05-25-06: Livernois Motorsports of Dearborn Heights, MI has made a name for itself in the past decade, building some truly formidable street machines to showcase their products. The company’s 50 year history of engineering for Detroit automakers has given them the background and infrastructure to design and manufacture many of the high performance parts they sell. These aren’t any ordinary parts either, which is why their latest creation is so downright mind-blowing.
Starting as a 2005 Mustang GT, Livernois Motorsports transformed every square inch of this car starting at the heart of the matter, under the hood. They massaged and machined the 4.6 liter block and making modifications to the oil passages for better flow. A new Livernois Motorsports forged steel crank and a version of Manley rods exclusive to Livernois and special dished pistons were installed on the bottom end. Then they added their own Livernois Motorsports Stage 1 CNC ported heads complete with custom valves and springs. The complete and balanced assembly built by Mike Schropp at Livernois now revs to a 7000 rpm redline.
With a solid bottom end, they installed a ProCharger system in F1A trim. A ProCharger racing blow-off valve and 3-core air to air intercooler completed the boost package. Larger 60 lb fuel injectors and a custom Livernois in-tank fuel pump are on hand to match the ProCharger ’s boost levels. Exhaust is scavenged through a gnarly set of Kook’s 1 5/8” long-tube headers and a Kook’s a catted X-pipe. Backing that up is a Corsa 2 ½” stainless axle-back exhaust system.
Before the drum roll, Livernois’ in-house team of PCM tuners went to work on a software upgrade that would allow the mega-monster to act like a gentleman on the street while laying waste on the strip. The result is an incredible 770 horsepower at the rear wheels (840 bhp) and 640 ft-lbs of rear wheel torque (697 btq). With the built bottom end this is a reliable streetable car that can really pack a surprise to the uneducated.
Completing the rest of the package, the Livernois Motorsports Mustang GT got a complete chassis makeover to keep all that power at the driver’s command. Crazy huge Baer Extreme 15” front rotors with 6-piston calipers and Baer Eradispeed +2 14” rear disc brakes stop this train fast. Michelin Pilot Sport rolling stock hangs on HRE 19” wheels, 9.5” in front and 10.5” wide at the rear. The aforementioned rolling stock is 275/35/19 in front and 285/35/19 rear in size.
Chassis stiffening was at the top of the list for the Livernois engineers. Dominic Gabriel and his team installed sub-frame connectors and a tubular K-member. Suspension upgrades include an adjustable panhard rod, trailing links and panhard brace. Racing springs, struts, and sway bars rounded out the under belly of the car, giving it a nice mean stance.
On the external presentation, Livernois chose to keep the car cool and laid back. It doesn’t scream loudly with garish stripes, graphics or an overdone body package. Aside of the down to business HRE 19” wheels, Steeda hood and CDC rear spoiler, the car is otherwise stock looking. Once could almost say it is a borderline sleeper. In any case Livernois Motorsports has once again put together a class-act car that for the moment may very well be the most powerful street-legal S-197 built to date.
In case you wanted to know, all the parts and engineering that went into this car are available right now through Livernois Motorsports. With all the components we mentioned and then some — the price tag for this car comes in at around $69,999 including parts, labor and a donor car. Your price may vary.
It might sound like a lot of money but consider that the new 2007 Shelby GT 500 with dealer mark-up will cost you almost as much. And while you might get the oohh ahhh feeling of having a “Shelby”, you have 340 less horsepower, smaller brakes, and a whole lot less in the chassis and handling department. But we digress.
More information here: www.livernoismotorsports.com 
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