Wolfsbane

I'm considering buying a 2000-2004 V6. I have some questions regarding it's performance and handling as compared to a GT. Obviously it's several seconds slowler to 0-60.

I pulled some data from C&D

GT V6

0-60-100-130 0-60-100
5.5s, 14.9s,37.9s 7.1s, 20.6s
1/4mi 14.2@98mph 1/4mi 15.6@90mph
top speed 138mph top speed 113mph(governed)
70-0 braking 170ft 70-0 braking 184ft
lateral acceleration .85g lateral acceleration .82g
lane change 64.6mph lane change 64.6mph
5-50mph street start 5.8s 5-60mph street start 7.6s

Tires

2000-4 GT 2000-4 3.8 V6

pcd 5x114.3
c/b 70.3mm
1/2"-20unf

Baseline tires and wheels
225/55R16 7.5J X ET30 94H 205/65R15 7J X ET24 92T

optional tires and wheels
245/45R17 8J X ET30 225/55R16 7.5J X ET30 94T
245/45R17 9J X ET26
30psi 35psi

Beyond daily driver my use would be spirited driving on tight and twisty roads. When I was in school I used to amuse myself by seeing how short a time I could drive the 30 miles between my house and campus. I averaged around 35 minutes on twisty southern Vermont secondary state two lane highways. I live in NYC now and I used to enjoy driving the same way on similar roads up in the the lower Hudson Valley.

I'd like to try and improve the handling to closer to the GTs .85g lateral acceleration. Wider, stickier tires are usually the biggest bang for the buck. Can something like 225/60R-15 be used on the stock 7jxET24 rims on the V6? They'd be within 98.8% of the stock diameter. They fit within the 70% rule that rims should be no narrower than 70% of the tire width. Does anyone have experience with running tires this wide on a V6 with stock rims? If so, did they notice any improvement in handling and grip?

The 70 to 0 braking of the V6 versus the GT. Are the brakes different on the GT or is the 14ft improved braking due to the better bigger GT tires?

The V6 is limited to 113mph by a governor. Is there any way to remove this from the V6? 113 seems kind of pathetic.

The V6 is 7.5" open differential only. To get a limited slip you have replace it with a 8.8" from a GT. Correct?

mustangman02232

You can throw as much money as you want to get a v6 to do what you want if you have the time and money, for the price of 99-04s if your not doing a Full scale build or are just looking for basic transportation why not just go with the GT? 99/00s had 15" wheels and 01-04 had 16s, but GT 17" can bolt right on, brakes are the same, and v6 verts use the same suspension as GT coupes, thought my 02 was limited to 118 but that can come off easy with a tune, you can do a Detroit true track for the 7.5 that will be able to take whatever you can throw at it, you could use a Ford tlok for them as well but they are weak and break with stock power

Daehawk

I can really only answer the governor question...it must be able to be removed..probably with a tune because Ive been at 125 mph on the highway and had more to go.

Wolfsbane

Because of where I live, insurance companies do not like to insure V8 or forced induction performance vehicles. They want outrageous premiums. The equivalent of re-buying the car every year. Unless you can figure out how to convince the insurance company the Mustang GT is really a Crown Victoria, it's not going fly.

The 200ish hp of a V6 is plenty. It's in the neighborhood of the mid 80s GTs I wanted when in was in school in the mid-late 80s but couldn't afford.

Because of the kind of driving I like to do, my emphasis is on handling instead of speed. I'm not interested in drag racing. The only one I'm interesting competing against is myself and the road.

I'm going to be buying tires anyway. Since they're an ongoing expense, I'm interested in whether they can narrow the 0.82 to 0.85 lateral acceleration and 14ft braking gap between the GT and the V6 with wider 225s instead of the stock 205s. I'd go with 235/50-15s on the stock rims but they're not available and fall outside of the 70% rule and not a size that's readily available.

As I said, the only major improvement I'd be interested in doing would be an 8.8 differential swap for a limited slip and a more bullet proof rear end.

I'm interested in hearing the opinions of people who have experiences and comments that are cogent to this discussion.

Wolfsbane

So the 113mph governor is electronic not mechanical. Do you need a stand alone device to remove it or can it be done with a computer and a program with the right cable? I've read there are driveshaft issues which are the reason for the limiter.

lincolnshibuya

the v6 mustang is just for pleasure driving, there's just no power on this car. Beside from bad handling and interior you can't really enjoy it for spirited driving.

reason I know why, I got an 02 bmw 325xi.. the inline v6 and suspension is tuned for spritied driving without getting the v8.

Daehawk

From reading its jus ta handheld tuner or you could rechip it. I was lucky and bought mine post modded so I got all the stuff I wanted and would have had to pay tons for already on it. Best of all i got it as a salvage title after a front end collision and repair so got it cheap. Not sure on the driveshaft...for all i know they replaced this one.

I dont have a list of mods. I have only what I was told and what Ive been able to see and find without it lifted.

As for tires I cant help again because I have custom American racing wheels and run 255 tires.