WONDERBREAD - Keith Rhea’s 2004 Ford Mustang Cobra Drag car

Story: George Pich

Photos: David Gates

THE STREETS ARE WHERE IT STARTED...

Long before there were racetracks of any kind, let alone drag strips, if you had a beef with someone about who was quicker or faster you cranked-up (literally) your ride and hit a side road to settle it. Initially, automobiles were owned out of necessity, then status, but once horsepower became part of the equation it wasn’t long before street racing became part of American car culture.

Keith Rhea got his experience and paid his dues on the streets, but eventually made his way to organized track racing. It was 2008 and Rhea had the usual Fox Body that he engaged in street action with, but once he became bored with the Mustang he stepped into a 2000 Ford Lightning, and that is where he developed an interest in turbocharging, installing twins on it in 2015. The Lightning was sold the next year to a buyer in Houston and on the same trip Keith made a stop in San Antonio to pick up some-

Keith Rhea’s Wonderbread Cobra retains its original body tub, quarters and floors. Carbon doors, deck lid and hood have been added along with a fiberglass front clip.

thing he had always wanted, a 2004 Cobra. It was more of “race car” this time through, with a 10-point cage, 3.4L Whipple blower and a Powerglide trans. The Cobra saw street duty for a year or so after which he started running NMRA along with any radial tire event he could get to. Keith happened to be tuning the Cobra on the dyno one day when the ’Glide’s stock case split, and that

was as good a reason as any to get more serious about the car, and turbos were definitely on his wish list.

A completely new power combination was in store for the Cobra, which is when Keith happened upon something a bit unusual, he explained; “When I was changing the engine, the flexplate had ‘WB BMF’ on it. I tex ted the previous owner to ask what it meant

Power comes from a twin turbo Wonder Racing LLC-built GT500 5.4L Mod motor. A Winberg billet crankshaft, Bill Miller aluminum rods, Trend pins and Wiseco custom pistons with Total Seal rings make up the rotating assembly. Ported GT500 heads along with a custom Hogan’s Racing intake manifold with Wilson Hi-Boost throttle body top things off.

and he said the car’s name is ‘Wonderbread’.

“I promised him I would keep the name and it’s what the car is known as today. I actually even based my business name on it.”

The Wonderbread Cobra was about to get freshened! The factory 2004 Mustang Cobra shell retains its factory floors, roof, and quarters. Car-

bon doors, deck lid and hood were added along with a fiberglass Cobra front clip, and the paint was resprayed in the factory Oxford White, otherwise the name wouldn’t suit the car – you can’t make an orange car look like a loaf of white bread!

The car’s 25.1 chassis was originally built by Cage Rage Fabrication and updated by Morning Glory Motorsports. A Team Z Outlaw K-member works with Fox Body-length tubular control arms, Fox body drop spindles, Menscer Mo-

The factory dash, console and carpet are about all that remains of the OEM interior. A Holley Dominator display relays vital signs and the console has been retrofit with a Precision race shifter. The center of attention is the extensive electronics and associated in-house wiring affixed to a carbon panel attached to the passenger side cage.

torsports front radial-valve struts and a Strange doorcar Stiletto rack and pinion. Out back, Menscer Motorsports 8”-stroke radial-valved shocks, a Team Z Big anti-roll bar and adjustable Wild Rides 2.0 torque box kit were used in conjunction with a Quick Performance-built 9-inch rear with aluminum big bear-

ing Strange housing and case, 9.5” ring and pinion and Moser custom axles.

The mill is a Wonder Racing LLC-built GT500 5.4L Mod motor. The factory block was filled and a Winberg billet crank with Bill Miller aluminum rods pinned (with Trend DLC coated wrist pins) to Wiseco custom pistons with

Left to right Larry Mack, Erik Hendricks, Keith Rhea

Total Seal rings swing inside. Custom cams are by Todd Warren and the billet timing guides and modified tensioners are the work of Wonder Racing. GT500 heads were ported by Fox Lake and filled with Manley valves and PAC springs. 600 pound per hour (PPH) and 225PPH injectors supply fuel and a custom Hogan’s Racing intake manifold is paired to a Wilson HiBoost throttle body. The icing on the cake, so to speak, are the twin Bullseye Power 83mm turbochargers mounted up front and low. A Holley EFI Dominator sys-

The icing on the cake, so to speak, are the twin Bullseye Power 83mm turbochargers mounted up front and low.

