Bill Devine, better known in racing circles as “Wild Bill,” is without question one of the most renowned racers in the history of all-Ford drag racing, and certainly amongst the heads-up racing crowd, as well. Bill was a part of the blue oval scene from the very beginning, first campaigning an ’89 Mustang GT  street car that gradually transformed into a all-out, tube chassis race car.

The popular Pro 5.0 category that was the face of Ford drag racing for more than a decade faded away a handful of years ago, leaving Devine without a place to race. The ADRL’s advent of the Extreme 10.5 category changed that however, as Devine and his colorful Mustang surfaced with a set of 10.5W’s bolted on.

Following some limited success with some previous mid four-teen elapsed times, “Wild Bill” is poised to jump in to the mix next season with a refreshed combination and a staunch level of confidence. In the days leading up to PRI some before and after images of the engine compartment were shared and discussed on the internet, and we stopped by the Bullseye Power booth to check it out firsthand.

The first thing you’ll notice is the new placement of the twin 80mm turbos, which have been moved back about a foot away from the nose of the car and angled towards the exhaust, thus taking some stress off the headers. The Bullseye turbos utilize new housings that are roughly 10-pounds lighter than standard housings, and the 7-blade wheel designs produce 150 more horsepower per turbo than those previously on the car. The new turbo configuration that includes new wastegates and piping is the handiwork of Errol McCollum at TPS Service in West Palm Beach.

If you’re paying attention, you’ll also notice the absence of a radiator or an intercooler, inside or outside the cockpit. The 360-cubic inch, 302 engine has been converted over to methanol, and the removal of the components in that process has taken 250-pounds out of the race weight of the car. In addition, the powerplant has been outfitted with new Diamond Pistons and a mechanical Waterman water pump, along with a magneto setup from David Wolfe. The small block Ford is backed by a Liberty five-speed with a RAM 10″ dual disc clutch, providing ample action as Devine rows all five gears in just a short four seconds.

“We’re shooting for some low 3.90’s and high 3.80’s with it. Those guys like Dan Millen will be hard to catch, but we think it’ll definitely go some 3.90’s,” said Devine.

Along with those previously mentioned, the folks at Pro Power Parts, Scotty’s Racing Technology, Race Part Solutions, Spaghetti Menders, and ATF have been instrumental in the upgrades for 2011. Said Bill “we’re planning on running the full ADRL tour in 2011, and we may possibly run some NMCA stuff, as well.”