Bought a 2013 GT500... was supposed to be stock...

[merkyworks]

For the watts link, is it diff pivot style (Cortex or Griggs) or is it frame mounted (BMR or Shelby)?

And as far as the issue with diff cooler line rubbing I would look at your LCA lengths. With a watts like you want the LCA's to be around 17-7/8" to 18" in length C2C, if they get much longer than this you will start to have rubbing issues with the watts link pivot and other body/suspension parts.

 

[svt662]

I wonder how many of these cars are 100% stock? Sounds like a lot of them have mods! Well good luck with your New ride.....

 

[biminiLX]

I wonder how many of these cars are 100% stock? Sounds like a lot of them have mods! Well good luck with your New ride.....

Really good question.
Probably quite a few actually, just not many on here.
For the first summer, my car had a tune and 4.10s w/DRs. Other than tires, couldn’t tell it wasn’t stock but there is SO much potential in these cars even with very mild mods.
In this case, I’d get this car to a trusted Mustang tuning shop and have it gone through front to back, especially the tune.
Good luck.
-J

 

[Cman01]

I wonder how many of these cars are 100% stock? Sounds like a lot of them have mods! Well good luck with your New ride.....

They're 100% stock if they only sit in a climate controlled garage and rarely if ever driven...……………...waiting to be discovered in 40+ years by the next generation and beyond......

 

[72MachOne99GT]

They're 100% stock if they only sit in a climate controlled garage and rarely if ever driven...……………...waiting to be discovered in 40+ years by the next generation and beyond......

Mine was stock for 6 years.

 

[Blkblk13car]

Mine was stock for 6 years.

Mines still stock even prior to me owning it since the car was always around anyway due to my step dad always using it. I’m at 63k too

 

[svt662]

They're 100% stock if they only sit in a climate controlled garage and rarely if ever driven...……………...waiting to be discovered in 40+ years by the next generation and beyond......

This is how mine stays all year.....

 

[gimmie11s]

Doubtful it’s a magnum XL. Not that it matters, because the 500 comes with a tr6060 which is basically the same unit.

OP you got any pics of the rest of the car?


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[biminiLX]

Doubtful it’s a magnum XL. Not that it matters, because the 500 comes with a tr6060 which is basically the same unit.

OP you got any pics of the rest of the car?


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

Easy to check if you know the tail shaft.
Mine has the Magnum XL simply because I had the trans out during the engine build and I was building to drag race. The XL gets you an SFI bellhousing and direct mount shifter, 2 positives.
Also, if someone grenades a stock Tremec TR6060, the XL is a cheaper replacement than new from Ford.
I’d search for details on the car as a Grabber Blue ‘13-14 was a rare color and the white Mothers sticker is very unique.
Might get lucky and find it online or ask local shops who may have built it.
-J

 

[tomshep]

I would post pics on this forum and a few others and try to identify the car. With that many mods, this thing has got to have been heavily modded in the past and most that do mods like that are on forums or FB. Nobody does a Watts link without full suspension but he sold the other stuff. As far as the oil pan, motor has definitely been out and he may have popped it and you have a 5.4. Figure it out so you know what you are dealing with.

Tom

 

[SteveWK]

I really wish you would post some pictures of everything in question. Otherwise we are just flapping in the wind and speculating.

 

[Cman01]

I would post pics on this forum and a few others and try to identify the car. With that many mods, this thing has got to have been heavily modded in the past and most that do mods like that are on forums or FB. Nobody does a Watts link without full suspension but he sold the other stuff. As far as the oil pan, motor has definitely been out and he may have popped it and you have a 5.4. Figure it out so you know what you are dealing with.

Tom

Yep, if there were other mods that were on this car they probably got removed cause they were easy to pull out and sold. It's not that easy to pull off a Watt's link or the XL (for the trans you obviously have to put back something like a TR6060 if you had it or have to find one) so it was easier just to leave it in.

 

[Cman01]

Easy to check if you know the tail shaft.
Mine has the Magnum XL simply because I had the trans out during the engine build and I was building to drag race. The XL gets you an SFI bellhousing and direct mount shifter, 2 positives.
Also, if someone grenades a stock Tremec TR6060, the XL is a cheaper replacement than new from Ford.
I’d search for details on the car as a Grabber Blue ‘13-14 was a rare color and the white Mothers sticker is very unique.
Might get lucky and find it online or ask local shops who may have built it.
-J

In the grand scheme on things is it really cheaper to swap to a XL? I'm not so sure.

