Headed To Davis Monthan AFB, AZ

[Marc]

Hey, this is Marc from UnitedStangs. I am not new, just haven't been around in a long time. I know Jeff and just informed him I will moving to Arizona from Japan in June/July this year. I have been busy with my AF career and running 4 mustang forums. In preparation of coming back to the states and getting back into the car scene, I just recently sold off 2 of my forums. I am ready for the drag strip, cruises, car shows, etc...

I am doing a upgrade on my 04 Comp Orange Cobra. Its been in storage for the past 4 years. I have purchasing parts to do a 2.8KB Mammoth or 2.9 Whipple upgrade (still undecided on blower). Here is a picture of my car and a list of parts I have purchased so far (some are not performance parts--just copied and pasted from my forum):

Lets see if the pictures show up...

PRESENT TIME
I am dubbing my Cobra build up over the next couple of years: Project AGENT ORANGE--deadly just like the chemical.

For those that don't know, I have a 2004 Competition Orange Cobra. It has 17K original miles. Currently, it is sitting in storage in California. I has been there a little more than 4 years with another 5 months to go. It currently has 17K original miles. Car has already dynoed near 500HP to the rear wheels in the humid Hawaii heat with a conservative tune.

A few facts on the Competition Orange Cobra. Only 281 coupes and 72 convertibles were made in this color making it the rarest color in 2004 and second rarest cobra color ever.

I have the following Modifications:

ENGINE
DiabloSport Predator Custom Tuned by Coastal Dyno
2.93 Upper Pulley
MotoBlu Idler
Accufab Single Blade Throttle Body and Intake Plenum (Polished)
Apten Stage I Ported Eaton Supercharger (Intake Plenum Port-Matched)
Mac Cold Air Intake
Bassani X Pipe without Cats
Flowmaster 40s Cat-Back Exhaust
LFP Supertank Reservoir
LFP Water to Air Intercooler
Innovate LM1 WideBand Air/Fuel Meter with Datalogging & External Aux Inputs
4lb Lower Pulley (Hasn’t been installed yet)

EXTERIOR
Cobra Grill Emblem
Redline Hood Shocks
Tinted Rear Taillights & Rear Side Markers
Cobra Billet Exterior Gas Lid

INTERIOR
Autometer Lunar Series Boost Gauge
Autometer 2 Gauge Dash Pod
Raptor Shiftlight
Pro 5.0 Shifter for Tremmec T56
Custom Embroidered Seat Headrests
Misc. Billet Accessories

A few pictures:

Interior is like new.


Check out the custom made Competition Orange Headrests


Motor is so clean you can eat off of it.


My favorite shot of the car. I tinted the taillights myself.


Side shot of it off the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii.


Check out the Personalized Plates.


I copied and pasted this from my car forum, but here is what I have purchased so far that is sitting in my Father's garage awaiting installation (some things listed are not motor items (don't pay attention to those items)...I just listed everything I have purchased over the last year):

