Stock 02 GT with drag radials and gears?

[Brigadier Pudding]

All right, so one of my coworkers, practically an archbishop of the Ford religion, does not appreciate it when I trash talk Mustangs.

Apparently the dam broke yesterday when I was expressing profound disappointment in my friend Ryan, who lusted after LS1 6-speed WS6 Trans-Ams but purchased a 2004 Mustang GT 5-speed for $18,500. As much as he wanted a TA, he surprised all his friends by throwing this wicked curveball. The difference in power is huge, and I seriously doubt he is inclined to significantly modify the Mustang, as he told me he wanted to put an SLP Loudmouth on a Trans-Am and not bother with headers. Therefore, I think the passage of time will be directly related to Ryan's disappointment.

Naturally, my coworker commends Ryan's wisdom in choosing the invincible Ford. I then inform him that my 1999 Formula A4 typically annihilates 1999-2004 GT 5-speeds on the highway. I think I flung the phrase "underpowered pieces of shit" into the conversation.

Don't get me wrong, I am completely aware that a 4.6 can be built. I also love and respect Mach 1's and Cobra's, especially the factory supercharged models. Yet, the 1996-2004 GT's are absurdly underpowered from the factory. I just cannot comprehend Ryan's reckless decision.

Now, here's where the topic of Street Racing can be applied to the thread:

Anyway, today my coworker says there's a Mustang he wants me to run; it belongs to someone he knows. He claims this 2002 GT 5-speed is stock. I start freaking out, because I think he's bullshitting me about the car being stock. I don't think he could be delusional enough to "sponsor" a stock 02 GT against me. I ask him if he's certain the guy isn't running nitrous. He swears it's all stock. I ask him if it has stock gears; this he doesn't know, but he starts grinning at my nervousness. I ask him if the guy is running drag radials; he says the drag radials will probably be on the car. My coworker wants to see me versus the GT on a 1/4 mile run. I think I'll agree to racing from a dig provided we also race from a roll.

I personally do not know why anyone would run drag radials on a GT which is supposed to be stock but may or may not have gears. Why would they not touch the motor? I think either a)my coworker is bullshitting me, or b) he himself is unsure as to whether or not the motor has been touched. Bear in mind, my coworker also claims a Mustang with bolt-ons can run 11's. I can't see that happening, unless the car is an automatic with an enormous stall, 4:10 gears, and drag radials.

Basically, I want to know about how fast a stock 2002 Mustang GT 5-speed is if it had drag radials and maybe 4:10 gears. A worse scenario would involve full bolt-ons, and the absolute worst situation would involve a blower and some spray. It would be a quarter mile run from a dig, but I will also want to race from a roll.

My car is a 1999 Formula A4 with 2.73 gears, stock size tires of questionable quality (Falkens), SLP FloPac, SLP Loudmouth catback, Pacesetter long tube headers, and a TSP catted Y pipe.

I just installed the headers and Y pipe. I can feel more top end pull, but the car bogs down a bit on the very low end. I figure that a dyno tune will fix it, and I plan on doing one by the end of summer. Will the slight bogging with the headers make my car perform less well than it did before I put the headers on?

[specialized.1]

So maybe you should put 4.10s in amd maybe some drag radials. I bet even with similar mods you would wax him. I bet you will wax him now, The driver has alot to do with this as well. Especally with 4.10s. Have fun and be as safe as you can be...

[mogs01gt]

depends on the bolt ons. 4.10s and DRs will put it in the mid 13s easily. Could put her into the low 13s at a great track, would need a great launch. Correct they are underpowered stock. Now with bolt ons, its anybody's guess.

[toneloc60]

Don't be scared. Just race him.

[Antz97ZNJ]

4.10s and DRs will put it in the mid 13s easily

I wouldnt say easily, Most of the full bolt ons 2 valve GTs barely hit mid to lower 13's.

[Marc87GN]

I wouldnt say easily, Most of the full bolt ons 2 valve GTs barely hit mid to lower 13's.

