FAT 451 XE

Wanting something much more outrageous than the very tidy 377ci Blueprint XE cruiser that he started on way back in 1998, Branko Karajcic had this very wild 451ci XE sedan built up from what started as a Fairmont Ghia.

“Mark at Ontrak built the whole car” states Branko. Mark “did all the chassis work, roll cage, exhausts and (header) pipes, fuel lines, diff, mounted everything, basically got the whole car together and running, wiring, gauges, organised the radiator, breather tanks, etcetera. I couldn’t recommend him highly enough. All the work is 100% perfect; quality is faultless”.

That's some high praise from a very happy customer, and Branko has good reason to be.

The changes to the XE chassis include an adjustable Rose-jointed 4-link plus a Panhard bar, the rear wheel tubs were widened to fit 325/50/15 Mickey Thompson ET Street radials, and a braced 9in plus adjustable Strange coil-overs are part of the new setup as well.

As for the engine, Pro Flo Performance in Rossmore built a Dart-blocked 451ci Windsor-style bottom end with a roller cam and then topped it with a pair of CNC-ported Yates C3 heads (castings that Ford NASCARs once used) as well as a Hogan sheet metal twin-carby manifold and two Holley Ultra HP 1050cfm carbies. The result; 895hp at the engine.

That engine figure was produced with MS109 race fuel, but without the nitrous being activated. With the assistance of the giggle-gas it made 851rwhp on the rolling road. Putting the mumbo and chassis work to good use, Branko's PB on the quarter mile so far is a 9.1@152mph.

Looking inside the car we can see that the cabin features an ESP-spec interior with Scheel front seats plus some extras like front harnesses and a Momo wheel, plus the aforementioned safety cage.

The dash also features Auto Meter gauges to replace the original instrumentation.

There are plenty more details that have gone into creating this very wild car, so to read a full 8-page feature grab your copy of Street Fords magazine issue 125, available now.