I have a 1990 Trans Am GTA with a 305, and a 700r-4 tranny, everyone always talks dirt about my car ( all the Mustang drivers and the Honda guys). I am the only guy at my school who has a third gen f-body. (Everybody seems to be leaning towards Mustangs and Honda Civics these days) The tranny has been rebuilt two months ago at a speed shop. I had it built as a Street/ Strip transmission, with lots of upgrades and it was built to handle up to 600 hp ( I want to build a 383 stroker). My friend has a 98 Mustang GT with a 5 spd tranny. Does anyone think I stand a chance against him or any other Mustangs and Hondas etc. ? Thanks!

If he is a bad driver with the stick then you have a good shot, otherwise I think he's got you. What kind of upgrades did you get? I'm assuming a shift kit, servo and boost valve?

~Matt

Do you know if you have a 2.7x or a 3.2x rear end? If he can drive, you'll lose. Built transmissions actually sap some more power than a stock transmission. They are just stronger and to take a beating. So that won't help you either. I'd say race and have fun anyway.

I'd start looking around your area for a 3.42 posi rear if you have a 2.7x rear.

actually should be a decent race, I beat one in my 91 z with a 305 tpi and auto. had full exhaust and 3.23's. keep faith in your car, gta's are effing sick azz cars. Wait till you build that 383 and you will hand it to all the mustangs ands hondas there. Dont let anyone talk down about your car, if your the only gta/3rd gen/f body at your school, then I think you have the coolest car. oh yea and def look into a set of 3.42s, tune port loves that gear set.

well, considering that the 98 mustang GT came with a v8 4.6 and you runnning a 5.0 305 i would say its an unfair match up. the 98 4.6 were much better tuned right of the assembly line, hes probably got close to three hundred horse power stock if not with a simple cold air intake and a few other "autozone" mods while you have barely 200. its a simple number crunch. But with a 383 stroker you would dominate that quite easily. the 383 is a high compression motor that becoming more and more popular these day because its powerful, versatile, durable, reliable, and CHEAP. you can go junk yarding for most of the parts. all you need is a 350 4bolt, a 400 crank, and a decent set of heads(i would stick with your 305 heads for better compression) and your off to a great start. hope that helps!!!

hate to burst your bubble but the 98 4.6 gt's are dogs just like the 96 and 97. they dont have the pi heads and with a "simple" cold air intake probably make 215hp which they are advertized at. If he is a poor driver and your 305 runs well and you can drive it should be close. A 383 with 305 heads would be good if you plan on having lots of trq with no power over 4500 rpm but it is alot cheaper. other than that its all . Just run him and have fun and if he wins just smile and say well it was fun.

Um, no.

The 1996-98 pre-PI 4.6 was generously rated at 215HP...they were lucky to hit 180rwhp brand-new. The TPI 305 will also make a ton more TQ. The only realistic way a pre-PI 4.6 is getting to 300HP is FI/nitrous. This will be a good race...

x 2

I know that the early 4.6l engines ran like a 6.5 to 60 and a 15.2 1/4. The Cadillacs of the era with the Northstars use to outrun them. I was gonna buy one of those Mustangs, didn't get to drive it though. I did drive a 14.9 sec Northstar though. Yeah, that ETC moved.

Speaking of this. Some kid has an 97 mustang, 4.6, standard, aftermarket clutch, headers exhaust, and about 50 pounds of sound. Anyways, it is yellow with a white cowl, and he figures he'd walk all over my GTA.
So I plan on giving him a shot this summer, but ive done a few mods myself since summer, and ill say my GTA should take him outta the dig, and continue to destroy him..

i find it funny how mustangs have such a little HP rating lol

I sell cars and blew the intake on one of those 98 mustangs on the lot just by quickshifting at around 6k and rev matching pretty aggressively, no reason you shouldnt hang with him, they only have around 250 horse to the flywheel your probably pushing 210 but weigh less. Good luck to ya and glad you didn't join the loser hondas : )

the 96-98 mustang 4.6 2 valves are junk. Race him, it will be a good race actually.

