props from a 'stang driver, for an '88 5kcstq w/1.8bar

[auditude at neta.com]

Hello Q-heads,

It's always nice when you are reminded that your car is decently 
quick.  

The other day I was on the freeway in my '88 5kcstq, around a 
warmed up Grand National.  I enticed him to show me how fast it 
was, and it certainly was.  It so amazing the crazy sound and 
incredible acceleration those cars have.  The guy was quicker than 
me, that's for sure.  Someday I would like to have one of those, or 
a Regal T-Type, for just that type of fun.  What the heck is that 
crazy high-pitched whine those cars make when they are WOT?

Anyhow, that and the fact that it's pretty rare that I get to compare 
acceleration with someone, has made me feel like my chipped 
5kcstq is slower than I'd like it to be.  I just don't feel the crazy pull 
that I first felt when I chipped it.  It's still there I'm sure, I'm just 
used to it.

Then tonite I got an ego boost, or rather my car did.  I was on the 
onramp behind two late model Mustangs, the second of which had 
some Flowmasters.  As they got onto the freeway, the rear one 
began to move two lanes over into the middle lane, passing the first 
one that remained in the far right lane.

I opened up the throttle body and got into the far left lane.  As I 
began to pass the middle car, he gunned it and it downshifted.  The 
Flowmasters were at full song, and it was as impressive as those 
things can be.

I steadily pulled away, and it was kinda funny because all my 
windows were down and my body language was that of a 
commuter tooling down the highway.

I settled down to cruising speed, and when the guy came up next 
to me he gave me a big thumbs up.  I had a big grin on my face, 
and he kinda shrugged his shoulders as if to ask "WTF?!"  I gave 
him a big shrug, like I didn't know why my car was fast, it just was. 
 I didn't want to shout out the window that I was running a chipped 
turbo, like I have in the past when muscle car driver asked the 
same question.  The guy must've deduced I had a power adder.

I could made out what I believe to be the Cobra emblem on the 
front fender, but I didn't notice the rear bumper having Cobra 
embossed in it.  I didn't notice it say Mustang either, so it may 
have been.

It was the perfect timing for me to come out on top, I think the 
gearing of those cars are kinda low and more for off-the-line grunt.  I 
was just coming on boost, and it couldn't have been better 
circumstances.

Needless to say, I'm wondering how fast a 4kstq with similar or 
greater boost levels would be.  My whole kit, less the tie rod and 
flywheel, and 8.5:1 Wiseco pistons, is sitting on the side of the 
house and in the driveway.  I have to get the swamp cooler going in 
the garage, so the 106f heat here in AZ won't interfere with the 
project.

Turbos are so fun.  Hey, where can I find online information about 
the Garett ball bearing turbos that Turbonetics supposedly has that 
bolt up to a KKK-style exhaust manifold?  I looked on their site, but 
didn't see which one it was.

There is a lister out there that bought Graydon's EFI'ed "Monster 
Q" and renamed it some other m-word.  I can't find the website, but 
he took the K26/K27 off and put one of those turbos on it.  I'd like 
to check out that website again, if anyone knows the link.

I'd like to take an informal survey of those interested in buying 
Eibach springs for 5kcstq's.  I know there's that old thread about 
Wolfsport gauging interest in having Eibach make another run of 50 
pieces, I just wonder how many people would be interested today.  
For example, I didn't have a 5kcstq before, but I do now.

I think my right rear corner sits lower than the rest.  I don't know if 
it's the strut being blown, or if the spring is just sagging.  I don't 
want to waste my time and alignment by replacing just the struts, 
only to find out the spring is bad.  So, I have semi-justification for 
getting some springs.

I do like the stealthiness and potentially comfortable (the struts are 
worn) ride with the stock setup.  Then again there lots of daylight 
under the car, and the rear of it really sticks up there.

Aren't there some listers on here that are running application-
specific springs in the front, and threaded coilovers in the rears of 
their Type 44's?  I seem to recall at least one person using that 
philosophy.

Thanks for reading,

Ken
'88 5kcstq
'85 4ksq
'87 5kt
'94 SL2