Which GT500 Is Best For Me? 07-09 / 10 / 11-12 / 13-14

biminiLX

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With those goals, I’d recommend a full bolt on ‘13-14 and if 750-800rwhp isn’t enough, then build the 5.8
Have you had a big power street car before?
You’ll need drag radials full time to make that 750/800rwhp fun/usable.
-J
 

SVTCobra60

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With those goals, I’d recommend a full bolt on ‘13-14 and if 750-800rwhp isn’t enough, then build the 5.8
Have you had a big power street car before?
You’ll need drag radials full time to make that 750/800rwhp fun/usable.
-J

I need to figure out what a price estimate for a car like that would be vs the alternatives.

I have not no, I was planning on using a 15/16 wheel in back with a tall tire anyway, I honestly just like how it looks LOL. I had a cobra that had a DR full time.


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SVTCobra60

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Want to add another question to this thread although it will probably get very biased answers being this is SVTP.

It seems like, outside of feeling better about myself having a Shelby, a Coyote equipped car would be the far better/smarter car to start with. Thoughts? They seem to be cheaper to mod, faster when modded, more options, cheaper, etc. But they don’t make you feel special like a Shelby LOL. Through all of my reading and research it seems like a Coyote car is hard to mess with if you like lots of power.


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MastaAce03

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Want to add another question to this thread although it will probably get very biased answers being this is SVTP.

It seems like, outside of feeling better about myself having a Shelby, a Coyote equipped car would be the far better/smarter car to start with. Thoughts? They seem to be cheaper to mod, faster when modded, more options, cheaper, etc. But they don’t make you feel special like a Shelby LOL. Through all of my reading and research it seems like a Coyote car is hard to mess with if you like lots of power.


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True facts


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Klaus

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Also, if higher quality pistons/rods were needed, I would be able to get them installed without needing to re-sleeve the block/worry about the PTWA liner, correct?

No.
There seems to be a bit of confusion on the sleeves and their purpose. The AL blocks do not have a liner. If you put new pistons in you need to replace the liner. Since there is no liner to replace in the AL block, you need to put this in, which is the purpose of sleeving. A proper build typically involves new pistons. Therefore built motors will typically have sleeved cylinders. Here is a handy line of questioning as to whether you need liners: Am I putting new pistons in my AL motor? If "yes" then you need to sleeve your cylinders.
 

Klaus

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developed by Mahle are same as in 2012 Cobra Jet are good to 1000 (confirmed multiple times calling Mahle Motorsports).

Where have you seen that GT500 pistons are the same as in the CJ? I know that CJ uses the Mahle forged but as far as I know the GT500 are not forged. Also, CR in the CJ is 9.6:1 vs. 8.4:1 in the GT500. I cannot find the part number for the OEM pistons to verify but it is unlikely that these are same pistons and therefore claims of what CJ Mahle forged can handle do not apply.....
 

RedVenom48

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Where have you seen that GT500 pistons are the same as in the CJ? I know that CJ uses the Mahle forged but as far as I know the GT500 are not forged. Also, CR in the CJ is 9.6:1 vs. 8.4:1 in the GT500. I cannot find the part number for the OEM pistons to verify but it is unlikely that these are same pistons and therefore claims of what CJ Mahle forged can handle do not apply.....
I called Mahle directly wanting to know what realistic limit I could expect for my 2011 pistons so I could plan accordingly. Called and verified twice over a few months to make sure I had heard correctly. Both times hey said the pistons were good to 1000 for 2011-2012.

MAHLE North America | Contact 1-888-255-1942

I certainly dont mean to come off snarky or anything! This was just my experience with what they told me over the phone. Listing the number to call em because Im confidant in the question I asked and the answers Ive gotten from the makers of the pistons themselves regarding power handling ability.
 

Klaus

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RedVenom48

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@Klaus The explanation I got was that the PTWA liner application was so precise that Ford didnt need Mahle to produce the traditional 3 sizes commonly used in production manufacturing to accomodate the variance in casting errors and machining tolerances.

