Well on my way to getting my car detailed i see a gt that is all on my tail. so i slow down and he gets next to me and punches it. there was no 123 go so i was a little delayed and my auto likes to take its time downshifting. so he pulled up to where my nose was at his tail and we stayed like that until about 100 when my governor kicked in. I keep getting told I should be beating these guys but havent yet. maybe it is all the weight i have in speakers in the back with my subs and amps and stuff, or maybe my formy is just slow

Well,your car is almost 10 years older,the GT is more technically advanced,weighs less,has more hp than yours,and probably has a better gear in the rear. I'd say you did ok

While you've got a few good horsepower improving mods, the new GT is making roughly 20 hp more then your engine did when it was new and fresh, and, the technology of that Mustang is much advanced compared to your Formula.
Add to that your automatic tranny, and especially the weight of all that sound gear, and I think you did well with him. Don't anyone get me wrong, I don't like the new Mustang {do like the old ones a lot}. The only way to make a 4.6 really run is to blow it, as Ford has found out. So don't feel bad, my opinion, you shouldn't be dustin off new stick GTs. If you were, I'd say you had a really GOOD runnin A4 '94 Formy

ya, i wouldn't feel so bad. Those 4.6s can pack a punch, especially at higher RPMs.

I had a 96 GT before i got my T/A... (96 was the first year for the 4.6L) It had 215hp (blah), but 305lbs/tq and a 5-speed!!!! hahahaha !!! i was always wonderin how that car kept with newer things (not GM sports cars, of course)... The 03 still had over 300lbs/tq, and 285hp (?)... so dont feel bad at all... gotta figure it takes Mustang 7-10 yrs to catch up to GM... they're GT is only hitting 300hp in 2005... when the f-bods hit it in 1998.... BOOYAH... nice race man... noth to feel bad about.

Back up 2 more years. The 1996 WS6 cars were rated 305 hp

thanx a lot guys, made me feel better, I actually just sent the $ to nick for my new long tubes, hopefully those will really help out. That and when those go on so does the 52mm t.b. which I dont really need but I dont think it will hurt, plus with the t.b. bypass hopefully I'll get some denser air and some more ponies!

Oh and quick ? I was thinking of getting gears sometime in the near future, and suggestions on the ratio. Im not too familiar with gears and still want to be able to drive the highway and stuff. I was looking at thunder racing's package like 440 for the entire kit with strange gears, just not sure what size 3.42, or 3.73, and what series carrier am I looking at?

The carrier you have right now depends on what gears you have right now. If you've got 2.73s you've got a 2 series carrier, if you've got 3.23s you've got a 3 series carrier. So if you've got the 2.73s and want to go with 3.42s or 3.73s you'll need to get a new carrier, a 3 series one for them to work. If you've got 3.23s right now you'll just need to get the gears.

Since you said that you do alot of highway driving, myself I'd go with the 3.42s. They're a good all around gear for both city/highway driving and also for at the track. They won't hurt your gas mileage much and they're still good for helping kick some stang and ricer rear when necessary.

ok sounds great, well my rear end is stock now so what carrier do the 94's have stock?

Based on the fact that you're governed at 104, I'm guessing your car has 2.73's. That's just a guess, but I'm imagining that a car with 3.23 gears would typically be optioned with the speed rated tires too (and, therefore, no top speed limiter).

I also want to take some exception to the notion that the Ford modular motor is more technically advanced (only because the car mags are always criticizing GM for old-tech engines). If a new idea comes along that looks better on paper but doesn't produce better results, is the old way somehow diminished? GM continues to lead the way in naturally aspirated horsepower per cube. I'll take pushrods any day!

ok the 99-04 mustang had 260hp and 302 lbsft you should have beat him if he was stock. my question is how do u know he was an 03 and did u notice aftermarket exhaust?

You should have 2.73s but there were some cars 93-97 cars that came with 3.23s. The only way to be sure is to check your RPO codes. Look for one of these: GU2 or GU5. GU2 = 2.73s, GU5 = 3.23s

ya... i've got the 2.73s... I thought about changing them out for 3.23 or 3.42, but my gas mileage is pretty good for a V8 (I average approx. 23 MPG, compared to my Brother, who averages about 18 in his 04 GTO ; we have basically the same commute, but he has 3.42s). Also, I don't track race (regularly), so i'm not exactly striving to shave tenths off my trap speed.

where would i find the rpo codes?...and with my 94 ive done 140 more then a few times shawn so im assuming ure correct...and my car came with snypers and z rated tires not from gm naturally so that would lead more to the conclusion that plutonium has 2:73's but as soon as i find out where the codes r located ill confirm

i know in the 98+ they are on the driver's door jam. Not sure if they're in the same place on a 94

glove box on a 93-97 car its the sticker on the bottom of the glove box inside it.

I dont know for sure it was an 03 that was just an assumption, it had the 03 body style so I just kinda assumed. And I have no idea if he had any aftermarket parts on his car.

I was looking at thunder racing's page and it says they have 3.42's for the 3 and 2 series carrier, so will I not need a new carrier sue?

Yea, your RPO codes should be with your glove box. If they have the 3.42s that go with the 2 series carrier then no you won't need a different carrier. You can stay with your stock one. But you will still need the master install kit to install them.

93formulabird, not all 93-97 cars have the RPO codes in the glove box. My 97 has them on the drivers door like the 98+ cars.

Sue, maybe yours was made towards the end of the model year.

Yea it was. It has a build date of June 97. Guess it's one of the last LT1 T/As made.

ya, they probably had just installed the robot arm that placed the RPO sticker on the door jam just after paint.

yea the gears come with a full install kit, with oil and all the new bearings etc.

Cool, that's all you'll need then. But one thing you might want to do is get the limited slip additive from a GM dealer. It's alot better then the stuff that comes with the master kit.

Not sure exactly when my '97 was made, but it's got the RPO sticker on the door too.

I really want to get some 3.73's for my 95 formie, they are my next mod on my list! I was reading down this forum and as soon as i was done i ran to my garage to check for my RPO code. Mine was located in the glove box and i have the GU5. So i guess that means i have the 3 series carrier? Awesome...now all i need is some gears! Anybody know how difficult it is to install them? I have never changed the rear ends before so i am not too sure what to do. I know i must take off the carrier and then the gears are inside or something...not too sure. Also, if i change the gears, i know i must also set my speedo to the right setting using a programmer...i do not have a hypertech or any other programmer so can i take it into a shop to get it done? Anybody know a price range on that?

I wouldn't try to put the gears in yourself if I were you. It takes a lot of knowhow to do a rear gear swap. If you don't have the backlash set perfect then your gears will whine and your gears won't last long. I was doing the same thing a while ago and the cheapest any shop would quote me was like $800. I just ended up going on ebay and buying a whole rear end off a m6 car. It had 3.42's in it and only cost me $90! plus now I have my old rear end sitting in the garage that I'm going to sell and get back some of my money. So that's another option for you if you wanted to save some money.

And for the speedo, The only place I could find that could do it was the dealer. I don't know what they would've charged but I'm guessing a lot. I'm getting a tune for my new cam soon anyway so I'm just going to get it fixed then.

LOL this has about nothing to do with the post but as for more advanced motors GM did have the DOHC LT5 90-95 ZR1 vetts. I know that it was a joint engine build but still making 380-405 90-95. ford can only touch that with a blower on the DOHC motor. Just imagine if the LS7 was DOHC its already a great motor and makes the C6 Z06 an insane car for the $$$. I do like 03/04 cobras though but to pricey for me lol.

If your car has D-3-2 on the shifter it is 2.73 if it has D-3-2-1 then it is a 3.23 car.