Fully Loaded 2013 Boss 302 Build

Justin: In the shop with me today, I have Gary and his beautiful 2013 BOSS 302. Gary, thanks for bringing the car in, man.

Gary: Not a problem. Thank you.

Justin: So what's goin' on with this thing, man? Obviously, it's probably hard not to enjoy this thing day in and day out, but like many other owners, it's time to take this thing under the knife, right?

Gary: Definitely. Fell in love with the power right away. I mean, '13 BOSS, you know. It's the fastest car I had, you know, from the get-go, but just like everybody, after so long, it wasn't enough anymore.

Justin: I need more.

Gary: I needed more.

Justin: That's right.

Gary: Yeah.

Justin: Well, is this your first Mustang, or have you had a few?

Gary: Nope. This is actually my seventh one.

Justin: Seventh Mustang.

Gary: Yeah.

Justin: That's awesome, man. And your favorite right now and by far?

Gary: Oh, by far.

Justin: Yeah.

Gary: By far, yeah, definitely.

Justin: Nice.

Gary: Very cool.

Justin: Where is the car lacking, in your opinion, right now? I mean, obviously, this thing's awesome for a lot of people out there, but, like you said, you could always have more. And what are you really lookin' for?

Gary: One of my biggest gripes with it is axle hop.

Justin: Okay.

Gary: It was horrible. Took it to the track. On the stock Pirellis, you know, horrible just to begin with, but the axle hop, it just sat there pa-pa-pa. And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm not going anywhere."

Justin: All right, well, we can definitely do some stuff for that. Power-wise, you always lookin' for a little bit more there, too?

Gary: Oh, yeah. Gotta go long tubes, definitely wanna keep the H-pipe with the side exhaust.

Justin: Okay.

Gary: Second day, I tore the baffles out of that, and I'm like...

Justin: Oh, boy.

Gary: "Oh, this is so much better."

Justin: Absolutely.

Gary: Fell in love with it. I gotta keep it, so I'm definitely goin' with the [inaudible 00:01:23] hooks here.

Justin: Yeah, absolutely. You've already got a pretty long list of parts for us to install here, don't ya?

Gary: Yeah, just a little bit.

Justin: All right, yeah. Because I know we're gonna do the long tubes for ya, Kooks, same mid-pipe.

Gary: Yep, yep.

Justin: Got a competition cat back...

Gary: MagnaFlow.

Justin: ...from MagnaFlow. And we got a host of other parts to throw on this thing as well.

Gary: Yep, that's the tip of the iceberg.

Justin: All right, there we go. So we got some stuff under the hood. We got some stuff underneath the car. We got our work cut out for us, so why don't you get out of here?

Gary: Sure do.

Justin: I know, man. I know you wanna hear this thing rip, but we gotta do some work on this thing first. So get on out of here, we'll get to work, and then we'll bring you back in a little bit.

Gary: All right. Thanks a lot.

Justin: All right, man. All right, guys, let's start under the hood here with Gary's BOSS, where we have some of the easier-to-install parts with this build. Now, first up, he wanted to ditch the factory airbox, replace it with one of the industry leaders, JLT Performance. So we have their cold air in place now, designed to work specifically with the taller BOSS 302 intake manifold, and as you can see, guys, it really does fit like a glove. This is gonna be an awesome choice, too, for my fellow S197 GT owners out there who might be thinkin' about replacing their factory intake manifold and going with the BOSS 302 option for some of those top-end gains. And you want an affordable intake that's gonna perform very well and fit without modification.

Stickin' with the intake side of things, we also installed the 85-millimeter BBK Throttle Body. Now, by itself, it's not gonna set the world on fire in terms of overall gains, but along with all the other parts we did here for Gary's ride, it should help add to that final number. Now, a few things I like about this. Again, super easy install here. You don't have to repin the sensor like some of your other throttle body options using the BOSS stuff. Made in the U.S.A. construction, and it does utilize the Ford OEM electronics. So you're not gonna be chasing any weird electrical gremlins down the road, and it should operate exactly like an OE part. All right, guys, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but let's get Gary's BOSS up in the there and we'll show you where a majority of our time and efforts went on his ride.

Let's start underneath the car with two of my favorite parts with Gary's BOSS, and that is the Kooks 1-7/8ths-Inch Long Tube Headers made into the Kooks Catted H-Pipe that does still retain the iconic BOSS-style side pipes. Now, guys, this is just a killer combination. From the looks down to the performance, you really can't go wrong here. Kooks definitely knows their thing about making quality exhaust components. And that's definitely true here lookin' at their long tubes. The quality of craftsmanship, welds, everything is top-notch, as you might expect, but, looks aside, this is about performance here. And these should definitely help uncork some pretty serious gains with Gary's BOSS, but, again, you will need a tune for these guys.

