Editor's note: This is part of a series at KSL.com featuring some of Utah's coolest cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semi trucks — email fjolley@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration.KAYSVILLE — When Kaysville resident Gardner Crane first saw his 2011 Ford Mustang GT for sale, every iota of loyalty to Chevrolet left him all at once. It was instantly replaced with desire for a pony capable of 8-second passes. We’ll get to that, but first, a little history on how this beast came to be.

When Ford reintroduced the 5.0 Mustang in 2011, many felt an uneasy mix of anticipation and apprehension. The 5.0 engine, while different in many technical aspects in its most recent incarnation, is a veritable legend in the automotive world. 5.0s, or 302s as previous generations may recognize them, have been winning races since their very inception.

From 302-powered Cobras to Vanilla Ice’s white convertible Mustang, the five-liter legend spans generations. But many worried that the new 5.0, or Coyote as it has become known, wouldn’t live up to the legend. Those fears were quickly put to rest.

Evolution Performance, a well-known Mustang modifier out of Pennsylvania, had no such reservations about the new Mustang and quickly snapped up one of the very first examples to roll off the line — a Kona-blue GT.

After a quick stop at the drag strip where they cracked off a low-13 second pass, Evolution Performance ripped into the virtually brand-new pony with reckless abandon. Their efforts rewarded them with the first 10-second Coyote in the nation; a testament to not only how capable the shop is, but how easily these cars can be made fast. They weren’t finished though; not after another shop bested them with a 9-second pass.

The pony was then outfitted with a F1C ProCharger pumping upwards of 24 pounds of atmosphere through a water-to-water intercooler and into the stock throttle body, intake and heads. The supercharger, along with a cavalcade of supporting modifications, rocketed the Mustang into the history books as the first 8-second Coyote ever.

But 8-second passes get boring after a while, apparently, and much to Crane’s delight, Evolution decided to part ways with the Mustang. Crane wasted no time in getting his hands on the car and bringing it home to Utah.

As we all know, history often repeats itself, and after a few passes in the mountain air and one crankshaft snout failure later, it was time for more revamping— this time at the hands of West Jordan-based Premier Performance who decided to sponsor the car.

Related Stories:

Ogden man puts blood, sweat and tears into restoring '68 Mustang California Special

When Chuck Putnam first got behind the wheel of his 1968 Ford Mustang California Special in the winter of 1987, it was ironically in Oregon, and the car's condition was anything but special.

Premier Performance built a new long block for the Mustang consisting of an L&M-sourced, reinforced block stuffed with L&M custom coated Diamond pistons. The rotating assembly was swapped for a forged piece with Manley Pro Series I-Beam rods. The huffer was replaced with a Vortech YSI-B which features an 8-rib belt drive and allows the crankshaft snout a little more forgiveness. The mill was topped off with L&M CNC ported heads featuring Ferra Super Alloy Valves operated by L&M custom-ground cams. A Boss 302 intake handles induction duties and is fed by a 90mm Ford Racing throttle body. American Racing stainless steel headers with 2-inch primaries and 3.5-inch collectors backed by a MBRP race exhaust speed spent exhaust gases away and provide an aggressive snarl.

All that power is transferred to a Frank Lupo Dynamic torque converter and channeled through a Pro-Formance built C4 transmission with a transbrake for launching duties. The twist is then sent out back, via a Dynotech 4-inch aluminum driveshaft, to a narrowed FAB Ford 9-inch rear end stuffed with a 3.70 gear, spool and 35 spline Strange axles. Forward thrust is provided by a set of 28-inch by 10.5-inch Mickey Thompson racing slicks and power is planted by a myriad of customized and adjustable suspension bits.

A 10-point roll cage, NHRA certified to 8.50, keeps the occupant safe and a TCI Pro Outlaw shifter handles gear-changing duties.

All in all, Crane estimates the car is making an additional 250 rear-wheel horsepower and has gone as fast as 9.1 at 155 miles per hour at Rocky Mountain Raceways. Crane, a bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believes he is the fastest bishop around.

“I’d be willing to bet that I am the fastest bishop in the church,” Crane joked. “Unless there is another bishop out there that has a Pro Mod.”

The car is plumbed for nitrous as well. Crane estimates the ‘Stang could go 7s in the quarter on the laughing gas. And that should keep him, and anyone else crazy enough to drive this beast, giggling well into the future.

Chase Christensen is a wildly successful bench racer who believes life is better with regular oil changes. Follow him on Twitter at @ChaseChris8 and email him at chasechristensen8@gmail.com.

Related topics