I Hear The Sound Of Taps...

usaf_branham

15 Year Member
Oct 30, 2008
927
134
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Boston
Well, today was bitter sweet. I sold my car... I got what I was asking, so I can't complain... but this was truly the most difficult sell I have ever done (emotionally). I guess this is what a father feels like giving away his daughter when she gets married. I have spent countless hours working on it... Thousands of dollars on it... It was a mile stone in my life when I bought it... I have told myself a million times that I would keep it based on the above...
HOWEVER:
I am sick and tired of dealing with registration issues every year due to the emissions laws in the county it's registered in.
It is at it's limit... There is almost nothing more that can be done to it without either blowing it up OR spending in upwards of 20k on forged shortblock, t56, fuel system, drivetrain upgrades, etc... and even then, the car wouldn't make the power of a stock coyote with forced induction.
Apparently I am getting old and lazy because really don't have the ambition to do said upgrades (especially if I did them one at a time).
I am not 100% confident about it's ability to make it on cross country trips.
I am sick of the little nuance issues it has.

With that being said...
I traded in my Harley and used 90% of the money I made from selling my 04 to get a shiny new 2015 Mustang GT Premium (6 speed manual) with the Performance Package. The dealer had to get it from another dealership, so it wont be here until Monday evening at the earliest. I was looking for a deep impact blue, but there isn't one available anywhere near here... I was torn... I wanted something different... So, instead of getting a black one... I decided to get it in Competition Orange with Ebony Interior. Once the windows are tinted, it will really set off the black wheels. The other 10% was saved for a cat-back... the ONLY mod I will be doing anytime soon.

So, as much as it pained me to hand over the keys... I know that I will not have a problem with registration anymore, the coyote motor has more than twice the potential of the 2v, the new one is just as fast in stock form, and it is 10 times nicer all around.

I will post up pics when I get it home. Now, I suppose it is time to peruse through youtube videos of cat-backs. I wish the flowmaster american thunder catback still had 40 series mufflers. =/ Everything else seems either too raspy or too quiet.

Well, that is it for me tonight. I was at the dealership for something like 7 hours working all of the details out. Needless to say, I am completely drained and I am going to bed. :flag:
 
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I am having the stripes removed on Thursday. I know they will end up cracking later down the road and I will have a heck of a time trying to remove them after they have been on the car that long.
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Lol. As fate would have it, the guy who bought it from me off of craigslist turned out to be a prior crew chief that I worked with in the past. So I definitely think there will be a track day in the future. Now that I have a lil more seat time, I realize the '04 is faster (not by a lot though). This car just has a ton more potential. I plan on pro-charging it in the distant future (600+ rwhp), I'm ordering the exhaust today, and I might put a short throw in it at some point. That's it. Everything else is on point.

As for the stripes, it's not that I don't like them, I just know that they will not last the life of the car and once that Vegas sun bakes them on, it will cost me a fortune to have them replaced.


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The interior is simply amazing in comparison the the sn95. The seats actually hold me in place, head rest position is better, and they are way more comfortable. The dash setup is equally amazing. What really surprises me is that my 04 was a premium and when compared to the 15 premium it is night and day. This 15 has all sorts of niceties and gadgets. It seems the only thing that made the 04 a premium compared to a base GT was the leather seats. I am just now starting to figure out the track apps and driving modes. I played with the line lock last night and I couldn't see out of the rear window, lol. That one got me chewed out by the wife. I haven't really pushed the car in any of the modes so I can't really tell much of a difference in that at this point.


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I have racing stripes on my 2010 SS and they haven't faded or cracked or anything at all. I'm not sure how well Ford's will last, but I don't think you'll have a problem. I see cars that are 10+ years old with the racing stripes still nice and crisp looking. If you get rid of them, I would say you should have more of a reason than that, lol.

And I don't know man, you might get walked by your old car. I mean, 600 rwhp in a 3400 pound car vs about 380 rwhp in a 3700 pound car...that speaks for itself. You should be able to get a low 13 to high 12. But I'd say the 04 would be in the mid 11s with good traction.
 
No. The 04 has a very conservative tune in it, and only 10psi. It always ends up pulling timing at the big end due to IAT's. Last time I ran, I got a 12.6 on street tires and no cams. If I had to guess, it will run between an 11.99 and 12.2 now with a good driver and cool weather. It put down 376rwhp on a mustang dyno. Likely 425 on a dyno jet.

The '15 is a completely different kind of power, the coyote is high strung and loves rpm. The 04 makes something like 430 ft lbs of torque at 2200 rpm. I bet the '15 is a high 12 car as it sits (if I can get it to hook). Will I win that race, not likely... Do I have to worry about tossing a rod, breaking a ring land, breaking an axle, or the tranny finally going out... No.

The 04 is BA... Don't get me wrong. The '15 is much more civil and refined. Now... If I put a pro-charger on it in a few years, it will be a monster... I just want it to live. I don't want to start breaking everything. I'm not doing longtubes, it will remain with factory catifolds and a catback... Sick of dealing with emissions. Everything else is good. I may consider a short throw, but even that isn't bad per say.


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Oh my bad...I misread and thought you said the 04 made 600+ rwhp, lol! So yea, on street tires the 04 should still win...and on DRs forget about it. But nothing beats a nice new car with a full warranty!! Enjoy the S550!! Mod it in the future and then see what she can do!!