General Information
Name
: Ron R.
Year
: 1995
Make
: Ford
Model
: Thunderbird LX
Color
: Dodge Viper Anaconda Green
History
: "You have to understand the car; you have to become one piece only. You have to feel without hearing or to see without seeing what the car is telling you or how the car is reacting."
~Valentino Balboni
Lamborghini Test Driver for over 40 years
...
I don't need no stinken bottle.
~Rick P. (Member: r429460)
My one and only Thunderbird. I purchased this car brand new in September of 1994. My first major upgrade to the car was a complete suspension rebuild completed in January of 2007. With the assistance of, and a special thanks to Jason (FordPartsCounter) and the Carolinas Crew Chief, RobertP, I added the 3.73 gears and J-mod in May 2007.
In January 2008 I bought the rims and had them installed on the car in May of 2008; it took me some time to save the money for tires.
After almost 15 years the stock engine was retired in August of 2009 at just over 205,000 original owner miles and replaced with a 2004 Explorer PI motor with an SVO Supercharger.
These upgrades yielded a 116% increase in HP, a 63.7% increase in torque and an improvement of 3 seconds in the quarter-mile over the old N/A engine.
2012: The year of the new Bird
Besides having the car painted this year I snuck in a few changes under the new hood. Once again, with the guidance and assistance of the Carolina Crew Chief the new Trunk Monkey Racing Thunderbird was born. To my knowledge, the only Trick Flow / SVO MN12 Thunderbird in existence anywhere.
2013: The upgrades continued
In 2013 the half-shafts were upgraded with DSS Level 5 shafts, the Mark VIII LCA's were installed in back with DLF bushings and drag bags were also installed. In addition to the rear end rebuild the car was converted to run E85. Stay tuned for an even faster 1/4 mile as we continue to dial in the new set up!
2018: A whole new engine
After blowing up the old engine on my way back from Carlisle in June of 2015 I was forced to reconsider my power plant options. This time I went with a BOSS 5.3L stroker and upgraded Trick Flow Heads. See below for all the new build details. During this time I also stepped the gears back from 4.10's to a more highway-friendly 3.73.
2019: Upgraded the torque converter from the old single disk DirtyDog to a new CircleD Triple-Disk with mechanical diode at 3800 to 4000 stall.
2020: Sound treated the car and installed a new stereo system. Installed a Mishimito auxiliary cooling fan.
_____________________________________________
~Valentino Balboni
Lamborghini Test Driver for over 40 years
...
I don't need no stinken bottle.
~Rick P. (Member: r429460)
My one and only Thunderbird. I purchased this car brand new in September of 1994. My first major upgrade to the car was a complete suspension rebuild completed in January of 2007. With the assistance of, and a special thanks to Jason (FordPartsCounter) and the Carolinas Crew Chief, RobertP, I added the 3.73 gears and J-mod in May 2007.
In January 2008 I bought the rims and had them installed on the car in May of 2008; it took me some time to save the money for tires.
After almost 15 years the stock engine was retired in August of 2009 at just over 205,000 original owner miles and replaced with a 2004 Explorer PI motor with an SVO Supercharger.
These upgrades yielded a 116% increase in HP, a 63.7% increase in torque and an improvement of 3 seconds in the quarter-mile over the old N/A engine.
2012: The year of the new Bird
Besides having the car painted this year I snuck in a few changes under the new hood. Once again, with the guidance and assistance of the Carolina Crew Chief the new Trunk Monkey Racing Thunderbird was born. To my knowledge, the only Trick Flow / SVO MN12 Thunderbird in existence anywhere.
2013: The upgrades continued
In 2013 the half-shafts were upgraded with DSS Level 5 shafts, the Mark VIII LCA's were installed in back with DLF bushings and drag bags were also installed. In addition to the rear end rebuild the car was converted to run E85. Stay tuned for an even faster 1/4 mile as we continue to dial in the new set up!
