When we first met Ed Brown in summer of 2016, he had just taken delivery a few months earlier of his wild factory drag car; a 2016 Ford Super Cobra Jet Mustang. We saw him pull in to the Ohio track, unload, stage the car and bang off a seemingly effortless high 8-second quarter mile hit...with our jaws dropped, we were impressed to say the least! A lot has happened since then.
Fast forward to 2020, and by March the pandemic slowed most of the economy (unless you sold PPE or built houses) and closed
race venues and most anything to do with the race and performance car culture, but we still had our eye on featuring Ed’s Mustang.
Always a car enthusiast and a race fan, Brown became serious in 2002 after attending a drag race that his two brothers were competing in, and soon after purchased a new 2003 Mach 1. He bolted on some race tires and joined in with his brothers. “They both cautioned me on buying a new car and possibly upgrading because of the cost and the technology involved,” said Brown. Both brothers were carb
guys so neither could help Ed with tuning, and he learned through trial and error. “After blowing up two motors trying to run nitrous, adding a single then twin turbos and using countless performance shops mostly out of state; not to mention thousands of dollars, I finally had enough. I guess you could say my wife really had enough, but she never said stop and always was and is extremely supportive.” Supportive indeed, as it was Ed’s wife who suggested he look into factory prepped race cars, specifically, the Cobra Jet Mustang he had been
talking about.
After Ed opted out of the corporate world and decided not to pursue his passion in music as a pro drummer, the pair would eventually come to own a string of Spas as well as beauty schools. Their now sizeable business interest required a lot of their time and attention, so getting a factory prepped race car meant that Ed could spend less time wrenching and fixing, and more time enjoying. In order to get his first factory race car, a 2014 Cobra Jet, he sold a 2014 GT500 and his Mach 1. “To my surprise, right off the trailer at Norwalk Raceway Park the car ran an 8.90 at approximately 150 mph. I was both shocked it ran that fast and unbelievably excited. I had spent many years and a lot of money trying to get the Mach I into the 8s and this car did it right off the trailer, with only adding C16 fuel and lowering the air pressure in the rear slicks!”
It seems that Ed made all the right contacts when he acquired the 2014 as the following year Ford contacted him and asked if he would be interested the quicker and improved 2016 CJ. “Don’t
What’s not to love about the 2016 Ford Cobra Jet Mustang? The stance, wheels, graphics and every single body treatment is near perfect. Ed added a chute to stay legal at the track. Regardless of personal brand preference, we appreciate all the super cars from the big three, especially when they lay the smack down on rides twice the price (or more) from other manufacturers.
Inside the Mustang is an 8.50 certified cage and more equipment related to winning races, and most of it is “Ford Performance” branded. Four gauges sit where the stereo and screen would be on a street legal production car. The start button below the gauges has 4 switches to the right of it and a label plate below them. A PPP shifter commands gear changes while a large face tach with shift light sits atop the dash pad. Additions and nuances to the factory race prepped car are just too numerous to list. Ed added a V300 Racepak system to collect data.
we all always want to go faster,” Brown added with a smile. “Now, with two Cobra Jets, I convinced my brother to sell his ’65 Ford Falcon drag car and buy the 2014 CJ as a much safer and quicker option.”
“The 2016 is number 28 of 50, actually both were. I added the parachute, a Racepak data recorder, changed the rear gears and installed a trans-brake to run Super Stock. Front and rear JR Race Shocks and a Precision Performance air shifter were all installed by my new go to performance shop, Hutter Performance.”
The CJ is built to race plain and simple, and while it is based on the production car, there is no VIN number, but instead, as Ed pointed out, a production number. There’s not much we could possible say about the exterior of the car that isn’t better explained in the photos and video. The car body with Super Cobra Jet graphics is simply stunning and looks fast, even standing still. Hood pins have been added and the front fascia is identical to the production line 6th-gen but without fog lamps. Out back, the CJ received flared wheelwells to fit the beefy slicks, and Ed ordered his with the wheelie bar and added the chute himself. The rake of the Stang is perfect, sitting a bit higher in the rear, reminiscent of the golden age of musclecars and hot rods.
Suspension wise, for 2016 Ford added a new four-link coilover rear suspension design and, while the production line car went with IRS, the CJ kept the solid rear differential, going with a Strange Engineering 9-inch unit and 3.89 gears that Brown swapped out for 4.11s. Adjustable struts were swapped in up front and the sway bar
was removed. Lightweight Strange race brakes with slotted rotors were used on all four corners and the Weld 5-star race wheels are emblazoned with “Cobra Jet”, the CJ Snake and “2016”.
