NMCA Drag Racing Event - Street Fighters

In the Ford world, it is the Mustang that commands all the attention, and drives the cottage performance industry of the late-model Fox-platform. And while that's good enough to entice most Ford fanatics to modify the millions of Mustangs in existence, it wasn't good enough for James Brand. James knows what has inexplicably escaped the legions of Mustang gang-bangers: the Thunderbird shares virtually all its underpinnings-including its powertrain-with the Mustang. In its heyday, the '83-'87 T-bird was the epitome of style, and in Turbo Coupe guise, was a conveyance of some envy. What the Turbo Coupe didn't have was the Mustang GT's fire-eating (for 1983) small-block V-8. Not to worry, as James has addressed that problem quite nicely, thank you. A late-model hydraulic roller 351 massaged by friend Mike Biggs (see previous page) makes the T-bird a solid 11-second player, thanks in part to a cheater nitrous system by NOS. And because it's a Thunderbird instead of a Mustang, the entire family (son, Tyler; daughter, Madison; and wife, Lori) can get in on the fun for the modest outlay of around $21K total. And James' favorite activity with the car? Taking the family out to the Throttle Stoppers cruise in Indianapolis every Friday night.

James Brand and Mike Biggs...        read full caption James Brand and Mike Biggs were best friends in high school, so when it came time to build a hot rod, James turned to Mike, the local Ford guru, to help him with his T-bird. Both ran their Fords at Joliet.

1983 Ford Thunderbird
James A. Brand
Occupation: Union pipe fitter and plumber
Hometown: Pendleton, IN
Best Prior e.t.: 11.70/118
True Street e.t. Average: 12.692