2018: A whole new engine
After blowing up the old engine on my way back from Carlisle in June of 2015 I was forced to reconsider my power plant options. This time I went with a BOSS 5.3L stroker and upgraded Trick Flow Heads. See below for all the new build details. During this time I also stepped the gears back from 4.10's to a more highway-friendly 3.73.
2019: Upgraded the torque converter from the old single disk DirtyDog to a new CircleD Triple-Disk with mechanical diode at 3800 to 4000 stall.
2020: Sound treated the car and installed a new stereo system. Installed a Mishimito auxiliary cooling fan.
_____________________________________________
Videos:
Videos from the GoPro HERO®, HD Motorsports Camera
and the Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera
My Car
_
AWARDS & HONORS
Shows
CURRENT STATS
Vehicle Weight
Top Speed: Mach 0.22
Zero to 100 MPH: 8.0 seconds
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CURRENT MODIFICATIONS
Engine Monitoring / Management
AeroForce Interceptor Scan Gauge with Boost/Vacuum Sensor
SCT PRP Programmed by Rob's Tire and Auto
EEC Reflash - 7,000 RPM Redline
Engine
Trick Flow Powered Ford Racing 5.3L / 323 ci stroked BOSS block with a balanced rotating assembly.
Block
The Ford Performance M-6010-BOSS50 Boss 5.0 block is a 4.6L deck height, 94mm cylinder bore cast iron block. The block uses a proprietary iron mix to yield the strongest possible casting strength with the least porosity and greatest consistency.
Trick Flow Specialties TFS-5291B002-C01 - Twisted Wedge® 44cc, 2-valve, Race 195 Cylinder Heads for Ford 4.6L/5.4L
Sealed with Cometic MLS Head Gaskets
Lubrication & Filtering
Drive Train
Drive Shaft Shop Level 5 Half-shafts rated up to 900 RWHP
At 40psi and 13.5 volts:
K&N RU-2590 Cone Filter
CFM Performance 90mm MAF 4" Air Filter Adapter Flange
90mm Lightning MAF Meter
'03 Mustang GT Intake Tube
75mm BBK Roush Performance Throttle Body
Federal Mogul Fel-Pro MS 98008 T-1 Rubberized Aluminum intake gaskets
![]()
Ford Motorsport SVO EATON M112 (4th Gen) 1.7L Supercharger
13 psi of Boost with these pulleys
Alcohol Injection Systems, Trunk Mount Water Methanol Injection with 14 GPH nozzle
50/50 RENEGADE Methanol/Water Blend
Exhaust System
![]()
Mid-Length KOOKS Headers: 1-5/8" Primaries into 2.25" Collectors
Aluminum/Ceramic coated by AirBorn Coatings, Mount Holly, NC
No Cats
EGR Delete
Mandrel Exhaust Systems X-Pipe
True Dual 2.5" Mandrel Bent Pipes
Borla Pro XS Mufflers, 2.5" Offset in / Center out, Part #40358
Borla Single Square Angle-Cut Intercooled Tips - BORLA Part #20132
SUSPENSION
Springs
Stock V brace with Thunderbird Super Coupe L Braces
Brakes
Street
Videos from the GoPro HERO®, HD Motorsports Camera
and the Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera
My Car
- 95 SVO Supercharged - SVT Thunderbird Teaser Video - November 2014
- 95 SVO Supercharged - SVT Thunderbird Quick Look Video
- Dyno Tuning the new Build- December 20, 2013
- Summer Blast XIII | 2014
- Summer Blast XII in One Minute (Timelapse)
- Summer Blast XII | 2013 (Event Preview)
- Summer Blast X | 2011 (Event Preview)
- Summer Blast X | 2011
- JBMN SB9 Quarter Mile Mayhem
- Summer Blast 9 Drag Racing Video
- JB/BK Memorial Nationals Summer Blast 9
- Racing Darren (ThunderChecken) - Fayetteville, NC - Nov. 25, 2012
