If you were buying a stripped GT with one option what would it be?

[JK XLR8]

300a Roush Phase 2, you will enjoy that setup.

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[RacerX#99]

A "stripped" GT doesn't exist and hasn't for quite some time...

To me, a stripped GT wouid be:
No pwr windows
No pwr locks
No pwr decklid
No pwr mirrors (movable or illumination)
No pwr seats
No SYNC (or associated roof antenna)
No A/C
Cloth only base front bucket seats
No back seat (delete kit)
Base bare aluminum rims (like new Bronco or old PI Crown Vic style)
No rear defrost
No rear spoiler
No strut bracing
No nannies
No under hood liner
No wasteful giant plastic upper intake cover
No illuminated door sill plates
No digital dash cluster
No fog lights
No center console
No cruise control or other steering wheel features (ie: non-leather, buttonless steering wheel)
Non-vented hood
No modes (driving or steering)
Base radio (or none at all)
Base rearview mirror w/o pwr features
No modem or associated components that are useless
No back up cam or associated "safety" devices
No POS tire inflator kit
No seat memory buttons on door

So to me, the above would truly be a stripped "lightweight" GT... however most of the above probably isn't feasible from a factory build standpoint and most likely would not meet current standards for safety regulations.

Oh and if I'm buying a stripped GT, why would I want to add back anything that I didn't want to begin with? After all, the purpose of a stripped GT is to lower weight for "XYZ" events or to simplify and eliminate any complexities that aren't needed from a maintenance or pure operational perspective.

If Ford wouid offer such a "lightweight" GT; it would become a very good seller for those who want a no frills, "delete" weekend warrior that is truly bare bones performance.

Ford, are ya listening? LOL . . .

The 60s are listening and telling you that you were born too late. We can only dream of the 60s and Big blocks were really lucky to get into the 13s. Now everybody owns a 13s Mustang unless you are lucky enough to be running quicker. Don't need any lightweights.

 

[young at heart]

frills, "delete" weekend warrior that is truly bare bones

The 60s are listening and telling you that you were born too late. We can only dream of the 60s and Big blocks were really lucky to get into the 13s. Now everybody owns a 13s Mustang unless you are lucky enough to be running quicker. Don't need any lightweights.

You are 100% correct my friend!

 

[pyrophilus]

The pp1 is all about handling. Take a regular Mustang to a twisting small road, especially in the mountains or canyon, and the car is very floaty and the brakes will fade
It all depend on how you use the car and what your priorities are
For some it’s leather and cooled seats, for other it’s all about handling
The only wrong choice is when you choose the wrong package for the planned usage

I used to think my PP1 wasn't all that (no magne ride), but then when I dropped my car off at the body shop, the rental company asked me if I would like a, "budget SUV", Mustang, or a Challenger. I have never driven a challenger, or have ever been in one, so I asked for the Challenger.

It is a Challenger R/T, with the 5.7L.

I know that this is the basic, entry V8 Challenger, but...

I thought I would die as the car felt more like a boat than a car. I could not take it around corners without feeling like the rear end was going to come loose. I do admit that it was a nicer rider, less jarring, but between the "plushier" ride and the PP1, I think I prefer the PP1.

My '15 and '17 EB prem did not have upgraded suspensions, and while the PP1 did feel tighter when I got it, I didn't think it was a night and day difference.

I am going to take the Challenger back and ask for the Mustang, which will either be a EB prem or V8 prem. I now want to see if the stock suspension on S550 is as floaty as the Challenger RT's.

Anyway, to agree with what you said, the PP1 is about handling, but I as some people say, it isn't for tracking it every weekend. Considering that the Challenger R/T is supposedly for "Road and track", I would not feel comfortable taking this to a track, unless I like to feel like I am driving a boat through the turns. As for my PP1, I would not be driving it hard, but I would definitely feel more comfortable taking corners on this if I were to actually take it to a weekend track event.

 

[19gtaz]

I used to think my PP1 wasn't all that (no magne ride), but then when I dropped my car off at the body shop, the rental company asked me if I would like a, "budget SUV", Mustang, or a Challenger. I have never driven a challenger, or have ever been in one, so I asked for the Challenger.

It is a Challenger R/T, with the 5.7L.

I know that this is the basic, entry V8 Challenger, but...

I thought I would die as the car felt more like a boat than a car. I could not take it around corners without feeling like the rear end was going to come loose. I do admit that it was a nicer rider, less jarring, but between the "plushier" ride and the PP1, I think I prefer the PP1.

My '15 and '17 EB prem did not have upgraded suspensions, and while the PP1 did feel tighter when I got it, I didn't think it was a night and day difference.

I am going to take the Challenger back and ask for the Mustang, which will either be a EB prem or V8 prem. I now want to see if the stock suspension on S550 is as floaty as the Challenger RT's.

Anyway, to agree with what you said, the PP1 is about handling, but I as some people say, it isn't for tracking it every weekend. Considering that the Challenger R/T is supposedly for "Road and track", I would not feel comfortable taking this to a track, unless I like to feel like I am driving a boat through the turns. As for my PP1, I would not be driving it hard, but I would definitely feel more comfortable taking corners on this if I were to actually take it to a weekend track event.

I think you would like MagneRide with your PP1.

