should I fix it or sell it?

[Brick]

I have a 2005 GT with 32k miles that I bought two years ago. It's a weekend toy that is paid off and I have a clear title in hand. It also has a transmission with a 3rd gear synchro that's starting to let go. It's alright if you drive normally, but will grind if you get on it and shift it too quickly.

At some point I want to move up to GT500 power levels. Either by selling this car or by doing a drivetrain swap.

What would you guys do?

1) Sell it while it is still drivable and put it towards the 500?
2) Put in a used 3650 just to get by?
3) Put in a 6060?
4) Put in a T56 Magnum, which I could later put in the 500 and then sell off the 6060 that would be in it?

Any advice or experiences are appreciated, I'm changing my mind about what to do every hour.

 

[weather man]

6060 and DOB would be the penny wise way to go. If you have no attachment to the car, trade it for a GT500.

 

[Mr. Q]

DUDE. it if was me, this is what I'd do:

T56 OR TR6060, whichever I could find at the least expensive.
DOB.
TVS.

'nuff said.

actually, what mods do you already have on it?
On my 07, I had koni yellows, eibach pro, adj. uca, uca mount, adj. lca's, adj. panhard, l/t's, offroad h, cmdp, cai, 3.73's, and a/b. I was going to do the 6060 or t56 swap and dob kit but I decided to upgrade to the coyote and the 12. I can't tell you how much I love my 12 but miss my 07. I feel your pain man.

 

[Brick]

I should add, I haven't done a ton of mods to it yet. I could have it back to stock in a weekend. Wheels/Tires are the most expensive piece, and they can go on any 05-14.

Suspension/Drivetrain is stock other than CAI/tune and exhaust.

If I kept and built it, I'd go B326 with the S&H twin turbo, and Airlift.

I'm not attached *this* car... but it's a twin to the '05 V6 I bought in high school. There's something about having the pair of them together...

 

[i am ryan]

Although the car sounds mint, I think you will enjoy keeping it more than what the dollar value is worth. The 05s in any mileage just aren't selling for more than $10k, so you'd be selling what is basically a new car for pennies on the dollar.

Plus, that looks like mineral grey in the photos, which is easily one of Ford's best OEM colors of all time. I think your money would be better spent building that car. At the very least you could find a junkyard 3650 for a few hundred bones. I wouldn't try to sell it without the trans being fixed though.

 

[MassMustang]

The T56 with a B326 sounds like an awesome plan!

Plus, if you're thinking of racing, the 05-06 models are a couple hundred pounds lighter than the 07-10 models as they all share a heavier frame thanks to the GT500.

Build a truly custom car that will be just as fast as a GT500.

 

[stkjock]

Unless you are doing all the labor then swap for a Shelby

 

[Department Of Boost]

Unless you are doing all the labor then swap for a Shelby

This

 

[MassMustang]

Unless you are doing all the labor then swap for a Shelby

LOL. I was thinking through the labor component.

Just talking it through though. If you own the 05 outright, I'd imagine the tranny swap might be $4K or so and to stroke the 3V block would be about $4K and an inexpensive blower would be about $4K. So even if you figure $15K, it's still cheaper than the $40K for the 2011 GT500 I'd want (even after trade value).

I'd love the 11-12 GT500 with the aluminum block, but would really love the 13-14 GT500 with the 5.8L.

 

[07 Boss]

Nothing more valuable to me than a car that's paid off.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Nothing more valuable to me than a car that's paid off.

No shit right.

 

[sdleo29]

Unless you are doing all the labor then swap for a Shelby

Exactly; ask me how I know. I am at the point of no return however.

 

[Wes06]

Nothing more valuable to me than a car that's paid off.

I love my paid off car. But is it paid off when you turn the car payment every month into mod payments?
Lol

 

[Department Of Boost]

I love my paid off car. But is it paid off when you turn the car payment every month into mod payments?
Lol

Those payment are more fun though!

 

[Wes06]

Those payment are more fun though!

True.... Those lead me to your manifold didn't it. Lol

 

[Brick]

Exactly; ask me how I know. I am at the point of no return however.

That's where I'm at right now, whether to cross over into the point of no return or go with a better platform to start on. I don't mind putting money into a car, but I don't want to be doing it more than once.

Nothing more valuable to me than a car that's paid off.

Agreed If I upgraded to a Shelby it would be a cash deal after selling this one. Other than something like a house, I feel like if you have to make payments, then you shouldn't be buying it.

Unless you are doing all the labor then swap for a Shelby

I would do all the labor, I'm just worried to get $10k into a build and realize I should've gone with the better platform to start with.


Thank you guys for all your input. At this point I'm leaning towards putting the car up for sale locally and seeing if there's any interest. I've only put 2000 miles on it this year and I won't get to drive it much for the next six months anyway with winter coming. If I could get 14k (wishful thinking?) for it in stock form I would break even and still have a few bolt-ons that could go on a Shellby.

In the meantime, I'll be keeping my eye open for a wrecked Shelby to do a complete swap like 19COBRA93 (Sam) did or a used T56.

 

[Mr. Q]

no way you'd get 14k for it, no offense.
you keep saying that you want a better platform...it's not like you're using the stock 4.6 and upgrading it, you're planning on starting with a b326 aren't you? that's a pretty solid platform. although who am I to say anything, I went to a coyote for a better platform lol.

 

[weather man]

no way you'd get 14k for it, no offense.

All markets are local, the time of year is bad, but he could get that in our area.

 

[Brick]

no way you'd get 14k for it, no offense.

All markets are local, the time of year is bad, but he could get that in our area.

it's probably a stretch, but I think it's possible. 05's in my area are listed for 13-16 with higher miles... but I fully realize they're losing value in a hurry.

you keep saying that you want a better platform...it's not like you're using the stock 4.6 and upgrading it, you're planning on starting with a b326 aren't you? that's a pretty solid platform. although who am I to say anything, I went to a coyote for a better platform lol.

it would be an awesome platform... I guess my reservation about taking the plunge building the car is we all know you can never get your money back out of it. A bolt-on Shelby would get me where I want to be and still have /some/ value if the need to sell came up.

I've still got that 05 V6 in the picture that I'd like to do a build on as a future father-son project someday... but thats probably 20 years down the road lol.

 

[Mr. Q]

new plan, sell the v6 and buy a Shelby LOL