I am trying to decide whether to get a GT or Pony Package. The GT's are hard to find and are several thousand higher at the dealers in my area. The V6 performance on paper looks decent, compared to the mustangs of 40 years ago it even approaches the performance of a 1966 KCode 289 with four speed. I owned one of those back in the 70's when I was in High School. I suspect that the seat of the pants experience and the sound is not as impressive with the new V6's though. I guess I need to go drive a GT and a Pony.

What is actually included in the Pony Package as far as mechanical improvements ?

Is the suspension that comes with the Pony Package the same as in the GT ?

How about the differential, is the differential the same as the GT or is it a lighter duty unit ?

I think I read somewhere that the manual transmission in the V6's is different than the V8.

I am wondering if the V6 driveline will hold up to hard accelaration, shifting etc as well as the GT.

Will headers, dual exhaust and some kind of induction mods produce appreciable performance gain ? Does the V6 with headers and duals sound at all like a V8 ? Would not want to spend much on mods, as I think I would rather just by a GT before I approached that total cost with mods on the V6. Dont want to mess with camshafts, heads or internals of the engine either.

Thanks in advance

 

Best advise is to go and drive the V8 and the V6 and see if the difference in price is worth it. For me the prices difference was like $8,000... Got my V6 on X-Plan while the GT's were going for over MSRP... I never pay over sticker for a car.. LOL! Needless to say I've got the V6...

As far as some of your questions...

The V6 comes with a 7.5 rear end while the GT gets the 8.8. The V6 gets an open differential while the GT gets a limited slip. The transmissions in the V6 is different than the GT's. The automatics are same model tranny but there are differences. (in the clutch pack and input shaft I believe). As far as durability... I'm running over 300HP at the crank and over 400ft/lbs... my driveline seems to be holding up ok... I run my car pretty hard...

While you can certainly make the V6 louder and sound a lot better than stock i don't think you'll ever get it to sound like the V8... some one suggested it had to do with firing order??? I've heard a lot of great sound V6's... but there was no mistaking it for a V8... The stock muffler on the V6 is terrible... you can't even hear the car idling! LOL!

For around $800 or $900 you can add a tuner, CAI and exhaust to the V6 and it will make a huge difference and make up for some of the short coming of the V6... LOL!

 

The V6 performance is decent in real world performance, I have read of sticks running 14.90's and up stock autos 15.30's and up. The car can even give a 68 Mustang 390 a run for its money if I remember correctly on 1/4 times.

The seat of the pants experience is impressive in this V6 a least with a stick on the cars mentioned above and the sound also isn't bad stock.

GT front and rear stabilizers bars.


Yes it's a lighter duty 7.5, 3:31, open vs. an 8.8 351 LSD in the GT.

Yes it's not the same as the GT.

Yes it has been holding up good from everything I have read unless you’re looking to run 12's or lower.

I haven't seen dyno tests on this on this V6 to prove if and what you would pick up, only opinions/ seat of the pants opinions.

Coming from a BB V8 street racing background absoulaty not including headers, dual exhaust, modded exhaust etc form in person and sound clips I have heard... I will tell you this with a stick and stock mufflers when shifting at around 4K between the motor rumbling up and the stock exhaust it does sound decent not shouting out I am a 6. I also have plans to run dual exhaust with stock mufflers.


A custom tune & CAI you will pick up around 25-30 HP and TQ will pick up to about 237 pos an axle back muff. LSD differential and gears (373/410) installed will run about will run about $500.00 with the tune CAI and gears should put you in the mid 14's.

 

The 25-30 HP for tune & CAI is what you'll see on a GT... not a V6... Despite the claims looks like most CAI are in the 7 to 10RWHP gain... Add a tuner and you pick up a few more...

 

I must be missing something then because it seems stock auto's dyno at 162-170 HP and Rygn and others have Dyno in the 190's after tune , CAI and Y or axle back mufflers. What am I missing for the increase to 190-193 for these guy's from the 160's HP stock.. I must be missing something.

 

Your missing the exhaust... You originally said "A custom tune & CAI you will pick up around 25-30 HP " You didn't mention the muffler swap...

 

I did mention axle back muff in the same sentence see above after thought for the position while typing. Picky picky picky scrming I am suprised you didn't caught the differentail it should have said Tlok.

 

Actually I just thought you confused the GT and the V6... A GT will see 25-30HP gain with just a CAI and tune... LOL!

 

No problem LOL

Frank just so you'er not confused by scrming and I going back and forth, if you install a CAI with a custom tune, axle back performance muffler you should pick up about 25-30 HP.

Also Scrming has bee a pioneer in performance on this V6 check out his website excellant info on the V6 on his site a must read.

 

I just looked at the Ford Website and downloaded a brochure. It says that the Pony Package add ABS with Traction Control. Is traction control the same as the limited Slip that the GT has ? The brochure also says that the GT has 3.55 rear gears. Anybody know what the gear ratio is for the V6, and if the Pony Package gear ratio is different - possible the same as the GT which would be 3.55 ?