Help Please.......
 

Being relatively new to the Mustang world,( and not mechanicly inclined in anyway,) I have come across many things that I do not understand. Was hoping maybe you guys and gals could help me out. :D (without to much flaming on my ignorance of Mustangs)

First off, what do these mean?

AOD
ATI(?)
Fox body
SN
modular motor

and does a car need to have a standard transmission to be fast?

and if so, why?

I have a 96 GT automatic,(stock)what is it's potential as far as racing?
and what kind of mods would I need?
Thanks for any help,
Kelly
:p

Hi Kelly,
AOD= Automatic Transmission (I "think" it stands for Automatic OverDrive, but since I've always driven a standard, I'm not 100% sure.)

ATI= The only ATI I've heard of is Accessible Technologies Inc., the makers of my favorite blower, the P1SC Procharger

Fox Bodies= the previous generation Mustangs (82-93 I think)

SN= Usually referred to as SN-95. The 94-98 style Mustangs

Modular Motor= The modular motor is much different from the pushrod 5.0 engines. The last 8 cylinder pushrod production Mustangs were made in 1995. 1996 and newer 8 cylinder Mustangs use the 4.6 modular motor....

If you'd like more specific info on the modular motors and vehicles, I'd suggest posting in Modular Madness... ;)

To answer your final question..

No, a car doesn't need a manual transmission to be fast. In fact, almost all of the big boys run some form of an automatic.

But in stock form, a automatic car is usually a little slower than a standard(with a good driver). However, this can easily be rectified with a shift kit and a higher stall torque converter.

In a car with not a whole lot of power, automatic does cost some accelleration in a drag race with everything else being equal. The transmission oil pump takes some power to function. I think in my 306, the C-4 uses up an extra 25 HP.

The advantage is that I almost always am able to launch the same way and that helps me get consistent et's. I never miss shifts even though I shift manually.

I do think with a 4 speed and a good driver, my car would be some faster due to the fore mentioned reasons, but it would be a little more difficult to drive well.

Rev

If you can drive 'em, manuals are funner, in my opinion.

Kelly,
If you dont mind me asking where are you from?, I know a girl around where I live named kelly that wanted a mustang and was just wondering.....

Thanks for all the info. :D

I live in Newburgh, IN.
Not to far from you:)

I'll clear up some of the things Hammer wasn't sure about

AOD is a automatic transmission, AOD stands for automotic over drive. You can has a AODE, the "E" stands for eletronic because your transmission is controlled by the computer

The term fox body is often used to describe the 1979-1993 Mustang

You don't HAVE to have a manual transmission for your car to be fast, but in stock to moderaly modded cars a manual will be faster. The reasons are: A)due to the way they are designed they are more uneffecint than a manual, B) The transmission has to drive a pump which sucks up horsepower, and C) they are heavier. Autos can be helped out a lot by the addition of a higher stall converter and a shift kit.

As for mods here is what I would do. In order

K&N air filter
4.11 gears
2 1/2" cat-back
off-road H-pipe(unless you have emission testing)
shift-kit
65mm throdle body
70mm mass air meter
2800-3000 stall converter

That is all I can think of now, but I'm sure some other members can think of more mods, try posting in the Modular Fourm. Also a power adder such as nitrous oxide or a supercharger will add a LOT more power. Also swapin on a set of 99+ GT heads will also give you a lot more HP.

I hope this helps. Like I said before, try posting in the modular forum.

Josh, aka the tireburner

Fox body: The Fox body Mustang's are referred by the name Fox due to one of the main influences on the design of the chassis, Fox Capri. The Mustang's are technically Fox bodies from 1979-1993, and it's platform mate the Capri (from 1979-1986). Most of the time; however, the when people use the phrase "Fox body" they usually mean 1987-1993. In actuality, there is very little true chassis/powertrain differences between the 1989 Mustang 5.0 and the 1995 Mustang 5.0. They used the same basic engine, transmissions, suspensions (although revised), rear ends, etc. Most of the changes were cosmetic and designed to increase structural rigidity.

SN: SN as in SN95 stands for Sports car North american 1995. Interestingly enough, it debuted as a 1994 model. :)

modular motor: The modular engines are a group of engines that are similar in design to allow less expensive production of a wide range of powerplants. The Mustang has used 2 different modular engines. The 4.6L, and 5.4L (Cobra R).

and does a car need to have a standard transmission to be fast?: For a street car, it's much less expensive to get a manual shifted car into say, the 12's and 13's than it's automatic counterpart. Their are multiple reasons for this. As already hinted at, the efficiency factor. Driving a front pump, spinning a heavy torque converter, and with a larger size and rotating mass, the AOD equipped cars have about 22% drivetrain power loss versus the 17% of the T-5 or T-45 manual. That 5% adds up to a few more than 10hp in stock form, but there are other issues at play here too. The wider gear ratios with the automatic gives the closer ratio 5spd another advantage. The automatic certainly does have it's advantages as well, though. You can leave consistant, and that means once you've got your launch down, you have an advantage there. The auto also has a torque converter, which multiplies the torque for a better hole shot when you equip the AOD with a higher stall performance converter. Other problems abound with the AOD's inherent weakness. For performance applications, a performance AOD from a respected company is desireable, or at the least, a shift kit. Lower rear gears, preferably 4.10's in your car, along with a shift kit, and a high stall converter can put you on par or possibly a hair better than an expertly driven stock 5spd car. Once the drivetrain is properly assembled, the AOD is stonger and more reliable than any T-5 on the planet.

and if so, why?