why did you choose the s197?

[1andonlywhitie]

Agreed and in that case, my father has owned (still does) a red 1969 Mach1 since the spring of 1970. So, I guess I'm kinda bias as well.

Sooooo jealous. I love those.

I was in Australia, before I was planning to move, shopping around trying to find a nice 60's model fastback..ideally a '69. I had plans to buy it, ship it to Australia and use it as my weekend toy. Basically, only ever found rust buckets and nasty fixes on them.

Then a few months later the plan was made for me to move and I decided to go a new one instead since I was gonna be living here, I had driven my Mum's C/S and loved it so I had a bit of a look over what I could afford... I REALLY wanted a GT500 but they were just out of reach and I'm one of those people that doesn't buy things he can't afford so it came down to a second C/S or a Bullitt. I picked the Bullitt for the extra little tweaks it had from factory and started looking.

Then a few months back I was here on my first trip to start setting up my room, buying my car etc. First day in Dallas, drove to a dealer with green Bullitt with just over 4k miles on it, signed the paperwork less than 4 hours after arriving.

 

[LASO]

Didn't want to give women the wrong impression had I went ahead and bought the Vette. So I picked up a Mustang and started modding it to beat the Vettes and was still able to keep my night life healthy and strong

 

[wht67]

I had been looking for an '06 GTO for a while but after checking a few out I just could not get into the way they looked. On a whim I started looking for Mustangs and realised I coul get a MUCH better looking car for way less $. I originally was looking at a redfire metallic GT/CS but the dealer was giving me the run around. I found the alloy GT at a chevy dealer and the salesmen was new and hungry. He drove it 15 miles to let me check it out. I drove it back to the dealership and started the paperwork. Saw on their big sigb that they had an '07 GT for 500 less than what we were writing mine up for.... turns out that it was mine so I got an unexpected 500 off. The sales guy wasn't happy but what could he do! Been in love ever since!

Wayne

 

[DKS]

I had my first Mustang when I was 16 (86 GT) I loved it and had a lot of fun in it. During my high school days I was all about the blue oval. I had a few different fast fords.

I then got into SUVs after I bought my first Jeep when I was in college. I was involved in Search and Rescue during my Paramedic/Fire Fighter years and loved having a 4x4 that could haul all my stuff.

I had a few different SUVs but I'm now a hard core Jeep lover. I always have a Jeep.

Oh, shit this is about Mustangs. . . . .

I was all into German cars until I bought my BMW, that ruined it for me. So I decided to go back to my roots and get a stang. I found a hell of deal on mine and bought the fucker. I love it.

But I still got a Jeep that I drive all the time, lol The car is an expensive garage ornament.

 

[Brybrew]

My family has always had a pretty general love of cars. We have several late 50's Austin Healey 3000 MkIIs, Triumph TR3 and a TR6 as well as a 64 1/2 factory GT car, a 89 944 Turbo S, and a 70 Mach 1 that is a Back halved drag car (notice we bought it cut up already, as far as we can tell it was done around '72 or so, I would never want to cut up a decent car.)

I have always been the american V8 one of the bunch and after college I got a sales job where I am on the road allot. since we drive our own cars I sold my truck (94 lightning I got when I was 17) for a more economical Honda accord. well after 1 1/2 years of driving it I realized that I truly hated the car for the simple fact that it has NO personality whatsoever. After a few beers one night with a friend of my dads I let slip that I would love to find a Black S197. well the next week he calls me from an auto auction and theres a 06 with 17K on the odo. bought it unseen and after 83K miles, still love it though it may get traded for the Boss 302 depending on where they ring in at next spring.

 

[peetiewonder]

I also grew up a chevy guy and hated anything Ford related at all. right before i graduated high school my 94 trans am was breaking down every other week so i started looking at used vettes (wishful thinking), and then my parents told me they were gonna get me a car since i was saving so much money by going to jc and i was gonna need it. so i started looking and basically there was nothing else out there with the same bang for buck. 350z was cool but for the same options woulda cost 40k, g35 ditto but 45k, gto was awesome but over my budget and i didn't like the fact that it had a trunk that i couldn't fit a pair of shoes in. i looked at the rsx-s but at 6'5 i would look like a clown in that car and i couldn't get with fwd, and i also looked at the subaru impreza wagon, but the mustang had 80 more hp so thats how i decided. Haven't looked back since either, I am now a Ford Fanboy through and through.

 

[hopesmasher]

I always wanted a late 60's mustang but when the time came that I was ready to buy a toy car, I ended up getting into the custom sport bike scene. Then into the custom cruiser scene alongside my sportbike. Several bikes, a ton of cash, a wife and 2 kids later I decided it was time to get rid of the sport bike and go after the mustang that I always wanted and never had.
Started looking at 60's but couldnt just couldnt find the right one. Driving home one day a dealership had an '06 with 22k a bunch of cosmetic mods but an unmolested engine that some poor soul lost to repo.
That was roughly 3 months ago and I havent stopped modding or planning mods yet.
This is going to be a fun ride!!

