photos by: Scott Schwartz

video by: Sam McConnell

David Barnhart Puts an Interesting Spin on the S550 Mustang

When it comes to personalizing a car, there are two different types of people: those who go after flash with no rhyme or reason—just whatever looks good to them. Their cars often look a jumbled mess of themes and gimmicks. But then there are those who modify with a purpose. Their cars are clean, yet bold in their statements. Completely understated, but screaming out exactly who they are and what they’re all about—unapologetically.

David Barnhart’s Oxford White 2015 Mustang is one such vehicle. Living in Dayton, Ohio, David is a Senior Assistant Manager at Discount Tire. You can say that David knows his Mustangs. In fact, we’re quite confident that David knows his Mustangs, as he’s owned 14 others before owning the wicked pony you see here. He picked up his latest addition in 2015, right off the showroom floor; but didn’t perform any mods right away.

Let’s face it, right out of the box, the 2015 Mustang is impressive—front engine/rear drive, with a V8 pumping out 435 horsepower, channeled through a 6-speed manual; stacked on top of the S550 platform that displays superior handling characteristics thanks in part to an independent rear suspension, and a fun factor that already pegs the fun-o-meter. It was more than enough to keep a smile on David’s face, and is plenty to keep the riffraff at bay on the streets.

All was well with David and his Mustang, ripping up the streets until one fateful night. David was out with his Mustang, having fun, as usual; he had his night ruined by a run-in with an SR20-equipped 240SX. Just for reference, an SR20 is a 2-liter, DOHC and turbocharged engine from Nissan that’s capable of producing over 400hp with stock internals, closer to 5-600 when modded properly. All dropped between the framerails of a lighter, 240SX; needless to say, it was a bit too much for David’s factory-fresh ‘Stang. Some modifications were definitely in order!

The first order of business was to improve the breathing with a cold-air kit, and also order a tuner to balance out the air/fuel mix for the increased air flow. It definitely made some improvements, but, once you get bit by the horsepower bug, it’s a never-ending quest. When making horsepower; some is good, but more is better, and too much is just enough—and at this point, things were just “good”. So, after about a month, David realized that he needed more…much more.

David sought out his “go-to auto guys”: Sam Wampler and Jim Gray at Quick Rev in Dayton. After consulting with David, Sam and Jim worked up a plan to get him the horsepower he was looking for, with Sam doing the build.

Starting with the engine, they went with a ProCharger Stage II Intercooled System with P-1SC-1 blower feeding 10-lbs. of boost into a Shelby GT350 intake manifold. Quick Rev supplied the tuner to program the air/fuel going in the engine and the fuel injectors were upgraded to supply the extra needed fuel.

David went with Stainless Works for a set of their Stainless Power Headers and mated them to a free flowing 3-inch exhaust system from MBRP Performance Exhaust to handle the exhaust gasses. With the engine modifications completed, it was time to see what kind of power his pony was putting to the pavement. The end result was 701 horsepower and 529 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Quite a step up from stock!

With the engine completed, the team turned their attention to the rest of the car. The factory MT82 6-speed transmission was more than up to the challenge of channeling the power to the wheels, but the factory clutch was quickly upgraded to a McLeod unit. Some of the weight was removed when the factory drive shaft was swapped out for a lighter, aluminum unit from The Driveshaft Shop.

Power flows through the stock differential using a set of 3.31 gears. Power gets to the ground via a set of Nitto 555 G2 tires wrapped around Avant Garde wheels measuring 20×10 and 20×11, respectively. The original brakes remained in place, as well as the interior remaining stock.

One of the more interesting components to this build was the suspension kit from Air Lift Performance. Usually, when one hears of an air ride system, we’re immediately taken to thoughts of cars slammed on the pavement when parked, and raise up to an acceptable level when it’s time to drive. However, air suspension technology has come a long way—they’re not just a system that provides a “wow” factor to someone’s ride, they’ve developed to where they’re very good performance suspension systems.

Take the 3P system (choose the 3H system if you want it height-adjustable) that’s installed (by the guys at Quick Rev) on David’s Mustang; while it definitely gives it an aggressive stance, its height isn’t adjustable by the flip of a switch; the height is constant. What it does do is allow for varying settings based on desired modes of driving utilizing their own set of air springs for the front and rear.

It drops the height 5.1 inches and simulates a progressive spring to give a great ride, but solid corner-carving prowess when leaned upon. If that’s not enough, they system comes with a control panel that allows David to tailor the dampening to his liking. Once installed, David can attest that his Mustang handles great on the backroads, and provides excellent stability when drag racing.

Speaking of drag racing, David’s made about 15 passes at the dragstrip and is quite happy with a personal best ET of 10.70 @ 129mph. Not bad for a daily driver that still gets 18mpg city and 23mpg on the highway, and can easily chew up and spit out any boosted 240SXs that may be roaming the streets! What’s next? David’s ultimate goal is to have a 9-second beast on the stock engine and trans. He plans to upgrade to ProCharger’s D1X blower, E85 fuel, and a drag setup for the suspension.

David’s ‘Stang is a prime example of what can be done when the build is planned and well thought out. The car speaks to his style and personality—simple and clean. It’s a smooth-looking ride that has tons of style, but can give plenty of attitude when needed. For a guy who has owned 14 Mustangs prior, his experience shows, as his 15th pony is the sum of his experiences.

TECH SHEET:

• CAR: 2015 Mustang GT
• OWNER: David Barnhart
• ENGINE BLOCK: OEM
• CRANKSHAFT: OEM
• PISTONS: OEM
• CONNECTING RODS: OEM
• CAMSHAFT: OEM
• CYLINDER HEADS: OEM
• COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.0:1
• INDUCTION: Ford Racing GT350 intake manifold, stock throttle body, ProCharger throttle body
• POWER ADDER: ProCharger; P1SC-1, 3.8-inch pulley
• BOOST: 10-psi.
• INTERCOOLER: ProCharger
• IGNITION: Stock
• EXHAUST: Stainless Power long-tube headers, MBRP H-pipe and mufflers
• FUEL DELIVERY: 1000cc injectors, stock pump and rails
• OILING: Stock
• TUNING: HP Tuners; tuned by QuickRev
• TRANSMISSION: MT82
• CLUTCH: McLeod; clutch and flywheel
• SHIFTER: Stock
• DRIVESHAFT: Driveshaft Shop; aluminum
• REAREND: Stock; 3.31 gear, Driveshaft Shop axles
• SUSPENSION: AirLift Performance; 3P Kit (front and rear)
• BRAKES: Stock
• WHEELS: Avant Garde; 20×10 (front), 20×11 (rear)
• TIRES: NItto; 555 G2
• HP/TQ.: 701/529
• 1/4-Mile E.T.: 10.7 at 129 mph

PJ Rentie

Living in Richmond, Tx, PJ Rentie has been in the automotive industry for more than 30 years. This former Assistant Editor at Vette Magazine also spent time with companies like NOS, Edelbrock, Hillbank Motorsports, Classic Industries, and was an automotive instructor for Cypress College for ten years. In his spare time, PJ hopes to one day bring his Fox Body Mustang out of the back yard and back onto the street!