You own a ROUSH Blackjack Mustang. That makes us here at Stage 3 Motorsports hate you slightly, but it's that envious "I want that," passive-aggressive hate where we'll still play nice at car shows and other track events by saying hello and commenting on your car, but that underlying rage may still be there. After all, there's only 200 or so Blackjacks still around and YOU -- not us -- happen to have one. The Blackjack was the near perfect blend brutal power, slick styling and track-tuned suspension design that is still one of the most aggressive and vicious things on the street that could also contend with about anyone who dared step onto the track. And yet, there's still that itch, that gearhead itch in the back of your mind that prods you with a single word: "more." The first Blackjacks are about to drop out of their warranties, and the time has come to transform one of Jack Roush's proudest sons into something even more powerful, original and fearsome.
Each 2008 and 2009 Blackjack rolled out of Livonia with a complete ROUSH M90 Supercharger kit installed on the engine that could push the Mustang's standard 3V 4.6L V8 up to 435 horsepower with 400ft/lbs of torque using ROUSH's standard tuning. Impressive figures, but the M90, though one of ROUSH's smaller supercharger systems, can easily be pushed up to the 500 horse mark with a few fairly simple upgrades. Swapping out the large 73mm pulleys with one of our pulley kits that offers up to a 166% increase in cooling ability over stock to keep your Blackjack running safely and to add on even more horsepower. Combined, these upgrades can push the M90 and the Blackjack's V8 up close to the 500hp mark. To break the car wide open, we move on to exhausts.
Every Blackjack came standard with a ROUSH axle-back exhaust kit that is specifically designed to fit the unique exhaust ports of the the Blackjack's rear valance. ROUSH used the "legal" version of their axle-back exhaust that sounds great and produces decent power gains, but definitely appeals to the average HOA-controlled suburban neighborhood. For those who don't really care about their neighbor's future hearing loss, ROUSH also makes an Off-road axle-back exhaust that boasts massive sound and has a unique muffler design that boosts power and fuel economy. The next step is add a pair of JBA shorty headers that can add roughly 10 extra horsepower onto the Blackjack while keeping the Mustang 50-state legal. If you live in an area with less stringent emissions regulations, or if you plan on only using your Blackjack at shows or the track, upgrading the restrictive stock h-pipe to a either a BBK catted x-pipe or off-road x-pipe will allow the engine to efficiently expel exhaust gasses with virtually no back pressure to rob you of performance. To push the Blackjack's exhaust system to the absolute limit, a set of BBK long tube headers combined with a BBK off-road shorty x-pipe will make your Blackjack one of the loudest things on the continent and easily allow you to reach the 500hp mark. Most of these exhaust systems WILL NOT meet emissions standards in some areas. Please check your local emissions guidelines or contact Stage 3 Motorsports before ordering..
Now that you've made us even more envious by turning your Blackjack into a 500hp monster that sounds like something just released from its undersea prison, you have to have a suspension, wheels, tires and brakes that can handle that immense power. The Blackjacks rolled out with the ROUSH High Performance Brake kit as a standard option, and with its large four-piston calipers, it does an excellent job of getting your heavy Mustang to a quick stop, but if you want some real spine-shattering stopping ability built for real track use, ROUSH also manufactures an entire front brake system based around massive six-piston calipers. These ROUSH Trak Pak brakes combined with a set of Hawk ceramic brake pads specifically built for six-piston brake systems will bring your souped-up Blackjack to quick, graceful stop at the highest speeds. Hawk also has a set of high-performance brake pads for the Mustang's rear that are purpose-built for track and autocross use. The excellent ROUSH Stage 3 Suspension kit present on all Blackjacks exemplifies ROUSH engineering and dedication to performance, but can be slightly improved with a set of ROUSH billet trailing arms that increase power transfer to the wheels and reduce the total unsprung weight of the suspension. Though the Blackjack already has a strut tower brace, ROUSH has released a new version with greater strength and handling characteristics than the original with that can also fit over the M90 Supercharger. Upgrading your tires to a set of Cooper Zeon RS3s will give the Blackjack more traction and are rated for speeds up to 168mph. Each RS3 has a non-directional, asymmetric design that optimizes heat dissipation and water scavenging.
There's not much you can do to spruce up the Blackjack's sexy exterior and interior styling, but we do give it our best shot. The cars come with a Complete ROUSH body kit with the exception of quarter window louvers which can add some retro flair to the exterior in an easy to install package that has a fairly low cost. Even though the Blackjack came with awesome wheels, ROUSH's new Hyper black wheel series looks excellent on Mustangs with dark paint and can add a touch of original design your car. For the interior, ROUSH just released a new LED boost gauge that flows perfectly with the Blackjack's black-on-black color scheme and can light up in a choice of blue or white running light. Lastly, a pair of genuine ROUSH hood struts more than adequately dress up your engine compartment for auto shows and give you more room to work by deleting the stock hood prop.
After all of these upgrades, or even a pitiful few of them, your Blackjack is now something you can call your own and can more efficiently dominate all comers. We still don't like you. We don't hate you anymore, because we can least find some solace in the fact that Stage 3 Motorsports helped you push your Blackjack to the limits of performance, sound, handling and sheer beauty, but you still have a car that nearly nothing else can come close to and whose performance is unmatched on the street, track or drag strip. The Blackjack is one of ROUSH Performance's crown jewels and stuns nearly everyone who looks at it. With the help of Stage 3, you can push Jack Roush's progeny even further into the outer reaches of brutal power, awesome styling and immense sound. We're still jealous, but maybe no longer hateful. Maybe just a little.
