Story & Photos: Wes Taylor
That’sBoss,man!
Back in the sixties and seventies (coincidentally when the first generation Boss Mustang was introduced) the word “boss” added to a sentence meant that something wasn’t just cool, it was over-thetop cool!
Some of us have a diverse collection of keys hanging on our key rack, while others, like Sterling Hall, stick to one brand, and even a specific model. Sterling is a Ford Mustang man through and through, and that blue oval gene was passed directly from his father.
When Sterling was a child, his dad had a 1972 Mach 1 Mustang that he tinkered with and then a Thunderbird with a 306. They enjoyed gokarts, circle and dirt racing together until Sterling became legal driving age after which they would go to the drag strip to support local Top-Sportsman racer Ronnie Proctor. Ronnie and his wife Karen had recently acquired a 1995 Ford Mustang GT convertible and they talked Sterling’s dad into letting him make his first straight line pass in it. From that point forward Sterling decided he never wanted to turn again, at least at a race track anyway. “I was hooked immediately and we sold the oval track karts!” he exclaimed.
RACE PARTS 2
Performance White models produced!
Sterling Hall’s Boss is rare, with only 672
Sterling’s setup
‘86 that Quickly racing kid, a less street were Hall Terminator every Military he had
Sterling’s first step into a car setup for the drag strip was an four eye Fox Body Mustang they did a 351 swap into. Quickly realizing how expensive racing is for a broke high school the car was sold in favor of less costly 1998 Mustang GT street machine. Once finances were in better working order, Hall went to a full bolt-on build Terminator Cobra that he raced every chance he could, but his Military service came first and had to let her go.
A few years later he reconnected with his love for horsepower and built it into a supercharged 900whp brawler. By 2016 he’d been through a few more Mustangs, but when he came across a bone stock white Boss 302 with 38k miles on it, he just had to have it. “While at the Crusin OC event I was looking at classifieds and a buddy sent me a Performance White 2013 Boss. This was the car. So as soon as I got back from the beach I went directly south to get it,” Hall said.
Sterling Hall’s Boss 302- Night Racing At It’s Best!
The car, known as the ECOBOSS sits low and looks mean complete with somewhat deceiving twin front grille air inlets.
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“Well I had the car roughly two weeks before I heard of a track rental at MIR, so I got a line lock installed and ordered a set of 19 inch radials, we were back, and the rest is history!” he added.
Mustangs have come from the factory in many variants; the Boss versions having unique traits and are limited to specific years with low production numbers.
For example, the first generation Boss was produced only for the 1969 and 1970 model years, while the second generation, like Sterling’s, came in 2012 and 2013. With 2013 getting a facelift, Sterling’s Boss is rare, with only 672 Performance White models produced. Ford designed the Boss to be a better “corner carver” than the regular GT, but Hall had other plans.
The Mustang remains stock appearing with factory glass, body panels, and still has power windows and door locks along with the power steering and heat!
Chances are this won’t last forever though, as plans are to go on a strict diet during the coming off-Season.
Inside the Boss is as factory as factory gets aside from the Mike Thomas built 10-point cage, Motion Raceworks column and steering wheel with buttons for staging etc., window net, a pair of race seats with Racequip harnesses and a custom rear seat delete.
Sterling Hall and his white Boss 203 Mustang make this ultra clean launch and pass right down broadway to the finish line and the win!
The car’s setup has been through a few different variations over the past few years, from bolt-ons to a manufactured turbo kit and eventually the current setup. The stock 302 saw some pretty heavy use thanks to Ford forging the rods and pistons from the factory, but it just wouldn’t cut it for Hall’s end goals. Nonetheless, after swapping out the stock trans for a built ’Glide, Sterling was able to break into a single-digit time slip, and then into the 8s on a stock motor with the first turbo setup. Remember, he’s got 1 of 672 Boss cars in this color, and he was eventually
able to go an 8.65 in it! A few things had to change from here, though; safety and power. For power, he contacted RPG Racing Engines to take on a new build. After machining the block, RPG installed a micro-polished Boss forged crank, Manley Extreme Duty pistons, and their billet steel rods. Total Seal rings and bearings keep things sealed, oiled and reliable, and ARP hardware was used throughout. Next, they took the stock Boss heads, did some port and polish work, added Ferrea valves and Pac Racing springs, and called it a day with a complete long block.
Hall took the stock mill with a bit of boost to an 8.65 ¼-mile run, but decided it was time to buy insurance in the form of better, stronger parts and, of course, more boost!
RPG Racing Engines built the latest motor between the Boss’ rails starting with a sleeved Gen 2 Coyote block. After adding some serious internal hardware, RPG ported and polished Boss heads and added Ferrea valves and PAC springs. A trick Plazmaman intake tops the small block and the turbo fab work was completed by Mike Thomas Fab.
It surprises many people how far you can go on the stock Mustang/Boss cams without needing an upgrade.
