We can hear it now, "Enough of all the accessories! Let's see you guys make some power!" In time friends, in time! We've been having a blast driving our '02 Mustang GT in every way possible. Whether it's a road trip or a NASA track day (of which we've hit two, check out www.nasaproracing.com), this yellow player is getting mileage as quickly as we can keep the wheels turning. Not to sound like a broken record to those that have followed this car closely, but here's where we sit right now: The complete Maximum Motorsports "Grip in a Box" kit, upgraded Cobra R wheels, Yokohama AVS Sport ES 100 tires, and a Brembo brake system with Hawk HPS pads have been covered editorially. However, beyond the install of a complete Auto Meter gauge package, and a set of Corbeau seats and belts that you'll find on these pages, we've already gotten after some performance mods that are coming in the next few issues.
We're driving around with a significant power gain at the rear wheels, thanks to BBK's underdrive pulley system, throttle body, and cold air system. Major gains were also found from a Granatelli mass air meter and a Magnaflow exhaust system. Not only does this thing sounds great, but also it produced well over a second of improvement in the quarter-mile and 0-60 testing on our new Stalker radar testing system! Where we were making up ground in the corners on the road course, but getting smoked down the straights, the Project PHR Mustang has gained back a little ground and can hold its own a little better overall. Don't get us wrong, it's going to take that ATI ProCharger system or the NOS kit to run with the Z06s at Willow Springs, but we've now have the brakes and grip to keep up. Again, check out the stories over the next few months and you'll be surprised at the significant gains from minor upgrades--we think you'll learn that all the parts help each other and that there's no "magic nut" to any of this.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Getting the right gauges in a car that makes power is probably the smartest investment you could make, beyond the blower or nitrous kit itself! We're on record with our readers that it doesn't take much of a screw up, to do significant damage to your car's engine, so keeping tabs on temperatures, pressures, and mixtures are the key to having fun with cars. Plus, it looks cool and the "wow factor" from people walking by can't be denied. The gauge business is better than ever since companies like Auto Meter abandoned the mechanical instruments, and invested research and development into making electric versions more convenient and more accurate. Running hot fluid lines to the gauge behind the dash was never a good idea, and running standard automotive wire is a breeze compared to the complicated task of using steel-braided hose or fluid lines. Builders using the new designs of A-pillar pods and specialty mounting equipment may need to run electric gauges since only small gauge wire can fit behind the pods. In passenger cars, many electric gauges will work off the stock sending unit, making installation simple. The drawback is that, the gauges are only as reliable as your electrical system. If you are experiencing the effects of a bad battery of alternator, your gauge performance will suffer as well.
The install here involves most how we configured the gauges instead of where we hooked them up. What does that mean? We had all of this stuff and wanted to get it in, even though we were just planning for the future power improvements. We installed the latest "Lunar" look, Auto Meter's colored gauges that look especially cool in the dark. On the list included a boost gauge, air-fuel ratio meter, fuel pressure monitor, nitrous pressure gauge, and a pyrometer kit. Of all this stuff, the fuel pressure gauge is the only one that's hooked up right now! Our excuses are good, since we don't have the ProCharger blower kit in yet (doing all the normally-aspirated stuff first), the BBK headers aren't installed (so why bung the stock exhaust?), the NOS system is on the way, etc. But, damn, it looks good, and we're really happy to have figured out how to get the dash apart!
Why are these things so important? Monitoring boost pressure along with air-fuel ratio will help you super-tune a combination to achieve the optimum percentage of volumetric efficiency. As boost pressure increases, fuel delivery and pressure will need to increase correspondingly. The air-fuel ratio can tell a tuner quite a bit, as well, showing the mixture as it ranges from lean to rich. A series of color-coded LED lights will inform the driver if his charge is stoichiometric, lean, or rich at various throttle positions, extremely useful in ECM tuning. The gauge will respond to detonation, and become invaluable in the tuning process, an issue if manifold pressure is too high for the state of tuning on the car. These complications need to be identified and resolved before peak performance is reached, and before severe damage is done.
Although Auto Meter offers several different boost gauges for varying applications, we chose a gauge that reads vacuum in increments to 30 In. Hg and boost pressure to 20 PSI. Auto Meter offers several boost gauges, but this one was chosen because it is doubtful that this street-driven car will make more than 20 pounds of boost. A straight boost gauge without a vacuum reading is offered, but this is more popularly used for turbo diesel trucks, which never go into vacuum--the needle on the gauge we chose will read into the vacuum portion of the gauge when the throttle plates are completely or partially closed. By adding the boost and air-fuel ratio gauges in advance, it is now possible to determine the direction of the build, figure out which modifications are critical at each new stage, and assess the performance of new upgrades. As for the factory-replacement gauge cluster, it might be the most asked-about item on this car so far! What seems like a difficult install is really simple, once you get the dash apart. Remember, the power circus starts next month!
It's a no brainer to give your ride a fresh new look with Auto Meter's Lunar Series of gauges. This Replacement Instrument Cluster is a single piece, no nonsense gauge setup for your 1999-2002 V8 4.6L Ford Mustang GT. At night, the electro luminescent cluster glows with Auto Meter's Lunar technology, and comes pre-assembled in factory black with silver bezels. The unit is fitted with Fuel Level, Water Temperature, Speedometer, Tachometer with digital odometer/ trip setting, Voltmeter, and Oil Pressure. The actual mileage is retained on the new unit after installation and the stock style warning lights still appear across the bottom. The one-piece unit plugs directly into the factory instrument board, giving Mustang owners a serious custom gauge spread, with one swift swap. Plus, people flat-out freak when they see that you have real Auto Meter gauges sandwiched in the dash cluster like an OE unit.
