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First, a little background:
My first Mustang really did sport 427 cubic inches. '68 GT500 with a Ford 427 sidebolt mains, built motor. Basically, a Nascar engine. Learned to drive and took my driver's license test in that car. Went through 4 sets of tires and had the engine out 3 times within 17,000 miles on that car. Driven just about every muscle car from the 60's and early 70's, plus Ferrari, Porsche (hate 'em), BMW, Merc, Supra, C4, C5, C6, Z06, LT1 and LSX Camaros, new Boss 302, Ford GT, Winston Cup car at Atlanta Motor Speedway and so-forth. You get the idea. I've been around.
So I finally got the time to trot the 427R (currently stock, afaik) out to a deserted road that's about 3 miles long. Great weather, about 78 degrees, and the car was not heatsoaked, as I cruised over there at about 50MPH. I did several intense, drag race style runs plus a few rollouts, all topping out at 3rd gear redline at 110MPH. So for no particular reason, except I wanted to post them, here are my new-to-Roush thoughts:
1. Biggest shortcoming of the car is easily the shifter. Just not very good. If I'm accelerating like it matters, I will not lift to shift. It's a little crunchy into both 2nd and 3rd. If you're not hammering the shifter in this car when doing an "I-will-win-at-all-costs" shift, you are 50/50 to miss the shift, so I really show no mercy. It works, but jury is out on how long the tranny lives in the process. Note to self.....get a leather wrapped shifter knob.
2. Traction. TC was off, of course. From a dead stop, it's touchy to really hook up. I need to read up a little more here on new LCAs and relo brackets to rectify that. Surprised by the lack of traction, given the wider than stock tires on this car. I enjoy spinning and countersteering more than most maybe, but I need to find more traction. Other tires for drag racing, yes, but need to change suspension geometry a bit too.
3. This is my first supercharged car. Always been a "lotsa cubes and NA" guy. It has surprised me how much more impact ambient temp has on a FI car. Nice weather, like today, it's a different car than when I bought it in August.
4. The high ratio for 1st gear takes a little getting used to, coming from a T56. In a T56, there is a pretty even rhythm to shifting. The 3.38 1st gear of the 3650 hits redline way fast and it feels odd (for me) to shift to 2nd so soon. From 2nd on, timing to shift feels "right", but 1st to 2nd comes up mighty quick to avoid the rev limiter. Already got used to it, but seems to me, that short of gearing in 1st might have helped out of the hole in a ~300+ HP NA 3V, but I don't think it's a plus in these FI cars. It's part of the traction issue, in my opinion, at least with the OEM Roush suspension.
5. Love. The. Brakes.
6. Love. The. Whine.
7. Really like the handling. If you're pushing it hard, there's a definite pucker factor in the curves if the road gets bumpy. Good for your prayer life. ;-)
8. Considered a newer 5.0 before buying this. Great motor. In the Boss 302, it's impressive, especially the 7500 redline. But, to my eye, this body style with the Roush mods is just a great looking car. I much prefer it to the 2011-13 for looks. I bought this car to enjoy, not to baby or consider it's resale value. I'll do some mods to push it as far as the M90 will take it, then drive it a while before doing a forged stroker and either a Kenne Bell or whatever is the newer/better/badder successor to to the TVS 2300, likely with a tranny upgrade.
I've driven (much) faster cars. But I really like this one's looks and personality. And I prefer the idea of putting my thumbprint on it as I morph it into exactly what I want, as opposed to paying the same or more money to buy a car that everybody else has. And as I do so, I want to say thanks for all the contributions and info I've already gotten, and will get here. Much appreciated. (group hug).
OK, I'm done now. If you read this far, you have issues......... ;-)
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Originally Posted by big_grin
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