02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
08-27-2006, 05:48 PM
#1
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02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
I was looking through some old 5.0 mags and i found a awesome read, its a track test of a bone stock 02GT. They take it to the track and make a couple of runs with it, to see what it can do. I am only going to highlight some of the main pionts of the article, because it is pretty long. but this is a very good read, so please READ ON. some of you prob already know alot of this info and mayhave read this article.
From 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords - December of 2002:
The first thing you have to learn is that even with 3.27 gears, these cars need alot of gas pedal and a slipping clutch of the line. The 4.6 isnt Fords gift to torgue until around 4000 rpm, and as such you needto slip the clutch while winding up the motor to get the car moving smartly from a dead stop. You want to shift the car full throttle at 6000 rpm, and if you are on a really good run, you should tickle the rev limiter in 3rd gear, right before the finish line. The track wasnt in the best condition with the hundreds of street-tired cars dragging water to the starting line and tearing the rubber up the groove. but the GT could do a good impression of a race car if asked to do so.
The first pass, without even lifting the hood, was a 14.986 and 94.47mph with a 2.237 60 foot. not too good, but it was a start. Eight minutes later, the car ran a 14.557 at 97.09 with a 2.219 60 foot. Fifteen minutes later, the car slowed to a 14.684 at 96.42 mph with a 2.213 60 foot. Then a 14.45 at 97.82 mph with another 2.31 second short time. It was at this piont we began to think the car wouldnt go much quicker, but the disappionting first 100 feet of the dragstrip gave us some hope for the car. the new GT is a tough car to drive. its heavy, under-geared, and needs a lot of momentum to really get cooking.
Switching lanes and straddling the shredded groove seemed to help some. The last pass of the night was a 14.218 at 98.06 with a 2.222 60 foot time. that was if for this car in bone stock trim on this night. it wasnt going to go any faster unless we started tweaking some things.
The folling day, we regrouped at Paul's Automotive Engineering. Shop owned Paul greeted our out-of-town guests with some chassis dyno pulls on the in house DynoJet. the bottom line was 238 hp almost 280lb ft of torque at the back tires. more importantly we realized the car didnt make these numbers or really start pulling unitl almost 3500 revs. this helped us understand why the launch is so critical in this car, since you need to have the engine up in the powerband to get forward motion, and hopefully not spin the tires.
We returned to the track on Saturday prepared to do what it took to get better numbers with this car. We began by pulling the entire air filter housing and intake silencer to allow some more air to the motor. We stripped the trunk of the spare tire and jack to decrease weight. the air pressure in the front was bumped to 46 psi to decrease rolling resistance. and the front sway bar was loosened to help the chassis gain some movement, which would hopefully get us off the starting line like we meant business.
The first pass in this trim riding the clutch out at 3500 prduced a bog off this line and a suprisingly much improved 2.054 60 time. the car finished with a 13.96 time and a better 99.02 mph. now we were getting somewhere. there was time for one more pass. after icing the intake and mass air for about a hour. leaving the line harder at 4000 revs the car left smoothly with a 2.011 60 foot and a 13.721 pass at 101.8mph.
Our time with the GT had run out, but the little Mustang had entertained us for two days. we cant stress enough how solid these newest GTs feel. the structure adds weight, but can be quickly offset with a few well chosen bolt ons. above all, this installment of the timeless GT is a fun car to drive.
Lots of good info in this article, i thought i would share it with you guys.
From 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords - December of 2002:
The first thing you have to learn is that even with 3.27 gears, these cars need alot of gas pedal and a slipping clutch of the line. The 4.6 isnt Fords gift to torgue until around 4000 rpm, and as such you needto slip the clutch while winding up the motor to get the car moving smartly from a dead stop. You want to shift the car full throttle at 6000 rpm, and if you are on a really good run, you should tickle the rev limiter in 3rd gear, right before the finish line. The track wasnt in the best condition with the hundreds of street-tired cars dragging water to the starting line and tearing the rubber up the groove. but the GT could do a good impression of a race car if asked to do so.
The first pass, without even lifting the hood, was a 14.986 and 94.47mph with a 2.237 60 foot. not too good, but it was a start. Eight minutes later, the car ran a 14.557 at 97.09 with a 2.219 60 foot. Fifteen minutes later, the car slowed to a 14.684 at 96.42 mph with a 2.213 60 foot. Then a 14.45 at 97.82 mph with another 2.31 second short time. It was at this piont we began to think the car wouldnt go much quicker, but the disappionting first 100 feet of the dragstrip gave us some hope for the car. the new GT is a tough car to drive. its heavy, under-geared, and needs a lot of momentum to really get cooking.
Switching lanes and straddling the shredded groove seemed to help some. The last pass of the night was a 14.218 at 98.06 with a 2.222 60 foot time. that was if for this car in bone stock trim on this night. it wasnt going to go any faster unless we started tweaking some things.
