Thomas "GUS" Mahon
The meanest man to ever hotrod a Caravan!
Gus getting ready to show the youngsters down at Cecil County how to race!
The MeanMini
Just a low, LOW 13 second grocery getter.
Gus and the Caravan made it into a Mopar
magazine just as I was doing my own 'research' into Turbo hotrodding. A
quick call or two ended up with me making a trip to upstate Connecticut
and Gus and I have been friends ever since.
Mean Mini speed breakdown
| Stock | High 16' ET | High 70's mph |
| K&N, 2.5" exhaust pipe, 12 psi bleed. | 16.18 ET | 84.11 mph |
| 15 psi boost. | 15.76 ET | 85.86 mph |
| 15.5 psi boost & hi-low boost switch. | 15.55 ET | 85.93 mph |
| Spearco intercooler, 15 psi boost. | 15.11 ET | 89.45 mph |
| Hollow cat, extra injector, 14 psi boost. | 14.85 ET | 91.40 mph |
| 16.5 psi boost. | 14.65 ET | 92.44 mph |
| Front end lowered & stiffened. | 14.57 ET | 92.16 mph |
| 100 lbs removed, 18.5 psi boost. | 14.17 ET | 96.03 mph |
| Open exhaust. | 13.949 ET | 96.16 mph |
| 3" plain exhaust, new Hoosiers, 6th injector, undialed, 18 psi boost. | 14.12 ET | 95.67 mph |
| Little mitsu (stock turbo) replaced with Super 60, 22 psi boost. | 13.76 ET | 97.67 mph |
| Posi | 13.56 ET | 99.80 mph |
| 20% over injectors | 13.56 ET | 100.34 mph |
| Ultraflow muffler instead of no muffler, balance shafts removed. | 13.48 ET | 101.36 mph |
| New tranny fluid, excellent weather | 13.18 ET | 102.57 mph |
He is one twisted guy; I think he just sits around all day thinking of new ways to wring more efficiency out his cars!
But wait! Gus owns an Acclaim too!
Gus and the Acclaim in staging at Cecil
County as Steve Adley looks on.
On the right, getting ready for the long
trip home.
Acclaim speed breakdown
| Stock, 2,990 lbs, 7 psi boost. | 16.99 | 78.74 |
| 180 thermostat, bleed to 12 psi. | 15.99 | 84.72 |
| Balance shafts out, 2.5" exhaust, 15 psi, 2,960 lbs. | 14.92 | 91.35 |
| Underdrive pulley, A/C out, K&N, Hoosiers, alcohol injection, 2,910 lbs. | 14.58 | 92.79 |
| Intercooler added. 5th injector, 15 psi. | 14.33 | 94.88 |
| Open airbox, fan permanantly "on" at track, 17 psi. | 13.86 | 97.84 |
| Swapped motors with van; same motor, but with Super 60 turbo instead of little Mitsu. turbo, "Mild" head, 40# injectors, 160 thermostat. | 13.51 | 100.91 |
| Suspension mods, exhaust dump, 26.5 psi, spun like crazy. | 13.44 | 104.42 |
| 6th injector, M&H slicks. | 12.92 | 104.65 |
| New fuel pressure regulation. | 12.87 | 106.78 |
| Posi, shimmed sway bar, heat vent in back of hood, 25.5 psi, 2,770 lbs. | 12.67 | 107.23 |
| Intercooler scoop & air dam, 25 psi. | 12.63 | 108.68 |
| Moroso Front Runners on stock rims, air shock in back, manual steering. | 12.51 | 111.99 |
| Ruptured BOV removed, light wheels, out of tune, 27.5 psi, 2,665 lbs. | 12.25 | 109.8 |
| Changed transfer gears in transmission- 2.65 final drive ratio now. | 12.27 | 110.4 |
Yep, you see them clocks correctly, 12 seconds!
Gus ran a best of 12.25 on
10/17/98 at Cecil County. Gus is looking
to run 12.0's with the car and 2001 is the year its going to happen!