hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (01/14/86)
In article <1115@homxb.UUCP> mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) writes: >> Along the lines of good/best sports GT's... >Talking about value, what about the Ford Mustang GT ? >I think it is an excellent car for the price it commands. >comments ? > >Mark >homxb!mr I suppose I should let Eli answer for himself, but because I am the one who talked him into it... If the dealer follows through as promised, Eli will receive his car on January 26, the day before classes begin here at UMd, after waiting 123 days from the time he ordered it. Although I have seen 2 of them on the road, and both in only recent days, the '86 GT has an amusing story. First, crude specs. Hot Rod Magazine (among others) quotes the factory as saying the '86 produces max 200bhp, 285 ft-lbs torque. They also claim that Ford believes the car to be good for 0-60 in 6.0 flat, a good second ahead of last year's. Reasons? The '86 is equipped with sequential, multi-point, tuned port injection and Ford's EEC-IV computer. It now sports true dual exhaust (as opposed to the fake dual exhaust blowing through a Y constriction) plumbed through four low-restriction catalytic converters and two mufflers, with large-diameter stainless steel tubing and headers. And strangely enough, it also meets '86 gas mileage requirements, a hefty boost over last year's 16/22 rating. As last year, Quadra-shocks load dampers are standard, and it still has the front-disk/rear-drum combo (yecch, but the reviews say it stops short and sure). The cyclops pod has been very tastefully integrated into the rear spoiler deck, is hard to spot from any position except directly behind the car, and is all but flush with the back. Handling is reportedly good, but not quite in the class of GM's F-cars. The T-top is unavailable this year, but the sunroof still is. The T-5 five-speed also has a slightly shorter throw this year, but bigger clutch plates and a larger differential supposedly make getting the power to the ground much easier. Marchal fog lamps are standard, as are the carry-over 225-60VR15 Goodyear gatorback Eagles. The GT's advertisements last year also said, "late delivery...see dealer for details", and needless to say, the dealer had nothing to say. So Eli promptly ordered a grey one with every option except for 1) auto trans and 2) two-tone paint. He also talked the dealer into a bargain basement price, connived him into replacing the stock tires with SVO 225-50VR16 gatorbacks, and made him promise to install Ford 140mph speedo to replace the 85mph one. I suppose I should mention that he got the car for 12.5k including dealer-installed rust- proofing; the tires and speedo change are extra. For 12.5k, I personally could not complain to him. But those are other stories. Read on, avid netter. After a few calls, the word comes in: Ford has had some difficulty getting quality parts from the people who cast their exhaust manifolds, and production resumes in late November. Eli waits quietly, dreaming of blowing off the neighborhood 928's, Firebirds, Camaros, Z-cars, and the like. Calling the dealer, he gets the word: "It'll be in on such-and-such a date." Come such-and-such a date (in early December) the dealer says "No car. I don't know how we could have possibly told you this day. It says here, plainly, that Ford resumes production the third week of December. It'll be started around the twentieth. Takes about 4 days." This is very unassuring news, because Ford employees get a 2 week break for holidays (courtesy UAW) and it will require an additional 2 weeks to deliver. Eli nervously wonders when his car will arrive. He considers whether or not it's fast enough to catch a sloppy Corvette driver. Not really. But it's the trying that counts. Besides, it costs less than half as much. And finally, last week, the word comes in. So here we wait, Eli because it's his car, and I, because I talked him into it. The dealer has claimed that it was started before Christmas, which makes both of us worry; started by workers waiting for Christmas, sitting on an assembly line somewhere for 2 weeks, finished by workers probably unhappy about the end of their break. I dunno guys....we'll let you know if it was worth the wait. Meanwhile, as we sit around wondering when this wundercar will finally fall into our hands... to be continued- -dave -- David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department <disclaimer> University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 hsu@eneevax.umd.edu {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu CF522@UMDD.BITNET "Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern, you've done it now, buddy..." -Ernest P. Worrell
mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) (01/15/86)
