““I got this car as a shell, I needed it to help me forget some of the foxbodies I regretted selling””
Back in 2015 when Foxcast Media was just getting cranked up, things were happening very fast. I had the honor to meet so many fox body Mustang crazy guys like myself. What really got me was the level of builds, and wicked cars that I had never laid eyes on. Just when you think you've seen it all, somebody comes along and blows your mind. This is pretty much what happened when I met Manir Karim. Although I don't currently own a four eye, I've always wanted to build one. Checking out Manir's '84 I knew this is exactly how I would want to build one. Coincidentally it was one of the first cars I featured, and one of my all time favorites.
Being the top dog at Our Dream Auto in Mooresville NC, Manir knows all about building over-the-top cars. Manir is also responsible for building Anthony McDaniel's "Vertyote" and helping Kody Smith with his '88 coupe. Starting to get the picture now? Having a hand in so many ridiculous builds, you know his own fox body Mustang had to be wicked.
Never having enough time work on his own car, the build has taken Manir nearly five years to complete. He got the car as basically a shell, and decided it was going to be the one to help him forget all the other cars he regretted selling. Since he couldn't afford to buy what he wanted, he decided to build it.
The exterior of the car is what really grabs your attention. The front bumper cover is a one-off piece built by Manir, which involved countless hours of molding an '01 Cobra bumper cover, to the upper portion of the '85. Since none of the lines matched, this involved more trial and error than Manir cares to remember. The next detail is the three piece rear spoiler that has been formed into one solid unit, another long and tedious project. These mods are complemented by a Cobra rear bumper cover, and Saleen side skirts. The final addition came last year when he tore the car apart again, and totally shaved the cowl panel, as well as the firewall. Not only was this a huge undertaking, but they were added after the car was "done". The finishing touches to the stunning exterior are True Forged Chicane wheels, measuring 17x9 up front, and 17x10 in the rear. The look is off the charts.
Inside the insanely smooth engine bay is where the bad things live. A 357ci Windsor was given the nod to make big torque. The heads are Trick Flow 190s, coupled with a custom ground turbo cam, and a smoothed Trick Flow track heat intake. Cramming pressurized air down the Windsor's throat is a Master Power T72 turbo, with custom hot/cold side, and front mount intercooler. To tame the beast, Manir contacted Wes Kiser who recommended a PIMP standalone sequential injection system. After Wes worked his magic, the '84 has rock solid drivability, and big power. Final numbers aren't quite in yet, but are estimated in the mid 600 range on moderate boost.
Knowing that it was going to take some heft to live behind the Windsor, Manir ordered a Tremec TKO 500 trans, and Centerforce DFX clutch. Now that the trans was up to the job, he moved back to the 8.8 and fortified it with an Auburn HD differential, 31 spline Moser axles, and turbo friendly 3.27 gears. To haul the car down from triple digit blasts, the brakes would also need their fair share of attention. Manir put in a call to Wilwood for their massive four piston calipers, and 13" rotors at all four corners. The new brakes, simply put, are like throwing out a thousand pound boat anchor.
I really could write a small novel about this car. Seeing it in person is the only way to truly appreciate the level of detail built in. The interior is absolutely amazing as well, housing several custom built pieces. The fully upgraded suspension is a laundry list of top notch parts, and seeing the car in direct sunlight it seems to almost glow. Knowing the insane amount of work Manir has invested in the car, and having the determination to tear it apart when it was nearly finished, I appropriately named it: "Operation limitless". CR