- NOS Energy Test-N-Tune Drag & Brag Series at zMax - June 8, 2012
- Racing a Trans AM - Fayetteville, NC - Nov. 27, 2011
- Racing Don Pfau - (Vortech Mark VIII) - Fayetteville, NC - Nov. 27, 2011
- Racing a White Mustang at Rockingham - November 26, 2011
- Racing a Black Mustang at Rockingham - November 26, 2011
- Racing a Mitsubishi EVO at Rockingham (Loose Hood Fail) - October 26, 2011
- zMax Drag & Brag Series - Week 6 - July 20, 2011
- Carolina Thunder - Rockingham, NC
- Racing ThunderChecken at Rockingham SVO vs SVO
- Racing a Red Mustang at Mason Dixon
- Racing a Grey Mustang at Mason Dixon
- Racing a White Mustang at zMax
- Racing a Chevy HHR SS at zMax
- Racing a New 2010 Camaro RS V6 at zMax
- Picking on a much slower Honda Civic at zMax
_
AWARDS & HONORS
Shows
- Best in Class - ProDyno Fall Cruise In - November 2019
- Second Place - 2015 Carlisle Ford Nationals, 1989 - 1997 Thunderbirds - Modified
- First Place - 2014 Speed Weekend Car Show, Martinsburg, West Va. - Street Rod Class
- First Place - 2013 Ford Fun Weekend, Parkersburgh, VA - Thunderbirds Class
- First Place - 2013 Carlisle Ford Nationals, 1989 - 1997 Thunderbirds - Modified
- Third Place - 2010 JB/BK Memorial Nationals, 89-97 Thunderbird LX
- Best in Class - 2008 Food Lion Fall AutoFair, Charlotte Motor Speedway - Thunderbirds - Modified
- 2013 JBMN Summer Blast 12 - Drag Racer of the Year
- #5 on the 2014 SCCoA Top 15 list
- #3 on the 2013 SCCoA Top 15 list
- #4 on the TCCoA Top Times - Current List
- #12 on the TCCoA Top Times - All Time Best List
- Second Place - 2010 All Ford Summer Car Show, Mason Dixon Dragway Championship Drag Racing - Cougar/Comet Class
NEW ENGINE
November 2, 2019 at ProDyno - Fort Mill, SC
STD: 444.73 rwhp / 436.60 rwtq*
*With torque converter not fully locking
December 20, 2013 at ProDyno - Fort Mill, SC
STD: 412.54 rwhp / 437.07 rwtq
SAE: 401.73 rwhp / 425.62 rwtq
Watch the dyno video HERE.
March 27, 2010 at ProDyno - Fort Mill, SC
1st Pull: 382.92 rwhp / 388.71 rwtq
2nd Pull: 375.94 rwhp / 392.02 rwtq
Run Conditions: Temp. 74.77° F, 29.73 in-Hg, Humidity 10%, SAE 1.01
Watch the old dyno video HERE.
_
CURRENT STATS
Vehicle Weight
- 3,945 lbs. with 5/8 tank gas and Driver
- 3,760 lbs. with 5/8 tank gas
- Power to Weight: 0.1097 hp/lb
- Weight to Power: 9.114 lbs/hp
Best 1/4 mile time: 11.335 @ 122.43 MPH
- November 18, 2018 at THE ROCK - Rockingham Dragway
Tires: NITTO 555 G2 in front and 255/50/R16 Mickey Thompson ET Street drag radials out back
___
Last best 1/4 mile time (Old Engine): 11.653 @ 117.96 MPH
- December 7, 2014 at Fayetteville Motorsports Park
Lifetime best (Old Engine): 1/4 mile time: 11.566 @ 118.05 MPH
- December 15, 2013 at Fayetteville Motorsports Park
Run Conditions:
Elevation 165 Feet, Temp. 50.0° F, 30.05 in-Hg, Humidity 33%, Dew Point 21.0°F
Density Altitude: -560 feet
Tires: Sumitomo HTRZ III's in front and 285/40/R18 NITTO NT05R drag radials out back
_Top Speed: Mach 0.22
- Somewhere north of 170 MPH (In Overdrive)
- 145 MPH (In 3rd Gear at Rev Limiter)
Zero to 100 MPH: 8.0 seconds
CURRENT MODIFICATIONS
Engine Monitoring / Management
AeroForce Interceptor Scan Gauge with Boost/Vacuum Sensor
SCT PRP Programmed by Rob's Tire and Auto
EEC Reflash - 7,000 RPM Redline
Engine
Trick Flow Powered Ford Racing 5.3L / 323 ci stroked BOSS block with a balanced rotating assembly.
