Thinking of buying '97 GT, have some questions...
 

I'm thinking of buying a '97 GT and I have a few questions:

1) How reliable is the 4.6? I haven't read anything negative, but was wondering if they have had any reliability/breakage problems. I'm planning on keeping the motor mostly stock with few modifications.

2) Is the manual transmission in this car a T-45 (from the factory) or was that only in the Cobra? If so, does it have a lot of problems in a near-stock car? In reading the posts, it seems as if a good shifter may go a long way in alleviating reliability problems. Any opinions? How much $$ to replace the trans. with something better? What's better?

3) Does the 4.6 (16 valve) make decent power at uppper RPM's? I want a motor that 'revs' (unlike the 5.0 in my old '87 convertible) and am wondering if the 4.6 is an improvement over the 5.0.

4) Any problems with these cars in general? Do the A/C systems have the same problems as the older Ford A/C systems, which (I think) had a tendency to leak freon from the spring loaded couplers? I could be wrong on this (I don't know that much about A/C systems) but I seem to remember Ford's A/C being trouble-prone.

Thanks in advance for any advice/help and have a great New Year!

-Jim.

my first late model mustang was a 84 did the usual old style hot roddin. carbs cams headers ported heads 100hp nos went 104 at englishtown thru mufflers on radials, cant remember time though. got stupid, rolled it at hi speed end for end etc. finally replaced it with a 97 gt. 97 out steers it out stops it, is quieter and smoother. BUT not faster nor will it rev higher. SO sent to sean hyland motorsports and hiflow cat pipe, k&n,125 nos, big fuel pump, accel coils, msd wires, ngk plugs. now waiting for shifter and drag radials. would not go back to 84 car!

I've got a '96 and I love it, but I will not lie to you - Shifty is on the money, stops better, handles better. But it sure is a lot more expensive to make it fast! I know you only want to make mild mods - but let's face it, most of us started hot rodding the same way and found out the need for speed is greater than first anticipated. And soon the $ starts flowing. The first thing I noticed about my '96 was the LACK of grunt over about 4800rpm - this motor will out-rev a 5.0, but not in factory trim, it really needs to breathe (hence, my current and future mods).
My bottom line:I love the SN95 body style and I love my car AND the performance I can attain with it. But dollar for dollar you can go a lot faster in a Fox-Body car and still have money left for gas and insurance!
Good luck with whatever you decide - just buy a Mustang!

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96GT, Vortech S-Trim, 3.73, Bassani X, Flows, 70mm TB, Subs, Mega-Bite Jr.Lower rear Ctrl Arms, FMS Uppers, Ripper, and a bunch of other $tuff I can't seem to remember!