MustangWorks.com : Ford Forums - View Single Post - 93 Rx7 twin turbo 5 spd vs Stock 2002 GT 5 spd??

Mr 5 0 · 04-15-2002, 03:40 PM

That was Tony DeFeo who was a staff writer for Cars Illustrated (now Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords) who bought a brand new 1987 Mustang LX with radio delete and 3.08 rear axle back in early '87. Tony paid for it with his own money and it was his personal car, not a Ford factory loaner.

He documented his many runs with timeslips and lots of photos at Englishtown in the dead of winter ( the magazine paid for the track time) The whole story was published in the March/April 1987 edition of Cars Illustrated. DeFeo eventually ran a 13.7 and yeah, it was a stock 1987 SD 5.0. LX hatchback. Black.

He removed the air cleaner entirely, pumped up the front tires to 50 lbs, emptied the spare tire and jack, played around with the timing (18 degrees was the best setting) and then just kept running the sucker (with 650 miles on the brand new 5.0) down the track.

Tony eventually went from 14.4 to 13.7 - all documented with timeslips - and later, he went even lower but with gears and other minor mods. It can be done.

I got down to 13.8 with gears, sub-frame connectors, Pro-5.0 shifter, timing, cold-air intake as well as pumped-up front tires and an iced-down intake along with a lot of back-road launching practice. That was on the track with good air.

On the street with no prep I probably can pull a low 14 on average. With 116,000 miles on the engine I don't look for races but if one appears, I'll try it if I think it's a possibility for a win. By that I mean I don't run Vipers or new Corvettes or cars with audible blowers on them. I'm not a masochist, just like to go fast.

As for the RX-7, well, every car has it's own personality and obviously a good driver can make a huge difference in et from one car to another so I'll concede that the RX-7 may not normally be a 13-second car (stock) but like a 5.0 five-speed Mustang, they have the potential to be when put in the right hands.

Still, I don't believe an '02 Mustang 4.6 has much to worry about when racing a '93 120,000-mile RX-7 driven by a high school kid. It could be close but it probably won't be. I still maintain that czstang shouldn't brag too much and make no bets. Just race. If it's close, good for the Mazda but if it's a blow-off for the 'Stang, bragging rights are his.

04-15-2002, 03:40 PM	#13
Mr 5 0 Conservative Individualist Join Date: May 1997 Location: Wherever I need to be Posts: 7,487	RX-7 potential That was Tony DeFeo who was a staff writer for Cars Illustrated (now Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords) who bought a brand new 1987 Mustang LX with radio delete and 3.08 rear axle back in early '87. Tony paid for it with his own money and it was his personal car, not a Ford factory loaner. He documented his many runs with timeslips and lots of photos at Englishtown in the dead of winter ( the magazine paid for the track time) The whole story was published in the March/April 1987 edition of Cars Illustrated. DeFeo eventually ran a 13.7 and yeah, it was a stock 1987 SD 5.0. LX hatchback. Black. He removed the air cleaner entirely, pumped up the front tires to 50 lbs, emptied the spare tire and jack, played around with the timing (18 degrees was the best setting) and then just kept running the sucker (with 650 miles on the brand new 5.0) down the track. Tony eventually went from 14.4 to 13.7 - all documented with timeslips - and later, he went even lower but with gears and other minor mods. It can be done. I got down to 13.8 with gears, sub-frame connectors, Pro-5.0 shifter, timing, cold-air intake as well as pumped-up front tires and an iced-down intake along with a lot of back-road launching practice. That was on the track with good air. On the street with no prep I probably can pull a low 14 on average. With 116,000 miles on the engine I don't look for races but if one appears, I'll try it if I think it's a possibility for a win. By that I mean I don't run Vipers or new Corvettes or cars with audible blowers on them. I'm not a masochist, just like to go fast. As for the RX-7, well, every car has it's own personality and obviously a good driver can make a huge difference in et from one car to another so I'll concede that the RX-7 may not normally be a 13-second car (stock) but like a 5.0 five-speed Mustang, they have the potential to be when put in the right hands. Still, I don't believe an '02 Mustang 4.6 has much to worry about when racing a '93 120,000-mile RX-7 driven by a high school kid. It could be close but it probably won't be. I still maintain that czstang shouldn't brag too much and make no bets. Just race. If it's close, good for the Mazda but if it's a blow-off for the 'Stang, bragging rights are his.