The folling day, we regrouped at Paul's Automotive Engineering. Shop owned Paul greeted our out-of-town guests with some chassis dyno pulls on the in house DynoJet. the bottom line was 238 hp almost 280lb ft of torque at the back tires. more importantly we realized the car didnt make these numbers or really start pulling unitl almost 3500 revs. this helped us understand why the launch is so critical in this car, since you need to have the engine up in the powerband to get forward motion, and hopefully not spin the tires.
We returned to the track on Saturday prepared to do what it took to get better numbers with this car. We began by pulling the entire air filter housing and intake silencer to allow some more air to the motor. We stripped the trunk of the spare tire and jack to decrease weight. the air pressure in the front was bumped to 46 psi to decrease rolling resistance. and the front sway bar was loosened to help the chassis gain some movement, which would hopefully get us off the starting line like we meant business.
The first pass in this trim riding the clutch out at 3500 prduced a bog off this line and a suprisingly much improved 2.054 60 time. the car finished with a 13.96 time and a better 99.02 mph. now we were getting somewhere. there was time for one more pass. after icing the intake and mass air for about a hour. leaving the line harder at 4000 revs the car left smoothly with a 2.011 60 foot and a 13.721 pass at 101.8mph.
Our time with the GT had run out, but the little Mustang had entertained us for two days. we cant stress enough how solid these newest GTs feel. the structure adds weight, but can be quickly offset with a few well chosen bolt ons. above all, this installment of the timeless GT is a fun car to drive.
Lots of good info in this article, i thought i would share it with you guys.
08-27-2006, 05:58 PM
#2
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
love the post. just goes to show you, they went from almost a 15 to almost mid 13's, all bone stock.
the 2v gt a dog? i beg to differ. just gotta know how to drive =)
that high 13.7 im sure he had to beat the hell out of it to get, but hey, it was done. theres another article around where they did the baseline, and modded the stang, and got low 13's, for under 2000$.
it was an auto too, baseline they had it runnin 14.2's consistently.
the 2v gt a dog? i beg to differ. just gotta know how to drive =)
that high 13.7 im sure he had to beat the hell out of it to get, but hey, it was done. theres another article around where they did the baseline, and modded the stang, and got low 13's, for under 2000$.
it was an auto too, baseline they had it runnin 14.2's consistently.
08-27-2006, 06:02 PM
#4
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
Thats cool. Those times they did with a stock gt were impressive. Well we all know that 90% of making good times is knowing how to drive. I have 2 buddies both with 04 gt's. One has exhaust and thats it and the other has exhaust, x pipe, intake, and a few other little things and the almost stock gt runs like 5 tenths faster everytime. Haha the first guy has driven down the strip his whole life and the second guy never did it before now. I know my car would be so much faster if i just REALLY knew how to drive it. Im thinkin about drag school or something lol
08-27-2006, 06:11 PM
#5
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
sounds like they found out that slipping the clutch out, def works best. but it is not that easy to do. most people just get it some revs, drop the clutch, and floor it. but then the car has to work up into the powerband. but slipping the clutch lets you keep the rev happy 4.6 up high where its home is.
08-27-2006, 06:18 PM
#6
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
Definitely attritbute those times to the drivers.
But, I witnessed a long time friend take his stock 350z down to a 13.9, traded it in for an 04 GT & he ran a 13.8@100 & 101 after about 10 passes, leaving the line around 3500, 100% bone stock down to the air filter.
I always knew it can be done, but without the right driver, those 2v's are outright turds, pretty much like any car with a poor driver, but the LS1's don't need to be brutally violated to run a high 13 stock like a 2v.
But, I witnessed a long time friend take his stock 350z down to a 13.9, traded it in for an 04 GT & he ran a 13.8@100 & 101 after about 10 passes, leaving the line around 3500, 100% bone stock down to the air filter.
I always knew it can be done, but without the right driver, those 2v's are outright turds, pretty much like any car with a poor driver, but the LS1's don't need to be brutally violated to run a high 13 stock like a 2v.
08-27-2006, 09:02 PM
#8
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
it was an auto too, baseline they had it runnin 14.2's consistently.
Definitely attritbute those times to the drivers.
08-27-2006, 10:02 PM
#10
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RE: 02GT track Test from 5.0 Mustang and SF - Dec of 02
Great read
Naples....You have an 03 GT that is mineral gray???? I thought they only made DSG (Dark Shadow Gray) in '03. I looked up Edmunds before I bought my '02 (Mineral Gray) and looked up an '03 (friends wife) and they only had DSG in '03
Just wondering
Naples....You have an 03 GT that is mineral gray???? I thought they only made DSG (Dark Shadow Gray) in '03. I looked up Edmunds before I bought my '02 (Mineral Gray) and looked up an '03 (friends wife) and they only had DSG in '03
Just wondering