 

[08SC0020]

Shit, I'm old. Family had Packards and Studebakers when I was a kid, mostly old broken-down ones at that. When the Mustang first came out, my oldest brother and I fell in love with them. Other brother, not so much, at least not until Carroll Shelby got his hands on them, then he was a fan too. I got my first one, a '69 2+2, in '71. Still miss it. Many years later I got a '64 1/2 coupe, 289 HiPo in it, jacked up on G-60's and life was never the same. Got stupid and wrecked it, decided I was more a Ford truck kinda guy for years after, until I bought a '93 T-Bird LX. Still the best car I ever owned, but it had 206K on it when I traded it in for my '08 GT Vert in December of '09. Loved the s197 since the first time I saw one (local cop bought one) and swore I'd eventually get me one too. Glad I waited now, not like I had any choice, I was broke! Got a nice pension windfall and knew that day what I was gonna do, and two days later I did it. Out of over 40 cars and trucks in my lifetime, I love this one the best, especially after adding some handling and boost.

 

[MesaRec]

I used to have a '69 with a 302. 3 speed manual hotrod dressed up like a Boss. Awsome car that never lost a street race. Lost the car when some silver headed guy rearended me. I was at a dead stop and he was doing 50 mph. Needless to say, the car was totalled and so was my heart.

When the S197 came out in 05 I knew I was jumping in face first!!! Reminds me of the '69 every day I drive. Well, at least the looks...

 

[KungFuHamster]

Another former GM guy here...i always LOVED Trans Ams. Swore one day id have one. Upon graduating from high school i got an 88 Firebird Formula with a 305. i thought it was awesome. i loved it so much. my buddy got an 86 1/2 Supra with a 5 speed...and that car smoked the shit out of mine. I couldnt understand it.
Then one night a buddy who had a freshly rebuilt 400 small block in his Nova decided to race a fox body stang...some guy who just happened to roll into McDonalds. The Mustang won. We couldnt believe it...there was no way anything couldve beaten that Nova, but that 5.0 sure did. The seed was planted.
I join the Navy and want to get an LT1 Z28 with a 6 speed, but dad says i dont know how to work on cars and if it breaks ill be fucked... i need something new. so we get a bare-bones V6 99 Camaro. It was actually pretty fun. but i just started disliking driving it. those heavy long doors...the wide turning and shit. the football field that was the dash.

GM announces the death of the F-body so i try (in vain) to trade my 6 in for a Z28. The dealers try their best to penetrate my anus, but put the gimp back in his box. Finally i reach my wits end. i go to the Ford dealer. I was shocked. The car, while slower than a comparable Z28, it was just a fun car to drive. i actually enjoyed driving the car. and they were willing to work with me. so i purchased my first Stang...a black 2001 GT. it would see nitrous and a forged shortblock, cams, an S-trim and a tremec and ran 11s as my daily driver. it was rock solid for a couple years and i beat the snot out of it out in the 757...doing quite a bit of street racing. Alas it took its toll...and things started to break. seeing no end in sight and out of frustration, i got rid of it for a brand new 2005 GT with an auto.

the only mistake was getting the auto...it was just too boring. Got rid of that for a F-150 and got a "project" fox body stang. but got bored with both. didnt like driving the truck and had no motivation to work on the fox.

got rid of both and got into my current grabber orange 08 GT. i enjoy it...but i wont lie.
i still love the new edge cars...perhaps because that was my first mustang...03/04 cobras still give me a hard on. i love my car, dont get me wrong...but i just still have a soft spot for the 99-04 cars. hell i had a dream about my black car a couple of nights ago. i think i may try to do a search for it using the VIN...i still have the window sticker...

 

[Surfstang2020]

Lets see Ive always been a diehard mustang fan( even have the mustang symbol with the ameican flag tatted on my left arm) My first car at 14 ( I was lucky but I worked hard to earn it) was a 65 mustang coupe with a swapped 302 motor man I miss that car thats the one that got away. It just didnt run right and I couldn't afford to have 2 vehicles at the time so I got rid of it. Then I had an 87 pontiac feiro gt ( not by choice lol but it was a fun little car at the time) Then moved on to a 98 v6 mustang convertible. Then an 03 mineral grey v6 coupe which was almost paid off when I traded it in for my dream car i have now the 07 gt. the mineral grey had all the usual boltons headers, exhaust etc.. Then the S197 came out in 2005 and I knew I had to have one but it would be a few years until I bought the 07 brand new off the lot w a trade in on the v6 and some money down and havent looked back. I started small with exhaust and now its spiraling into wanting more and more and this is the most Ive modded any vehicle and so Im still learning but Its been fun and have met some great people that helped along the way. Once shes paid off I plan on keeping this one as shes my dream car and of course the fun really begins with the mods as I'll be able to free up more money with no car payments, which is around the end of this year

 

[Blxcklist]

My dad has always been a Ford guy and my mom had always loved chevys, well my dad bought a brand new 95 powerstroke years ago then my mom got a new chevy at the time, it broke, she got a new one, it broke, she got another new one, it broke. And this whole time my dads truck never had one problem. So then when I was 15 she got a 96ish z28 and they were gonna hand it down to me for my first car, then I was like fuck that! Im not driving a chevy and having it always breaking down, sell it and ill take anything ford! So we sold it and I got a my first mustang and since then Ive had a couple.

