A Few Questions from a perspective Mustang buyer!
 

hey guys, i'm currently seriously looking for another toy and i've been looking at quite a few Mustangs as of late! my last toy was a 2002 Camaro SS M6 and it was the best toy i've had yet!

basically wondering what pros/cons there are for all the different years of Mustangs. i'm currently looking at '99 to '04 GT Convertibles with a manual tranny!

my first choice would be either an '03 or '04 Cobra but they are still a little pricey for me being that it will be my 2nd vehicle!

any help will be greatly appreciated!

p.s. my SS ran 13.2@108 bone stock, what would it take for a GT to hit 12's because that will be my goal! thanks in advance!

for a 99-04 GT to hit 12's would take a bit,
they run, what?...14.0+ stock
i dont know to much about GT's, or thier mods, but i do know mustangs are one of the easiest cars to mod.
im sure other ppl will help out here.
good luck

12's in a 99+?

4.10 gears, a good tire, subframe connectors and nitrous.

why did you sell the SS? those things are killer

12's in a GT vert??

you will probably need a power adder...blower/NOS

even a cammed GT coupe will only run mid to low 13's

not saying it can't be done....I mean with some drag suspension, D/r's, sub frames, gears, removing alot of weight and a great driver its possible I think. But I havent seen anyone do it yet.

Good Luck :tup

i hear you about the cobra...would be nice but too much cash...if want something 99+ I'd look for an 03/04 Mach 1, over 300hp NA, easy to get into the 12s....

ya i was looking at Mach 1's but i think i want a Vert this time! i sold my SS on a wim and now i wish i hadn't! i'm not totally sure what i'll end up getting but i need a toy! :biggrin:

Buy a Mach 1...Chop the roof..weld some sub frames...talk to G Fonger and your into the 12's with a vert...O and only drive it on Sunny days :biggrin:

it's hard to beat the older foxes for all out go power...some gears, some gutting, some tuning and you're hitting the 12s....my 85 vert was nice too, and different compared to the stuff out now...

http://www.mnsi.net/~ohreally/mike_85gt_vert.jpg

ya what he said :tup

ok i love the looks of the Mustangs but i guess they are not all that quick! has anyone ever done a LS1 swap.......... :tup

maybe i just have to start saving for a Cobra!

thanks for the help guys!

Why not try to find a 99-01 Cobra? With the right bolt on parts and a solid rear axle it would be a 12 second car. It's very similar to a Mach 1, and I've seen them go low 13s with the stock 3.55 gears. A solid axle with a set of 4.10s, slicks, timing adjustor, CAI, cat back exhaust and you should be comfortably in the 12s. I dont think a Mustang GT is for you coming from an SS. Go with a lil more power.
SS

03-04 cobra if you can afford it.. if not 99-02 cobra with some mods should hit 12's not problem... that is if you want a convertable.

Personally I like coupes. look at the mach 1's

whats is your budget if you don't mind me asking.

Problem with the 99/01 Cobra's is the aluminum block...If your going to add a power adder down the road you may be in trouble, seen way to many leave a trail of oil down the track...

Hey for the right price mine is for sale :biggrin:

I have a GT500 Vert to buy next...lol

well i'm hoping to stay under $25G's but if i can find a Cobra in good shape i'd go to $30G! i see there is a coupe in Mississauga for $32G! hmmm

Bizness, your car is out of my price range...........should be around $40G right?

by the way where are you from Bizness? i'm thinking i may have seen you around in your old Cobra!

Wasen't there a problem with the IRS on those cobras.. Not as strong as the 03/04 cobras

25G's

2000 GT with Low Kms loaded
KB 2.6 Supercharger
Gears
Exhaust
Chip
Tires


I'm sure you could do that with around $25000

and 12's would be with your eyes closed.

Or buy a 96-98 Cobra, 4.30 gears, exhaust, tires, chip and you'll hit the 12s with ease. And have a better foundation with bigger brakes, better suspension, nicer interior and the pride of owning an SVT Cobra.
SS

ok, in my opinion solid rear axle on a cobra is bullocks! that takes away what makes it a cobra! but thats just me, and to the perspective mustang buyer. save up for a terminator man, you wont regret it! :biggrin:

Not the biggest fan of the 96-98 body style.. but for 12's it sure as hell would work :tup
I was just saying if it were my $25000.
sorry for the miss edit.. wrong button


Actually I'd find a used lightning :tup

yah there were a few parts that were less strong...but not that it mattered they wer kind of week on power to begin with. even after the big recall with all the bolt on's I dyno'd at 288 RWHP. Compared to my current at 460rwhp in the 04. Bang for the buck :biggrin:

and I agree the IRS makes it a Cobra and I know the lapping guys gringe when they hear somone swaped out the IRS on a Cobra.

I love the look of the 96-98 Cobras. That is what made me fall in love with them, I'd love me a nice clean white 98 Cobra with a Terminator motor under hood. Yummy.
SS

HA! Do this:
http://www.mnsi.net/~ohreally/launch_SVO.jpg

With one of these cars and admit to removing the front sway bar, but leaving the suspension stone stock otherwise.. and watch the purists :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: because the cars were originally "built more for handling, not drag racing.. it's what makes an SVO an SVO why don't you build up a 2.3T Coupe or something????".

:biggrin:

SS - yeah, I liked them 96-98 SVT Cobras too. I really wanted one when they first come out. So them ones are all aluminum blocks? I never knew that.

96-98 Cobra's are iron blocks I believe, and one of the more sought after. I've always wanted a nice 96-98 Cobra, 96 Mystic or a white 96-98 convertible.
SS

well its been awhile since my last post but i've found what i believe to be a decent deal $$$ wise! let me know all your opinions good or bad!

