The Bully - West Coast heavy hitter Norman Chang and his menacing small tire 2005 Mustang

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o matter what the situation is, I think it’s safe to say that everyone enjoys a good underdog story. However, if you know where Norman Chang came from, he’s been anything but that. California has been long known for its generally mild weather and picturesque beaches. Drag racing was born on the backroads of America just after World War II, and its west coast roots go back to the dry lake beds of California as early as the 1930’s.

Drag racing grew in popularity over the decades and really hit its strong point in the early 90s. Growing up in the heydays of drag racing, Norman Chang was hooked at an early age and his car of choice was the Ford Mustang. He started his racing journey in 1996 with a turbocharged small block, Mustang; “After a 10.68 pass on the first outing, the addiction to turbocharged boost began,” tells Chang. His Mimosa Yellow notchback eventually went a best of 9.39 at 140mph in 1998 on a stock block, stock crank 306 ci sbf.

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Norman Chang’s Mustang started out as an actual production line 2005 V6 car, a far cry from what it is now!

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•RPM: 2700-7500 •Overall Height: 7.500” •9.5” Deck Applications •Bosses for Nitrous System •Made In America

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A Bryant billet crank, GRP rods and Ross pistons rotate inside a “well-seasoned” RDI aluminum block SBF that is topped with Edelbrock SC-1 heads and fed by a single set of injectors in a cast intake. A simple combination that has been extremely reliable for Chang.

When the front end comes off, the secret’s out that Norman Chang’s Mustang is capable of some serious numbers; how about 4.0 in the 1/8th!

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What’s significant about Chang’s accomplishments is that his car is still a true factory firewall/front end car and he regularly competes against full chassis all out race cars, some of which come with twice the price tag, or more!

After taking a few years away from racing, Norman purchased a black Fox body in 2012, with big plans in store for it. He took his time with this car, developing different strategies for power and efficiency. “This twin turbo, small block combination was developed over several years, going from 4.50’s down to a best of 4.12 at 180mph in 2019. I qualified number 3 and made it to the semifinals of a very large event.” This was very gratifying for Chang and his West Coast brethren to know that a local guy could compete in a small block car and run with the fastest cars in the country.

Things were going great for Norman early on in 2019 with plans and changes on the horizon for the car, unfortunately though, life had other plans for his Mustang, and he had a mishap while testing. Knowing there was still some unfinished business, he purchased his current 2005 Mustang in June of 2019 and went to work on the changeover. The new car had been successfully campaigned for years in Outlaw 10.5 competition under Turbos Direct as the R&D vehicle for Gar14

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rett Turbo. It was retired in 2014 and put in storage until Chang had the opportunity to pick up the rolling chassis with plans to set it up for Limited Drag Radial.

Months of wrench turning and knuckle busting culminated in the car being finished just days before traveling to Las Vegas in November for the first passes of the totally revamped car at SCSN 15. The totally untested car qualified number 6 and he ended his weekend with a runner up finish after driveline breakage in the semi-final. The 2020 racing season started with Lights Out 11. In the weather shortened race, the Mustang was

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The ’05 boasts a Smith Racecraft 25.1 stock firewall backhalf chassis with updates by Mike Bolla at Enterprise Motorsports and Differentials (EMD), and Fuller Fabrications.

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Norman considers this the “old school look”, referring to the intercooler in the passenger seat.

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Norman’s Mustang is a wolf in sheep’s clothing... able to lead the field with the number 1 qualifying position with a career best of 4.066 at 182.45mph and going 3 rounds of competition. Racing for the remainder of 2020 was fairly limited but Norman plans to run both the West Coast Hot Rod Association events and the annual Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas in 2021.

What started out originally as a stock production line V6 2005 Ford Mustang has transferred into one of the baddest cars in small tire racing. When Norman purchased this car from the previous www.rpmmag.com

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owner, he knew it needed some work, but it had lots of potential. This car is not a Pro Mod though, it’s a stock location firewall backhalf 25.1 chassis originally build by Smith Racecraft with updates by Enterprise Motorsports and Differentials (EMD), and Fuller Fabrications.

Norman went with a simple, yet efficient engine combination that has proven its worth. While some of his competitors 20

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spend in excess of 100k on their powerplants, Norman kept it conservative.