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The fabricated rear diff with Strange big bearing case, 9.5” gears and Moser axles is hung by 8”-stroke radial-valved coilovers and custom anti-roll bar setup.

Wonderbread rides on Moroso DS-2 front runners and Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Pro 275/60s out back. An aftermarket K-member, drop spindles and control arms work with custom-valved front struts.

Keith Rhea...takin’ care of business, one 1/4 mile at a time!

tem with Wonder Racing custom harness controls the package and a tricked-out Coan 3-speed transmission with Pro Torque EV1 torque converter and PST custom carbon driveshaft send power rearward.

The cockpit may have some factory trim parts, but that’s about where it ends. The factory dash has been stripped out and refitted with the Holley Dominator display and various control switches, while a Funny Car style cage surrounds

Keith Rhea’s 2004 Ford Mustang Cobra Drag car

Chassis Type & Mods: 25.1 chassis built by Cage Rage Fabrication and updated by Morning Glory Motorsports.

Suspension:

Front: Team Z Outlaw K member, fox body length tubular control arms, Team Z fox body drop spindles, Menscer Motorsports front radial valve struts, Strange door car Stiletto rack and pinion. Aerospace Components front fox body style brake kit. Rear: Menscer Motorsports 8” stroke radial valved shocks, Team z big anti roll bar, adjustable Wild Rides 2.0 torque box kit, Aerospace Components titanium rotor Ford 9” brake kit.

Body & Paint:

Factory 2004 Mustang Cobra shell. Still has factory floors, roof, and quarters. Carbon doors from Don Lamana at Profab, Motor City carbon hood, Motor City Solutions fiberglass Cobra front clip, Carbon deck lid.

Engine:

Wonder Racing LLC-built GT500 5.4L Mod Motor. Factory 11-14 GT500 block filled, Winberg billet crankshaft, Bill Miller aluminum rods, Wiseco custom pistons with Total Seal rings, Trend DLC coated wrist pins. Hussey Performance copper head gaskets, Fox Lake ported GT500 heads (dry decked by Wonder Racing LLC), Manley custom valves, PAC valve springs, custom cams by Todd Warren, billet timing guides and modified tensioners by Wonder Racing LLC. Machine work performed at P&R Engine Rebuilders. Aviad dry sump pump (4 stage scavenge and 1 pressure section)

Induction & Fuel Delivery:

Billet Atomizer 600PPH and 225PPH Injectors, Custom Hogan’s Racing intake manifold w/ Wilson Hi-Boost throttle body.

Power Adder:

Twin Bullseye Power 83mm turbochargers.

Electronics:

Holley EFI Dominator, custom harness built by Wonder Racing LLC.

Transmission & Converter:

Coan Racing close ratio 3 speed transmission. Pro Torque EV1 torque converter. PST custom carbon driveshaft.

Rear Differential:

Quick Performance built 9” - Quick Performance built aluminum big bearing Strange housing, Strange big bearing case, 9.5” ring and pinion, Moser custom axles.

Other Important Vehicle Information:

Custom headers built by Morning Glory Motorsports. Turbo hot and cold side by Wonder Racing LLC.

Best ET & MPH:

4.21 @ 175 1/8 mile, 6.56 @ 214 1/4 mile. Currently the fastest Modular powered door car to the 1/4 mile with 6.56 @ 214mph.

Division/Class Run:

LDR, Warrior Outlaws, X275, NMRA Street Outlaw

Thanks to:

Nathan Chesler at Cage Rage Fabrication did the initial chassis. Erik Hendricks at Morning Glory built the headers. Luke Bainbridge at PR Engine Rebuilders does machine work for the engine. My father Kevin Rhea and neighbor Rick Johnston have always been there to help in the shop and at the track.

Keith. Likewise, the factory console has been retrofit with a Precision Performance Products shifter. Carbon doors were painted body color, but the center of attention is Keith’s extensive wiring affixed to a carbon panel attached to the passenger side cage.

“The car has been a work in progress of being upgraded since 2016,” says Keith.

“Each winter I try to find things to upgrade to make it faster and ‘race up’ in various radial tire classes.”

The Cobra has been 4.21 @ 175mph in the 1/8 mile, and a blis-

tering 6.56 @ 214mph in the 1/4, making it the fastest Modular powered door car to the 1320ft mark. And, given those numbers, we’d say that this Wonderbread is anything but soft and squishy!

Keith Rhea; always looking for the win!