Block
The Ford Performance M-6010-BOSS50 Boss 5.0 block is a 4.6L deck height, 94mm cylinder bore cast iron block. The block uses a proprietary iron mix to yield the strongest possible casting strength with the least porosity and greatest consistency.
- Block Weight: 165 lbs.
- Siamese 3.701" Bore x 3.750" stroke
- 17mm main web minimal thickness
- 4 Bolt main with interference fit nodular iron machined caps
- Increased main web window size for improved crankcase breathing
- Eagle® 3.750-inch stroke forged steel crankshaft with 8 bolt flywheel pattern
- Eagle® 5.850-inch forged steel "H" beam rods with ARP® 2000 bolts
- Mahle® forged aluminum pistons with a dish that is compatible with 2, 3 or 4 valve heads
- 11.56:1 Compression Ratio
Trick Flow Specialties TFS-5291B002-C01 - Twisted Wedge® 44cc, 2-valve, Race 195 Cylinder Heads for Ford 4.6L/5.4L
Sealed with Cometic MLS Head Gaskets
- Altered Intake Valve Position
- OE PI-style Intake Inlets
- CNC-profiled combustion chambers
- 3/4" thick decks
- Patented replaceable cam bearing journals
- 3/4" Reach spark plugs
- Fully CNC Competition ported runners with a premium high resolution surface finish
- Larger, stronger valves
- Race-duty valve-train components capable of 8,000-plus RPM
- Exhaust Runner Volume (cc) 95cc vs. 93cc
- Exhaust Valve Diameter (in) 1.470 in. vs. 1.450 in.
- Intake Runner Volume (cc) 195cc vs. 185cc
- Intake Valve Diameter (in) 1.900 in. vs. 1.840 in.
.536/.540 lift, 228/235 .050 duration, 114 LSA
Lubrication & Filtering
- Melling Select 10176HV: High-pressure, High-Volume Billet oil pump circulating
- Shell ROTELLA T6 Synthetic, 5W-40 oil
- JLT Performance Oil Separators
Stock Radiator Puller Fan
Mishimoto 14" Slim Line Auxiliary Cooling Fan - Installed as a pusher fan in front of AC Condenser
Custom built FLUIDYNE 3-Core, Single Pass Radiator
Meziere Electric water pump
- Motorcraft 180° T-Stat (Winter)
- Stant 170° High-Flow Performance T-Stat (Summer)
DANA CORP., LONG Tru-Cool MAX 45,000 BTU Auxiliary Transmission Cooler
Drive Train
- Circle D Specialties 3,800 - 4,000 RPM Stall, 9.5" Billet, Triple-Disk Torque Converter with Mechanical Diode (Installed - December 2019)
- 2003 Mustang GT 4R70W Transmission with Stage II custom build to support 450-550 rwhp by RobertP at Rob's Tire and Auto
- 2003 Valve Body with 300 - 450 HP Jmod
- Dynotech Engineering 3.5" Dia. 6061 T6 Aluminum Driveshaft
- FRPP 3.73 Gears with Traction Lock
- 1994-2004 Extended Range, SPEED-CAL
Drive Shaft Shop Level 5 Half-shafts rated up to 900 RWHP
- 4340 (Chromoly) Alloy Steel, 28 spline inlets
- 300M Alloy, Oil Quenched & Double Tempered Vacuum Melted Silicon-Vanadium Steel shafts
- 4340 (Chromoly) Alloy Steel, 33 spline outlets
OPTIMA® Digital 1200 12V Performance Battery Charger and Maintainer
Ford Racing (9mm) Ignition Cables
- FINE wire electrode
- FULL thread type
- Two heat ranges cooler than stock
- Cold-rolled threads prevent cross-threading and damage to cylinder heads
