Pictures of Northern Raider

Northern Raider- Pictures

Northern Raider is the name given to my 1987 Mustang Convertible by the editor of a Mustang Magazine that did a feature of the car. (See Magazine Features). This is my show car and former race car. It has been featured in 6 magazines and is the winner of over 50 awards including two at the World of Wheels in 1996 and one in 2007. I retired it from racing when I built the 1982 Mustang. (Click on thumbnail for larger picture) In summer I drive this car to work as many days as I can. It is NOT a trailer-queen!

On this page: Drag Racing

Show Car

Engine Bay

Body and Interior

Stereo System

Go here for Historical Overview (4 pictures) Major changes in 1987, 1993, 1996, and 2007

Go here for Body Work buildup pictures

Go here for World of Wheels 2007 pictures

Drag Racing

I raced the 1987 Mustang for about 5 years moving from the stock 15.7 seconds @ 87mph in the 1/4 mile to 12.3 @ 113 mph. I raced in a number of shoot-outs and did a a number of stints of bracket racing.

Burnout in the water box (1999)
Another burnout, different view	Northern Raider in race dress
Racing under the lights	505 HP on the dyno !
Broken wheel, fell off in pits after 115 mph run in Spokane. I won the race, got a trophy for lowest Mustang ET. Read Poem	Street shot with trophies

Show Car

I showed the car in a number of Mustang International Meets (USA and Canada), and many Show 'n Shines between drag-racing and when I got my other race car. I have participated in up to 15 car shows in one year.

Car at AMAC Presidential Show 'n Shine

Car at indoor mall. Yes those are Camaros I'm with.

Car at another car show. Over 50 first prize trophies

Hood on chrome stands.

3 trophies from Spokane International meet

Low ET (see broken wheel above), best of Class and BEST OF SHOW!

Here it is at the Body Shop - finished! February 2007

World of Wheels Pictures

Engine Bay

It was unbelievable how rusty the engine got after only a year or two, considering I never drove the car in winter and rarely when it rained. Regardless, when it was time to detail the engine bay, the engine had to come out. I took the engine out 3 times JUST to detail it or around it.

Before chroming	Chromed Engine, looks good, goes good
Phase 1 of the engine chrome laying on the floor	Engine chrome before blower installed
Engine chrome, close up	And another picture of the engine
Vortec B-trim Supercharger, 9 pound boost	Billet aluminum battery top
Polished aluminum cover to hide the wires and other crap	Custom polished aluminum coil cover
Custom stainless steel custom blower inlet	Blower inlet tubing installed to fender (filter is in fender well)
Top view of installed blower inlet tubing.	Piece on left not polished, piece on right is polished. It took 6 hours but it's only "okay", not perfect. More work to do.

Body and Interior

I didn't do much with the interior until 2007. A few years ago I took the backseat out for good in order to put the stereo in, but the rest was stock until 2006 when I did the seats, carpet, stereo and console

First attempt at a solid tonneau cover	Another shot, from rear
Cardboard mock up of second attempt	Another shot
Here it is made out of aluminum. Blind rivets	This is the inside of the cover
Edges fibreglassed, ready for sanding	Primed, ready for clear-coat and polishing
Mock up of console	Console installed
Another shot of the console
Switches for alarm, garage door, and 2 other things	Custom raised and polished aluminum door-sill panels, lightning bolt design
Look ma, no door handles. Shaved!	The aluminum horse is backlit with red lights

Stereo System

It was my significant other that said "the car looks good but the sound is crap" (and I had Ford's "supreme sound" system!). I had a 500 watt Alpine system for about 5 years, then upgraded a couple years ago to what you see here- 2400 watt stereo system.

Fiberglass box for subs	Dynamat sound-absorbing material, used 2 rolls in the doors.	Subs being installed
	Look at the size of that power cable! Fused for 250 A	Amps are MA Audio, 1200 watts each
Battery power is on the two bolts in the orange fabric. They connect to the capacitors in front.	Lighting bolt conductors were plasticized and painted.	Visonek Sub, 1000W, dual-cone
	Lightning bolts made out of aluminum, carry the current to and from the big caps (1.2 F each)