Manual trans only in 83 Mustang?

[Steve Stickel]

Not to get off topic, sorta, but weren't there some 94 Cobra automatics built and used at the 94 Indy 500 as pace cars and later sold to the public?

[james schaechter]

Jay. Bill Dyer has run a couple 85 GT 302 Stick combos in stock and superstock. The GT is a stick only and is a good combo. He won the overall class national championship with one a few years ago. It will go a second under. It is easy on parts if built right. You might talk to Bill. He might sell a roller if you have a person stuck in automatic. I don’t think it is too hard to change years to find a combo that could be run.

[RPM5595]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

Jay. Bill Dyer has run a couple 85 GT 302 Stick combos in stock and superstock. The GT is a stick only and is a good combo. He won the overall class national championship with one a few years ago. It will go a second under. It is easy on parts if built right. You might talk to Bill. He might sell a roller if you have a person stuck in automatic. I don’t think it is too hard to change years to find a combo that could be run.

Hi Jim, the 85 is definitely a better combination. I am just trying to help him get into Stock as and be able to index as cheaply as possible. He has a 83 Bracket car that could easily be transformed but he won't run a stick. We'll figure something out. I'd like to get him into the 87 up. I used to know a thing or two about making those run pretty good.

[Rod Greene]

Originally Posted by RPM5595

Hi Jim, the 85 is definitely a better combination. I am just trying to help him get into Stock as and be able to index as cheaply as possible. He has a 83 Bracket car that could easily be transformed but he won't run a stick. We'll figure something out. I'd like to get him into the 87 up. I used to know a thing or two about making those run pretty good.

Tell him to grow a pair and run a stick or turn in his man card. So many sheep out there.

[Tom Moock]

Call, Marty Buth have him build you 4 cylinder turbo, you run Auto transmission, will run farther under index than 302

[RPM5595]

Originally Posted by Tom Moock

Call, Marty Buth have him build you 4 cylinder turbo, you run Auto transmission, will run farther under index than 302

Welll, I am an engine builder so that would be awkward. lol. We actually talked about the 4 cyl combination but he is a V8 guy.

[ALMACK]

If he is dead set on running an automatic, why not change the front nose piece on his 83 to a 85-86 and run as '86 EFI 302 factored @ 197 hp ?
The hood and interior is the same. Not sure about the tailights tho.

Or....run as 1984 302 /auto CFI efi combo factored @ 195 hp ?

If he wants to run a carbed, automatic 302 Fox body then he's just sol

[RPM5595]

Originally Posted by Rod Greene

Tell him to grow a pair and run a stick or turn in his man card. So many sheep out there.

Ha! Not about growing a pair. It's not in the budget.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Steve Stickel

Not to get off topic, sorta, but weren't there some 94 Cobra automatics built and used at the 94 Indy 500 as pace cars and later sold to the public?

Sort of....

3 automatic cars were converted by Roush to pace the Indy 500 so technically there was never an auto trans Cobra built by Ford Motor Co.

Just like there is no such thing as an auto trans GT500 ( 2007-2014)


1994 Indy 500 Pace Car Replica
The Ford Mustang turned 30 years old in 1994 and was met with corporate-sponsored enthusiasm. As a demonstration of this renewed enthusiasm, a trio of SVT Cobra convertibles served as pace cars for the 78th Indianapolis 500 race on May 29, 1994. The three cars were modified by Jack Roush at his shop in Allen Park, Michigan, for heavy-duty pacing on race day. The pace cars were installed with heavy-duty four-speed automatic transmissions, 15-gallon racing fuel cells, heavier rear springs (to accommodate the weight of television camera equipment), a Halon fire-extinguisher system, a rollbar with 50,000-watt strobe lights built in, and special lights in the rear spoiler. Parnelli Jones, a seven-time Indy 500 competitor who won the 1963 race, drove the official pace car at the event.