 

[shogun32]

I thought I would die as the car felt more like a boat than a car..
...
I now want to see if the stock suspension on S550 is as floaty as the Challenger RT's.

the chassis/suspension of the Challenger is appallingly bad. The ONLY trim that works at all is the WideBody with the Bilstein adjustable dampers and also fitted with the big brakes. Basically you have to spend no less than 50K just to get something resembling parity to a PP1-equipped (non-MR) GT at 43K. For all the bitching I've done over Ford's pricing trends, the real whopper is Mopar.

I think you would like MagneRide with your PP1.

you HAVE to fix the chassis for MR to really shine through. I didn't think it would make a difference until I experienced it first hand.

 

[Firsttexan]

The 60s are listening and telling you that you were born too late. We can only dream of the 60s and Big blocks were really lucky to get into the 13s. Now everybody owns a 13s Mustang unless you are lucky enough to be running quicker. Don't need any lightweights.

Don't knock those 60s baby.

Properly optioned Big Block vettes were turning upper 11s with minor mods. So were the Hemis. 302 Z-28s were in the 12s no problem. And they could do it on bias street tires.

The Mustang is portly anyway you slice it.

There's lot to be said for a 3200lb car with 460++ HP.

One thing for sure. HP is in such abundance, weight is not the issue it once was on the street.

Ask ANY racer how they feel about weight?

I would not want to go past the 140mph mark in almost any car from the 6-70s era. They like to take off like airplanes. My 1963 C2 was literally shaped like a wing.

 

[19gtaz]

the chassis/suspension of the Challenger is appallingly bad. The ONLY trim that works at all is the WideBody with the Bilstein adjustable dampers and also fitted with the big brakes. Basically you have to spend no less than 50K just to get something resembling parity to a PP1-equipped (non-MR) GT at 43K. For all the bitching I've done over Ford's pricing trends, the real whopper is Mopar.


you HAVE to fix the chassis for MR to really shine through. I didn't think it would make a difference until I experienced it first hand.

I only compared PP1 MR to base GT.
We have a washboard road that I have tested many shocks on my old mustangs so I am very familiar with it. The MR ride was quite a bit better ride over the washboards. In your experience was the ride improved with chassis work, or just the handling?

 

[young at heart]

firsttexan said: “Properly optioned Big Block vettes were turning upper 11s with minor mods. So were the Hemis. 302 Z-28s were in the 12s no problem. And they could do it on bias street tires.”

I don‘t mean to be argumentative but we must have lived in alternative versions of the ‘60s. Or maybe we have different ideas of what is meant by “properly optioned” and “minor mods”. I was there and owned all the GM cars you mention and more which could easily pull a stock street Hemi, except the Z-28. Don’t misunderstand me, I LOVED those cars and miss those days, but in spite of great sounds and buckets of low end torque any of those cars you mention was lucky to even get into the high 13s showroom stock on stock tires! Most of the time in the hands of average teenage drivers they’d hang in the low 14s. I don’t need to tell you by comparison what a showroom stock Mustang GT will turn today.

As long as you compare showroom stock to showroom stock it’s not even close. My memory would like to make it different but it just isn’t. I remember doing my first pull in my new GT at about 200 miles and being shocked at how much faster it was than the fastest ‘60s car I had, which was a big block Corvette. Doing some checking later on I discovered the GT is even faster that the really rare L88 Corvette. We live in the best muscle car era ever!

 

[shogun32]

In your experience was the ride improved with chassis work, or just the handling?

high frequency Compression isn't MR's weakness. It's rebound. Over the same series of curves and pot holes and so forth, the post-fix MR car didn't wallow in transition or float over crests or shimmy/shake like it did pre-fix. There's more to be had (Camaro MR tuning is superior) but the difference was noticeable and very welcome. If I owned a MR car I would still replace the dampers with the units from the GT350R.

Regardless of suspension choice, fix the chassis and it really helps.

 

[shogun32]

Ask ANY racer how they feel about weight?

I had one old, scrawny guy walk by the pit and inquire why we were running skeletonized sprockets and drilled this and that. "because it's lighter." All at considerable expense. He just smiled and said "I just take a really good sh*t before putting on my leathers". He was so fast on his very beat up but light 40HP bike it was embarrassing and humiliating despite having easily 2x the power.

 

[jputnam56]

PP1 - thats what i got on mine. took it to a road course car did great....only thing that sucks is finding a separate set of drag style 17" or even 18" rims to clear the calipers...

 

[Hack]

If I were buying a stripped down GT with one option, I'd also like to have a larger engine. But among the actual available options, I'd want a Mach 1 with handling package. Too many options? I don't know if I'd get anything else. I don't think PP1 is really worth it any more. I wouldn't get an automatic transmission because I prefer manual. I wouldn't buy a Mach 1 without the HP. So I think I fail the quiz.

 

[19gtaz]

If I owned a MR car I would still replace the dampers with the units from the GT350R.

So, not possible to just do a firmware update? I guess the dampers are way different?

 

[trackd]

Man, I remember back in the day you could order a notch LX Foxbody pretty close to this. It would have been close to what I would have wanted as well.

Almost bought an ex-CHP notch 5.0 patrol car because it was soooo cool, added cooling, etc but otherwise base model.

Oh, too bad the PP2 is dead, now you've got to shell out $$$ for the slightly upgraded Mach 1.

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