355 with Mustang Engine...not kidding

This puts the "Hey is that the new mustang?" comments in a whole new light.

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/494450

 

Note in passing: They put a 96 mustang engine in it. This was the very same year tha FORD had to recall all th SVO mustangs and modify them from 300 HP to the advertized 320 HP. In effect, they removed a 3.5 litre 380 HP engine and dropped in a 4.6 litre 300 HP engine. A big step backwards, even before you add up all that rear-heavy weight.

 

Interesting find. I wonder how it preforms? They should of just put a new Ferrari engine/trans in. Seeing a Ferrari and hearing a Mustang shouldnt go together.

 

What gearbox did they use. Reading the article it sounded like they used the Mustang 'box ... which surely would be impossible. They did use a 5 speed box though (?).

Anyway it is a piece of ****

Pete

 

I think he says 0 to 60 in 5.5 secs.

Does this make the car a replica or is modified?

 

Modified in my opinion. What stuffs it up is they have changed the VIN to the Mustang VIN, surely dodgy as doesn't the VIN relate to the chassis not the engine. Another reason to steer well clear of this car!

Pete

 

That VIN change is why he wants to sell it locally.

 

That year was 1999, Mitch. That's why there is no such thing as a 2000 Cobra (except the Cobra R), because Ford was busy with the [lack of] horsepower recall.

 

changing the VIN is a felony. registering it it even worse, selling it worse yet....... better to fix/restore the ferrari vin. even title bond it and have it state inspected. now he is screwed. legally he cant sell this car with a mustang vin.

 

ruined

 

sounds "fishy" to me, just rerouting the transmission/drive-shaft would be a nightmare.

and supercharging a Ford aluminum block is risky imo. rumours of some catastrophic failures at SVT before they went to a cast-iron block for the supercharged Mustang. Don't thing Saleen did any sc 4.6's either. Although lots of kits available - assuming low-pressure.

Only issue I'm aware of for '96 SVT's was cooling problems. Probably not much better in the back of a 355 chassis.

although would be one way to guarantee isolation at any event but grade 11/12.

 

junk.

 

Everything about it sounds wrong. I would think there would be a photo of the engine bay instead of just generic photos that can be downloaded anywhere...I mean that is a lot of work and he'd be proud of it. The salavge on a 308 might be $5k, but I'd think a 355 would be closer to $15k maybe $20k. I don't think you could replace an interior for $2800 unless you used vinyl on the seats and nylon carpet, you might be able to get a pair of seats on ebay for that...or if you subbed in reace seats you could buy the rest of the parts maybe...yet the photo shows a nice factory looking interior. It's flat impossible to get the mustang trans and differentail in there without streching the wheel base 12-18", and if he used a different trans, then he couldn't even buy the parts for the $3700 his brother charged. The water was up the top of the doors and all the wiring, electric motors, radio still work? at least he doesn't claim to have replaced anything.

I think it is more likely that somebody saw an ad for freshwater salvage cars on one of the many web sights and figured what it would sell for based on there experience with US cars (probably mustangs). Then started search for the parts they could think of that would need to be replace. They realized the engine was big money so they subbed in a mustang engine since that know about. I don't believe the car exists other than in someones mind.

The only other explanation is that guy has an opportunity to buy a stolen 355 that has been partly stripped an he thinks we'll just pass it off as a kit car to the DMV. That is normally the ONLY reason to remove a VIN since just removing it is a felony. With the seats and engine/trans pulled out and sold the rest might sell for $2550-$5000. I still don't believe he built the car, I think it's more like what he's planning to do....or maye something he hear about someone tying to do.

 

I smell bull****. And if it isn't, what was the guy thinking by destroying a piece of art like this.

 

if i had the chance I would buy the car and return it to its original, intended configuration. as it sits now, its crap. what a shame.

ernie

 

I'm with Mark.
Building stuff like this is VERY hard and expensive. Think about what went into changing the trans in my Lola from the racing Hewlet to the more street friendly GT40 ZF. I'd love to see a pic of a Ford engine mated to any trans that would drive this "355".

 

Biggest POS to this date.....

 

Pure B.S.

I helped assemble a Factory Five Cobra Replica, and I know Ford parts reasonably well.

Notice how there's no picture of the engine installed in the car?

If he swapped a transaxle with a transmission, what did he do for a rear end? Besides, the Tremec T-5 family of transmissions is about as long as the engine. Where did he hide it? How could the shifter stay in the stock location?

Furthermore, the prices obviously don't add up.

But the thing that really has me puzzled is: why would someone make this up???

--Matt

 

At least it will make more TQ, but aside from that this has to be BS.

 

That is the correct answer, sir. As Susan Powter would say - "Stop the insanity!"

 

The aluminum 4.6 holds upto boost decently well. I remember reading about a 9 second mustang with a stock 98 aluminum 4.6 Dohc, pushing 22lbs of non-intercooled boost surviving 60+ 1/4 mile runs. I was surprised it lasted that long. They'll handle moderate boost (8-12psi) just fine i think. A friend of mine with a 01 Cobra has been running 14psi for a bit over a year now with no problems.

Saleen did make supercharger kits for the 4.6, and they do make supercharged 4.6's. The Saleen S-281 E has a 425hp supercharged 4.6 Sohc i believe.

 

So the F355 was front engine-rear wheel??? You think you'd know those kind of things if you swapped the engine out.

 

Nick, I think you read it wrong. He is saying it is flip flopped from the original spec. The Mustang was front engine/rear wheel and now because the motor has been put in the rear of the Ferrari, it is rear engine/rear wheel.

He is just saying that just because the motor is in the back, doen't mean there needs to be extra maintenance.

That is how I read it.

As far as the ad goes, not sure what to believe, though it seems BS.
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Yeah its alie but wouldn't a Pantera ZF tranny bolt up to a ford 4.6l?

 

The ad says his brother paid the owner $5000.00 for the car.

If the insurance company totaled the car, it would have to be purchased from them.

I say this ad is a sham, and I hope that no one was taken in by it.