Getting back into a S197???

tjm73

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I'm thinking about getting back into a '05-'09 S197 GT. My favorite S197 chassis body style. I had an '05 GT for a bit, but when we bought our house almost 10 years ago I sold it. It wasn't all puppy dogs and ice cream. I wasn't upset or sad to see it go.

Reflecting on my ownership my bitches from my time with it include:

1.) Throttle by Wire. Hated it. Laggy, lazy feeling. I want what I command at the peddle, not what the ECU thinks I want based on other data it's collecting. I want a 1:1 action.
2.) Hanging idle at shifts. I found this really annoying AF.
3.) The remote mounted shifter setup. Shit idea. Shit design. Shit execution.
4.) Saggy door panel trim. WTF Ford?!?!? How did you not know that shitty glue was going to fail?
5.) Fuel fill issues. Unggghhhh!!! What a hassle.

The sum of these complaints kinda spoiled my enjoyment of my car when I had it. But since then I've had two Foxbody cars. And I love the Foxbodies, but let's get real. They are not great cars. Easy to work on. Relatively cheap. Visceral. But not good cars. They don't have good brakes. They don't handle well. They don't ride well. They're crampt inside. Given a choice for a trip across country in a perfect Foxbody or a perfect S197? S197 no contest. The S197 is 10X better if any better at all. And they are better.

I found a contender not far away. Just under $10K, race red, tan/black interior, manual trans, upper mid-70K miles.
 

MrAwesome987

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The first two points can be greatly improved upon with a decent tune, but not resolved. I guess you just get used to it at, but I still would rather have a cable controlled TB.

Shifter indeed is bad, and even aftermarket shifters are still not a fantastic. I think the only real "fix" is to get a 6060 or magnum xl.

Yeah the door trim is trash. I had to reglue one of mine last year or so, but it still just looks ok.

The fuel fill up issues were resolved at some point between 05 and 09, at least thats my experience. I had an 05 V6 for a few years before the GT and many times I'd end up driving away from gas stations with a half full tank because I couldn't get it to take any more. The 09 GT has not had that issue since I have owned it.

You probably knew all of this, but I figured I'd mention it anyways.

IMO, the 05-09 is easily the best looking modern Mustang, and even with all its faults, its still a great car! I hope you find one that fits your budget and preferences.
 

tjm73

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I thought someone was making a shifter mount that divorced the shifter from the chassis and tied it back to the transmission. Blowfish I think. Haven't heard anything of them in quite awhile. They still around? I should go search them here. I know someone here must have used their product.
 

Norm Peterson

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I thought someone was making a shifter mount that divorced the shifter from the chassis and tied it back to the transmission. Blowfish I think. Haven't heard anything of them in quite awhile. They still around? I should go search them here. I know someone here must have used their product.
Blowfish is still around, but I'm not sure what the status of their 3650 bracket is any more (does 'not stocked' mean 'no longer being produced' or will they make them up as demand comes in?).

2005-2010 Mustang GT TR3650 Shifter Support Kit V2 - Blowfish Racing


Norm
 

xxsurvivalism

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I just had the shifter mounting bolt back out while I was driving, boy that was fun haha.

And what's up with the hanging idle during shifting? One of th first things I noticed when I got mine. Figured it would have been charge motion plate related but I have a Ford Racing Intake Manifold.
 

Laga

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Lito can easily fix #1&2.
You are stuck with the shifter.
Door trim panels can be replaced for under $100. I think it looks better than stock.
B5422B0D-5D87-4E5B-8EF7-26B17669F71C.jpeg
Turn handle of gas pump upside down and tank fills with no problems.
I plan on keeping my 05 for a long time.
68410A48-BD90-4C0B-91E0-342B43CBED6B.jpeg
 

ghunt81

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I've never noticed the hanging throttle during shifting. I will say for the throttle response, stock was terrible and the 93 race tune I had from Bama was way too sensitive. When I got my tune from Lito I had him back it off a touch and it's pretty good now.
 

Norm Peterson

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Shifter indeed is bad, and even aftermarket shifters are still not a fantastic. I think the only real "fix" is to get a 6060 or magnum xl.
This ^^^

While aftermarket shifters can fix some of the 3650 shifter issues, they can't fix all of them. There's still the OE link between the shifter and the transmission that can get a bit sloppy. As far as I know nobody has ever come up with a better design for it.

full



I have to agree that the ultimate answer is a different transmission - particularly the Magnum XL where all of the linkage is inside the transmission and there is a choice of gearsets. Might also cost you steeper axle gears, though.


Yeah the door trim is trash. I had to reglue one of mine last year or so, but it still just looks ok.
Yup. Both of mine peeled up and I eventually pulled them off. Now I can't find the driver side one, but since the car is gradually becoming more track and less street I may find another way to deal with it or just live without trying to re-install them.


IMO, the 05-09 is easily the best looking modern Mustang, and even with all its faults, its still a great car!
One of the under-appreciated aspects of these years of Mustangs is that they don't pretend to do very much of your driving for you. A defeatable TC is the entire list for some years.


Norm
 

rocky61201

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+1 on the blowfish bracket. Not sure if they are still making them. The blowfish bracket combined with AMP Performance brass shift linkage bushings and your aftermarket shifter of choice and problem solved. But be prepared for NVH. Even better, top it off with a 1 piece driveshaft and upgraded motor mounts.
 

Norm Peterson

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I've never noticed the hanging throttle during shifting. I will say for the throttle response, stock was terrible and the 93 race tune I had from Bama was way too sensitive. When I got my tune from Lito I had him back it off a touch and it's pretty good now.
Even the FRPP tune seems to have made rev hang a complete non-issue. Plus it wasn't overly aggressive on tip-in, which makes for smoother driving.


Norm
 

Scowling Tuna

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As a prospective 5th gen buyer (never owned a Mustang...or even a Ford now that I think about it), I appreciate all the input from this thread alone.
 

GriffX

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I have a 07

1 and 2, a tune helps a lot. Even with Bamachips (I had the first before Doug sold it to AM). The last revision from AM is also ok, but I "ordered" an "as carburator like as possible" throttle feeling and I'm happy.
Would I like to try a Lito tune? Sure, but its a matter of time and money.
The S550 has the hanging throttle on idle too.

4. The Door panel is shit. I think its not the glue, its the chemical disintegration of the foam, but must do it now :(
3. I like the MGW shifter

5. I've seen that the 13+ has a new designed plasic tank?

6. The front under body is shit. There is a remarkable lift-up at the front at high speed. (doesn't stop me to be fast on the Autobahn :) )

BTW, one of my unexpected ride quality improvement was to change the front sway bar to the 11+ style. The newer bushings are far better damped than the old ones. (its not 100% bolt on, need grinder to open up the holes in the sway bar bracket )
 

tjm73

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My last '05 also felt "loose" at elevated speeds when I first got it. After putting on the CDC Classic chin spoiler it got a lot better.
 

Charly

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Door panel issues solved with Coverlay, I had mine painted to match correct color of interior, I have a Hurst shifterwhich works fine, my 4.6 has some modes, cams LT headers and Flowmaster exhaust, a tune by Lito solved all my problems, with idle etc.
 

MrAwesome987

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I don't see how you guys are content with the Coverlay panels. My car came factory with the diamond pattern vinyl/leather inserts, and replacing them with painted panels would seriously cheapen the look of the interior, IMO.
 

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