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Tag: Ford

  • 2019 Ford Ranger Baja – CR Performance Engineering Turbo

    2019 Ford Ranger Baja – CR Performance Engineering Turbo

    Check out David’s 2019 Ford Ranger Baja! With a Pro Comp Level Kit, FOX 2.0 Performance Shocks and 18″ Fuel Off-Road Tactic wheels, this pickup was ready to add the power necessary to match its factory aggressive looks.
     
    Performed by us:
    • Mountune USA 1400-IC-AA Heavy-Duty Intercooler Upgrade
    • CR Performance Engineering 54mm Turbo, Stage 3, 6+6 Blade Billet Compressor Wheel
    • NGK Spark Plugs LTR7IX-11 spark plugs
     
    With the mechanical work complete, John strapped her down to the rollers for Vlad to perform a custom calibration via HP Tuners. With 93 octane in the tank, Vlad was able to increase the output to 332.71whp & 390.09lbft!

  • King Cobra: Anthony Veneziano’s Terminator-Swapped 1999 SVT Cobra

    King Cobra: Anthony Veneziano’s Terminator-Swapped 1999 SVT Cobra

     

    Certain icons stand out in history as pillars of automotive history. For Ford and Shelby, the Cobra is one of those very icons. From the original Shelby to the current GT500s, that snake has always represented one thing, unrelenting performance. 

     

     

    The key to unrelenting performance is, of course, making that performance reliable and steadfast. When building beyond the capabilities from the factory, this key becomes all the more important. 

     

    Anthony brought in his new-to-him supercharged 1999 SVT Cobra looking for a built bottom end to keep his Cobra’s performance unrelenting. On such a special build, featuring a full Terminator swap with rare parts, including some super rare euro tail lights, we knew that we would be able to make this Terminator-swapped Cobra a force to be reckoned with. 

    With the stock block not able to handle the current power efficiently and reliably, he worked with our performance consultants and build designers to figure out the best way to keep the power pumping and his motor running like a champ.

    The solution sounded simple, a new short block built to withstand the new power and more. However, the reality was much more interesting. 

     

     

    Instead of just any new short block, we sourced a MMR Romeo Short Block, cast iron but with forged I-Beam rods and Manley Forged Pistons. This new beefed up short block would be more than capable to handle the extra power and boost the twin screw blower would send through the 4.6L DOHC V8. Andrew got to work resealing the engine with Fel-Pro gaskets and ARP hardware to make sure that it was sealed and torqued properly. Process is a huge part of what makes a difference during a build and we’re always focused on doing things the right way. 

     

     

    Forged internals are a great way to make the most of any standard cast iron block. And by pairing forged internals with a short block designed specifically for forced induction, Anthony’s Cobra was stronger than ever and ready to be back in business!

    To give the Cobra some extra grunt, some PaceSetters full length headers, ceramic coated by our friends at Wild Things Powdercoating, and a custom-fabricated X-Pipe were added while the motor was out. With the engine setup ready to go, we got the car buttoned up and ready for the dyno! 

     

     

    After getting strapped in, dialed in, and a custom tune from our calibrator Vlad via SCT X4, Anthony’s Cobra put down an impressive 492whp and 450lbft of torque!

     

    We couldn’t let this one go without a full shoot out back at the shop in Wilmington. For a closer look at this build, take a look at the gallery below.

    Reach out to National Speed today to see what we can do for you!

     

    Parts List: 

    • MMR Romeo Short Block
    • Ford Racing Crankshaft
    • Forged MMR I-Beam Rods with ARP Hardware
    • Manley Forged Pistons & chromoly piston pins
    • PaceSetter Ceramic Coated Full Length Steel Headers
    • Custom Fabricated X-Pipe
    • ARP 2000 Hex Head Stud Kit

  • Bryan’s Foxbody Obsession

    Bryan’s Foxbody Obsession

    There’s always some enthusiasts who connect with a specific car and just develop a passion that brings that model to the absolute pinnacle of their vision. We’ve seen it all the time, from domestics to imports. Every car enthusiast makes this connection to some extent.

    One prime example of this is Bryan. Bryan loves Foxbody Mustangs more than almost anyone does, we’re willing to bet. When Bryan first came to us, he had a plan for not one, but two Foxbody builds, a 1989 and a 1993, with distinctly different visions for both. The best of both worlds if you will. We couldn’t have been more excited to take these on and bring this twin Foxbody vision to life.