This is how the Lunar set up looks when the headlights are on. It was a little bit bright to us, as the factory headlight dimmer just couldn't get the lights down quite enough for our taste, but we're sure you can find a way around that.
The install involves only removing the headlight knob with a screwdriver, pulling the two standard screws from the trim, and four Torx fasteners from the factory gauge cluster, and replacing it completely with the new Auto Meter setup.
On the Auto Meter piece, realize that you'll have to pull this frame off the rear to access and access the digital odometer. Believe it or not, a factory plugs like this is all the connection necessary!
To get cracking on the Dual Dash Pod, where we're putting the air/fuel gauge and the pyrometer for exhaust temp, we needed to pull the factory console (it comes off with a few snaps...). The radio, heater vents, and lower console will need to slide out once you have it off and you'll want that radio out to make room for plumbing wires toward the floorboard for the gauge sensors.
We eyeballed the spot to drill the dash for Auto Meter's supplied mount--make sure you get it centered or you'll look like a dork!
Wiring the gauges was just a matter of keeping track of which wires went with what. Since we haven't installed the headers, yet, we tucked the wires down where we can get quick access for wiring them up later. The Air-Fuel Ratio instruction sheet includes diagrams on the many different O2 sensors, as well as, helpful information that will show you how to use and apply the information the gauge is providing. Locate the O2 sensor and determine what type you have by the diagrams in the instructions, or in your car's shop manual. | 
The finished product is in easy view of both driver and passenger, which is surprisingly important! Wait until you go to your first track day with a blown car--you'll be asking your friends to ride along and make sure that pyrometer doesn't go past 1,400 degrees or that the A/F meter doesn't have pegged lights! |
Where Auto Meter's selection of factory-replacement gauge consoles is still a little limited, and the Dual Dash Pod selection is much better, it seems there isn't a vehicle for which they don't offer an A-pillar based Triple Gauge pillar. What isn't included are the gauges themselves! What many don't realize is that you don't remove the old interior pillar to replace it with a new one--the Auto Meter parts install over the stock equipment. You will have to drill locator holes for the included plugs that attach the new pillar. | 
Yeah, yeah, yeah...the electric boost and nitrous gauges have no home yet, so we can't show you how to wire them (as opposed to "plumbing" them the way you used to have to do with mechanical gauges). However, the fuel pressure gauge installs in a snap by tapping into the Schrader valve on the end of the factory fuel rail near the front of the intake manifold. |
The finished product is a clean and convenient addition, as accurate of instrumentation as you'll find. The gauges might be small for older eyes, but know that Auto Meter makes these pods in twin setups that accept bigger gauges. | |
The TRS is a more aggressive seat than most, in that it has significant hip support on the bottom, kidney support, and tall shoulder support--it definitely fits like a race car seat! The harness holes up top make the belts fit better, in addition to being a styling item. Inflatable lumbar supports are also an option. This particular model seat is designed to fit up to a 36-inch waist, but they now offer it in a wider version that will accommodate big boys (and girls) up to size 42. Know that when you shop around for European seats (read "Italian"), they usually fit on the small and short side, so be careful what you buy. These seats are built in England by Corbeau, whose US offices are in Utah, so you know they understand the bigger sizes of the American marketplace. Scat also builds seats oriented for American customer, so they fit a little roomier.
The custom brackets from Corbeau, built for this particular vehicle, made the install really easy. Corbeau has one of the biggest selections of brackets in the business. Important since the brackets are a safety issue as much as than anything else! Either use factory brackets or aftermarket brackets specific to both your vehicle and the seats or don't do it at all! As for belts, Corbeau is one of the few companies that design the belts and seats together as an integrated system, however, you can buy the belts to work with the stock seats. In fact, we used all of the stock anchors, so there's no worry about the fitment. You will have to be patient with the adjustment, as it will take a few days to get the lap belts just perfect, especially if you have multiple drivers of different sizes in and out of the same seat. The single latch is even nicer than the expensive cam fasteners found in the race business, but going to a single system like this is a bit of a compromise in terms of comfort (since the belts don't come together from multiple directions as well as they're always attached).
Once you get used to the firm fit and the extra time to get in the belts, you'll have aftermarket seats in all of your performance vehicles.
Back in the PRIMEDIA Tech Center, Manager Dominic Conti weighed the factory seats to get a comparison to our new Corbeau TRS examples. The factory driver's seat (with leather and power controls) weighed 59 pounds, while the passenger seat weighed 52 pounds. The Corbeau's each weighed 42 pounds, and the brackets were a big weight savings. Added up, we took more than 30 pounds out of our Mustang with just a seat swap, and that's significant. | 
Everything associated with the factory seat brackets comes out, and is replaced by what you see here, which we shot half way through the install. Remember, the brackets aren't included in the price of the seats. |
Don't you agree that the final product is a great improvement? The support was significant and the seats don't wear us out after a long time in the car. Staying in place helps you to make more accurate and sensitive steering and brake input, a key to going quicker. Taking some of the "cush" out of the seat with a replacement and improving the driving position helps road feel and in turns supports quicker and smarter input. Understand that millions of dollars go into OE seat development, but we're just not the average customers for which the factory seats were designed. | 
One thing you might not like in the way we set up our car, is the front seat belts are anchored through the rear bench locations. This makes the rear seat just about useless, but we never used it anyway. In fact, plan to yank the rear seats, and apply factory carpet around there, anyway! |