So he probably has 195rwhp if his engine is in mint condition and has been tuned well. Shouldn't be much of a race...

Huh? "Blew the intake" how? Also 1996-98 Mustang GTs are optimistically rated at 215HP...

Oh yeah man you got him. Give your GTA a good tune up, drop a couple pounds of pressure off the rear tires and smoke that pony! All you gotta do is step on the gas!

i work with a lot of mustang guys... my best friend has a 1996 mystic cobra with over 600whp. the owner of the shop has another mystic with over 800whp. those are the dohc.. i owned a 96 saleen with a sohc vortech supercharged it was a fast car and clean but with out the vortech it was a slug!
the pi motors are a big improvement a easy 12sec car with simple bolt ons.

now one catch here... there is a modd you can do to the non pi motors.. you put the pi heads on the non pi bottom end with the pi intake and it makes a good na combo about 250-300whp.

I would race him.. and hondas are like condoms only girls want them!

uh yeah I'd say you got it

No offense, but I think you are a little optmistic on both counts.

What "simple bolt-ons" are putting 1999-04 GTs into the 12s? Full-exhaust, CAI, slicks and tuning might get you there with a little weight reduction, but if it were so easy, more bolt-on 4.6 2Vs would be in the 12s. Unless you can drive like Bob Cosby or Evan Smith...

Putting PI on a 1996-98 4.6 is not going to pick up 70-120rwhp over the roughly 180rwhp stock. Most guys on the Corral report around 40-50rwhp gained with supporting mods.

Again, I'm not trying to be an *** and I am a former GT owner, so I'm just throwing my $.02 in.

listen bro look at your car and then look at there enoght said mustang and honda what eva

...... The English language surrenders sir......

Say what?

Im sorry a 383 is just not that simple, you cant just drop in a 400 crank, you have to get the 350 machined before it will except a 400 crank, which is not all that cheap.

hey

i used to be a crazy honda guy.....i had a honda civic fullly turbo dressed with every detail u can imagine...i gave up driving for a while when i was injured...but my brother purchased my honda....i got my first third gen when i was back on my feet and i realizded how slow they are sooo now im starting to make it faster hopefully a 383 stroker but for ppl that think hondas are ****...they just havnt been beatin by one yet....and they havnt drove one either ....they can freaking gooo fast with some cheap mods tooo....

o yea forgot to mention....other then light weight speed..hondas are pile of ****...lol there made like toys...realized that when i drove my first AMERICAN car....specially third gens and fourth gens...simply best

Between the two of you there wont be a huge difference in horsepower, he probably has maybe +20 - +25 on you, but your torque is going to blow him out of the water. My advice is throw on a pair of 3:42 or 3:73 gears on and you will most likely kill him, he may have a higher top speed but your acceleration should kill him.

hey?

lol @ some bolt ons making a pi 2v an easy 12 second car.

...and lol@someone bumping a thread that has been dead for well over a year....

From the responses, I would assume a GTA with a 350 and 3.27 rear end would eat the Mustang alive?

I lol @ old mitch hedberg.

so did this race ever happen?

Yah...pretty much. If the L98 car can get traction, it should be lights-out for the pre-PI 4.6 Stang.

That is some SERIOUSLY outdated info. NO ONE uses 400 cranks anymore. There are off the shelf cranks that are higher quality and fit 350 blocks with the same stroke and are very affordable. 383's are only high compression if you build them to be high compression. You also dont need a 4-bolt main block. 4-bolts are arguably weaker than 2-bolt mains. And I dont know anywhere you can buy good 383 pistons from a junkyard, and aside from the crank clearancing if you let a machine shop tackle that, the pistons are probably the most expensive part.

The post you quoted was full of fail. However, he only posted for one day over a year ago, so I doubt he will reap the benefit of your correction.