They could produce 1 piston size for the entire line. From what I was told, this allowed Mahle to produce pistons strong enough for the 2012 Cobra Jet program, but cost effective enough for GT500 production.
 

RedVenom48

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Not snarky at all, I was just trying to verify. I know there is overlap between the two (crank, for instance) in some areas but not others (rods).
No worries at all. I was just very happy as an owner of a 2011 when Mahle told me all this. Its not like its a secret, but Im sure they were asked by Ford on how they could make the Cobra Jet program hardcore but also cost effective. Considering how expensive connecting rods are for competition, its little wonder that the CJs and Gt500 engines differed in that respect.
 

SVTCobra60

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No.
There seems to be a bit of confusion on the sleeves and their purpose. The AL blocks do not have a liner. If you put new pistons in you need to replace the liner. Since there is no liner to replace in the AL block, you need to put this in, which is the purpose of sleeving. A proper build typically involves new pistons. Therefore built motors will typically have sleeved cylinders. Here is a handy line of questioning as to whether you need liners: Am I putting new pistons in my AL motor? If "yes" then you need to sleeve your cylinders.


What I meant was that, IF THE BLOCK HAS ALREADY BEEN SLEEVED, I would not need to RE-SLEEVE it if I were to get new/better pistons. If the block had not yet been sleeved and still had the liner, I understand that sleeves are needed for new pistons.
 

SVTCobra60

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No worries at all. I was just very happy as an owner of a 2011 when Mahle told me all this. Its not like its a secret, but Im sure they were asked by Ford on how they could make the Cobra Jet program hardcore but also cost effective. Considering how expensive connecting rods are for competition, its little wonder that the CJs and Gt500 engines differed in that respect.

Good to hear, so the pistons and crank are both good, but rods are not.
 

RedVenom48

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Good to hear, so the pistons and crank are both good, but rods are not.
Correct, from what they told me yes. Id certainly encourage you to give the number a call and verify it for yourself. Do your due diligence, but two different people from Mahle told me these pistons were good to 1000.
 

SVTCobra60

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Correct, from what they told me yes. Id certainly encourage you to give the number a call and verify it for yourself. Do your due diligence, but two different people from Mahle told me these pistons were good to 1000.

Great thanks. Not assuming the car has been sleeved, chances are it will have aftermarket pistons anyway correct?


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biminiLX

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I need to figure out what a price estimate for a car like that would be vs the alternatives.

I have not no, I was planning on using a 15/16 wheel in back with a tall tire anyway, I honestly just like how it looks LOL. I had a cobra that had a DR full time.


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Several good 17” DRs that allow you to run 17x9.5-11.5” and not change rear brakes on the ‘13-14.
I ran 18” rears with 750+rwhp and went upper 130s trap at strip.
If you can afford the ‘13-14 go for it.
-J
 

RedVenom48

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Great thanks. Not assuming the car has been sleeved, chances are it will have aftermarket pistons anyway correct?


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Well, if the car has been ALREADY sleeved you'd have to find out whats in there. Id bet most people had aftermarket forged pistons installed. Assuming its all stock internals, it will have the Mahle forged pistons in it.

As for what you should do, gotta be diligent. If youre buying a car thats already been built, Id want receipts of all labor and parts purchased for the build.

Ive come around to the idea of biting the bullet and getting my block sleeved. No point in going this intensive with mods and trust the PTWA liners. Its taken me some time to come around to this thinking lol. But researching more about the liners, and people's experience has me thinking im better served spending Camshaft money on a properly sleeved block.
 

sleek98

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Ive come around to the idea of biting the bullet and getting my block sleeved. No point in going this intensive with mods and trust the PTWA liners. Its taken me some time to come around to this thinking lol. But researching more about the liners, and people's experience has me thinking im better served spending Camshaft money on a properly sleeved block.

Not a bad idea, you can always add the cams later. But you cant really sleeve the motor very easily once its been built.
 

merkyworks

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Basically it boils down to this, if you want more than 750-800whp and not worry about the engine then it needs to be fully built and the cost of building an aluminum 5.4 or 5.8 can vary from $15k-25k. After you get that out of the way choosing which year GT500 comes down to styling and amenities options.
 

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