Lou’s Coupe Rockets Down the Strip: 8.28 Seconds at 169 MPH!

Customer Lou P. from Canada has transformed his Factory Five Type 65 Coupe into a rocket, beginning his journey in October 2017 with a Gen 3 kit. He completed his build September 2019, with a 410 CI naturally aspirated Ford Windsor with AFR 205 heads, Tremec TKO 600 transmission, and an 8.8″ rear. “Most of the initial car was built by me in my garage,” Lou shares, including the engine and all mechanical work. He also installed a full Holley Dominator ECU setup with Drive By Wire and a 6.86” Holley dash for optimal control.

Lou’s latest upgrades took the build to the next level, swapping in a twin-turbocharged 408 CI Small Block Ford Windsor with Trick Flow 240 heads, an air-to-water intercooler, and a Rossler-built TH 400 with a trans brake. Joe D’Sousa at D’Sousa Performance in Milton, Ontario, took on the task of custom fabricating the turbo setup, with a professional shop handling body and paint.

Despite its power, Lou’s Coupe is still “very tame and drivable” with the boost turned down, making it ideal for his roughly 500 miles of street driving each year. The car draws plenty of attention at local shows, but Lou also loves pushing it on the drag strip a few times a year. When in naturally aspirated form with the stick shift, he reached a best of 10.03 seconds at 136 mph. His best pass to date is 8.28 seconds at 169 mph with the current twin-turbo setup.

This winter, he’s preparing to add a Ford Performance 427 CID Boss short block to boost performance even further—and maybe finally install the FFR carpet kit!