hey guys 5.0 mustang guy here thinking of purchasing a 98LS1 T/A A4.....i know the M6 would be a lot more fun but what do most of the auto cars run in the 1/4 stock??? thats my question....and what kind of challenge are they for the M6 cars.....thanks

 

Most LS1 cars ('98 --> '02) are running somewhere in the 13's, depending a little on the year ('98-'00 had a different cam, different intake, '01/'02 have the 6.0L truck cam, LS6 intake), the transmission, and the conditions. As a rule, the year doesn't make much difference, although the '01/'02 cars seem to run a "wee bit" quicker on average.

An A4 could be expected to run anywhere from a 14.0 (like my car did last year) to a low 13, at 100 - 106 mph, and the M6 cars (with a GOOD driver) will usually run anywhere from high 13's, down to low 13's, and some have managed 12.8's/12.9's (factory freaks), usually around the 104 - 110 mph range.

It all depends on the conditions though, 'cause between last year and this year, nothing changed about my car, except it went from running 14.0 down to 13.4! Point being, it was hot and humid the night I ran last year, and cool and dry this year.

When it really comes down to it though, there's not much of a noticeable difference between A4 / M6 cars. Some LS1's just seem to be a little quicker than others. If you want the 6-speed though, get it, but if you want an A4, that's fine too..............trust me, you won't be any slower, but you will be more consistant at the track!

 

Capn Pete, pretty much nailed it except for a couple of points.

The stock 12 second M6 cars have less to do with factory freak than they do with driver skill ... I've seen the same M6 T/A go 13.4 with a slightly above average driver, then go 12.9 with licensed 9 second driver.

Second thing, on A4s ... stock for stock they are slightly behind the curve against M6s, though they will be consistant. But, once you put a high stall TC in, the game changes dramatically ... with a TC an A4 will be equal to and often exceed a a M6 mod for mod ...

Last is durabilty. An A4 is much more robust. I've got well over 400 passes on my stock tranny and rear end. Most of them of DOT slicks and the last 50 passes at 400 rwhp. The afore mentioned T/A is still stock - other than DRs - roughly same amount of passes and has been through 2 clutches and 4 rearends ...

Good Luck

 

weird, i posted almost exactly this 3 months ago.

i bought a '98 T/A convert w/A4. G-tech did 13.86, but lots of factors like, incline, etc.... only mod = FRA (cut out the airbox)...still paper filter.

blah...slow, but i've got 2 mustangs for racing, and this is a great daily driver with top down.

front seats are comfy. rear seats almost useless. getting in and out of the car is a pain in the ***, and i'm 5'8" 165 lbs. i thought that this complaint was kind of gay when i heard it, until i actually owned one. car is too damn wide and feels boaty....don't really know where the front nose end, so sometimes it probably got really, really close while doing dangerous maneuvers never had so much trouble parking a car of this class before

performance parts are expensive vs. 5.0L mustangs, but i think about the same compared to SN95 mustangs w/4.6 sohc.

overall, it's a great car compared to a similarly priced mustang of the same year, which it will outperform by a lot (220 rwhp vs. 280 rwhp). my goal is to run low 13s to high 12s with bolt-ons and stock converter. don't want a high stall and ruin daily driveability. high 12s in a '98 mustang GT will blow up a stock AODE real quick = $2000-3000 for a new Lentech.

but then, there's the weak 10-bolt rear end. give and take i guess between the 2 cars.

 

It's time for someone with an M6 to respond.

If you know how to drive an M6 well, it will be quicker and faster than an A4..bottom line. I believe there is a noticeable difference. An M6 will put cars on just about anything out there. And with normal street radials, an M6 can launch just as well as an A4. Put a 12-bolt in to compete with the A4s with converters on slicks...they'll eventually need a 12-bolt as well. I'd still rather shift it myself and be faster from every speed except (possibly) a dead stop at a drag strip.

The T56 is a stronger tranny than the 4L60E (A4), but it's also harder on the rear end. It's true..A4s break..but probably not as much as M6 cars break their weak 10-bolt rear ends. What is "robust" becomes a subjective determination.

But you want to buy an A4. I think the difference in the 1/4 is about .3-.4 and 3-4 mph (slower than an M6 in competent hands).

 

Which '98 Mustang is it that will put down 220 rwhp? An A4 '98 GT would be...well, a joke..V6 Camaro territory. Are '98 Cobras selling for about the same price as '98 TAs? Probably...

 

All I have to say to that is bring it on. I'll race any car with the same engine mods from any sane speed. And my race weight is over 3500 lbs. At the same MPH as your best I run 5 tenths quicker in the quarter. You don't give a good converter the respect that it deserves.
I love our 6 speed SS but facts are facts. I own the 6 speed cars in any kind of a dash. Yes even from a roll 30, 40 ,50 it doesn't matter.

 

i was referring to a '99 GT which puts down about 220-225 rwhp with a T5. but yea, '98 vs '98 ....a GT has no chance as those 96-98 GTs were the biggest bow wows.

i can't remember exactly, but the '98 GT converts were a tad cheaper than the '98 T/A converts. while the '98 Cobra converts were much higher than the same year T/A converts.

i could of had a '98 Z/28 convert w/51k miles for $13k but i opted for this '98 T/A convert for $14.7k w/44k miles, due to the looks and the owner seemed more **** about the maintenance. both were owned by old guys which were a BIG plus.