That's probably because they are not full bolt-ons. I owned a 99 GT auto for 5 years and it ran quite well N/A, but much better with the turbo. There were several guys running low 13s/high 12s N/A and many with automatics. Good stall converter, shift kit, gears and exhaust would get an auto in the bottom 13s all day. It just wouldn't trap as well as an LS1.

When going N/A, you don't start out with small cubes and 9:1 compression. It's great for FI because I ran, a well documented, 10s on the stock longblock with a turbo setup. The engine is great for that, but I wouldn't push it N/A unless I bumped the compression to atleast 11:1. Boy did I lay waste to so many LS1s with that car it should have been illegal. Nothing like a stock looking GT with a big T-76 under the hood surrounded by cocky LS1 owners in my area.

[ss~zoso~ss]

hey hey now

lol

[Brigadier Pudding]

Don't be scared. Just race him.

I plan on it, but I'll wait a few weeks until the headers have broken in and I'm sure nothing's going to go wrong with my car. Obviously I'll post the results....

I'd use DR's, but I don't have the money right now. I'm considering borrowing the sticky tires from my friend's 93 Z28. My coworker would probably piss himself if he saw my car roll up to race with better tires.

Mind you, I'm not trying to rag on Mustang's too much. Given that they are American made rear-drive V8's, I respect them. But I don't see why anyone would buy a 1996-2004 model over an LS1 unless they planned on building it up into a turbod/supercharged Z06-killing beast.

[Blackout]

I plan on it, but I'll wait a few weeks until the headers have broken in and I'm sure nothing's going to go wrong with my car. Obviously I'll post the results....

I'd use DR's, but I don't have the money right now. I'm considering borrowing the sticky tires from my friend's 93 Z28. My coworker would probably piss himself if he saw my car roll up to race with better tires.

Mind you, I'm not trying to rag on Mustang's too much. Given that they are American made rear-drive V8's, I respect them. But I don't see why anyone would buy a 1996-2004 model over an LS1 unless they planned on building it up into a turbod/supercharged Z06-killing beast.

trust me its coming slowly but surely.

[toneloc60]

I plan on it, but I'll wait a few weeks until the headers have broken in and I'm sure nothing's going to go wrong with my car.

What are you so worried about?

From what I've gathered from your posts you and your coworker rib each other left and right about the bowtie and blue oval rivilary. Now it seems you've talked your way into a race. But instead of just running what you've got and what you've been selling to him, you're doing what every ricer does. "Oh, just wait until I get XXXX XXXXX."

I'm not trying to flame you. And I really don't want to sound like I'm attacking you because that isn't my intent. I'm simply calling it like I see it.

My point, don't talk trash unless you really intend on backing it up right here and right now. Not a month or a year from now when you get whatever for mods done. This goes for everyone out there that talks big about their cars... Line up or shut up.

[JWBZ SVT]

Assuming the mustang has 4.10 gears and dr's only, my guess is that you will win. (maybe CAI & exhaust plus gears and dr's would make it a little closer--I dunno, I could be wrong though)

[Ed Blown Vert]

Your gears may hurt you. Get a converter and tires. Then watch out.

[mogs01gt]

I wouldnt say easily, Most of the full bolt ons 2 valve GTs barely hit mid to lower 13's.

In the "Im a crack head" land

FULL bolt on GTs are in the low 12s high 11s. I think you need to take a stop back and think about what FULL bolt ons means.

[Brigadier Pudding]

What are you so worried about?

From what I've gathered from your posts you and your coworker rib each other left and right about the bowtie and blue oval rivilary. Now it seems you've talked your way into a race. But instead of just running what you've got and what you've been selling to him, you're doing what every ricer does. "Oh, just wait until I get XXXX XXXXX."

I'm not trying to flame you. And I really don't want to sound like I'm attacking you because that isn't my intent. I'm simply calling it like I see it.

My point, don't talk trash unless you really intend on backing it up right here and right now. Not a month or a year from now when you get whatever for mods done. This goes for everyone out there that talks big about their cars... Line up or shut up.

I feel obligated to defend myself.

You conjure up wild assumptions about my loyalty to any automotive manufacturer. I absolutely loathe the very idea of company superiority, of being a "Chevy boy" or a "Ford man." Manifested within my coworker is the stereotype of a zealous Ford fanatic. His automotive philosophy has transcended mere preference and sits comfortably sipping brandy within a mesosphere of prejudice.

I, on the other hand, judge the car, not the company. When I was searching for a late-model muscle car, I wanted the best bang for my buck. While I really dug the then-brand new 05 GT's, they were way too much money. I was also considering 1999-2004 GT's, yet seeing as how I was not inclined to radically modify the motor or reduce the streetability of what would be a daily driver, I bought an F-body. I'm pretty damned happy with the power of the car, and it only has a few bolt-ons, none of which reduce the streetability of the vehicle. However, if I had the money, I would drop my car in a second and buy an 04 Cobra.

You can inundate your post with a plethora of disclaimers, yet the severely illogical, completely unfounded comparison to rice-boys cannot be construed as anything but inflammatory. The statement is illogical because I did not say I was waiting for any future modifications. I put the headers in on Monday, before the incident with my coworker. The modifications have been completed; I am waiting until I am certain the header installation will have no adverse effects on my vehicle. Considering that last night my car was idleing funny with a bit of an erratic pulse, I think there is almost a strong enough correlation to prove my fears. (Just for reference, I'm replacing my plug wires and installing heat shielding on the new boots. I'll be doing it this weekend, along with adjusting my header bolts to ensure the manifolds have sealed.)

Therefore, the point of your post, "don't talk trash unless you really intend on backing it up right here and right now. Not a month or a year from now when you get whatever for mods done", appears completely devoid of an actual point. Why should I run my car with possibly burnt up plug wires or any other problems that may arise? Would you race your car if your fuel pump was going out, which would consequently reduce your fuel pressure? Would you race your car if you had a tire blow out and you were driving on a spare?

I made my original post in order to satisfy my curiosity about how well a Stang with DRs and gears could run. Any inflammatory remarks about Stangs are facetious, and I will stand by my point that the 1996-2004 GT's are underpowered from the factory but can still be built into absolute beasts. I'm not afraid to run this 02 GT; I will race it when I can get around to it.

[Blackout]

One thing everyone needs remember is that a good driver will make a world of a differents on how a car performes at the track. I went the other night and got 15.2 each pass. I know my car should be alot faster with my set up, but that was my first time at the track.

[Murder after Midnight]

What are you so worried about?

From what I've gathered from your posts you and your coworker rib each other left and right about the bowtie and blue oval rivilary. Now it seems you've talked your way into a race. But instead of just running what you've got and what you've been selling to him, you're doing what every ricer does. "Oh, just wait until I get XXXX XXXXX."

I'm not trying to flame you. And I really don't want to sound like I'm attacking you because that isn't my intent. I'm simply calling it like I see it.

My point, don't talk trash unless you really intend on backing it up right here and right now. Not a month or a year from now when you get whatever for mods done. This goes for everyone out there that talks big about their cars... Line up or shut up.

Agreed +100000000000000
this should be stickied

[Murder after Midnight]

I plan on it, but I'll wait a few weeks until the headers have broken in and I'm sure nothing's going to go wrong with my car. Obviously I'll post the results....

I'd use DR's, but I don't have the money right now. I'm considering borrowing the sticky tires from my friend's 93 Z28. My coworker would probably piss himself if he saw my car roll up to race with better tires.

Mind you, I'm not trying to rag on Mustang's too much. Given that they are American made rear-drive V8's, I respect them. But I don't see why anyone would buy a 1996-2004 model over an LS1 unless they planned on building it up into a turbod/supercharged Z06-killing beast.

Well the mustangs are usually cheaper by quite a bit especially the 96-98 cars. Of course I wanted a WS6 when I bought my car but it was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more expensive at the time and it still really is and hey some muscle car is better than no muscle car, or having to pay a car note every month.................

[toneloc60]

I feel obligated to defend myself.

You conjure up wild assumptions about my loyalty to any automotive manufacturer. I absolutely loathe the very idea of company superiority, of being a "Chevy boy" or a "Ford man." Manifested within my coworker is the stereotype of a zealous Ford fanatic. His automotive philosophy has transcended mere preference and sits comfortably sipping brandy within a mesosphere of prejudice.

I, on the other hand, judge the car, not the company. When I was searching for a late-model muscle car, I wanted the best bang for my buck. While I really dug the then-brand new 05 GT's, they were way too much money. I was also considering 1999-2004 GT's, yet seeing as how I was not inclined to radically modify the motor or reduce the streetability of what would be a daily driver, I bought an F-body. I'm pretty damned happy with the power of the car, and it only has a few bolt-ons, none of which reduce the streetability of the vehicle. However, if I had the money, I would drop my car in a second and buy an 04 Cobra.

You can inundate your post with a plethora of disclaimers, yet the severely illogical, completely unfounded comparison to rice-boys cannot be construed as anything but inflammatory. The statement is illogical because I did not say I was waiting for any future modifications. I put the headers in on Monday, before the incident with my coworker. The modifications have been completed; I am waiting until I am certain the header installation will have no adverse effects on my vehicle. Considering that last night my car was idleing funny with a bit of an erratic pulse, I think there is almost a strong enough correlation to prove my fears. (Just for reference, I'm replacing my plug wires and installing heat shielding on the new boots. I'll be doing it this weekend, along with adjusting my header bolts to ensure the manifolds have sealed.)

Therefore, the point of your post, "don't talk trash unless you really intend on backing it up right here and right now. Not a month or a year from now when you get whatever for mods done", appears completely devoid of an actual point. Why should I run my car with possibly burnt up plug wires or any other problems that may arise? Would you race your car if your fuel pump was going out, which would consequently reduce your fuel pressure? Would you race your car if you had a tire blow out and you were driving on a spare?

I made my original post in order to satisfy my curiosity about how well a Stang with DRs and gears could run. Any inflammatory remarks about Stangs are facetious, and I will stand by my point that the 1996-2004 GT's are underpowered from the factory but can still be built into absolute beasts. I'm not afraid to run this 02 GT; I will race it when I can get around to it.

This is probably one of the most thought out, carefull put together and intelligent posts I've ever read. However, you missed the point of my entire post.

I told you, I wasn't trying to flame you. Relax. It was the consideration of throwing on someone else's DRs and waiting until you see how you're running after putting on the headers that bothered me.

Look, I have '57 Bel Air project car. That is where I'm sinking all of my money. I'm in the middle of swapping the firewall and floorpan from a '99 Formula WS6 into the Bel Air so I can run the Formula's interior, dash and HVAC system. Why would I do that? Because I'm also swapping in the Formula's LS1, M6 and front suspension.

Once I get everything swapped I'll be ordering the 200 cubic inch Whipple supercharger, a forged bottom end with -28 cc pistons and other supporting internals.

Now, when I'm done, this is going to be a hell of a street machine. However, I do not rib anyone about what they choose to support at this point. The reason for that is this, right now all I have to back up any and all statements flying out of my mouth is my '00 Z28 M6 with only free mods. There are far too many cars out there that will spank me for me to do that.

So, once again I sit here typing away hoping that you realize I am not trying to flame you. I would only hope that you and the others in the world (of whom you probably are not nearly as bad as) will quit talking up their cars all the time when they (or you) are not ready to back it up at that particular moment.

[Stills]

but I will also want to race from a roll.

WTF?
Roll? You sound like a ricer, are you driving a Honda or a Camaro? Run him. If he out drives you from a dig, so be it, learn how to dragrace. If you run him from a roll and win, great, you have more horsepower. A 4.10/DR GT can be strong from a dig, don't underestimate it.

[getcha01]

In the "Im a crack head" land

FULL bolt on GTs are in the low 12s high 11s. I think you need to take a stop back and think about what FULL bolt ons means.

full boltons is headers, full exhaust,intake, thats its, my buddy had a 02 GT with headers,intake,cam and heads redone even and never broke into 12's, he had a 5 spd