WMS Project Cars

Since 1989 we've built, swapped and raced our own Fords to prove out the parts we sell. Here are a few of the builds and race cars behind Western Motorsports.

Featured Builds

Project Guerrillazilla

With the popularity of Ford's new 7.3L Godzilla engine, we knew we had to swap one into something. After a few silly ideas we settled on an S550 Mustang, since we hadn't built one yet. A few months of searching turned up a high-mileage, slightly rough 2015 EcoBoost Mustang: the perfect candidate.

See the Guerrillazilla build →

Coyote-swapped Panoz tube-frame race car

Project Panoz

The Panoz project gave us what we'd always wanted: a street-legal tube-frame race car. It also taught us the ins and outs of a Coyote swap.

See the Panoz build →

Project RapTrac

Part Raptor, part Sport Trac and a whole lotta fun. RapTrac is a desert pre-runner style truck with large fender flares and custom coilover suspension that can be driven all year. The factory 4.0L V6 couldn't make the power we wanted, so in goes a 4.6L 3V from a 2005 Mustang GT.

See the RapTrac build →

Project Coyote Wild

When Ford announced the new 5.0L Coyote for the 2011 Mustang, we had to have one. Built as an all-round street and autocross car, it made 502 hp with a WMS Coyote Wild cold air intake, Kooks long tube headers and a Bassani axle-back exhaust. Steeda suspension, TSW Nurburgring wheels and 275/305 Toyo tires keep that power on the ground.

See the Coyote Wild build →

Vanquish'd Pony

Our S197 Mustang styled after the Aston Martin Vanquish, first drawn in 2004 before the new Mustang was even released. Candy blue paint, Baer 14" six-piston brakes, KW coilovers and a custom WMS aluminum grille took it all the way to SEMA in Las Vegas.

See the Vanquish'd Pony build →

The Red Car

Shannon's 1982 Mustang helped inspire the start of Western Motorsports in 1989. It's one of the most successful race Mustangs around and has competed regularly for more than 30 years. Built mainly for autocross, "The Red Car" can still run circles around most modern cars.

See The Red Car build →

Racing History

GTS Road Race Mustang

WMS Racing ran one of the most competitive road race teams in Western Canada, winning the WCMA GTS Championship and Endurance Championship numerous times from 2003 to 2009. The car was built on a budget: a basically stock 4.6L 32V run by our SDS engine management, with Comp Cams added in 2005. Suspension is coilover front and 3-link rear with Baer brakes all around. Wheels went from 15x10" stock car wheels to 16x12", with custom fender flares to cover them.

Factory Five Cobra

Built by WMS, this Factory Five Cobra is powered by a 347 stroker with a WMS Victor Jr. EFI intake, run by the WMS SDS digital fuel injection system. It made 401 rwhp and weighed just 1,980 lbs. Talk about power-to-weight! Shannon Wall won many championships in the WMS Cobra and set the 1999 Knox Mountain record with a 1:55.889.

Drag Racing

Tim Anderson launching the WMS drag race Mustang — Tim Anderson launching with the old 302 setup: best of 11.59 @ 117 mph on a 150 hp shot of nitrous

On the outside it looks like a mild-mannered '83, but under the hood is a 5.4L modular V8 from a Lincoln Navigator. The stock test motor, with a WMS intake and SDS, ran 11.9 @ 115 mph. The next step was a second 5.4 with high-compression Probe pistons, Manley rods, seriously ported heads, ModMax valvetrain and Crane cams, aimed at the 10s, with a fogger NOS kit to follow for the 9s.

Rally Racing

WMS rally Mustang in Kananaskis — Shannon Wall and Dave Lockwood in Kananaskis

The WMS rally car is a true engineering masterpiece. The engine was moved back a full 13" for better weight distribution, with a custom tubular front end built to make room. The suspension uses eight shocks to take the punishment of rally stages, and power comes from a mild 320 hp 302. Shannon Wall and Dave Lockwood won the 1997 Western Canada Rally Championship.