The Mustang is running a Pettis built, 434 cubic inch small block Ford powerplant backed by twin Turbos Direct Garrett 88mm turbochargers. A custom air to water intercooler was designed by Ken Moitoza and built by EMD. The small but muscular Ford mill consists of a cast RDI aluminum block topped by the recent ad-

dition of a pair of Edelbrock SC-1-cylinder heads. Rotating inside the stroked small bock is a Bryant billet crankshaft spinning GRP connecting rods pinned to Ross Racing pistons. For induction, the Ford utilizes a cast single 4500 flange intake manifold with a conservative 90mm throttle body. “While a simple combination, the engine has been extremely reliable in service,” Chang said.

Fuel delivery is provided by a FuelTech FT600 ECU

through a set of Siemens 225 injectors. Power is transferred through the Proformance TH400 transmission via the bolt together Pro Torque converter. A custom floater 9.5-inch rear differential with Strange Ultra center section setup by EMD takes anything

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28x10.5x15 inch Mickey T Pro Bracket Radials get the job done for Chang.

Norman Chang’s Drag Radial 2005 Ford Mustang Chassis Type & Mods:

Smith Racecraft 25.1 stock firewall backhalf chassis with updates by Mike Bolla at Enterprise Motorsports and Differentials (EMD), and Fuller Fabrications.

Suspension:

Menscer Motorsports Struts and Shocks. Updated 4-link and backhalf by EMD.

Engine:

The engine combo started life in 2012, originally built with a well seasoned RDI aluminum block and Brodix Neal heads. After a few updates to the all-Ford powerplant, it still features the same cast RDI block, now sporting Edelbrock SC-1 heads. Built and assembled

by Pettis Performance, the latest iteration displaces 434 cubic inches.

Rotating Assembly:

Bryant billet crankshaft, GRP connecting rods, Ross Racing pistons.

Induction:

Cast single 4500 flange intake manifold with 90mm throttle body. Custom air to water intercooler designed by Ken Moitoza and built by EMD. Fueled by Q16 and a single set of Siemens 225 injectors.

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Power Adder:

Turbos Direct twin Garrett GTX5533R 88mm turbos.

Electronics:

FuelTech FT600

Transmission & Converter:

Proformance TH400 with Pro Torque converter.

Rear Differential:

Custom floater 9.5-inch with Strange Ultra center section setup by Enterprise Motorsports and Differential.

Recent Racing History: 2014 SCSN XDR #1 Qualifier 2016 SCSN XDR Race Winner 2017 SCSN XDR #1 Qualifier and Race Winner 2019 SCSN XDR Runner up (first outing with 2005 Mustang) 2020 Lights Out 11 Limited Drag Radial #1 qualifier

Best ET & MPH: 4.066 at 182.45 How Many Years Racing? 20 years Division/Class Run: Limited Drag Radial Xtreme Drag Radial

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Chang can throw at it, and a pair of Mickey Thompson 28 x 10.5 x 15 Pro Bracket Radials put the power to the ground.

The cockpit is as simple as it gets, with the exception of the custom designed and fabricated turbo cooler that takes up the lion’s share of what was once the passenger area. Aside from that, you’re greeted by the maze of bars that make up the rollcage, while a VFN dash face houses just one instrument; the ultra-cool FT600 FuelTech digital dashboard. A Hurst pistol grip billet 24

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shifter controls gear changes and oversized (for the 10.5-inch radial tires) carbon fiber tubs take up the bulk of the rear.

To look at Chang’s Mustang, with the front end in place, you’d be hard pressed to figure out how this car could possibly run low 4.0-second 1/8th-mile ETs that just a few years back were reserved for Pro Mods. The almost flat hood, stock looking body and small rear tires are more than a bit deceiving. Then the front end comes off and the picture becomes a whole lot clear-

Norman just loves to race, no matter where, he will be there. You will most definitely find him competing in the WCHRA events and Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas.

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er. It’s hard to believe a small block can look so, well, big! The twin turbos and associated piping, not to mention the tall intake system work to “bulk it up”. In our opinion, if Chang plans to hit an event with any element of surprise whatsoever, he best keep the motor under wraps in the pits and let the shock and awe of his first pass speak for itself as his competitors scatter to go put the “big tune” in their rides.

We could honestly say that Norman’s Mustang is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In the short amount of time he’s been running it, it’s been nothing short of impressive. “I take pride being able to run and compete against the top names in racing with a conventional powered car,” added Chang.

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