Mustangs 101 - Totally basic question

[cason234]

Hello Mustang Fans - greetings from a lurker (I don't think I've ever posted here, though I've been a member of Stangnet for a while)....

My question is pretty basic, and pertains to the 99-04 Mustang GT..... I've never been in one, but I love the looks of it, and as I consider my next car, this vehicle is one of the front runners, but I want to get a sense of what kind of performance I can expect. About 10 years ago, I owned a 1990 LX 5.0 Mustang that I modified a bit (Eibach Springs, Tokico Shocks / Struts, 3.73 gears, BBK headers, Hurst Shifter, and that's about it).... I thought the performance on that car was pretty sweet. I moved from there to bigger cars (a Chevy Caprice with the LT1, 4.10 gears, lots of suspension mods, and now I'm driving a Cadillac Fleetwood with LT1, 4.10 gears, massive swaybars, exhaust and suspension mods etc). Anyways, I've always believed the maxim that there's no replacement for displacement. Would the performance from a 4.6 V8 in the early 2000's GT Mustangs (with aftermarket exhaust and intake, as well as gears) be comparable to what I experienced with my 5.0 LX? If it is, that'd be great. I'm not expecting "new Corvette beating" performance, but the ability to feel that wonderful rush of acceleration available only to V8 powered cars, as well as the 'tossability' of rear wheel drive and a tight posi rear end..... Can't help but love it!

Please advise what the comparison with my pretty basic 5.0 Mustang would be like.

Thanks in advance!

 

[sneaky98gt]

While the 4.6 has a little bit less torque down below 3000 than a 5.0 has, the 4.6 is all over a 5.0 up top. A PI GT (i.e. 99-04) will be a good bit quicker than a mostly stock 5.0 (265 hp stock vs 215 stock). Intake, exhaust, gears, and a tuner on the 99-04 will make it pretty difficult for a 5.0 to catch up without a good amount of work.

If you are looking for a good looking, reliable, fun, cheap car to drive, a 99-04 GT is a great choice.

 

[slayerripkdc]

I have owned plenty of the fox body 5.0 cars. The 99-04 PI 4.6 creates its 300lb of torque at 4k rpm versus 3k rpm in the older 5.0's. That being said the 4.6 PI cars overall pull better through out the rpm range. Get a set of gears (4.10's) and that will put you close to the low end torque department of the 5 ohs. Install an off road mid pipe and you should be about 4 mph quicker in the 1/4 mile , correct me if im wrong.

Usually H/C/I 5.0s put down a little more than 300 to the wheels with some good parts.
Same goes for vortec applicatons.

PI 4.6 H/C can see a little less then 400 to the wheels with some quality parts.
You can also see over 400 easily when going forced induction depending on your application of choice.

Overall PI 4.6 is a better runner.

 

[BurningRubber]

Stock for stock, a PI 4.6 will yank any stock 5.0 car out of the water. The closest it would get is a low-option 5.0 coupe, 5 speed, with a 3.27 gear... but only because of the weight advantage.

I ran a 94/95 GT a few weeks ago and the difference was just silly.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I owned a 03 gt for 5 years...as well as owning my 88 lx 5.0l.....


Stock vs stock, the 4.6l does everything better, rides better, less rattles, nice smooth power band. You just need to learn to rev the engine a little higher than a 5.0. It will "feel" slower, but rest assured it is not.

I banged out a 14.1 with my 03gt bone stock. My 5.0 was slightly slower at 14.5. (of course modded..it was faster than my gt was ) )

 

[LarsD]

My bolt on 5.0 is a real joy to bump around town in, my 99 feels really heavy and lazy. However, once I get into the upper RPM ranges the 99 pulls like a train, where as the 5.0 is running out of breath (5200 red line opposed to a 6800 red line). I've never driven a regular 99-04GT, but I imagine they feel pretty similar.

 

[Deleted member 38176]

A completely bone stock 99-04 GT would walk your modded Fox pretty badly. Just some food for thought.

 

[sneaky98gt]

My bolt on 5.0 is a real joy to bump around town in, my 99 feels really heavy and lazy. However, once I get into the upper RPM ranges the 99 pulls like a train, where as the 5.0 is running out of breath (5200 red line opposed to a 6800 red line). I've never driven a regular 99-04GT, but I imagine they feel pretty similar.

Below 3500 a GT is MUCH MUCH faster, and has a lot more torque. 4 valves make absolutely no torque down low, but pull like raped ape up top. My granddad's Mach 1 will barely brake the tires loose, but once it does and gets into the powerband, it really rolls. Supposedly, Mach 1s have more low end torque than Cobras, so I suspect the difference between a GT and Cobra would be even more.

 

[LarsD]

Below 3500 a GT is MUCH MUCH faster, and has a lot more torque. 4 valves make absolutely no torque down low, but pull like raped ape up top. My granddad's Mach 1 will barely brake the tires loose, but once it does and gets into the powerband, it really rolls. Supposedly, Mach 1s have more low end torque than Cobras, so I suspect the difference between a GT and Cobra would be even more.

That is what I suspected, my Cobra even with 4.10's is so weak on the bottom end it isn't even funny. Get it above 4K and watch out though. I have long tubes on it also, and I'm sure that ate up some bottom end too.

 

[cason234]

Thanks for the input

Hi guys - I sure appreciate the input! Many thanks for your responses. I'm going to place the 99-04 GT on the top of my list!