     

     

    First up, this absolutely stunning 1989 model year, was to be a simple build with ties to the OEM nostalgic setup, but with the addition of a built transmission and some boost! Putting the pressure down on the 5.0L 302 is a Vortech Superchargers V-3 Si-Trim Supercharger System. 

    Bringing life to the motor setup, we swapped out the injectors and spark plugs, using NGK and Ford Racing parts, including Ford Racing 47lb EV6 fuel injectors with a Brian Tooley Racing EV1 to EV6 adapter for proper fitting without having to modify the factory wiring harness. 

     

     

    To beef up the drivetrain while running through the gears, we reached out to the team at Monster Transmission & Performance to help Bryan with a heavy duty 4 Speed AOD Transmission. To compliment this truly monster gearbox, we upgraded all the components surrounding, from an ATP Automotive flex plate to pedal and shift linkage bushings from Dorman Products.  All the epic parts in the world can’t do their best if the support for them is aged and worn!

     

    To keep this Fox breathing clear, we swapped out the headers and X-Pipe for some quality parts from the team at BBK Performance Parts. To keep everything regulated, the radiator and thermostat were replaced and upgraded with a Motorad 180 thermostat and Mishimoto aluminum radiator with a dual fan system from Ron Francis Wiring to keep the air flowing and the engine cool.

     

     

    With the mechanical work wrapped up in the shop by John, Matt strapped her down to the rollers for Vlad to perform a custom calibration via SCT Performance! With 93 octane in the tank and the Vortech V-3 Si delivering ~8psi, Vlad increased the 5.0L HO 302’s output to a solid 306.43whp & 359.59lbft!

     

    Next up is Bryan’s 1993 Foxbody Mustang SVT, getting set for an Edelbrock supercharged Coyote swap and 9 inch rear! We can’t wait to see these two together when they’re both finished. More progress coming soon, so stay tuned for updates!

     

     

    For a closer look at this build, take a look at the full gallery below.

     

    Reach out to National Speed today to see what we can do for you! 

     

     Full modification list performed by us below:

    [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”489″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

  • 2018 Mustang 1,000HP Package

    2018 Mustang 1,000HP Package

     
    ’18 Mustang // Turn-Key Package // 1,000+ Horsepower:

     

    1000hp Mustang Whipple

     
    That’s what Barry was looking for when he brought us his 2018 Ford Mustang GT A10, and that’s exactly what we delivered. It’s no secret that these Gen-III Coyotes are one of the strongest modular Ford engines ever produced. Rewind just 10 years ago, and such a power level would require built engine, reinforced/reengineered drivetrian, stand-alone engine management, etc. In this case, our 1,000+ horsepower Mustang Gen-III Coyote Package is built around a practically stock engine, transmission, rear end, all on stock ECU — comprised of the following:
     
    Whipple Superchargers 3.0L twin-screw supercharger system, upgraded heat exchanger, 10-rib pulley conversion, ATI Performance Products harmonic balancer, Stainless Works 2.00″ primary diameter long-tube headers and 3.00″ diameter exhaust system, Modular Motorsports Racing – MMR billet oil pump gears & sprocket, Fore Innovations, LLCL1E return-style fuel system, Injector Dynamics ID1050X fuel injectors, Driveshaft Shop 3.50″ chromoly driveshaft, Ford Performance driveshaft safety loop, Driveshaft Shop 1,400hp Pro-Level axles, Bmr Suspension Inc rear subframe cradle lockdown, all brought together with a custom calibration by Vlad via HP Tuners. And while Barry is going to put this beast to good use at the drag strip, this Mustang also needs to be able to hit the grocery store just as effectively. So, we gave him two calibrations, one for 93 octane, one for E85. The results? On 93 octane: a killer 814.77whp & 696.22lbft… More than enough for effective grocery store runs. On E85: a staggering 974.15whp & 791.05lbft! See video in comments.
     
    The crazy part is that number is just where we chose to stop — with more ignition timing, this setup would have easily hit ~1,050whp/850lbft. That said, after we hit the 974whp/791lbft mark, we backed it down to around 925whp/740lbft for delivery — if the extra 50whp/40lbft is ever needed, it’s just one flash away. Needless to say, Barry is going to enjoy himself out at the track and on the street alike!
     
     
     
     
     

    In short, we truly are living in the Golden Age of internal combustion performance.

    Check out a few other awesome Ford Mustang builds below

    Reach Out Today To See What We Can Do For You!
     
    Contact Us

  • The SHO is GO!

    The new 2010 SHO is finally revealed. With 365 force-fed ponies, paddle shifters and the aid of All-wheel-drive, the new Ford Taurus SHO is sure to excite…Ford guys with families need to have their fun too, right?

