floridafordguy

Hi guys; I'm hoping for more good advice from the MF universe. I'm still debating which version of the GT to get, and how to equip it, since Ford won't build what I want (which would be a GT/CS, Sterling Gray, light gray interior, with Brembos and 255 width tires). I have to decide what compromises will make me the happiest.

This question is about 3.55s vs. 3.73s. The data panel in the R&T Mustang vs. Camaro test indicates the Mustang needed 2 shifts to 60, while the Camaro (with 3.45s) needed one. They did 0-60 in the same 4.6. I am inferring from this that if the Mustang had 3.55s and didn't need the extra shift, it would have been faster to 60. Am I interpreting this correctly, or am I missing something?

All things being equal, I think I'd rather go with the 3.55s. I do a fair bit of highway driving, and I'm thinking about gas mileage and durability. If I "need" to pull hard from highway speed, I can always drop to a lower gear NBD.

The only mods I'm contemplating are cai and 91 tuner. It will be a street only car, with the occasional stoplight drag or highway roll-on.

Any advise from you guys will be appreciated.

BTW, are the 8.5" wheels on the CS wide enough for 255s?

Thanks guys,
Bruce in Ft. Lauderdale

Blacksmoke

So the question you are asking is are you going to be faster with
3.55's or 3.73's?

I have not driven the new Mustang and the other question involved in this is
the following: Will switching from 3.55's to 3.73's in THIS CAR.. .not the Camaro... make you have to change gears another time to get to 60.
Understand what I am saying? Or will both gear ratio's get you to 60 with the same amount of shifts?

Also ...
In my humble opinion that is going to be dependent on the driver. Gears are a torque multiplier so the 3.73's are going to pull harder and in theory get you to your set speed quicker.
But again the shift speed is going to be with the driver if you must shift an extra time to get to 60 with 3.73's

All said and done I'd say there is going to be minor difference as well as minor difference in feel as well.
If you were talking about 3.55's to 4.10's, I'd be debating more.

Personally... I'd go with the 3.73's.
The gas mi. difference is minimal with the 05-09's and probably is
as well on the new Mustangs.

parchisi

I thought that the 3.73s topped out a little over 60, which made for the good 0-60 times. Otherwise, sounds like you should go with the 3.55s, although I myself went with the 3.73s just for fun.

floridafordguy

R&T showed top speed in 2nd as 59

Blacksmoke

What? So are you saying they actually tested the top speed of the car in second gear?

So did they do 59 in 2nd with 3.55's or the 3.73's?

Also with that little difference I'd say the 3.73's would still lead to a bigger pull pretty quickly as you kept the mph going up.

floridafordguy

The data panel in the road test (page 57 R&T August) gives "speed in gear":
1st-39, 2nd-59, 3rd-85, 4th-108, 5th-143, 6th-145 (electronically limited), with the 3.73s There's also a chart showing shift points, and it looks like the Mustang needed a shift just before 60.

I just need help figuring out what all this will mean to me in real world driving.

808muscle

8.5 is fine for 255 tires. I have that on my fronts. I would go 3.73, but that's just me.....I have 4.10s.

drewsky

3:55's ftw!