Compressed air enters the small block through a sheet metal Plazmaman intake manifold on the induction side. Next, Mike Thomas of Mike Thomas Fab created a turbo kit around a 91/102mm turbo. A combination of
1650cc injectors and a return style triple pump fuel system deliver a healthy dose of ethanol. A Boost Leash boost controller, MSD 2-step, and True Stage smooth stage system provides control assistance. With Rob Shoemaker from Palm Beach Dyno behind the keyboard, based on track times they estimate that the car makes 1500whp!
Sterling Hall’s 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Body & Paint:
All stock body and glass. Calvin Atwell III did paint work, Mike Thomas Fab wing.
Chassis & Suspension/Modifications:
Mike Thomas Fab 10 point cage.
Engine:
RPG built and sleeved Gen 2 Coyote block, ARP hardware. Manley Extreme duty piston , Manley billet steel rods, Total Seal rings, micro polished Boss crank. RPG ported and polished Boss heads, Ferrea valves PAC springs.
Induction & Fuel Delivery:
Plazmaman intake, fuel rails. Fore triple pump return style fuel system with FIC 1650 injectors.
Electronics:
Factory ECU tuned with HP tuners, MSD 2 step, Leash Electronics Co2 Boost Leash, True stage Smooth Stage.
Power Adder:
Mike Thomas Fab turbo kit with Forced induction 91/102 turbo.
Transmission:
Transmission Specialties Powerglide with 1.80 first gear.
Rear Differential:
8.8 Rear end with welded and braced housing. 3.55 rear gear, Strange spool with 35 spline axles.
Brakes:
Aerospace Brakes on all 4 corners.
Tires & wheels:
Belak Series 3 wheel with Mickey Thompson Radial Pro 275/60/15 rear.
Interior:
Gauges are factory, steering wheel and column are Motion Raceworks MPI wheel, Stroud Window net, Kirkey seats with RaceQuip harnesses and custom rear seat delete from CMComponents. Factory stereo still works in the car.
ET & MPH:
¼ mile 7.93 @ 174mph
Unique Features:
The car is a true boss car, it was made to be a road race car but my love for the nostalgic name plate drew me to do something different. I have gone as fast as I have with factory glass, body panels, and still have power windows and door locks along with the power steering and heat.
Thanks To:
RPG Race Engines, Belak Industries for wheels, Mike Thomas Fab for all the long hours and hard work, Vibrant Performance for all the parts, Forced Induction Solution for the turbo talk, Rob Shoemaker for all the tuning help and long hours. Mostly my wife for being a major supporter and instigator in this build. Some guys have to justify why they buy parts where my wife says “why buy it twice, let’s over build it”. My father for the drive and work ethic to push myself that if I have a goal then work hard and I can achieve it. My entire family of friends for continually supporting me in chasing this dream. My friends spend more time helping in one way or another then most people’s family would so this wouldn’t be possible without them either as racing at any level requires a team.
Most memorable experience to date:
Running that 7! I couldn’t wait to call my wife and my dad who couldn’t make it to share the great news. All the long hours and hard work come down to one pass.
The latest two-speed Powerglide is from Transmission Specialties and equipped with a 1.80 gearset and a Circle D torque converter that JPC Performance spec’d for Hall’s setup. The 8.8 rear is quite strong from the factory, but having it welded and braced helps it handle the extra power, along with the 35 spline axles and spool also installed during the upgrade.
Custom upper and lower control arms, a heavy-duty anti-roll bar, and Viking Crusader shocks with BMR drag springs keep the rear planted. An aftermarket K-member and a-arms with Viking Crusader coilovers and BMR drag springs handle front suspension duties. Stopping power comes from a single parachute and Aerospace Components brakes on all four corners. Belak Series 3 wheels, with beadlocked rears hide the trick machined brakes. Mickey Thompson radials reside on the rear and skinnies upfront and other than a wing fabricated by Mike, the Mustang remains stock appearing with factory glass, body panels, and still has power windows and door locks along with the power steering and heat.
Sterling Hall with his Boss Mustang.
Sterling Hall vs The Time Clock
The ECOBOSS runs clean 7-second hits in its current state, yet it’s still fully street legal!
This Boss is fast, and although newer cars are engineered better structurally, rules dictate everyone going a specific time or faster to have a cage. Mike did a superb job outfitting the stock interior with a custom 10 point class legal cage painted black with carbon fiber accents. The interior is very streetcar-like, and even the factory working radio remains intact. Additions include a Motion Raceworks column and steering wheel with buttons for staging etc., window net, a pair of race seats with Racequip harnesses and a custom rear seat delete from CMComponents.
Hall’s biggest challenge was to make it into the 7-second club, something a limited number of true street drive-
able cars can achieve. Finally, after long hours and more than a few headaches, Sterling reached his goal at the Street Car Takeover Virginia, going a blistering 7.93 @ 174mph! “I can’t thank the people who have had a part in this build enough. The evolution will continue as we go standalone with Holley and try to take
some weight out of this pig.”
Looking all the way back to the sixties and seventies, it’s hard to believe that one single word has had so much influence over our performance car culture, and one thing is for sure, a 7-second street Mustang definitely qualifies as “BOSS”!