    Using the 3.5 Ecoboost motor, the SHO delivers V6 fuel economy with V8 performance. While the car is pretty heavy, 365 Horsepower is no joke. All of that power is routed through a 6 speed automatic with selectshift.

    That means that the usual slushbox won’t be too much of a tragedy, as up and downshifting can be controlled via paddle shifters. The selectshift tranny automatically revmatches on downshifts and will hold whichever gear you select even if you’re bouncing off the rev limiter.

    Moving on to the Interior, it’s been updated quite a bit. The seats are leather trimmed and two-tone with Suede inserts. The dash and door panels are made out of bits of brushed aluminum, and SHO badges adorn the floormats and dash panel. No longer a bland and unappealing interior, inside the Taurus SHO is a nice place to be.

    Base price for the Taurus SHO will be $37,995 when it goes up for sale during this summer. Even with a big price tag, you have to consider what you’re getting with that. High performance luxury doesn’t come cheap nowadays, and the SHO is a performance bargain when compared to it’s competitors. Ford is making a good choice reintroducing the SHO to the market, so let’s see how this plays out.

  • Top 5 Worst Car Names

    What’s in a name? Plenty. Take for example the fictional British spies James Bond and Harry Palmer. There’s a reason why everyone remembers James Bond and nobody has a clue who Harry Palmer is (I’m sure it doesn’t help that Harry Palmer sounds like someone addicted to self-pleasure).

    Bad analogies and juvenile sex jokes aside, the same rule that applies to naming British super spies goes double for the automotive industry. If the name sucks, people probably won’t buy your car. Hence the fact that four out of five of the autos on this list are no longer manufactured.

    5) Dodge Neon What the hell is a Neon? It’s defined as a chemically inert gaseous element occurring in small amounts in the earth’s atmosphere. Congratulations, Dodge. You named a car after a slow-moving, hard-to-find gas.

    4) Ford Probe The last image I want in my head when buying a car is a flashback to my last physical exam… “Using the whole fist there, doc?” Tied with the Suzuki Intruder as the most likely vehicle to be sold at a sex shop.

    3) Ford Fiesta When I think of a fiesta I conjure images of: tequila, beans, donkey shows, hangovers, and a PAINFUL trip to the bathroom. But maybe that’s just me…

    2) Ford Escort Completing the Ford trifecta of bad naming, the Ford Escort was the transportation of choice for Hookers adult entertainers everywhere. Sales were huge in certain parts of Nevada, but your better off sticking with a Cadillac for your pimping needs.

    1) Dodge Scamp Yes, I’d love to drive around in a car that if used as correctly as a verb would mean: “to perform hastily and carelessly.” Good job, Dodge.

  • Ford Interceptor Plans Derailed

    For those of you looking forward to the stout and sleek Ford Interceptor, you can pretty much throw that idea out of your head.

    National Speed - Ford Interceptor

    J Mays, Ford’s design chief is officially saying that Ford Motor Company’s plans for a new RWD Sedan is done-for. Mays states that FoMoCo has “Other Priorities” and that “We’re going down a path right now that is all about fuel-efficiency”. Well, I guess that’s how it works then. Gas prices are on the rise again and it’s supposed to continue for quite a while, so fuel efficiency is now prime again. Sucks…I was looking forward to the Interceptor.

    National Speed - Ford Interceptor Interior

    Fuel efficiency isn’t such a bad thing. With Fords new Eco-boost motors, it seems that they haven’t completely killed the fun. The Twin Turbo 3.5 liter pumps out 340HP and 340lbs/ft Torque, so that’s no slouch for the displacement. If the V6 is any indication of power per liter, then I’m pretty excited for the potential of their smaller motors as well. I think that the POTENTIAL of any factory boosted motor is obviously going to do very well with the aftermarket, so I hope that Ford hasn’t made it impossible to modify.

  • Running on Fumes: Automated Parallel Parking

    We’re now through the looking glass. The world has changed and there’s no turning back. The machines have won. At this point it’s only a matter of time before Judgment Day arrives and a metallic endoskeleton that looks strangely like the Governor of California comes marching down the street to urge you to vote Republican and punch your spinal fluid. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Why the sudden hatred for all things mechanical?” Simple answer: Ford’s Active Park Assist System.

    You're Terminated

    According to a recent press release, Ford’s new automated parallel parking system will allow owners of the Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT to parallel park their cars with the simple push of a button. I’d like to repeat that as I find it scary and want to make sure you understand how ridiculous this is: Ford has manufactured a car that will park itself!

