BLUE THUNDER
General Information
- Ownership Status
- Currently Own
- Year
- 1980
- Transmission
- Manual
- Mods - Handling
- Axle ratio - 3.73 gear
Front suspension - 650 lb lowering springs, BBK Performance Gripp polyurethane spring isolators, OBX Racing 35mm front stabilizer bar with polyurethane bushings, factory replacement front struts, SVE caster/camber plates
Rear suspension - 250 lb lowering springs, Energy Suspension polyurethane spring isolators, OBX Racing 25mm rear stabilizer bar with polyurethane bushings, Gabriel Ultra G Shock shock absorbers, E-Motor upper and lower control arms
Chassis bracing - Stifflers Engineering FIT system, SR Performance rear shock tower brace
Brakes - SN95 Cobra Mustang upgrade kit, four wheel disc with five-lug conversion, slotted and drilled rotors and Ford Racing adjustable proportioning valve
Steering - Duralast #22-207 steering rack for 1983 Mustang GT
Wheels - 17 inch chrome Pony wheels
Tires - Continental Extreme Contact Sport radials, 245/40-17
- Mods - Power
- Engine: 425LM Ford Windsor 347 CI late model stock car crate engine
Builder: McGunegill Engine Performance, Muncie IN
Dynamometer: 407 bhp at 5600 rpm's, 435 lbs of torque at 4500 rpm's
Compression: 9.8:1
Cylinder heads: Ford Racing Z304, aluminum
Camshaft: .512 lift hydraulic roller
Intake manifold: Ford Racing by Edelbrock, aluminum
Carburetion: Quick Fuel Technology 4 barrel SL-600-VS, Slayer Series 600 cfm
Exhaust: Drew's Automotive custom dual crossover system with Flowtech Raptor mufflers
- Mods - Interior
- Audio: Pioneer DEH-2100 AM/FM/CD head unit, Kenwood KAC-718 120-watt amplifier, Eclipse 12-inch subwoofer, Pioneer TS-A5705 Three Way 120 watt 6x9 rear speakers (2), PowerAcoustik 6 inch front speakers (2)
Instrumentation: Ford Motor Company, BBK Performance 170 mph speedometer conversion kit, AQXReight 3.75 inch 8000 rpm tachometer
Safety: Obuyto 49-inch Racing Harness Bar, Corbeau 2-inch 4-point racing belts, Jiabeir 38-inch reclining bucket racing seats
- Background & Plans
- Purchased this car in high school as the second owner. The car was nicknamed "Blue Thunder" on the weekend the film (starring Roy Scheider) was released in May 1983. Blue Thunder began life as a base model Mustang originally equipped with a 2.3L four-cylinder engine and a 4-speed transmission. My dream was to rebuild the car into a powerful muscle car with a road racing theme.