69dejavue Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Could the 5.7 you saw being built be the new Ford FR9 engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Is it true that you had an order for a 2010 but cancelled? I assume you are waiting for 2011 and the aluminum block. Are you positive it will show up? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggara Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Yes. Is it the 5.4l? More power? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Is it the 5.4l? More power? It should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrycp Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 A birdy I talk to still says it's a 6.2L...we'll see. 5.0, 5.4, 5.7 or 6.2...does it matter? what's the big deal with an al block. I understand lighter (80lbs what I'm hearing) and stronger but for street drivers what does that really mean? Track I could see it, but street I'm not so sure. Even on track, an experienced driver with an iron block vs. a less experienced driver with an al block...you saying the less experienced driver with an al block has an advantage? what about cost? Won't the al block be more expensive? What's the cost/benifit of the al block for street driving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portside Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Thanks George. BTW your caps and Joes shipped yesterday at 2pm from the post office here in battleground WA. Alloy Daves shipped today. On the Alum Block. I was talking to a certian person the otherday in the know about the weight of the alum block. It only saves about 70 pounds. Theres no way we are going to feel that savings on the street. What's the BIG deal about the alum block. Please tell me why it's the cat's meow. 3920lb coupe with a weight bias of 57%/43% front/rear. Remove 70lbs from the front wheels and we have 3850lb coupe with roughly 56%/44%. Not much on paper, but this will absolutely affect handling. 70lbs will make a difference on the strip, though a minor one. On a 2-ton pony car, this is a step in the right direction. In my opinion, this car's intrinsic flaw is it's weight, and anything that lightens it, while joining the rest of the world of aluminum high-horsepower engines, is welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrycp Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 3920lb coupe with a weight bias of 57%/43% front/rear. Remove 70lbs from the front wheels and we have 3850lb coupe with roughly 56%/44%. Not much on paper, but this will absolutely affect handling. 70lbs will make a difference on the strip, though a minor one. On a 2-ton pony car, this is a step in the right direction. In my opinion, this car's intrinsic flaw is it's weight, and anything that lightens it, while joining the rest of the world of aluminum high-horsepower engines, is welcome. I agree the only flaw is the weight. But at what expense in the weight savings is it worth the expense...assuming the al block is more expensive? If the 2010 iron block vs. the 2011 al block (with same hp and torque) are the same price then perhaps the 2011 with the lighter al block is the best platform. But if the 2011 with the al block is $2K, $3K, $5k more...what's that cut-off to where the extra expense of the al block is worth the performance gain? I'm not questioning the benifit of an al block. Just trying to determine the cost/benefit break point for the every day driver, occasional racer or hard core racer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F150 Duke Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 henry, You bring up excellent points. It's at what cost. In all honesty I cannot imagine a street driver who is not going to be racing (myself exactly) will not really notice a difference. However, the "must have the coolest and most recent" in me along with the "most collectable" will want the aluminum engine. All considered I spoke with Shakopee, MN Ford dealer near my house and the sales manager is going to call me when they get their first one in. They currently have 7 09's on the lot and don't know what their allocation is for 2010. But said I could test drive it first to see if I like it. Another thing I'd really like to see is an IRS in the 2011, but I don't see it happening. The MN roads are so rough in bumpy that having a live rear axle like in my 05 F150, has a lot of hop in it going into turns and hitting the bumps or going down the highway at speed. I've got to imagine it's an unsettling feeling in a 540 HP car as opposed to my tuned 385 F150. In a side note, and quite funny one, I haven't driven a stick in 10 years and even then I hadn't driven one for that long. So I'm going to chase down a GT manual to rent for a weekend to practice before a test drive. Duke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrycp Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 In a side note, and quite funny one, I haven't driven a stick in 10 years and even then I hadn't driven one for that long. So I'm going to chase down a GT manual to rent for a weekend to practice before a test drive. Duke Funny, I'm in the exact same boat. I have an '05 F150 and have not driven a stick since I sold my GT on '03. Still have not driven a GT500. When the weather gets nicer I'm going to my dealer and 'step' into a GT500 test drive. 1st drive, an 09 (or maybe a 2010 by that time) GT, then a ROUSH 427 (he's got a Grabber Orange 09 in stock now) and finally the Shelby. I really want to get a feel of the performance difference. I'll drive a 2010 when it comes in to. My dealer ordered a Grabber Blue coupe with no HID back in December so he should be getting it mid-Arilish. I'm considering canceling my 2010 order and waiting for the 2011. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggara Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 In a side note, and quite funny one, I haven't driven a stick in 10 years and even then I hadn't driven one for that long. So I'm going to chase down a GT manual to rent for a weekend to practice before a test drive. Duke Funny, I'm in the exact same boat. I have an '05 F150 and have not driven a stick since I sold my GT on '03. Still have not driven a GT500. When the weather gets nicer I'm going to my dealer and 'step' into a GT500 test drive. 1st drive, an 09 (or maybe a 2010 by that time) GT, then a ROUSH 427 (he's got a Grabber Orange 09 in stock now) and finally the Shelby. I really want to get a feel of the performance difference. I'll drive a 2010 when it comes in to. My dealer ordered a Grabber Blue coupe with no HID back in December so he should be getting it mid-Arilish. I'm considering canceling my 2010 order and waiting for the 2011. Thoughts? The thought crossed my mind but for what I am going to be using the car for I don't really need it and more importantly don't want to pay more for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portside Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I agree the only flaw is the weight. But at what expense in the weight savings is it worth the expense...assuming the al block is more expensive? If the 2010 iron block vs. the 2011 al block (with same hp and torque) are the same price then perhaps the 2011 with the lighter al block is the best platform. But if the 2011 with the al block is $2K, $3K, $5k more...what's that cut-off to where the extra expense of the al block is worth the performance gain? I'm not questioning the benifit of an al block. Just trying to determine the cost/benefit break point for the every day driver, occasional racer or hard core racer. Hundreds of thousands of every day Mustang drivers get aluminum blocks in every Mustang GT sold. Weight would be an important factor for me as a buyer, if I had a choice. If they were to offer a 60s style 'stripper' GT500 (A/C delete, stereo delete, no power windows or power seats, light weight wheels, brakes, etc) I would buy it. I realize that with Ford's budget woes, crash regulations and so forth that this is unlikely. True weight reduction would really only come from a clean-sheet approach at the outset of a new platform design. However, I would be very interested in an all-business low weight version of the same car. I would pay extra for a substantial weight reduction. Lighter weight might even get us past the gas guzzler tax, which would save everyone $1200. As a consumer, apply that ridiculous wasted tax money to the cost of an aluminum block and I'll pay the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggara Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Will this new aluminum engine be able to withstand more power? If not is it just a weight issue? I am assuming it is basically a GT40 engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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