Mach 1 The most power all engine. Any ideas?

Ok here's the deal. I want to make my Mach as fast as possible without any internal engine work or a power adder. I feel like there isn't much to do, I see little things but nothing like heads or intakes that you would normally look at for a 5.0. I'm wanting to throw as many bolt on as possible with a final goal as close to 400 hp as possible. These cars seem to have damn near everything right off the line. We have the best heads the exhaust isn't bad, 3.55 gears are near perfect IMO. I've been checking sigs and see alot of ya'll have some mods done so any ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance

Also I have some pics of my Mach but I can't load them up the file is to big. Any help?
 
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Your observations are pretty much right on target. The 03/04 Mach 1 is one of, if not the best, naturally aspirated Mustang to come off the Dearborn Assembly Plant line! It was built as a single-purpose machine, and that purpose was to go real quick in a straight line. While some people have had some success with autocross and road racing, that takes some suspension modifications to work well, but you can take the Mach 1 to any drag strip and dial it in as a mid to low 13 second car, right out of the box! As far as your wish to get close to 400hp, without internal engine mods or a power adder, if you're talking flywheel horsepower, ehh, maybe, rear wheel horsepower, no way.
 
Hey thanks for the replies. TRO3/ GIVE ME TP what is your times after all the mods you have? I ran mine at the local 1/8th mile back home and the best I could manage was a 9.2 mostly ran mid to high nines. It took 10 runs to finally get low nines. I literally lost it everytime I hit second(goodyear tires) with no power shifting or anything. My mph was 80 so I know the car could do better with some traction, so I added 17x10.5 bullitts on the back with 315 35 17 tires. Seems to hook better now but I haven't been to the track with new tires. I would just like to keep the engine primarily stock and run good 12's in the 1/4 mile. I did look up on the Kenne Bell s/c and found that with the basic kit with 5psi it will take me to 400 plus, but I really like fast n/a cars. I'm starting off with the c&l pipe, slp loud mouth catback, a predator, and lastly nitto 555r tires. I'm hoping after all that I should be able to beat my friends mildly modded 02 Z28. I have won against some stock LS1 cars including a 04 GTO, but his is a freak, new it ran 8.7 in the 1/8th now with dyno tune, lid and exhaust, he runs consistant 8.3 8.4. Makes me sick:bang:
 
Try POWER-shifting to 2nd sooner, around 5600-5700RPM, maybe even a little lower, and ride out the RPM's to another 5600-ish power shift. You may be surprised at how these Machs can dig out some serious HP and acceleration without redlining, or even coming near to the redline.

Try it out and post how you do on that 1/8th track. That's about a red-light race, and I haven't lost one of those yet, well, not yet to a vehicle with four wheels:D
 
There are very few cars that you can put down 400HP to the wheels with just bolt ons, that don't already have that from the factory. Yeah you can do it with a Cobra or a Lightning by putting a smaller pulley and what not but there are practically no N/A cars that you can make 400 to the wheels with bolt ons..... But I'm positive that with some engine work it wouldn't be very hard to reach that especially with a 4V engine. All it takes is time and money :nice:
 
djlethalwang said:
there are practically no N/A cars that you can make 400 to the wheels with bolt ons..... But I'm positive that with some engine work it wouldn't be very hard to reach that especially with a 4V engine. All it takes is time and money :nice:

And patience:D

400+ HP N/A is Vette-land, Viper-land:hail2:
 
I'm thinking that after I add the bolt-ons I'll have it dyno tuned and then maybe add a smaller shot of nitrous to make up the difference. I haven't been back to the track lately but I will try shifting lower rpm's. I usually shift right at 6700 and I never power shift. I'll work on it though I'm just scared to over shift since I don't have a short throw on it yet. Plus I hate that feeling when you just missed a gear and your rpm's are already redlined:( I raced a 2000 Z28 the other nite and I had him at my door until I shortly after I went to 3rd then he pulled on me and nosed me out. I just want to beat them pesky LS1's on the regular since more and more of them are modded these days. Stock for stock I handle them well though. Thanks guys I'll let ya'll know how I do changing my shift points.
 
No offense Stangalang, but I think you are overrevving your Mach. The 4V power band drops off at around 5800RPM, so staying in that gear to redline isn't really helping you BUILD accelleration. You are better off grabbing another gear at 5800-6000RPM so you can keep the motor in the power band.

Personally, I don't even look at the tach anymore. I can feel the drop out of the powerband, that's where I JAM the next gear (of course using the clutch, but with a deep, quick jab to the firewall). I BANG the shifter into the next gear; misses are rare.

If I were at the track, I would probably power-shift. On the street, I clutch as described above with a quick 'up-tap' on the accellerator. I don't know the term for it, but it seems to allow the gears to match up correctly for the shift. It's all timed, with three quick simultaneous actions (clutch, shift, gas).

When I do it correctly, the Mach screams building acceleration like a frieght train straight through 120MPH.
 
Well, my definition of power shifting seems to be a bit different. What I call 'power shifting' is something I rarely do.... I still use the clutch, but I stay on the gas the entire time. I keep it floored, and hit the clutch as I'm shifting into the next gear..... that seems to work slightly better than the ol' granny shifting does.

Now my friend James used to have a 6-speed Camaro LT1, and what he would do is not even use the clutch. He would just keep it floored the whole time and shift without even touching the clutch. Well, it didn't take him long to screw big time with that method, so I've decided to never try it. Heh
 
I agree with what BurlyStang is saying. I was also shifting at around 6700 rpm in every gear. I ran a g-tech on the street one time and lost over .5 seconds off my e.t and gained 4 mph. I know g-techs are not that accurate, but it was consitantly faster shifting at 6k. Try it next time you are at the track. As far as 400hp, it is hard to get to and stay N/A. The Mach 1's have almost everything. The only thing left for me to do is headers, electric water pump and cams, I have mostly everything else, and I probably am only making around 295rwhp, 340 or so at the crank. Gears was the biggest thing I did. Going from 3.55's to 4.10 was amazing. The car really responded to it. The car is also fun on slicks at the track, but its safer if you upgrade to heavyer duty 31 spline axles first. I was babying it out of the hole to be safe. I bet it would be a whole new car launching at 6k. I know I would have run 12's if I would have done that. Oh well. Have fun.
 
Thanks guys I do shift lower now more around 5900-6000, Can't really feel much seat of the pants but there is a difference. I'm rethinking everything since most of you and me agree it's going to be real hard doing this if it is even possible. so I'm going to get started on planning for a S/C set-up. I think that will be more effective with more potential for more power later.
 
STANGALANG said:
Thanks guys I do shift lower now more around 5900-6000, Can't really feel much seat of the pants but there is a difference. I'm rethinking everything since most of you and me agree it's going to be real hard doing this if it is even possible. so I'm going to get started on planning for a S/C set-up. I think that will be more effective with more potential for more power later.

GFJ Stangalang. Our powerband is LONG and STRONG:hail2:
 
Gettin close to 400hp N/A will be very very very tough; not to kick a dead horse or anything. I like to think I almost have every bolt-on outside of heads, and a p&p lower and I'm at 332rwhp. Have you considered bolting in a VT 324??

:hail2: