Mach 1 03 Mach 1 vs. LS1 Camaro SS

[TNMACH03]

Here is what my friend posted at ls1tech.com if you dont believe me but this is how it went down between me and an LS1. It really is a drivers race.


Welp, I finally got that race in that I was talking about a while ago. Interesting story leads up to it though.

I am at home seafoaming my car (thanks ChocoTaco!). When my friend pulls up in his 03 Mach 1. He decides to stick around and help me a bit with the cleaning process. After we finish, we go out to take my car for its "spirited" run. The smoke was freaking awesome. So we take it down the interstate from one exit to the next, and I decide to let my friend drive my car for a little bit because he wanted to try out the ls1. Low and behold, as soon as he gets behind the wheel, a SN-95 Cobra pulls up (we are on a two lane highway leading back into our town). He looks over at me and ask me if I am cool with it. I give him the O.K., knowing that the first street race in my car isnt going to be done by me . Anyway, it pulls like a bat out of hell on the Cobra. I know it had at least exhaust, but I honestly feel like it could have been a GT, with a complete Cobra switch the way that my car pulled.

After this, we are both a bit excited (giving all the praise to the seafoam). He decided that he wanted to see what the Mach 1 would do against the SS. After me riding in the passenger side of his car, him riding in mine, and him driving mine, we both felt that it would be extremely close.

The Cars
1999 Camaro SS
-Mods-Whisper Lid, K&N filter

2003 Mustang Mach 1
-Mods-Midpipe, Flowmaster Exhaust

-Race 1- 10 MPH-Top of second
He pulled about a half to 3/4's of a car on me out of the hole. We held steady right there until I went to shift into 3rd and missed.

-Race 2- 45-top of fourth
This race was as even as even can get. Seriously, until he missed 5th, there was no movement either way.

-Race 3- 40-110
This race was also extremely close. He was at my door when we let off.

-Summary
When we pulled over to talk about the results, both of us were a little surprised. We both honestly thought the other one would pull. My honest observation is that the ls1 top end isnt significantly greater than the Mach's (at least at 110 or quartermile area), and the Mach 1's bottom end isnt that much greater than the SS. We are going to do this again later on this week, and I will have another story to tell. I am just sad that the first real kill in my car came without me behind the wheel...............

Mach 1 vs. LS1=Driver's Race. Who would have thought it?

 

[Crzyhrse]

This thread will probably get axed, but other Mach owners have said the same thing or have said they've beat them.

 

[EPIK]

I have only got to race against my buddys 99 Z28 auto from a 3rd gear 65 mph roll on the fwy. I pulled on him by about a 1/2 car or so & then he let off. So it wasnt really a race I guess. I have driven an auto 02 Vette & honestly wasnt that impressed. It felt like my mach would definately pull it off the line. Another buddy of mine just picked up a bone stock 2000 SS 6 speed so i will have to see how I fair against him. I will agree that its a drivers race...

 

[1/4milejunky]

you have to be a skilled driver to drive the mach right it takes more disipline and practice to drive the mach to it's full potential than it does a fbody thats why you generaly see better times for fbods //with the right driver a mach is a fbods = /you have toknow how to drive to get good times out of that torq/ gearing

 

['99 T/A]

I'd love to run one - have not yet. Drove one, though.

It was an auto , and felt as strong as the SS.

But, the LS1 is very deceptive in terms of SOTP performance.

I know - mine feels slow.

(And, compared to some cars, it is ! )

How does a Mach auto compare vs. a 5 speed ?

Britt

 

[EPIK]

I have never driven an auto Mach 1 & I could imagine that it would feel quite a bit slower than my 5 speed....

 

[KeithCobraUH]

My ex gf bought an 04 Mach 1 and I have an 03 Mach 1.

Hers is an auto. I raced her in my friends 00 SS auto and I pulled a car on her. The SS had catback and lid. Her mach had drop in K&N and off road X pipe with weld in flowmasters. He ran consistent 13.5s

Her car ran much stronger than you would think. I surprised many cars when I raced them.

When I raced her if I gave her the hit and she was able to keep up. That was before my long tubes, PHP spacer, magnapack catback.

Her auto Mach seemed like a freak. Never got to dyno and when we broke up she went back to Florida so not sure what it ran or power numbers.

 

[ttown]

Well there's nothing wrong with the fbodies torque or HP which will be more than a 281 CID Mach. The MACH is designed for the strip and can put down it's torque to the ground much better than an fbody. The weak rear-end in the fbody requires some work since it can't take the torque it has when you really on it.

The Mach is one sweet car, this is a drivers race which the fobody has a slight edge over most people. I've always loved being the underdog, the fbody has the hype and presure to win the race with it's bigger motor and peak HP/Torque.

 

[ttown]

How does a Mach auto compare vs. a 5 speed ?

If your talking the Mach auto vs the 5 speed it's about a half second slower. The problem with my auto is it needs a custom tune for the soft shifts of the tranny. At the track I may as well left it in "drive" since no matter where I shifted (5k ot 5.8k) my auto would bump the limiter and bog, nothing that can't be fixed but it's setup for the street not the strip.

 

[nmcgrawj]

But those LS1's are only headers,intake, other small bolt ons etc and a tune away from 350-360rwhp with some ease. Does the mach respond to bolt ons that well?

Im glad to see some ***NA*** ford cars are keeping up with the GM boys but those LS1's just love mods....:-(

 

[SoonerSnake]

this is pretty funny, I use to have 99 Z28 6 speed, no mach1 or cobra (stock) was even close. Stock for stock the Ls1 is a much bigger engine and puts out around 300 to the wheels stock where as the machs and cobras put down around 265-275, not to mention the Fords are 200-300 lbs heavier, maybe more. My 98 M6 weighed in at 3370 with me in car. I have a Cobra now and love the Fords, but it is funny to log on and everyone and their dog has beaten an Ls1, yet in all the road tests the the ls1's were way faster than any of the Fords we are talking about.

 

[TR03Mach1]

this is pretty funny, I use to have 99 Z28 6 speed, no mach1 or cobra (stock) was even close. Stock for stock the Ls1 is a much bigger engine and puts out around 300 to the wheels stock where as the machs and cobras put down around 265-275, not to mention the Fords are 200-300 lbs heavier, maybe more. My 98 M6 weighed in at 3370 with me in car. I have a Cobra now and love the Fords, but it is funny to log on and everyone and their dog has beaten an Ls1, yet in all the road tests the the ls1's were way faster than any of the Fords we are talking about.

Well you might think it's funny, and you might think you know it all too, but you're sadly mistaken. Bone stock, and I'm talking just the way it came off the dealers lot, my Mach 1 ran a 13.19 @ 105. That my friend, is right in the same territory as the best stock fbody. And those dyno numbers are about right for an automatic Mach 1. Weight-wise, my Mach 1 stock weighed a little over 3400lbs, and now weighs about 3320lbs with me in it, and I weigh about 235lbs, so where do you get the idea that the fbody has some kind of strategic weight advantage? Contrary to popular opinion, the LSx motors are NOT touched by the hand of God.

View attachment 361943

 

[nmcgrawj]

Well you might think it's funny, and you might think you know it all too, but you're sadly mistaken. Bone stock, and I'm talking just the way it came off the dealers lot, my Mach 1 ran a 13.19 @ 105. That my friend, is right in the same territory as the best stock fbody. And those dyno numbers are about right for an automatic Mach 1. Weight-wise, my Mach 1 stock weighed a little over 3400lbs, and now weighs about 3320lbs with me in it, and I weigh about 235lbs, so where do you get the idea that the fbody has some kind of strategic weight advantage? Contrary to popular opinion, the LSx motors are NOT touched by the hand of God.

Im pretty sure i've heard of f-body's runnin 12's with a stick in stock form. But how many cars will stay stock? That LSx motor is one hell of a motor, ford has to slap on a blower to keep up with them. So mod for mod, the win goes to fbody's i'd say. They can be a BEAST all motor, without a blower, without nitrous. A 4.6 cant do much of anything N/A....can it?

Either way, mach's are still nice cars, but GM definately has the better power plant IMO. There are LS1 cars with just longtubes and a tune, and they're are 360rwhp. Without the LS6 intake, without a cam. Add those 2 and you're gonna be knockin down 400rwhp. Thats more than stock 03 cobras. Then strap a blower on top and let the fun begin! lol But seriously, i like N/A power, and that is what the LSx motors do best.

 

[tank_567]

videos
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/dab72a81-d3e2-4427-940d-99ab0174c0f5.htm
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/f0872421-1d1d-4495-afa4-997a00f65e72.htm
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/af0124a6-b09f-4518-a35e-99080002bbd0.htm

 

[TR03Mach1]

Im pretty sure i've heard of f-body's runnin 12's with a stick in stock form. But how many cars will stay stock? That LSx motor is one hell of a motor, ford has to slap on a blower to keep up with them. So mod for mod, the win goes to fbody's i'd say. They can be a BEAST all motor, without a blower, without nitrous. A 4.6 cant do much of anything N/A....can it?

Either way, mach's are still nice cars, but GM definately has the better power plant IMO. There are LS1 cars with just longtubes and a tune, and they're are 360rwhp. Without the LS6 intake, without a cam. Add those 2 and you're gonna be knockin down 400rwhp. Thats more than stock 03 cobras. Then strap a blower on top and let the fun begin! lol But seriously, i like N/A power, and that is what the LSx motors do best.

Again, contrary to popular opinion, there are damn few fbods that could run into the 12's right off the dealer's lot. I've seen stock Mach 1's run in the 12's, but again, that's a rare ocurrance. Obviously a little 281ci motor is not going to have the ability to move as much air/fuel into it's smaller combustion chambers. That's why the need to add FI. That's not to say that a 4.6 can't be made to produce some good power N/A, it takes a considerable amount of money, but it can be done.

 

[peterbilt]

That second vid........"Stop....Just take off whenver you want" LMAO

 

[Crzyhrse]

It does'nt matter how much extra HP those LS1's have with just a couple mods. If they can't drive worth squat their gonna get their asses handed to them anyway.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Cool story, but for future reference, street racing posts are discouraged and will often be removed. The only reason this one is staying up is because it's been here now over the 2 ½ months and it would be pointless to take it down now.

P.S.
Roll racing is for F***.....take it to the track.

 

[SoonerSnake]

361829[/ATTACH]

first of all low 13's is NOT in the same catagory are the BEST fbody. Ther are numerous articles of stock fbodies running mid to high 12's in stock form. I am assuming they are running on the same downhill track you were running on when you ran your 13.1@105. What tires were you running? For the next mystery, your car weighs over 3400lbs, but weighs 3320 with you in it and you weigh 235lbs???? So your car actually loses weight when you get in it??? If quarter mile calculations are anything like your car weight calculations, i am not putting much faith in their accuracy. Look, I have a Cobra, I am a Ford enthusiast, but reality is reality, stock for stock we are not close.

 

[SoonerSnake]

I've seen stock Mach 1's run in the 12's.

NO WAY