UPDATE #1: Metco 4lb Lower Pulley Kit--1 April 2007
UPDATE #2: Lethal Performance 1000HP Fuel System Purchased--5 March 2010
UPDATE #3: Fore Precision Works IRS Differential Cover Purchased--6 March 2010
UPDATE #4: Maximum Motorsports IRS Differential Polyurethane Mount/Bushing Kit Purchased from CJ Pony Parts--24 March 2010
UPDATE #5: Autobadges HID10000K Headlight Upgrade--9 Apr 10
UPDATE #6: Semens Deka 80 LB High Impedance Injectors (flow matched)--12 Apr 10
UPDATE #7: Obtained some chrome Ford Racing Coil Covers--sent out for some custom paint work, will post pics when completed--5 May 10
UPDATE #8: Yates Performance Chrome Cobra Fuse Box Cover--2 Jun 10
UPDATE #9: Purchased some stock valve covers--sending to buddy of mine to do some custom paint work, will post pics when completed--22 June 10
UPDATE #10: Purchased Fore Precision Works Fuel Rails--30 Jun 10
UPDATE #11: Purchased a Summit Racing Driveshaft Loop--10 Jul 10
UPDATE #12: Purchased AutoTrix Sequential Taillights--14 Jul 10
UPDATE #13: Purchased American Muscle XL Full Length Powder Coated Subframe Connectors--29 Jul 10
UPDATE #14: Purchased AFCO Pro Series Dual Pass Heat Exchanger--17 Aug 10
UPDATE #15: Purchased UPR Billet Aluminum "Eject" Lighter--26 Aug 10
UPDATE #16: Purchased Custom Painted Chrome Coil Covers--28 Aug 10
UPDATE #17: Purchased Custom Painted FORD Emblem--4 Sep 10
UPDATE #18: Purchased Maximum MotorSports Chrome Caster Camber Plates--5 Sep 10
UPDATE #19: Purchased Lethal Performance T-56 Throwout Bearing Retainer Sleeve--4 Oct 10
UPDATE #20: Purchased Fiore Micro-Click Firewall Adjuster & Quadrant--7 Oct 10
UPDATE #21: Purchased LDC Chicago Clutch Freeplay Correction Kit--7 Oct 10
UPDATE #22: Purchased Ford Racing Roller Pilot Bearing--7 Oct 10
UPDATE #23: Purchased Ford Racing Heavy Duty Throw Out Bearing--7 Oct 10
UPDATE #24: Purchased Fore Precision Works Heat Extractor Hood Vents--25 Oct 10
UPDATE #25: Purchased OEM Ford Chrome Valve Covers--8 Nov 10
UPDATE #26: Purchased Custom Chrome Rear Terminator Badge--23 Nov 10
UPDATE #27: Purchased Hans Full Length Subframe Connectors--7 Dec 10
UPDATE #28: Purchased SVT FloorMats--10 Dec 10
UPDATE #29: Purchased Mcleod RXT 26 Spline Clutch--11 Dec 10
UPDATE #30: Purchased Mcleod Lightened Steel Flywheel--11 Dec 10
UPDATE #31: Purchased D&D 26-Spline Input Shaft--11 Dec 10
UPDATE #32: Purchased Agent 47 Strut Tower Brace From Bangastang--4 Feb 11

Here is some things I have on the "To Buy" List. This changes daily as I figure out more stuff that I will need for this build up.

The "TO BUY" List

2.8 Kenne Bell Mammoth or 2.9 Whipple Supercharger (Still haven't made up my mind)
PFAB Coolant Expansion & Fill Tank
Canton Aluminum Power Steering Tank
Ford Custom Scuff Plates
Aeroforce Interior Gauges (air/fuel, boost, heat)
Catch Can For The New Blower

So once I get there, I will be looking for a performance shop to do some work for me...actually a LOT of work. I have heard of Stage 3 and PSR in Tucson come highly recommended. I am up for ideas for the best builders/tuners. I am looking at putting the car in the shop in July and basically have everything listed above installed.

Can't wait to meet you guys in person. I will do my last 3 years in the military (currently have almost 27 years in). Looking forward to getting back into the car scene.

I have book-marked HPS as on of my "Favorites". You will seeing me around a little bit more now.

marc

[Marc]

If you go through the list, you will notice I have two of the same thing, different brand...subframes connectors, valve covers, etc... So some of the stuff I will be selling off once I decide which stuff I am going to actually use.

[05mustangman]

Marc I dont believe i have seen you around before but Thank You for your duty in the Air Force! (Best branch IMO). That is one sweet cobra you got! very impressive numbers already and impressive list of mods and mods to come. I highly recommend PSR as they have tuned my cars for the last 3 years. Hopefully I will get to meet you at a car show or cruise sometime. And from your sig i see your rank is Chief Master Sergeant? 27 years in the Air Force.... Very very impressive!!!