 

[Wbihm225]

I grew up a GM boy, based on Dad's muscle cars (Nova's Chevelle's ect). I owned 5 Camaro's (even a freaking 87 I-Roc) I know...
and finally bought/ built the dream...A nasty 68' Firebird. After owning the Firebird for a while, I started to notice the SN-95's and the things you guys were doing. Then my friend flew up to our house in Chicago and bought a Sonic Blue 03' Termi. B/C of a snow storm that year, he had stayed with us for a week until he could drive back South. Before he left, we took it out, I got behind the wheel and I thought HOLY SHIT, this is factory. I want one...but I was broke. Sold the Firebird, got married and saved my pennies. 08 Bullitts were coming out and I got in line as soon as the bank opened. I've converted and think the S197 is the best of all the muscle running the streets these days.

 

[Stangcrazygirl]

I have had a ton of 84-93 Mustang's, a couple of sn95's, and a couple of new edge Mustangs. Then when the s197's came out I loved them! I loved how they look a lot like the 60's fastbacks.

Of course I had to wait a few years till I could afford one and finally in 2009 I bought me a 05 GT.
I remember when I first sat in it and could not not believe this was really mine!

I still feel that way sometimes.. especially when she is freshly clean and waxed up, I walk out and look at her and just say wow.... This is the nicest car I have ever owned.

 

[Ken04]

saw a sneak photo of the S197 in late 03/early 04. Said I'd have me one, or two. Have had hundreds of cars, a 65 notch, a 67 fastback, a 68 GT but did not care for the 97 and up SN95's. Haven't owned a Ferrari yet, or a Aston. But have owned damn near everything else in various models. And was always, always a Ford guy. Had probably 10 new Ford p/u's, bought 1 every 2 years.

 

[HEMI LOL]

a lot of great stories ITT. also shocked how many chevy guys are in here. while im not converted persay, ive come to really love the ford product.

 

[06whipple]

Football, cheeseburgers, cheesecake and Ford. F**K Chevrolet!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drove several 03/04s...was looking for a Mach 1. Dealer had my 06 sitting there and the sales guy suggested I take one for a ride. One drive and I was hooked !! Best car I've ever owned.

 

[DusterRT]

I was a die hard Mopar guy who wanted nothing but a Challenger. It finally came out and it was too fat and kind of out of my price range. Found a steal of a deal on my car and the rest is history...first car I've ever owned that I have no plans to replace, even after almost 2 years (I've had 14 different cars over 11 years..I change directions a lot you might say).

 

[CMK720]

I used to like chevy's also. My family all had chevy's and I was big into chevy racing. But when I got a little older I layed my eyes on the beautiful 03-04 cobra when they first came out and I was hooked on ford after that. At first I was skeptical about the 05+ stangs since it was such a huge change from the sn-95 platform. Went to Homestead Miami Speedway for the races and it's ford weekend there and I saw an 05 mustang...when it first came out. I sat in there and loved it but could no afford it since I was only 15 when they first came out. So my dad bought me a 88 5.0 Vert when I was 14 and we freshly rebuilt it from the ground up. Drove that around until I was 18 and got tired of the old car and had enough money to buy my own car so I bought a used 2001 Bullitt and god damn did I love that car. That car had everything done to it so I got to save up a bit and somehow found a way to get my dream mustang a year later, my 04 redfire cobra. Damn I loved that car, the power was awesome and it looked so damn sexy! But I found exhaust leaks everywhere on the kooks lts so I decided to have the cats cut out. One night I was driving around in Mexico and took it to about 130 and felt like that car hit a brick wall and drove like shit after that. Had it looked at and seems like it blew a valve. The previous owner didn't take good care as I found out later on and he lied about a bunch of shit. Before I knew it shit was breaking left and right. So I sold that piece and was out of a car for a month and was itching to get into another stang. My parents didn't want me to get another but I had the money so I was gonna get what I wanted. So we looked and looked and nothing really popped out at me until the one day I saw an 07 GT with 19k miles and had a decent price and had a family friend that was the finance manager. So needless to say I bought the beauty but hated the wheels (the stock 05's) and promised myself I was gonna enjoy the stock form. Ha ya I knew that was not gonna happen and before I knew it, I was buying parts left and right and I'm still not done! I love the platform and IMO is the best platform ford came out with thusfar!

 

[JDM74]

I don't consider myself a "ford guy" or "GM guy" or anything like that. I have a 2000 firebird Formula that is heavily modified. I like the way the S197 cars look but would never buy a 2005-2010 because they are under powered. Then Ford came out with the new 5.0 with a true 6 speed. That peaked my interest so I looked into it. I gave the Camaro a test drive but did not like it, mostly inside. So I replaced my daily driver 2008 Cobalt SS with a 2011 Mustang GT manual while keeping my Pontiac the garage queen. I can definitely say this, I am NOT a "front wheel drive guy".