All of this power would be for naught if a revised suspension couldn't get it to the ground. With that in mind, the stock front end components were tossed and replaced with a tubular K-member and tubular upper and lower control arms from BMR. Out back are BMR upper and lowers. Sway bars from BMR are located front and rear, subframe connectors from the same manufacturer tighten up the flexible convertible chassis, and Tokico shocks and Ground Force lowering springs are found at all four corners. Serious power requires the addition of a serious set of meats, and Ray certainly didn't disappoint in this area. A set of 20-inch Makaveli rims are seen on the perimeter of the Pony, wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero 275/35/20s up front and 325/30/20s out back. In order to corral the 1,243 hp after a high-speed run, Wilwood six-piston calipers fore and aft clamp down on monstrous 14-inch rotors.
While the Mustang retains most of its stock interior equipment, there's no mistaking the true calling of this steed, and that's to make serious high-speed runs down the quarter-mile. Anyone sitting in this car settles down into a pair of customized chairs complete with the FTK logo embroidered on the seat backs-after navigating through the monkey-bar 10-point rollcage, of course. The 'cage is certified by the NHRA for elapsed times as quick as 8.50 seconds.
Ray didn't stop with the car's power production, though. Since it was slated to be the showpiece for FTK, he went over the top with the outward, as well as the inward, appearance of the drop-top Pony. After being rolled into the body shop at FTK, the car was stripped down to bare metal and shot with primer. FTK's custom body kits' components were brought out and mocked up. The front and rear bumpers made way for the FTK pieces, and the factory hood and rear spoilers were replaced with a ram-air hood and a ducktail-style spoiler. Rounding out the look are the side scoops and side skirts, complete with openings for the side-exit exhaust system. Once all of the components were up to snuff fitment-wise, the spray gun was wielded, and the flanks of the Pony were shot with numer-ous coats of DuPont Candy Apple Tangerine. Slathered in an equal amount of clear, the finishing touches consist of a set of white stripes running from nose to tail, as well as a billet fuel door and a custom-embroidered convertible top.
Knowing the car was capable of unheard-of elapsed times, Ray rolled it into Rigid Race Cars, where a 10-point rollcage was installed and painted the same color as the body. Just to show how serious of a monster this car is, the 'cage is fully certified by the NHRA for elapsed times as quick as 8.50 seconds. Of course, with a certification carrying that amount of weight, the obligatory window net is required, along with a set of five-point harnesses courtesy of RCI. The seats were treated to grey suede inserts and an embroidered FTK logo, while a billet shifter knob, custom FTK sillplates, and an Alpine AVN550 head unit and speakers add more flash to the pan and the ears.
The power coming from the twin turbos wasn't enough, so Ray had a Nitrous Express wet system plumbed in. The extra 300hp kick in the pants comes from a pair of 10-pound chrome bottles hung on the back of the rollcage.
If the five-point harness, 'cage, and power under the hood clued you into the car's race-car status, then the NASCAR-themed push-button start system and the visible pair of chrome 10-pound nitrous bottles hung on the back of the 'cage's main hoop drill that point home. Ingress and egress is done in style thanks to the LSD Doors Lambo-style door kit that allows them to swing up and away. Ray threw in a lightbar for good measure.
When all was said and done, Ray and the entire crew at FTK created arguably one of the baddest hot rods to roll down the streets of America in a number of years.
Forget about this car being a tequila sunrise-it's been transformed into a straight shot of Jose Cuervo. Bottoms up!