[hammerdown]

That's cool dude! Welcome back. I was stationed at DM (612th ACOMS) up until I separated in 2004. Now I'm a contractor puke down at Ft. Huachuca. Hopefully I'll see you around. As far as tuners go I'm still on the hunt. I originally had my car tuned by AMP, but I think it could have been done better in retrospect. Although too their credit, they were very courteous and professional with me so my customer experience was a positive one. I've heard it go both ways with that shop so YMMV. For tuning they used a tail pipe sniffer vs. a wideband plugged into a bung on my exhaust, and the car runs way too rich as it gets in the upper RPMs (10.1-10.5:1) yet somehow manages to make 408rwhp @ only 13 deg of timing. And those numbers are right in line with other E-Force street setups I've read about on other forums so.. who knows?

But because it's running that rich (only at WOT), I've not been dipping in the boost too much until I find the right guy to get it re-tuned a bit. Everyone here seems to swear by PSR and it's still a place I may well go to get things dialed in. I took a visit up there and met Devin, Bill, and Bill to have my tune re-evaluated there. Devin seems like a competent guy and he felt like there was easliy another 20-40 HP to be had just in fuel and timing adjustments. I really enjoyed talking with him and getting his feedback, however, something else about the condition of their equipment just bothered me. Aside from there being engine parts and stuff scattered everywhere (although in their defense they had just started moving into the new shop). Their dyno just seems to be rode hard and put up wet. There was a pickup sensor they couldn't get working so they couldn't plot any torque curves, just HP and AFR and the pigtail on the O2 sensor looked pretty beat up to me. Although the dyno's AFR #'s did move pretty much in lock-step with my own on-board wideband so probably not much to worry about there. It just makes me wonder when the last time was that thing was fully calibrated.

Devin has a great rep around here as a tuner it would seem and after meeting him I'm inclined to trust that notion, but the second part of that statement is I want to know that they guy who I'm trusting to make life or death decisions with my engine is using well maintained and properly calibrated test equipment (the dyno). Maybe I'm putting way too much stock in this however since Devin (I THINK) only uses his dyno to get it in the ballpark but actually uses datalogged street pulls to get the final tweaking done which makes perfect sense if you think about it. Either way, it wasn't the warmest of fuzzies seeing what appeared on the surface to be a worn out dyno with not all the sensors working on it. After all you can go to the most brilliant doctor in the world, but if his stethoscope is busted it's kinda hard to take your vital signs.

FWIW, AMP's dyno wasn't in any better shape and both pulls were within 2 HP of each other and done nearly a year apart so maybe I'm just spewing some BS that I know nothing about but I feel like a shop that shows pride and professionalism in their appearance and maintenance of their equipment is going to carry that over into tuning my car. Attention to detail basically..

Just my .02

[Powerful]

I would try "Tucson Mike" on Desert Street cars. He had a 140 mph Cobra he tuned himself. He is on the Desert Street Cars forum.

As for shops, I would use either Chuck Hawks Auto and Performance (he specializes in Ford) or Mechanix Works on 22nd. Both are good guys and they are racers too.

Like I said on DSC most of the stuff on your car is bolt on. If you want I can help you out with ALL the stuff you have planned on your build. I usually don't farm out my work but you want/need help on anything I can point you in the right direction. I go by Powerful on the Phoenix boards and Jay down in Tucson. Welcome to AZ!

[4Jenna]

Looking forward to seeing you around Chief!

-Chris

[Marc]

Marc I dont believe i have seen you around before but Thank You for your duty in the Air Force! (Best branch IMO). That is one sweet cobra you got! very impressive numbers already and impressive list of mods and mods to come. I highly recommend PSR as they have tuned my cars for the last 3 years. Hopefully I will get to meet you at a car show or cruise sometime. And from your sig i see your rank is Chief Master Sergeant? 27 years in the Air Force.... Very very impressive!!!

Thank you for the kind words. I am still looking at the different shops around. Thing is, I am VERY anal about my car. I not only race it, but I take to car shows. The motor is so clean you can eat off it. I want someone to take care of my car like they do their own car.

Yes, I am a Chief Master Sergeant, 27 years in with 3 to go. I am looking forward to getting back into the hobby!

