Which mustang to buy?? The timeless question...

ViperBlueCobra

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Alright.. time for another mustang toy.

Looking for a street strip car with a/c and radio, looking to run 10's under total budget of 14k.

Here are the cars I'm having an issue choosing from...

96-98 Cobra - with mileage and some cosmetics could be had for 5-7k.
  • Goods - 32v and solid rear axel - cheap
  • Bad - low hp and even with power adder barely 12 sec cars. Need to get motor built with ported heads and cams to get 11 or 10 sec car.
99-01 Cobra - with mileage - could be had for 7-9k.
  • Goods - updated 32v and newer edge exterior (looks better to me)
  • Bad - Cheap IRS - low hp (even ford had to recall the 99's to work on the heads and intakes)
99-04 GT 2v - clean ones for 4-6k
  • Good - cheap and easy to find, power adders are cheaper, and lots of used aftermarket parts
  • bad - 2v motor (or could be good)

03-04 Mach 1 - 9-11k pending mileage and condition
  • Good - again updated 32v with updated heads, solid rear axel, and shaker hood!
  • Bad - spends most of the budget to get the car, doesn't leave much room for modifications.

96-98 GT mustang - 2-4k
  • Good - super cheap, great to do a motor swap with and solid rear axel. interior updates are easy as you can pull from 94-04 parts
  • Bad - terrible motor, will need tranmission and who knows whatever else to go with the motor swap.

I'm leaning more and more towards the 96-98 cobra or 99-04 GT. I've found a few 99-04 GT's with built motors for 7-8k, then I could add a power adder. My questions is that I've never owned at 2v SOHC mustang. what are the limits, what are the best mods, etc? 96-98 cobra's have my interest because it's still a cobra and it's still a 32v cobra motor. There are also a few 96-98 cobras with superchargers or built motors for under 14k. So options there.

With my goal to have a 10 sec 1/4 mile car with all creature comforts, which of the above mustang options would be best? Why or why not specifically on the ones mentioned above.

Thank you guys for you time.

Josh
 

Kiohtee

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Just had to lol @ "even with power adder barely 12 sec cars." concerning the '96-98 Cobra. My NA '97 was an easy mid-12 second car. :lol:
 

ViperBlueCobra

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Just had to lol @ "even with power adder barely 12 sec cars." concerning the '96-98 Cobra. My NA '97 was an easy mid-12 second car. :lol:

Okay.. what was done to the car to run mid 12's?

I'm talking the only mod a vortech blower with low psi so you don't pop the motor, it would be mid to low 12 sec car.

Now you do exhaust, gears, suspension, etc, that's another story and may be in the total budget, but who knows.

But for my statement to be laughable isn't really that laughable.
 

ViperBlueCobra

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why not a fox? the seems easier to get into 10's for cheaper.

I love the fox, because of the rawness of the car. How light it is and how it's a foxbody. but for the same reasons I don't want one. I'm not a huge fan of the interior and limits of the 302 block.

What type of foxbody would i find, that is clean enough to actually start doing modificaitons to, without having to restore the car first? And stay under 14k all together, streetable, a/c, etc, and no nitrous. hard to make the combo work if you ask me.

And I think at the end of the day, I just don't want one. Weird. I know.
 

paynecasey

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Out of your list? Mach1 hands down.


My personal Mustang wish list, 1965 vert, 67 GT350, 1998 S351, 2009 Saleen, 2009 Black Jack, 2011 GT500, 2013 Boss
 

kevinatfms

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99-04 GT.

the 2v when built can make some serious power. stroker motors are going for cheap now too. with a blower + spray on e85 I can see it making a ton of power.
 

kevinatfms

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Any idea on limits and current power packages? Like heads cams etc and blower what type of power are we looking at?

2v heads flow fine when ported. if you want to go all out for power grab a set of twisted wedge heads and crank the boost up.
 

Kiohtee

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Okay.. what was done to the car to run mid 12's?

I'm talking the only mod a vortech blower with low psi so you don't pop the motor, it would be mid to low 12 sec car.

Now you do exhaust, gears, suspension, etc, that's another story and may be in the total budget, but who knows.

But for my statement to be laughable isn't really that laughable.

Full bolt-ons, cams and gears. All it had for suspension was lowering springs. Street tires to boot. The car was far from going "pop." ~340rwhp.

A low boost '96-98 should still make 380-400rwhp and have more than enough grunt to make a 12.5 or better pass, without blowing up.
 

black4vcobra

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Cheap, fast, reliable - pick 2....

Depending on your mechanical ability, any of those can get into the 11's with 14k to play with, however, you have to wonder how well they will hold up.

If you are a great mechanic, get the 96-98 GT and pickup a Terminator motor for it. Light car and 450+ rwhp and the torque from the the Eaton will get you moving quick.

Otherwise, either of the Cobra's and the 99-04 GT can make 400+ rwhp on moderate boost (GT requires more boost or mods) and that will get you into the 11's with tires, a little weight reduction and a good driver, and you'll still be under your 14k limit.
 

xtremeskime21

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I love the fox, because of the rawness of the car. How light it is and how it's a foxbody. but for the same reasons I don't want one. I'm not a huge fan of the interior and limits of the 302 block.

What type of foxbody would i find, that is clean enough to actually start doing modificaitons to, without having to restore the car first? And stay under 14k all together, streetable, a/c, etc, and no nitrous. hard to make the combo work if you ask me.

And I think at the end of the day, I just don't want one. Weird. I know.

I have an all stock one, with 49k miles on it, I'm the second owner. If I were to get to the 14k range I would have a 10 sec car easy. They can be found. Patience. But I understand why you say you don't want one. I've had an 03 cobra, a bullitt, fox's, a 96 mystic. I still found myself back at a fox, since it was my style of car.
 

2KBlackGT

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Any idea on limits and current power packages? Like heads cams etc and blower what type of power are we looking at?

The stock 2V has the same limits as a stock 4v. Build both and they will make comparable power. The 2V will always sound better though:poke:
 

black4vcobra

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The stock 2V has the same limits as a stock 4v. Build both and they will make comparable power. The 2V will always sound better though:poke:

Not true about power limits, 4V has better (still bad) connecting rods than the 2V and a much better crankshaft. Also, 2V would need more boost to match power output of similarly modified 4V and boost is hard on the stock engines.

Sound is subjective. Most people who aren't biased think the 4V 4.6 sounds better than the 2V 4.6.
 
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