bit already which I think is a good thing for now

Do you still have the original hypereutectic pistons in the motor?
1986 Thunderbird Elan 5.0 EFI AOD, 3.73:1 SN95 rear, 17" Mustang Bullitts w/Firestone WO Indy 500's. Future plan: 349 stroker, C9 block, forged dish pistons, Scat 9000 crank, 4340 I beam rods, ARP head/main studs, ported explorer intake, 1.72 CC RR, Vortech V2 supercharger, Mr. Freeze Meth Inj, intercooler, TFS 190 11R CNC heads (66CC), BBK shorties with 2.5" duals, 4R70W Transmission, Taurus fan.

New Best!

Reply #8 –
Sure do! lol    No head studs, no main studs, stock felpro gaskets and not one part of this motor has seen any porting.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

New Best!

Reply #9 –
A good tune goes a long way.
1986 Thunderbird Elan 5.0 EFI AOD, 3.73:1 SN95 rear, 17" Mustang Bullitts w/Firestone WO Indy 500's. Future plan: 349 stroker, C9 block, forged dish pistons, Scat 9000 crank, 4340 I beam rods, ARP head/main studs, ported explorer intake, 1.72 CC RR, Vortech V2 supercharger, Mr. Freeze Meth Inj, intercooler, TFS 190 11R CNC heads (66CC), BBK shorties with 2.5" duals, 4R70W Transmission, Taurus fan.