    “With the touch of a button, Lincoln MKS and MKT drivers can parallel park quickly, easily and safely without ever touching the steering wheel,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development.

    Take me to your Leader

    I don’t know about you, but taking control away from drivers and putting it in the hands (wires?) of an artificially intelligent device scares the absolute crap out of me. Drivers today are complacent and absent-minded enough, the last thing they need is one more chance to talk on their cell phones while the computer parking their car backs over a miniature Schnauzer.

    You’ll have to forgive my tired old bones as I climb onto my soapbox but, I remember the days when driving was an honest to God skill and the ability to parallel park was a badge of honor. My Grandfather could parallel park a school bus in New York City traffic if he had to and was damn proud of it. Nowadays you don’t even have to parallel park on your drivers test. What’s the world coming to?

    If this automated trend continues pretty soon we won’t even have to drive our cars or clean up after ourselves. We’ll sit idly by as unemployment rates climb, average IQ’s drop, and the machines slowly take over our day to day lives. National Speed won’t even need bloggers anymore. Posts will be written by an automated machine (and probably contain less typos and grammatical errors — so at least that’s a plus).

    Perhaps the alarmist in me is getting a little worked up, but I damn sure want to be able to brag to my children that I once parallel parked a Hummer without them asking me, “what’s a parallel park?”

    Warmest Regards,

    Blogging Automaton #117789-2

  • Missing Mustang Junkyard Discovered in Rhode Island

    For all of you domestic owners out there, this is as close to heaven on earth as you’re likely to get.

    Imagine this: you’re walking through the woods clutching your hunting rifle and six pack (because if you’re anything like me that’s what you do in the wilderness) and you come upon an amazing discovery the likes of which has never been seen.

    What is it you ask? Jimmy Hoffa? Big foot? Nope. This is so much cooler than missing teamsters and mythical bipedal fur balls.

    Heaven is a Rustang on Cinder Blocks

    An undiscovered junkyard from the 70’s loaded with more classic Rustangs than you can shake a Hemi at (not that you can shake a Hemi, but you get the point) was recently discovered in Rhode Island.

    This is great news for fans of classic cars and old Detroit muscle, but unfortunately there’s a catch: the Rhode Island Authorities, in all of their infinite wisdom, have decreed from upon high that the cars are to be crushed.

    Gearheads seeking to make a pilgrimage to this automotive mecca will need to move fast and say a prayer for the Rhode Island Police Department to have mercy. Screw saving the trees, won’t somebody please think of the cars???

    Hat tip to Jalopnik for originally breaking the story.

  • Why don't we get these? European Hot Hatches

    It’s just not fair. I’m not too sure why we don’t get hot hatches over here, but it’s just not fair.

    National Speed - Ford Focus ST

    Take a look at the Ford Focus for example. Sure we have it, but over here, in all honesty it’s a box of fail (sorry Casey) compared to what already exists in Europe. At its peak the USDM Ford Focus was pumping out a whopping dismal 170 hp for the top of the line SVT motor. In Europe, they replaced the 2.0 liter 4 banger for a 5 cylinder turbocharged 2.5 liter which produces a very stout 225hp and 236ft/lbs in stock trim for the ST model.

    Not only did they get the bigger motor, but the Focus also has a 6 speed and looks so much better (IMO) as well. It also returns miles per gallon figures of 30.4 with mixed driving. What are you doing Ford? We can’t even get the right version of the Focus over here for God’s sake, something we already have the groundwork for. Based on current conversion rates, the Focus ST would sell at around $22,850.

    National Speed - Renault Clio Cup

    Next up is the Clio Cup, produced by the French manufacturer Renault. While it’s not turbocharged, as compared to the other hot hatches in this article, it still pushes out an awesome 200hp all motor from it’s 2.0 liter mill. While 200hp doesn’t sound incredible, it’s run through a 6 speed manual and returns 33.6 Miles per gallon. Based on current conversion rates, the Clio would sell at around $18,700.

    National Speed - Vauxhall Astra VXR

    Moving along is my personal favorite, the Vauxhall Astra VXR. We actually do get this vehicle under the Saturn Astra guise, but not exactly the way the Europeans do. In Europe it is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged motor producing around 237hp and driven through a 6 speed tranny. We don’t quite have that option yet, but I believe in the near future the motor from GM’s HHR SS might be powering the Saturn Astra Redline. I surely do hope so because the aftermarket for the Astra VXR in Europe is ridiculous. Currently the top of the line Astra retails for $18495. I suppose we will see what the VXR retails for if it ever comes to fruition in the US.