- Trivalent plating eliminates need for anti-seize
- High-grade alumina silicate ceramic
60 lb/hr Ford Racing Fuel Injectors with JETRONIC to USCAR adapters
Billet Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator - 2 hole design
TI Automotive (owner of Walbro) 465 LPH Fuel pump from FORE Innovations
At 40psi and 13.5 volts:
- Flows 465 lph in Gasoline
- Flows 430 lph in E85
K&N RU-2590 Cone Filter
CFM Performance 90mm MAF 4" Air Filter Adapter Flange
90mm Lightning MAF Meter
'03 Mustang GT Intake Tube
75mm BBK Roush Performance Throttle Body
Federal Mogul Fel-Pro MS 98008 T-1 Rubberized Aluminum intake gaskets
Ford Motorsport SVO EATON M112 (4th Gen) 1.7L Supercharger
13 psi of Boost with these pulleys
- Innovators West 10% Overdrive Harmonic Damper
- 3.0" Blower pulley
Alcohol Injection Systems, Trunk Mount Water Methanol Injection with 14 GPH nozzle
50/50 RENEGADE Methanol/Water Blend
Exhaust System
Mid-Length KOOKS Headers: 1-5/8" Primaries into 2.25" Collectors
Aluminum/Ceramic coated by AirBorn Coatings, Mount Holly, NC
No Cats
EGR Delete
Mandrel Exhaust Systems X-Pipe
True Dual 2.5" Mandrel Bent Pipes
Borla Pro XS Mufflers, 2.5" Offset in / Center out, Part #40358
Borla Single Square Angle-Cut Intercooled Tips - BORLA Part #20132
SUSPENSION
Springs
- Vogtland Springs - 1.0 inch Closer to the Road
- Air Lift Rear Coil Spring Drag Bags
- Moog Performance Upper Control Arms
- OEM TRW Thunderbird Super Coupe Lower Control Arms
- KONI Adjustable Shocks
- Stock 1.06" Anti-Sway Bar
- 16.8 lbs lighter than stock - Aluminum Mark VIII LCA's with
- Delrin LCA Bushings and UHMW spring perches by DLF
- 1.25" ADDCO Anti-Sway Bar
- 99-04 Cobra Bilstein Sport Shocks
Stock V brace with Thunderbird Super Coupe L Braces
Brakes
- Ford Racing 10TH Anniversary Cobra Calipers: 40mm dual piston Calipers by PBR from Buy Ford Racing
- AIMCO Drilled and Slotted 13" Rotors from DiscBrakesrus
- DOT 4 ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid
- My Brakes Bleed Ford Blue! 👍
- 18" x 9" Cobra R Replicas Powder Coated in Gun Metal Grey
- + 36mm Offset
Street
- Front: 255/45ZR18 NITTO NT555 G2 Summer Ultra High Performance Tires
- Rear: 285/40R18 Micky Thompson ET Street S/S
Modifications
Interior
Stock & Clean
LED Lighting upgrade in 3rd brake light, instrument cluster, doors and foot wells
LED Lighting upgrade in 3rd brake light, instrument cluster, doors and foot wells
Exterior
Dodge Viper Anaconda Green Paint
'97 Color Matched Door Handles
[URL="http://fiberpartsconcepts.com/1298488.html"]Fiber Concepts CHA-C78[/URL] '94-'95 Cobra R Hood
Shaved Antenna
Shaved Trunk Lid
LED Headlights
'97 Color Matched Door Handles
[URL="http://fiberpartsconcepts.com/1298488.html"]Fiber Concepts CHA-C78[/URL] '94-'95 Cobra R Hood
Shaved Antenna
Shaved Trunk Lid
LED Headlights
Audio
Pioneer DEH-80PRS Head Unit
JL Audio 10" Subs, C2 Speakers and JD Series Amps
800W Total System Power
JL Audio 10" Subs, C2 Speakers and JD Series Amps
800W Total System Power