Ford kept much of the factory dash and trim inside the Mustang. An 8.50 certified cage and rear seat delete are the first things you see along with twin “Cobra Jet” embroidered race seats and 5-point RJS harness for the driver. Four gauges sit where the stereo and screen would be on a street car and the start button below the gauges has 4 switches to the right of it and a label plate below them. The PPP shifter commands gear changes while a large face tach with shift light sits atop the dash pad.
The “go” part of the package starts with Ford’s 5.0L Coyote that is heavily modified and assembled by Performance Assembly Solutions. The engine starts with a 9.5:1 compression ratio and a forged steel crankshaft swings Manley H-beam connecting rods with ARP 2000 bolts and Mahle forged pistons. An ATI SFI-approved crank damper and billet steel gerotor oil pump gear set were also used along with Cobra Jet cams, American Racing Headers long-tube headers, a racing-engineered FEAD (Front Engine Accessory Drive) and Ford Performance Cobra Jet Valve Covers. An Aeromotive fuel system with trunk-mounted cell provides fuel to the small block and a new electric water pump from the C-Max Hybrid was used to allow coolant to be pumped even while the car is not running.
The “go” part of the package starts with Ford’s 5.0L Coyote that is heavily modified and assembled by Performance Assembly Solutions...
The race prepped 5.0L Coyote (302 cube) mill is equipped with a forged steel crankshaft, Manley H-beam connecting rods, Mahle forged and anodized pistons, an ATI SFI-approved crank damper and billet oil pump gear set. It also boasts a racing-engineered FEAD (Front Engine Accessory Drive), Cobra Jet Cams and American Racing Headers long-tube exhaust headers. A Whipple 2.9L Supercharger provides boost to the Coyote and the package is good for 8.60s in the quarter mile as it sits. Now that’s factory fun!
Ed Brown’s 2016 Ford Cobra Jet Drag Car
Chassis Type & Mods: Factory Mustang Cobra Jet chassis with 8.50 ET certified cage.
Suspension: New for 2016 4-link rear suspension with coilover shocks. Adjustable Ford Performance front struts with Anti-roll bar removed. Front and rear JR race shocks/struts are now installed in place of factory units.
Body & Paint: 2016 Ford Mustang white with graphics.
Engine: 5.0L Coyote built at Performance Assembly Solutions. Racing-engineered FEAD (Front Engine Accessory Drive), Cobra Jet Cams and Ford Performance Cobra Jet Valve Covers. American Racing Headers long-tube exhaust headers.
Ford V8, 5.0-liter (302 cubic inches) displacement 92.2mm bore x 92.7mm stroke 9.5:1 compression ratio. Forged steel crankshaft, Manley H-beam connecting rods with ARP 2000 bolts, Mahle forged and anodized pistons with Grafal® coated skirts. ATI SFI-approved crank damper, billet steel gerotor oil pump gear set. Aeromotive fuel system.
Power Adder: Whipple 2.9L Supercharger.
Electronics: Ford Proprietary engine control software and calibration. Added V300 Racepak data acquisition system.
Transmission & Converter: Joel’s on Joy C3 trans with a Coan converter and SFI bellhousing. Owner installed trans-brake and Precision Performance Products shifter.
Rear Differential: Strange Engineering 9” solid rear axle, 4.11 gear set.
Interior: Sparco quick-release steering wheel, Corbeau 1-piece FIA-certified racing seats, RJS 5-point racing harness.
Other Important Vehicle Information: The car is assembled for Ford by Watson Engineering. Best ET & MPH: 8.64 at153.
How Many Years Racing: 10
Division/Class Run: NHRA Factory Stock, NMCA Factory Super Car, 8.90 index. Sanctioning Body: NHRA
Atop the souped-up Coyote sits a Whipple 2.9L supercharger and the entire package is controlled by Ford proprietary engine control software. A Joel’s on Joy race-prepped C3 trans with a Coan converter and SFI bellhousing back up the boosted mill.
“I would like to add that Ford’s support is off the charts great!” continued Brown. “I have met many amazing people both as engineers and drivers involved with the program and they have all gone out of their way to help with advice and answers to my many questions. I purchased this car to race, and I have not been disappointed. It is an amazing car and worth every penny, I only wish I would have bought one sooner!”
When the 2016 CJ debuted, Ford said it would run 8-second quarter mile elapsed times right out of the box, and we can attest to the fact that this car does see plenty of beating at the track! “The best time I have run to date is an 8.64 at 153 mph” tells Brown. In our books that definitely qualifies this racebred Mustang as a true American Super Car!
