I wonder if those rumors are started by Ford to work up a lather over the GT500 and get those initial sales prices up as high as possible? Last I heard there was to be at least a 7,000 unit run this year and at least the same next year. Has this changed?
I finally got to talk to "friends". Turns out things are a little better than I thought. The basis for the bad rumors has been because Ford has officially canned the Adrenalin project and officially announced the end of production of the Lincoln LS and the Ford GT this year. Added to the mix was a recent announcement of the absorption of the SVTOA into some larger, broader organizaton. Furthermore, there was a rumor of the disappearance of SVT badging from the GT500 and rumors of the cancellation of the S197 Bullitt, Mach I, and Boss Mustangs.
At the same time there were the recent layoffs of a bunch of Ford employees. It turns out some of the rumors have been fueled by these folks :).
Other sources I trust just let me know that as far as they know SVT badging is still planned for the GT500. Also, Roush currently has the Mach I and Boss vehicles and it appears Ford is delaying them until after the GT500 rollout. Apparently Bullitt is off the table at the moment but no one knows for sure.
I guess the plan is that SVT, Ford Racing, and FRPP are going to "merge". They will still be making high-performance products and it's likely they will still be badged SVT. This internal organization is mirrored by the merging of SVTOA into TFR. None of this is all that bad, as it turns out, at least I don't think so anymore. It looks, at the moment, like Ford is simply restructuring to weather their current issues.
So, I retract my earlier comment. At least for this year the plan still appears to be a full on production run of GT500. Hopefully it continues for while :). I personally cannot wait to see what the Boss will be like. Given its Trans Am heritage I'm anticipating an IRS rollout on the one :). S197 in road race trim is on my current list of dream cars, heck, has been since 2000 or so :D.
Dan
2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and thingsIf you plan on going with a Kenne Bell you better save for a built short block because all that torque will beat the hell out of your motor. With a centrifugal you'll get better gas milage. You will not use the extra gas unless you're stomping on it all the time. With my ProCharger boost comes on pretty fast. There are pros and cons with all types of blowers. You need to figure what works best for you. I know a guy with a Kenne Bell and he was purchasing gas everyday. Good thing he owned the gas station. I must say the Kenne has an awesome sound to it when it's wide open. It will grab your attention big time when you hear it scream. I wish I had a Mustang with every type of blower made.
It is not the torque that kills engines. It is high rpm horsepower. Torque will take its toll on clutches, flywheels, might trash the tranny but the engine, if in good condition, will survive high torque levels at lower rpms quite easily. The other school of thought is that with a twinscrew blower the driver doesn't have to rev the engine to near redline (while making maximum horsepower) to get a power fix. The forces at play while the engine turns at near redline rpm levels are much greater than when it turns at 3,000 rpm or lower, even when you add the additional torque made by a twinscrew blower. Besides, the reason for a redline is because the forces the rotating parts exert will result in catastrophic engine failure if they spin too fast. Engines rarely fly apart under 5,000 rpm.
If a driver keeps his foot out of the gas a twinscrew will consume less than one horsepower. If the driver can't control his need for speed then he will use gas just like with any other blower or even a N/A engine. Actually, twinscrews are more efficient than centrifugal blowers and consume less horsepower to make the same amount of boost. I will admit that with a twinscrew it is very tempting to roll into the throttle in third gear at 2,500 rpm while exiting a turn and rocket up to redline like you are being pushed by a freight train. :)
The centrifugals and twinscrews are very different animals. If you want your power in a narrow rpm range, up high, then the centrifugal is the ticket. If you want the feel of a 500+ cubic inch, high revving big block engine then the twinscrew is for you. Personally, I like the twinscrews because they will let you have huge power/torque increases from idle to redline. Also, the power deliver is silky smooth and easily modulated with the throttle. The centrifugals are more brutal in the way they deliver their power and it can be harder to modulate it.
But hey, as they say, "It's all good"
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