Originally posted by fordistrash:
You can dissagree with my view of ford cars, but insulting my intellegence and social status, sounds like you dont have an actual arguement. As to the 430HP on the ZL1,it was under rated for insurance purposes. 430 was also the rating on the stock L71 427. I also think you all are missing my point. I have 2 main problems with fords. A) the contour is not a race car never has been it never will be. B) Chevy smallblock parts fit all chevy smallblocks regardless of displacement (granted a 283 crank will require some crazy bearrings in a 400 block it isnt ideal but it will work)not all ford 351 parts fit all ford 351s. You are also overlooking another statement i made. There are some cars made by ford that are absolutly excellent; shelby gt350/500 , gt40 , the shelby cobra (the 289 was an amazing little powerplant). I guess my real question is why you would spend a bunch of money on a 4 door car and all sorts of little kits and junk when you could buy a stock Z28 that would absolutly eat it.
FYI, I own a 3rd gen Camaro and a 98 Contour SVT. I own them for different reasons.
I bought my Camaro back in 92. It's great for sunny warm days with the t-tops off, the V-8 roaring and Stevie Ray Vaugn blasting out of my sound system. This car is a fair weather friend:
It gets sideways in the rain and it hates snow, whether a dusting or 6+ inches.
I can't carry more than one passenger.
My back hurts on anything more than a 2 hour drive.
Cops follow me and I'm not some teenager punk looking for a street race.
My neighbors hate when I pull in a 3AM with the car or leave at 7AM for work.
Insurance - I don't want to talk about it.
Mustang owners rev at me.
Fourth Gen F-Body owners won't talk to me, except for a select few.
Around town, this thing drinks gas faster than an open bar at a Kennedy wedding.
Now for my Contour SVT. I had a 90 Isuzu Trooper for a bad weather/city vehicle. The SUV was on it's last legs and I was looking for a replacement. My friend back in May bought a Contour SVT to keep the high milage off his leased 4Runner. I drove it and fell in love with the car. So I looked around and bought one a month later. I had to drive from Philly to Baltimore to get the car. It's a great car:
Limited edition - less than 10,000 made total.
4 doors - I can carry people around without cramming them in the back.
Leather seats that fit me perfectly. This is a long haul car.
The car looks good.
Insurance for a 4 door is much cheaper.
Stick shift - need I say more.
Happy revving V-6. Once the secondary valves open, this car takes off.
I don't feel like a redneck when taking a date out (Rarely happens lately).
This car can handle like noone's business. I have taken my Camaro AutoXing and this SVT could probably procuce faster times even with a smaller motor.
*Bottom Line - People buy different cars for different reasons. I raced Bracket racing for the first time this past weekend with my SVT. It was my first time taking the SVT or even a stick shift car to the track. I beat out two V-8 Mustangs before losing in the third round when I lost my concentration (see quiz post for full story).
