Competition Prep

Boost Works has big plans for its S550, but step one was a set of True Forged Competition wheels

By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Vrex Media

Since the moment we laid eyes on the latest Mustang, we’ve been dying to see one with aftermarket wheels on it. Sure, the factory options are pretty fetching, but there’s nothing quite like a set of custom wheels to set your ’Stang apart from the crowd. Fortunately, Travis Burelle of Boost Works in Katy, Texas, had a plan in mind to make it happen in a hurry with True Forged wheels.

“You know, the guys at True Forged build a really nice product. We’re a dealer for True Forged, and Steve has been great to deal with. His wheels are always top-notch. However, machining these monsters takes boatloads of time, with 4-5 weeks being the norm,” Travis Burelle of Boost Works said. “We happened to have a set in stock that were built for an S197, and we quickly determined that the offset was going to be pretty close to the ones we had in stock. So, as soon as the car hit our hands, we knew we had wheels ready to go. These 20-inch Competitions really look great on the car, and we couldn’t be happier with the folks at True Forged.”

Having had True Forged wheels on our own projects, we are quite familiar with the company’s wares. We couldn’t agree more that they are quality, great-looking units. However, if you aren’t familiar with Travis’ company, you can be forgiven. It is new to the scene, but the people behind it are quite experienced in the industry.

“Boost Works was founded in early 2013 by myself, and my partner Curt Howell. We are a late-model automotive fabrication and design shop specializing in custom/production based turbo systems, engine design and assembly, chassis and suspension design/installation,” Travis said. “Prior to establishing BW, I worked with Hennessey Performance Engineering, where I headed up their turbo R&D/fabrication program. Building 1000-plus-horsepower turbocharged LSXs, as well as Hemis, and modular Ford engines was the norm. Earlier in my career (back to around 1999 or so), I was heavily involved with designing parts for the Nissan and Ford aftermarket.”

Clearly the modular engines made a positive impact on Travis, as his company chose to jump on the new Mustang right away.

“We’ve had our eye on the S550 platform for a while now. Boost Works is heavily involved with the S197, and I personally have roots back to the Fox era, so this was a natural progression for us as a shop,” Travis explained. “We love the Coyote, and have seen great success with it in the previous generation Mustang/F150 platforms. The fit and finish is light years ahead of the last-generation Mustang, and the addition of a well-designed IRS system appealed to us. This car will be versatile for the masses, and it’s a head-turner for sure.”

Of course, they didn’t just buy the car to install a sweet set of True Forged Competition wheels and Nitto Tires on it. No, Travis and Curt have a pretty bold plan for this project. In the near future they plan to dig into the car and start making some power.

“We’re working with Kenne Bell to design and install a 3.6LC Mammoth kit. We’ll have parts at the shop early this week, and we’ll design/fab the parts necessary to get it up and running. McLeod sent us a RXT twin-disc setup for the car, and that’ll be going in as well. We’re also designing a set of heavy-duty axles to withstand the punishment that a set of slicks and 800 or so horsepower will dish out,” Travis shared. “We’ve already identified the issues with the rear subframe in regard to wheel hop, and we’re drawing up parts in CAD to machine/install. These bushing kits will be available soon. The car will hit the drag strip, and then we plan on running it at The Texas Mile in late October. Afterward, a full engine build is in the works, and we’ll see how far the 3.6LC will take us!”

You might even see this car turn up at The SEMA Show next month, but we can say with certainty that you’ll read more about its development right here on SVTP.

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