4th Generation Mustang GT. Fun to drive?

[HardDrive]

I've never had a muscle car of any kind. But I've been poking around at Corvette C3/4s and Mustangs.

I'm a bit amazed at how cheap the Mustangs are. I realize they were made by the millions, and the 4.6 motor drags down prices, but you can get very clear cars for $6-7k.

With a manual, it would seem like a lot of cheap fun. Cheap to tinker with as well.

I'm going to check out this 2001 on Tuesday.

2001 Ford MUSTANG GT Premium - REDUCED

[kaisen]

Looks like a nice car for the money. I've never really liked the 4th gen due almost solely to the seating position. I'm 6'2" and I feel like I'm sitting up on some cheap stool. But others don't find that to be an issue.

[kach22i]

I was given a ride in a supercharged one once.

It ate up the pavement like a time machine bending space.

Fast in a straight line, not very safe feeling when juiced up on steroids though.

[911SauCy]

They are everything you said and Mustangs have the largest aftermarket of any car produced.

The GTs are pretty doggish...but that little DOHC motor can be a maniac for cheap. If thats what you like.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by 911SauCy

The GTs are pretty doggish...but that little DOHC motor can be a maniac for cheap. If thats what you like.

The GT is a SOHC (2v) motor.... is that what you meant?

[hardflex]

Could you elaborate on the 4.6 bringing down the prices? Is that not a good motor?

My dad's got that motor in a Lincon Town Car is the reason I asked.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by hardflex

Could you elaborate on the 4.6 bringing down the prices? Is that not a good motor?

My dad's got that motor in a Lincon Town Car is the reason I asked.

I've got the motor in my F-150 as well. IMHO its a good motor. It does have individual coil packs on each plug, and that can be a pain to track down if you have one coil partially or intermittently failing.

When the 3rd generation of Mustang came out, it featured a 302(5.0) V-8, in keeping with tradition that stretches way back. When the 4th generation came out, purists were disappointed that Ford chose to take the same 4.6 V-8 they were using in a wide range of products, and stick it in the venerable Mustang. It gave people fits that your dads Lincoln, my F-150 and the Mustang all shared the same engine.

I was also an utter dog in the early 4th gen cars. I think it made 215hp. Later (I think 99) they put new heads on the 4.6 Mustang, and that brought the power up to 260hp. Still, thats not a whole lot for a 'Muscle' car. Improvements were made over the years, but I think its still regarded as ugly reminder that bean counters get to make some of the decisions.

That just my humble opinion.

[CMDR Perry]

I like mine, but it has 300 HP with a tuner, CAi and larger throttle body. Starting in 1999 they came with 260 HP from the factory. Since my car is a 2002 Stage 2 Roush with a few tweaks it has great handling. Performance parts are reasonably priced and plentiful. For $5,000.00 you can add a supercharger and easily get 420 HP. DP

[hardflex]

funny you should mention the Coil over Plugs. I'm helping him track down a miss that new plugs didn't fix and I just ordered a set of coils for it.

I've been a Mustang fan for a long time and I sometime shop for them online. Haven't pulled the trigger yet though.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

When the 3rd generation of Mustang came out, it featured a 302(5.0) V-8, in keeping with tradition that stretches way back.

Ah, yes... the favored chariot of Vanilla Ice. "Rollin in my five point oh, ragtop down so my hair can blow". I was in high school when these came out and they were *the* car for every daddy's boy jock to have. I dismissed them since I had much more hp to play with in my Barracuda, but then one day I drove one.... and I have to say, it was a fun car.

I always wondered how they could class the 71-72 was still classed as a First Gen.
Even the 70 was a departure, but those hideous 71-72 beasts belonged in a group all their own.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Fun cars if you can handle the typical cheap Ford interior of the era. Parts are dirt cheap and available locally, reliable, simple to fix, fun in a simple sort of way. A modern 5.0 is really the first recent Mustang that interests me, and I would LOVE to find a good deal on a Boss 302.

[nota]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

Ah, yes... the favored chariot of Vanilla Ice. "Rollin in my five point oh, ragtop down so my hair can blow". I was in high school when these came out and they were *the* car for every daddy's boy jock to have. I dismissed them since I had much more hp to play with in my Barracuda, but then one day I drove one.... and I have to say, it was a fun car.

I always wondered how they could class the 71-72 was still classed as a First Gen.
Even the 70 was a departure, but those hideous 71-72 beasts belonged in a group all their own.

well they [ford] call the early downsized cars mustake II

but the real 63 1/2 thru 66 are type 1
the the 67-68 were bigger
as it went on they gained size and weight
until the mustake II

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by 911SauCy

They are everything you said and Mustangs have the largest aftermarket of any car produced.

The GTs are pretty doggish...but that little DOHC motor can be a maniac for cheap. If thats what you like.

Originally Posted by kaisen

The GT is a SOHC (2v) motor.... is that what you meant?

I'm assuming he was extrapolating the conversation to include the Cobra. Those had DOHC heads, correct?

[HardDrive]

I'm assuming he was talking about the Cobra engine.

Have to wonder if the modern 5.0 (Coyote) could be packed under the hood without to much surgery.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by kaisen

The GT is a SOHC (2v) motor.... is that what you meant?

Yeah, sure. I was thinking Terminator mod motors which are DOHC.

[onewhippedpuppy]

The late '90s Cobra had a hand-built DOHC 4.6 that put out 305 HP if I remember correctly. I still recall a comparison test with a E36 M3 where they preferred the 4.6 to the S52 in the M. Those cars can easily be found for under $10k, and '99-'04 had an IRS.

[HardDrive]

I'm afraid if I buy one, its going to be damn tempting to blow another $5k on a Kenne Bell supercharger. 425hp from an otherwise bone stock motor is pretty impressive. Did a bit of research, and the stock 4.6 internals are supposedly good up to 450hp.

[berettafan]

I like the prior model if for looks than no other reason. lusted for one big time in high school/early college years and loved the sound with the flowmasters so many used on them. drove a couple and thought they were a hoot.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I'm afraid if I buy one, its going to be damn tempting to blow another $5k on a Kenne Bell supercharger. 425hp from an otherwise bone stock motor is pretty impressive. Did a bit of research, and the stock 4.6 internals are supposedly good up to 450hp.

That's a conservative/driveable set-up.

I'm connected to 3 guys with '03 Cobras...yes a bit different engine, but all make well over 700rwhp, one is 945!

[RANDY P]

get a later one.... SN97