And, finally, we have to talk about the sound. Now, some of our customers have actually pointed out, with the Kooks combination, their BOSS finally sounds like a BOSS, and it's something you're really just not gonna be able to get enough of. So especially when you pair it up with this. Come on back. Now, Gary wanted to leave no stone unturned when it came to the exhaust system on his BOSS 302, so we replaced his factory cat back with a brand-new 3-inch MagnaFlow Competition System. I don't know if Gary just hates his neighbors or if he's a big fan of aggressive exhaust systems because this thing is certainly gonna deliver. Listen up. Now, along with that super aggressive tone coming from the Kooks and MagnaFlow combination, the 3-inch mandrel-bent tubing going through those straight-through Competition series mufflers should help the exhaust move freely through the system and free up some additional gains.

All right, guys, well, I was so excited about Gary's new exhaust setup that I blew right past the aluminum one-piece driveshaft from the driveshaft shop that we installed, along with the BMR Safety Loop up front here. Now, this is just one of those parts, whether it be carbon fiber, aluminum, whatever, that's gonna offer a ton of benefits whether you're on the street or at the drag strip. From the obvious strength improvements over the factory two-piece driveshaft down to the weight savings as well, it's just gonna make the car feel like it's pulling through the gears a lot quicker.

All right, guys, well, that's gonna cover most of the go fast or performance parts we have here with Gary's BOSS, but we also did a good amount of suspension work for him, in addition to some parts that's really gonna help him put that new-found power down to the ground. Let's first start off with a Whiteline Performance Adjustable Panhard Bar & Support Brace. Now, besides being able to get the rear axle centered underneath the car very easily, thanks to the on-car adjustability, the added rigidity of that support brace will actually help stiffen up the rear end a little bit, eliminate any lateral movement of our rear axle, and just help the car feel a little bit more composed and stable at the limit.

With the lateral movement pretty much taken care of, it's time to adjust the front-to-back movement of Gary's rear axle. And, again, we have an army of parts from Whiteline at his request. We're starting off with these Rear Lower Control Arms, adjustable, of course, and their Relocation Brackets. Now, these should really help increase the traction, help the rear end feel a little bit more planted in turns and on hard launches, and it should help eliminate any wheel hop you may have experienced in the past. And with these relocation brackets, well, these are just gonna help correct the geometry of his rear lower control arms and help increase his traction even further.

Rounding out our parts from Whiteline, guys, we have the Rear Upper Adjustable Control Arm and Mount, or bracket. Now, if you remember, we did the one-piece aluminum driveshaft from the driveshaft shop, and we have to be mindful of our pinion angle. Not really a huge issue when you have that factory two-piece driveshaft, but once you lower the car, you throw on a one-piece driveshaft, you really have to be mindful of that. Now, the best and really only way to adjust this, guys, is by adding one of these rear upper control arms. Again, that's exactly what we did here with Gary's BOSS. And besides allowing us to adjust his pinion angle within spec, it's also gonna further help solidify the rear axle on Gary's BOSS, increase his traction, along with the rest of the parts we have from Whiteline Performance.

You're gonna be lookin' at 4130 chromoly steel for the bones of this stuff, loaded with Whiteline's Proprietary Synthetic Elastomer Bushings. These things are gonna perform like a poly bushing or even like a rod end bearing, but without all that unwanted noise, vibration, and harshness. And the best part is, guys, these things are totally maintenance-free, meaning you're never gonna have to grease them for the life of the bushing itself. Now, this is pretty much gonna cover everything underneath the car. We do have one more part to talk about. We're gonna get Gary in here, talk about his BOSS a little bit more, and go for a spin.

Now, what would a suspension build be if we didn't tackle some kind of lowering spring? Now, Gary wanted to lower his BOSS a little bit, but he didn't wanna sacrifice ride quality and he didn't wanna struggle with his driveway or speed bumps. So he selected the Steeda Sport Competition Lowering Springs that were designed specifically for the BOSS 302. Now, these things are gonna offer a very mild drop here, guys, in fact, less than an inch all around. But with a firmer spring rate and that slightly lower center of gravity, it should help Gary in his already capable BOSS 302, no matter what he throws at it.

All right, guys, we got Gary back in the shop here. We got his BOSS, of course. We've been working hard on this thing the last few days, installed a ton of parts. And I think you're really gonna be happy with this thing, especially the sound, because I know you wanted something loud.

Gary: Oh, yeah.

Justin: Your neighbors are definitely gonna hate you now.

Gary: That's fine by me.

Justin: All right, cool. Let's talk...

Gary: That's a good trade-off.

Justin: That's all right. Good stuff. Let's some talk some numbers, man. So baseline pull 387, 333 is, again, your baseline numbers with this thing. Might seem a little low to some of you guys at home. Done on our Mustang dyno, so technically they read a little lower than some other stuff. Afterwards, though, 417, 353, so peak gains of 30 horsepower, 20 pound-feet of torque, and huge gains under the curve as well. You know, it's fun to talk about dyno numbers, but you really gotta see how this thing drives, man.

