Considering buying a GT350 with a Whipple

[The Rooster]

Ive got a 2019 Bullitt that I love, but haven't been able to shake the want for a gt350. My dealer just took a 2017 in with 8000kms on the odometer. Shows like new.
My hesitation comes with the fact that theres a 3.0 Whipple installed, and apparently tuned to almost 800hp. I love the idea of the added power but Im not into buying something thats going to be unreliable or full of quirks. I dont know if theres been upgrades to anything to support the extra power. The price is right and Im essentially paying the same for this car as I would be for a stock version with similar milage.
Any input here will be appreciated... At this point I dont know if I should jump on it, or turn and run.

Sponsored

 

[460Fred]

Plenty on this forum that may jump on this if you don’t.
That being said, I wouldn’t touch it without knowing full good and well what I was buying. It could great, it could be a ticking time bomb.
If you have zero history to make your decision, I’d pass.

 

[TxGT350-52]

The car will have no engine/drivetrain warranty because of the Whipple, so I would be cautious about making the purchase. Even if it was done correctly, you might still have issues with it down the road and the repairs will come out of your pocket.

I was in your same situation last year, as I was torn between a new Bullitt and a lightly used 2018 GT350 for roughly the same price. I decided to go with the GT350 and I have zero regrets...

 

[matthewr87]

There must be plenty of non-supercharged GT350s on the used market. A supercharged GT350 just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[lenFeb]

I mod/tume my other cars. GT350 stays stock. I wouldn't buy this car with turbo added modified. GT350 is a jewel an unique with aspirated engine. IMO modifying voodoo engine defeat a whole purpose of this car/engine/transmission combination. In OP case I wouldn't consider used car(especially GT350) with whipple.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Ask the dealer for the previous owners info and talk to them. Find out all the specifics. Not everyone that makes mods to there car is a 20 year old knucklehead or beats the crap out of it. There are a lot of car guys that do the mods because they truely enjoy it and do it right. Decide for yourself after a conversation.

 

[RUNBUD]

If you do buy the car take it to Diago at Diagos custom tuning in Pickering, On and have him Dyno it to check out the tune and make sure everything is safe. That is what I would do. He is the most trusted guy in Mustang tuning around. Send me a pm if you want and I can set you up with him. Buying a supercharged Shelby wouldn’t scare me if I had it custom tuned by him. I wouldn’t trust the plug n play tune that it probably has.

 

[lightrules]

see if that dealer will include some kind of in-house powertrain warranty (since Ford corporate probably won't cover it). express how you'd like to buy it, but you won't without some kind of warranty in writing. otherwise i say move on.

 

[Nfs1000f]

 

[The Rooster]

I have a long standing relationship with the dealer that’s selling it. I’m sure I’ll have some assurance that it’s in proper health when I get it. There may be some documentation as to exactly what’s done and who did it. The handheld tuner in in the console so it’s possible that it has the whipple supplied tune in it... but the paperwork may say otherwise as it’s apparently “dyno tuned” to 789hp. I don’t know if that’s at the wheels or not.
assuming it’s not hurt as it sits, would it make sense to have a more conservative tune written for it? I suspect I’d be quite happy with 650-700hp if that would help lower that chance of a failure.

 

[Shift]

The longblock is currently around $30k USD before labor. Transmission is about $5k USD. You can kiss the warranty on those goodbye. Ask yourself if your motor blew the next day, are you OK with the 99% chance you'll have to cover the costs yourself? If not, don't buy it. If you're feeling lucky, then go ahead and roll the dice. Temper your expectations accordingly. Good luck on your decision

 

[Inthehighdesert]

I was and am still considering either a whipple or twin turbo setup on mine 20. If I do the whipple I’d be perfectly content with the 650-7 range. The reality for me is every last hp is little more then a bragging rights deal. I would not use the whipple tune. I was going to go with PBD if I did the whipple. There drive ability seems to be the best from the research Ive done and few the few local guys that started with the canned tune. These were both coyote setups but the programming quality Im sure is the same.

I have a long standing relationship with the dealer that’s selling it. I’m sure I’ll have some assurance that it’s in proper health when I get it. There may be some documentation as to exactly what’s done and who did it. The handheld tuner in in the console so it’s possible that it has the whipple supplied tune in it... but the paperwork may say otherwise as it’s apparently “dyno tuned” to 789hp. I don’t know if that’s at the wheels or not.
assuming it’s not hurt as it sits, would it make sense to have a more conservative tune written for it? I suspect I’d be quite happy with 650-700hp if that would help lower that chance of a failure.

 

[DCShelby]

I think turbo is better, since if you whipple that involves new damper, pulleys and belts, and adding that to an engine that’s carefully balanced seems iffy.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Worse case scenario, it is extremely unlikely a long block would ever be needed. I’ve yet to read one instance where a complete motor grenaded and was toast. The tremec’s are stout as hell, a clutch upgrade maybe in the future depending on how the car is treated. I’d be much more concerned with mods on a gt then I would on a 350. You don’t see many 350 owners that abuse there cars.

The longblock is currently around $30k USD before labor. Transmission is about $5k USD. You can kiss the warranty on those goodbye. Ask yourself if your motor blew the next day, are you OK with the 99% chance you'll have to cover the costs yourself? If not, don't buy it. If you're feeling lucky, then go ahead and roll the dice. Temper your expectations accordingly. Good luck on your decision

 

[olaosunt]

The longblock is currently around $30k USD before labor. Transmission is about $5k USD. You can kiss the warranty on those goodbye. Ask yourself if your motor blew the next day, are you OK with the 99% chance you'll have to cover the costs yourself? If not, don't buy it. If you're feeling lucky, then go ahead and roll the dice. Temper your expectations accordingly. Good luck on your decision

A GT 350 long block is NOT $30K.
A new engine is still not cheap at $16K ($2000 core ) but you could could build the stock motor up - including pistons /rods ,valve train upgrades for much less than that if you need to .
Add $2K If you need to sleeve it .
No point replacing it with the same engine if it blows although a 2019+ engine does come with the new predator block , you could use that same block to build a better engine and have it set up for boost .

I say you do a compression test and have it looked over by a mechanic you trust and If it checks out you go for it .

keep some funds aside... Just in case... or just build a spare in your own time for when you really want to turn it up .
I ended up having to build mine (bent a rod ) with the whipple tune so I would suggest an aftermarket tune and E85 .
Plenty of cars with stock motors / whipple are running strong making that amount of power at the wheels .
I love drag racing and I should probably have waited for a GT 500 but as we now know the GT 500 was still “years away “ when I got mine in 2016 . I am not likely to ever see a road course but I can tell you on the street with the whipple it just feels like stock on steroids .

Sponsored