13's the easy way
 

For all of you who are just starting out with your 99-04 GT and want to run 13's here's a list of mod's that actually work. First off you can run 13's with the stock factory power so if you are on a budget you should resist temptation and not buy the small power mod's that you see in all the magazines.

If you car is an automatic you don't have to worry blowing up the rear end so don't spend your money on axles or a aftermarket differential.
Auto mod's
tranny cooler 50 bucks and easy to install
torque convertor 3200-3500 stall approx. 800 bucks and not so easy to install
gears 3.90, 4.10 or 4.30 (3.90's will allow you to add a power adder down the line)
Tune this is a must with an automatic ( I recommend SCT)
drag radials ( Mickey Thompsons)
These mod's will put you into the 13's

For a manual beef up the rear
Detriot True Loc and 31 spline axles
4.10's
shifter
drag radials
That will get you your 13 second time slip

With either type of car I recommend getting full length sub frame connectors welded in (about 250 installed)

drag radials,h-pipe and cai got me a 13.71@100 manual 02 GT in the summer heat.

I ran 13s with XCAL 2, accufab tb/plenum, and k&n filter.

If you get a stall with an automatic, later on down the road you will want some rear end beefy-ness. It will start to wear and you'll probably snap something if you constantly go to the track.

Automatic: Stall + good tires = mid to low 13's

even with slicks your not gonna really nee dit witha stall it doesnt shock the drivetrain at all. Maybe if i was pushing a nitrous or blwoer out of the hole i might but even then you need ot be leaving hard to break an axle with a auto.

:beerchug:
Spike is right. An auto does not hit hard enough to bother the rear end. Mine has over 200 passes on it with the 3,500 stall and has no issues what so ever.

I ran 13's with 4.10s, tune, mid-pipe and cat back And I have a auto

13.366 with a bone stock car, factory goodyears and 40 degrees out and little "Nitrous in a bag" 80shot.

I ran 13.70's with 3.73's, no tune and x-pipe with cats.
The point of the thread is not who ran what, it is for all the people struggling in the 14's and the fact that you don't need more power to run 13's. For that matter you can go 12's with 250 rwhp.
Many peole have a limited budget for parts and I think too many times they get influenced by advertising or other people who have not been there and done that. I see so many Gt owners on here with 265-285 rwhp running high 13's or spraying and only running mid 13's. I race alot, almost every week. I meet people at the track and talk between runs. I see more money being pissed away on parts with marginal power gains or drivers who jump straight to nitrous before they learn what they are doing. I built a 66 Stang back in high school and made the same mistakes, too much power and not enough attention to the basics.

I'm tryin to make mine mid 12's without spending too much right now since i'm saving for twin turbo next winter....no sense in me spending lots of money for stuff to make 12's thats gonna have to come off in 6 months.

You are trapping high enough for high 12's. My guess is your sixty foot is not where it needs to be.

yea. 2.0 60' on a stock goodyear....but i wasnt driving...a friend drives my car @ the track. not bad at all for nothing being done.

Drive your own car! You won't ever learn watching someone else.
2.0 is not bad on Gatorbacks.

Na, I've always had bad luck at the track with every car i've owned and breaking stuff. Plus he's the better one off a pro tree, i'll admit i suck off the pro tree, but on the street...it's different game.

as I said in another thread, I think people take their poor driving habits out on their car then whine about why its so slow. I dont see the people with fast cars and the same, or hell even less mods running considerably faster.