> In article <1115@homxb.UUCP> mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) writes: > >> Along the lines of good/best sports GT's... > >Talking about value, what about the Ford Mustang GT ? > >I think it is an excellent car for the price it commands. > >comments ? > > > >Mark > >homxb!mr > > I suppose I should let Eli answer for himself, but because I am the one who > talked him into it... > > If the dealer follows through as promised, Eli will receive his car on January > 26, the day before classes begin here at UMd, after waiting 123 days from the > time he ordered it. Although I have seen 2 of them on the road, and both in > only recent days, the '86 GT has an amusing story. > > First, crude specs. > Hot Rod Magazine (among others) quotes the factory as saying the '86 produces > max 200bhp, 285 ft-lbs torque. They also claim that Ford believes the car to > be good for 0-60 in 6.0 flat, a good second ahead of last year's. Reasons? I thought the '85 was good for 6.4 sec. speced. In fact, there have been times in which I have got about 6 sec. but only under favorable road and weather conditions (i.e. 50-70% humidity). The '85 has 210 bhp. and 265 ft-lbs torque. The top speed is somewhere near 140, but the fastest I have ever gone is 125-130. > The '86 is equipped with sequential, multi-point, tuned port injection and > Ford's EEC-IV computer. It now sports true dual exhaust (as opposed to the > fake dual exhaust blowing through a Y constriction) plumbed through four I was under the impression that the '85 had true dual exhaust and last time I looked it has 2 of everything. > low-restriction catalytic converters and two mufflers, with large-diameter > stainless steel tubing and headers. And strangely enough, it also meets > '86 gas mileage requirements, a hefty boost over last year's 16/22 rating. This is very nice, I get very poor mileage (15 mpg last I checked) > As last year, Quadra-shocks load dampers are standard, and it still has the > front-disk/rear-drum combo (yecch, but the reviews say it stops short and sure). > The cyclops pod has been very tastefully integrated into the rear spoiler deck, > is hard to spot from any position except directly behind the car, and is all > but flush with the back. Handling is reportedly good, but not quite in the > class of GM's F-cars. The T-top is unavailable this year, but the sunroof still > is. The T-5 five-speed also has a slightly shorter throw this year, but bigger > clutch plates and a larger differential supposedly make getting the power to > the ground much easier. Marchal fog lamps are standard, as are the carry-over > 225-60VR15 Goodyear gatorback Eagles. > > The GT's advertisements last year also said, "late delivery...see dealer for > details", and needless to say, the dealer had nothing to say. So Eli promptly > ordered a grey one with every option except for 1) auto trans and 2) two-tone > paint. He also talked the dealer into a bargain basement price, connived him > into replacing the stock tires with SVO 225-50VR16 gatorbacks, and made him Good move. > promise to install Ford 140mph speedo to replace the 85mph one. I suppose I Very smart. (necessary) > should mention that he got the car for 12.5k including dealer-installed rust- > proofing; the tires and speedo change are extra. For 12.5k, I personally could > not complain to him. But those are other stories. Read on, avid netter. > > After a few calls, the word comes in: Ford has had some difficulty getting > quality parts from the people who cast their exhaust manifolds, and production > resumes in late November. Eli waits quietly, dreaming of blowing off the > neighborhood 928's, Firebirds, Camaros, Z-cars, and the like. Calling the > dealer, he gets the word: "It'll be in on such-and-such a date." > > Come such-and-such a date (in early December) the dealer says "No car. I don't > know how we could have possibly told you this day. It says here, plainly, that > Ford resumes production the third week of December. It'll be started around > the twentieth. Takes about 4 days." This is very unassuring news, because > Ford employees get a 2 week break for holidays (courtesy UAW) and it will > require an additional 2 weeks to deliver. Eli nervously wonders when his car > will arrive. He considers whether or not it's fast enough to catch a sloppy > Corvette driver. Not really. But it's the trying that counts. Besides, it > costs less than half as much. And finally, last week, the word comes in. > So here we wait, Eli because it's his car, and I, because I talked him into it. > The dealer has claimed that it was started before Christmas, which makes both > of us worry; started by workers waiting for Christmas, sitting on an assembly > line somewhere for 2 weeks, finished by workers probably unhappy about the end > of their break. I dunno guys....we'll let you know if it was worth the wait. > Meanwhile, as we sit around wondering when this wundercar will finally fall > into our hands... > > to be continued- > > -dave > -- > David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department > <disclaimer> University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 > hsu@eneevax.umd.edu {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu CF522@UMDD.BITNET > "Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern, you've done it now, buddy..." > -Ernest P. Worrell > > Mark homxb!mr