Took some pics of a Ford GT while I was ordering my Stang GT yesterday, posted them in the other Fords section under the exotics. Here is the link
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=59763

 

Does anyone else think the "powered by ford" on the valve cover is a little gay?

Other than that, nice pics, and obviously a nice ride.

 

Um I guess it allows all the other cars to see (after being beaten) on a race course who the hell made the power that just whooped them!

 

Absolutely not.

 

The "Powered by Ford" is a little weird (anyone knows that it's a Ford, so why is it needed), but it sure beats the ugly valve covers that are on our mustangs now. So, if they would fit the 3V, I'd probably buy them. Too bad they're only for DOHC 4.6L engines.

 

My GT has the engine appearance cover that says "Powered by Ford", and I rather like it! Powered by FORD!

 

I laughed at the tag.

 

I forgot that I have the same thing too. And here I was saying that it's a little weird.

 

Its not as gay as BMW M-POWER on the M series valve covers...Particularly on models when the M-POWER didn't amount to a whole lot of it...

 

"M power" amounts to more than you think. I'm pretty sure a newer (E46) M3 will beat a 99-04 GT stock for stock. The S197 GT would be a very nice race. Those M3's have 333 hp coming from an inline 6. Yes, I know that hp isn't everything, but those M's do have everything.

I don't think that there was any M car in which power didn't amount to whole lot of it. M's are quite quick, very modified over stock, and are overall awesome cars. Don't forget about the handling and styling that gets incorporated into them as well.

Even though some older M's weren't "powerful", compare them to stock and also compare them to other cars of the era. Given their weight and "GERMAN ENGINEERING" (yes, I know that's a VW commercial), they were and still are awesome. Unfortunately, that comes with a hefty price tag. But, they hold value like no one's business.

 

If I fully loaded M3 was $34000 I would be impressed. Its true price point competitors are the Z06, SLK55, or S281E. The pre-E46 M series cars were relatively weak vehicles, and still sported the M-POWER logos. I have driven multiple units of every 3 series model made over the past 15 years quite a few times.

As for holding up over the years, I have quite a different impression of them. I have yet another 70k mile M3 mechanical disaster(99) that I have been trying to make sell-able as we speak(leather and back window are wasted, endless rattles, suspension issues, emissions problems, ect). This will definately be the last used BMW that I will agree to sell in my department, I have been burned on just about every one of them. Last M3 I had before it('04) had had a wasted clutch(56k miles), a bad light housing, emission control problems, brake issues, bad front wheel bearing and rear end noise. Leather looked kinda lousy and there were squeaks so I just wholesaled it.

Personally I think someone has to be insane to buy one out of warranty, older ones are just a check-engine-light waiting to happen

The Mustang GT's closest BMW price point competitor is the 328i coupe, 230hp, and with no options(vinyl seats) starting at $35,600(over $46K minus some of the high end electronic options). Exciting stuff...

 

I will 100% agree with you that the only way to own a BMW is to buy it new or with extremely low miles and 1 year old, get the extended warranty, and sell it before it goes off warranty. Once it goes off warranty, the slogan for BMW's is "You have to pay to play".

I also 100% agree with you that they are expensive, but like you said, mustangs aren't it's competition. Audi's and MB's are it's competition. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

I think S197 mustang GT's are the biggest bang for the buck you can get. For less than $30,000, you can have a very nice (almost fully loaded) GT coupe that dishes out performance of cars much more expensive, and drives excellent. Ford hit the nail on the head with these cars. They drive so nicely, have so much power, and are just great cars.

i was just noting that, while in a different league than mustangs, M's are quite nice. Even more so because a M3 is a sleeper compared to a mustang. Most people don't know much about M3's, unless they are real car guys. Otherwise, they think it is another BWM. Imagine the looks on mustang, camaro, and other car's owners faces when a BMW will run with them.

 

You could see it as corny, but honestly ask your self is it worse then Nissan's R badging? Or Toyota TRD (Toyota Racing Devlopment, LOL what are you racing Corollas)? Oh and like Kevin I agree it's nowhere near as bad as BMW's M-Power, I wonder if you have to pay extra for the B and W power?

 

The difference though is that badging like BMW's M, Toyota's TRD, Nissan's R, Mercedes' AMG, etc are no different than Ford's SVT. I love how subtle those badges are. If you know cars, you know what the badge means. It's just enough to set it apart from base models, yet it is still conservative enough to not scream "LOOK AT ME"

They are all the factory "perfomance" divisions of the brand. "Powered by Ford," on the other hand, is just wording. But like I said, I have it on my engine cover and didn't think anything about it. Fortunately, that is the only "Ford" nomenclature visible on the car (except for my center caps, but those wheels are coming off shortly)

I've always tried saying: "It's not a Ford, it's a mustang"

 

I see your point, still Ford, GM have racing history so despite their seperate teams (like SVT) I still think that Ford's name carries a bit of racing history and thus does not strike me as lame as Toyota thinking they are more then the current Buick.

 

I've been trying to figure out a way to get those silver "powered by ford" covers that go onto of the valve covers to fit onto our valve covers. I think there is more clearance with the GT covers than our covers, as they are bolted directly to the top of the cover.

 

I wish there was something to cover up the ugly valve covers on our cars, without having to actually take off the valve covers.

But, what I've started to do is take metal polish (ie-Mothers) to it. At least it gets rid of the ugly stains on it.

 

That silver piece is a separate part of the valve cover. There are two bolts that hold it onto the cover.

 

It's a nostalga thing and I for one like it. It goes back to the sixties when Ford was very proactive in racing. Remember the open wheel dragsters and formula cars. Most people couldn't tell one model racer from another by their fiberglass bodies but the big blocks sitting open to the world with "Powered By Ford" emblazoned on them couldn't be missed. Since the GT was from that same era and mindset, the labeling on it's latest incarnation looks appropriate.

From the rocket ranch

BB

Semper Fi

 

It seems to me that anyone that looks into the engine compartment of a Ford GT already know it's a Ford...

It just makes me think of the ricers and their "Powered by Honda" banners across the top of their windshields.

I suppose to each their own.