Gary: [inaudible 00:08:45].

Justin: That's right. So we're gonna get this thing out of the shop here because I know this guy is dying to hear this thing in action. Let's get you out on the road and go for a blast.

Gary: Let's do it.

Justin: All right. Look at her run, though. There you go. I forget this is the first time you're starting this thing. Oh, I love it. It's a good way to test out these new parts, right?

Gary: Oh, yeah.

Justin: Gotta make sure those tires are nice and warm first before a drive.

Gary: For later on, yeah.

Justin: For scientific purposes.

Gary: Oh, of course.

Justin: As loud as it is outside the car, it's pretty reasonable inside the car.

Gary: Yeah, it's not bad.

Justin: Not at all.

Gary: The wife might not hate it as much as I thought she was going to.

Justin: Feels pretty good.

Gary: Oh, Jesus, yes.

Justin: Yeah, buddy.

Gary: Yes.

Justin: Bangin' the gears, though, the rear end felt so solid.

Gary: Oh, that was planted, wheel hop gone.

Justin: So mission accomplished right there, right?

Gary: Oh, definitely. Oh, my god.

Justin: Nice, dude. Nothing like the smell of burning rubber, you know?

Gary: No, you love it.

Justin: The music of this motor just...oh, my god, yeah.

Gary: I don't need to eat. I can just...ah.

Justin: So, dude, what do you think? I mean, this is our inaugural run here in this beast. And what are your impressions?

Gary: I cannot...I can't believe it.

Justin: Yeah?

Gary: I know I said I'd watch my mouth, but I f**kin' love it.

Justin: Oh, dude, hey. Well, that's the kind of reaction we're lookin' for, man.

Gary: Oh, my god.

Justin: The sound right away, right, night and day?

Gary: I can't believe it.

Justin: It's like the BOSS on steroids now, essentially, right?

Gary: Oh, my god, yes.

Justin: You and I both know what the roads are like around here.

Gary: Horrible, terrible.

Justin: Yep. And as much as you wanna go a little lower, you made the smart move with a mild drop.

Gary: I wanna save my chin spoiler and the underside of my car.

Justin: And all those pretty parts we just installed for ya, right?

Gary: Yeah, yeah. I just put a crap ton of money into exhaust. I don't need to tear it up right away.

Justin: Right, yeah, yeah. I'm with ya. It's nice not to have any more wheel hop, too, huh?

Gary: It's amazing. I can't wait to get this thing to the track with my Mickeys on it. I almost feel bad shifting at 3,000. I just wanna wind it...

Justin: Hey, I'm not tellin' ya you need to. You can ring it up if you want. As a matter of fact, why don't you just drop this thing down to 2nd and hammer on it.

Gary: Jesus Christ! Yes!

Justin: Nicely done, dude. There you go.

Gary: Hoo-hoo-hoo! Oh, my god. I should be going to jail right now.

Justin: That's all right. That's the speed limit on this road.

Gary: Hoo! Oh, yeah, of course.

Justin: So, overall, the car feels pretty planted, huh?

Gary: Oh, yeah.

Justin: Nice. Dude, it sounds intoxicating, man. Just cannot get enough of that.

Gary: And that's 4 grand. That is 4 grand! That's five!

Justin: Oh, I'm lovin' it. I am lovin' it.

Gary: I can't believe this. It's like it's a brand new freakin' car.

Justin: Really? So it's that much of a difference for ya.

Gary: It is that big of a difference. Like, the car has never felt that solid, ever.

Justin: Just planted.

Gary: Yeah. I mean, driving on the street with the Mickeys and the Race Stars didn't feel that planted.

Justin: So there you go, man. You got the lower control arms, the upper, you know, the relocation brackets. Obviously, all that stuff helped you out.

Gary: Panhard bar, panhard bar support.

Justin: Oh, yeah. Dude, we went to town on this thing.

Gary: It's a completely different animal. Oh, yeah.

Justin: Nice. So, overall, mission accomplished, right?

Gary: Oh, my god.

Justin: We got rid of your wheel hop.

Gary: With a huge exclamation point.

Justin: We turned this thing on its head when it comes to sound, right?

Gary: Oh, I can't believe it.

Justin: And you even got your matching sunglasses just for the [inaudible 00:12:42].

Gary: Got the matching sunglasses.

Justin: Well, Gary, I wanna say thank you for lettin' us work on this beautiful machine.

Gary: And I wanna thank you guys.

Justin: Hey.

Gary: Oh, my god.

Justin: Believe me, it's not every day we get to turn a few wrenches on a car like this, so thanks so much, again. Be safe in this thing. Enjoy the hell out of it.

Gary: Oh, yeah. It's amazing.