[Marc]

That's cool dude! Welcome back. I was stationed at DM (612th ACOMS) up until I separated in 2004. Now I'm a contractor puke down at Ft. Huachuca. Hopefully I'll see you around. As far as tuners go I'm still on the hunt. I originally had my car tuned by AMP, but I think it could have been done better in retrospect. Although too their credit, they were very courteous and professional with me so my customer experience was a positive one. I've heard it go both ways with that shop so YMMV. For tuning they used a tail pipe sniffer vs. a wideband plugged into a bung on my exhaust, and the car runs way too rich as it gets in the upper RPMs (10.1-10.5:1) yet somehow manages to make 408rwhp @ only 13 deg of timing. And those numbers are right in line with other E-Force street setups I've read about on other forums so.. who knows?

But because it's running that rich (only at WOT), I've not been dipping in the boost too much until I find the right guy to get it re-tuned a bit. Everyone here seems to swear by PSR and it's still a place I may well go to get things dialed in. I took a visit up there and met Devin, Bill, and Bill to have my tune re-evaluated there. Devin seems like a competent guy and he felt like there was easliy another 20-40 HP to be had just in fuel and timing adjustments. I really enjoyed talking with him and getting his feedback, however, something else about the condition of their equipment just bothered me. Aside from there being engine parts and stuff scattered everywhere (although in their defense they had just started moving into the new shop). Their dyno just seems to be rode hard and put up wet. There was a pickup sensor they couldn't get working so they couldn't plot any torque curves, just HP and AFR and the pigtail on the O2 sensor looked pretty beat up to me. Although the dyno's AFR #'s did move pretty much in lock-step with my own on-board wideband so probably not much to worry about there. It just makes me wonder when the last time was that thing was fully calibrated.

Devin has a great rep around here as a tuner it would seem and after meeting him I'm inclined to trust that notion, but the second part of that statement is I want to know that they guy who I'm trusting to make life or death decisions with my engine is using well maintained and properly calibrated test equipment (the dyno). Maybe I'm putting way too much stock in this however since Devin (I THINK) only uses his dyno to get it in the ballpark but actually uses datalogged street pulls to get the final tweaking done which makes perfect sense if you think about it. Either way, it wasn't the warmest of fuzzies seeing what appeared on the surface to be a worn out dyno with not all the sensors working on it. After all you can go to the most brilliant doctor in the world, but if his stethoscope is busted it's kinda hard to take your vital signs.

FWIW, AMP's dyno wasn't in any better shape and both pulls were within 2 HP of each other and done nearly a year apart so maybe I'm just spewing some BS that I know nothing about but I feel like a shop that shows pride and professionalism in their appearance and maintenance of their equipment is going to carry that over into tuning my car. Attention to detail basically..

Just my .02

Thanks for typing such a lengthy reply. This good information to know while I try to decide who will tune and build my car. I am very picky about my ride and I sure as hell don't want to blow up any motor due to tuning errors (not saying these guys or any other guys will do this). But, I have blown up a motor on a dyno on a previous stang and I think it was due to running lean. I don't want to go there again.

Looking forward to meeting you.

[Marc]

Looking forward to seeing you around Chief!

-Chris

Ditto Jenna!

[Marc]

I would try "Tucson Mike" on Desert Street cars. He had a 140 mph Cobra he tuned himself. He is on the Desert Street Cars forum.

As for shops, I would use either Chuck Hawks Auto and Performance (he specializes in Ford) or Mechanix Works on 22nd. Both are good guys and they are racers too.

Like I said on DSC most of the stuff on your car is bolt on. If you want I can help you out with ALL the stuff you have planned on your build. I usually don't farm out my work but you want/need help on anything I can point you in the right direction. I go by Powerful on the Phoenix boards and Jay down in Tucson. Welcome to AZ!

Thats good to hear! And thank you for the offer. I might get with you and see what we can do on our own. Of course being in the military I am not rich, so I am sure you can give me a better deal then going and installing this through a performance shop.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Marc