1997 GT Vert triple black, auto (not my first choice), with 93,000kms on it for $11,990! is that a fair going price for that car or what should i offer him?

my goal is for a relaible semi-daily driver but still run high 12's low 13's all day

i figure buy this car and a S/C of some sort and i should hopefully be close!

opinions wanted as mentioned earlier!

p.s. remember i'm coming from a 2002 Camaro SS 6-spd with the SLP 345hp package that ran 13.2@108 bone stock with a 2.4 60ft and with myself (320lbs) driving! i realize right off the get go it will be deadly slow compared to the SS but idealy i want to be able to beat my old SS if i came upon it one day! :tup

thanks guys and i look forward to meeting some of you this coming season!

I dunno, sounds like an OK deal to me, I wouldn't calll it a steal or anything. That's the least desired of them style cars because it's got the least HP 4.6 [215 HP]. Add to that fact it is an auto [which isn't alltogether a bad thing in a boosted car I guess] and it's gonna be a mid 15 second car at best stock. I really don't know.. that's a heavy underpowered car and I don't know if a low to morderate boost [read - streeet driven, pump gas cast piston friendly boost levels] S/C is gonna get you there..

Low 13s / high 12s? I'm not totally sure if this would get you there as i'm not a 4.6 guru [someone will chime in i'm sure] but i'm up early and bored lol. I DID have a friend who had a 1997 GT, all that was done, was he sawzalled the stock cat back off :cry2: , cold air intake or something, 4.10s, I can't remember if it even had an underdrive pulley. Stock it ran a 14.8 @ 92 MPH. With them few mods, and the bald street tires he had, it still ran 14.8-15.00s but at 96-97 MPH. So slicks/skinnies on lightweight welds/UD pulley/and a chip tune woulda made it a 13.50 or 60 car for sure. He never gutted or removed any weight either. I actually hear that unless you are making decent power [power adders or whatever] that the stock cat back is quite good on them newer cars. So his cutting it off was prolly pointless.
Anyways:
-3.73 gears, maybe 4.10s. Hell, go with 3.90 gears you can get em for 8.8s.

-off road X pipe & have your stock muffs replaced by something straight thru design like magnaflow, and see if there is any way you have can your stock ex. manifolds ported [i'm not up on 4.6s but aren't headers 'posed to be a biotch??]

-Here's were my mind is having a war. One side says a Kenne Bell blower to make off idle boost to get the pig moving, but the other side says a nice intercooled procharger which overall will make alot more HP and allow you a few more PSI boost at the same octane and the car will end up being quicker. W/ a safe tune I think the stock cast 4.6 internals should be able to tolerate 10 PSI as long as the A/F ratio is a tad fat, timing curve isn't to nutty, and it's intercooled. With the K/B blower I would bet you'd be limited to 8 or so PSI, and still pulling lots of timing out [more than w/ a intercooled setup] when having a chip done, just to avoid pinging due top lack of intercooling. The 3.73s would be a good K/B blower gear, and the 3.90s maybe a bit better with a centrifugal style like a procharger to get into revs quicker. War is settled.. Get the procharger and 3.90s.

-a fuel sytem up to the task, so 255 pump, regulator, injectors, etc.

-dyno tune with chip work, and a bigger MAF [no need to use FMUs these days]

-a bit better TQ convertor and a good shift kit and trans cooler.

-IMO this will help tremdously. A set of welds [Prostars would look nice on that car] w/ skinnies up front. And on the rears, them new Mickey Thompson ET Street drag radials.

If the above didn't go 12.90 it would go low 13s I would think. Seems like alot of dough to shell out for low 13s.

If you did the above to a 99 - up GT vert i've no doubt it would go 12s as they are already about 45 HP ahead of the game and the better flowing intake and heads would making boosting the caer that much more effective.

IMO it's up to you, but if you want 12s i'd wait and get a 99-up GT and go from there. You can go 12.90s N/A with them 5 speed and a stock motor with simple bolt ons, steep gears, slicks n skinnies.

thanks for such a detailed reply Schlodes i appreciate it! well my plans may have changed for the time being because i've just landed a sweet 2nd job! i may just be able to bag that '03 or '04 Cobra after all! :chacha:

thanks again

For the right price mine is for sale... :biggrin:

good luck...you wont regret a vert!!!

sounds nice but what shall you be doing with this car? cruising, drags or turns? cruising, great choice! my stang is great for that, but it being a vert handling and dragging will be much more difficult due to lack of body rigidity. anybody feel free to correct me on this.

Well...lmao

He will need a good set of subframe connectors...the ones Ford use are..well..not the greatest...you can get a better set from Steeda or a host of other places. If you serious about dragging that would be my first mod...you will soon run into other problems from the track including needing a welded rollbar..and then eventually a full cage....but for test and tune stuff depending on the track you should be okay..unless you want to go 10"s..lol

well the car will be used for a lot of cruising but i do intend to drag it a fair amount as well! i'm not even sure what my goal would be with a Cobra but 11's for sure!

i'm kinda having a conflict of interest right now because there are a few nice Z06 Corvettes in the area for sale and the Corvette has always been #1 on my dream car pedestal!

have you run any Z06's Biz? if so what is the outcome?

i know that stock vs stock the Z06 should win but the Cobra is just way too easy to mod! :)

hey Biz, are you from London? in the past did you ever see a black Grand Prix GTP at the lights at Dundas and Clarke? if so that was me and we had a quick chat but you were in your old cobra at that time!

i've been in to Eastway recently and talked to Roy Knight there and he informed me that he has a couple '04 Cobras coming in off lease in the spring so i'll just hope that one of them is yellow or black! :)