If your stock stuff is good and not wrecked you can unload it to offset the cost to go XL but you're gonna fork out money no matter how you look at it.

My issue with this swap is the d/shaft. I have a CF shaft and most that do a XL go with a alum. one. There are afkt. CF shafts avail for this swap but it's gonna be HUGE $$$$$ for one. I wouldn't swap out a factory alum. shaft and get a steel d/shaft to do a trans swap (as an example) so to keep a CF shaft under my car doing a XL swap it's gonna get expensive.

 

[biminiLX]

I’ve bought 2 new CF shafts other than stock. One for the XL and 8.8 combo and another when I swapped in the 9”, so XL to 9” SFI CF shaft.
Both for just under $1000 shipped.
I still have the stock shaft (and TR6060) and the XL to 8.8 shaft, so anyone doing the XL conversion in an S197 hit me up
On cost, I have $4300 into the conversion and have a guy ready to give me $3000 for the stock trans/clutch/shaft. To me that $1300 saved me from a $500 shifter and gained me direct mount shifter with SFI bell and the same stock ratios I like.
Decisions, decisions $$$$
-J

 

[Corbic]

OP needs to post pictures.

As with others, I'd recommend taking the car to a pro-shop and having them go over it. You need a solid baseline of what's been done and going one with the car.

 

[v1p3r66]

For the watts link, is it diff pivot style (Cortex or Griggs) or is it frame mounted (BMR or Shelby)?

And as far as the issue with diff cooler line rubbing I would look at your LCA lengths. With a watts like you want the LCA's to be around 17-7/8" to 18" in length C2C, if they get much longer than this you will start to have rubbing issues with the watts link pivot and other body/suspension parts.

THANKS Merkeyworks! I'll check some measurements next week:
It's a Frame mounted style:
Kinda Like BMR, my web search is showing it closer to a FAYS2 setup... the rods with heims are identical. I have to throw it up again and see if some of the clunking is just the heim joints. Maybe I should switch them to a poly-heim joint as these are just the sturdier metal only style. I've destroyed heims a lot in my off-road rigs, so not sure how I feel about them here. (time will tell)

Here you can see where one of the bolts is interfering with the Watts Link frame bar:

Here you can see it starting to get into the cooler line:

 

[v1p3r66]

Easy to check if you know the tail shaft.
Mine has the Magnum XL simply because I had the trans out during the engine build and I was building to drag race. The XL gets you an SFI bellhousing and direct mount shifter, 2 positives.
Also, if someone grenades a stock Tremec TR6060, the XL is a cheaper replacement than new from Ford.
I’d search for details on the car as a Grabber Blue ‘13-14 was a rare color and the white Mothers sticker is very unique.
Might get lucky and find it online or ask local shops who may have built it.
-J

And... I'm 100% Sure it's a Magnum XL now. I have the SFI bellhousing and no remote shifter the tail-section is much larger.

@biminiLX:
What clutch and throwout bearing do you run on these transmissions? Since the Magnum and the 6060 are so close is it all the same? I'm pretty sure my throwout bearing is bad (horrific noise from that area, and clutch was staying engaged too much even when pedal depressed). I will throw the car up and pull back the tranny in a couple of weeks to validate that. Are you running an adjustable throwout or just a stock GT500?

 

[Catmonkey]

That's a Shelby watts link, but it's made by Fays2. The frame is shorter on the Shelby unit. It's not set up right if it's making contact at all those points. It also has adjustable lower control arms and may be set up too long like someone else suggested.

 

[v1p3r66]

More pics for the curious:

Looks to have BMR Rear Links:
And yes, those lock nuts need to be tightened...

 

[v1p3r66]

That's a Shelby watts link, but it's made by Fays2. The frame is shorter on the Shelby unit. It's not set up right if it's making contact at all those points. It also has adjustable lower control arms and may be set up too long like someone else suggested.

Thanks... I'll call Shelby American and get some setup instructions... That helps a lot!