S650 Mustang V8 to Get Ford Performance Calibrations (Tune)

[LouG]

No extra cost for mods down in 'lil old NZ either.
Unless you make major changes like complete new suspension/brake design or huge power increases over stock. Where you'll need low volume vehicle certification, which isn't a major problem. A supercharger on a Mustang would be fine.

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[Jonyxz]

Hearing the regulations and costs in other countries for modded cars makes me glad to live in 'murica

Thats only one side of the coin. On the other side they have higher speed limits, better roads and people know how to use highway lanes.

 

[broncoboy22]

Thats only one side of the coin. On the other side they have higher speed limits, better roads and people know how to use highway lanes.

That’s true and a good point

In some countries there are almost no rules on the road. Crossing the street in Cambodia is an experience haha

 

[Ken Livengood]

I had my 650 for a year now. i've been trying to do some mods like changing ring and pinion, id
like to go to a 4.88 . Even with that rear and the .63od the car COULD get to 200mph... And with the Low gears out the hole would be Awsome. along with that it is easier on the whole driveline,
I'm from back in the day. my first car was a 1964 GTO. next was A 1969 Z28,which had a 4,88 rear.
I beat that car harder than any kid should. never knocked out rear,clutch , axle or trans,
only thing I did tear out rear universal.. that was fixed with a drive shaft and yoke from a Firebird.
I really dont want to spend 12-13 grand for a supercharger.

 

[smurfslayer]

Thats only one side of the coin. On the other side they have higher speed limits, better roads and people know how to use highway lanes.

That last point is well and truly overestimated. While some of the Old Country have fairly stringent licensing standards, you also have ... for example, Ireland where there are contingents of pre-EU drivers out there with minimal training.

Honestly, the quality of driver on the Autobahn was no better than a western US state; that is to say, some place that isn’t over crowded and overpopulated. In western US, outside of cities, people are less likely to left lane hog, and may actually pull right to allow a faster mover to pass.
I stopped counting cell yakkers on the Autobahn at 50 on my last trip. Annoying poking around in the left lane, jawing on a cell phone while others stacked up behind them. The one thing they’re less likely to do is pass on the right, which I had no compunction about doing.

And if you think New York is a special kind of traffic, try driving in Italy.

Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

[npole]

And if you think New York is a special kind of traffic, try driving in Italy.
Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

OT: being Italian, I know we're on a different scale. The traffic is chaotic and someway "self-regulated" instead of actually respect the law.
But there's a difference, the main priority here is to avoid the incident, no matter what's in the right, and knowing that the everything could happen anytime, most ppl drives with an additional couple of eyes.
In US it seems that prevails the law of "If i'm in the right I continue no matter what"... so you see people crashing into others, while they could have avoided the incident by simply braking, because the other car (in example) did a illegal lane split. It's like they want to "punish" the other driver because he's wrong. I think this is a stupid mentality, because the coffin wouldn't care if you're in the right.
Maybe a difference in culture.. I don't know.

 

[smurfslayer]

That is an interesting observation, and I’ll bet there’s some truth to it. I would say that my observation was Italians definitely had a competitive streak.

I will say this ; the European countries I’ve been to as a whole have significantly more respect for 2 wheelers than the US driving public. I had numerous cars pull off the Romantic Road in Germany to let me and the Mrs. pass on the bike. The only place I’ve encountered that in the US is in Texas.
Here, if you share lanes, filter through or to the front, a lot of US states this is akin to a class 1 misdemeanor (possible jail time) and others it’s a significant traffic infraction. Over there it’s common practice, accepted and if you don’t do it, people look at you like you’re nuts.

I think the more crowded the roads get, generally the more selfish drivers-and riders become. Whether it’s conscious behavior or not.

 

[GrabThatBlue]

OT: being Italian, I know we're on a different scale. The traffic is chaotic and someway "self-regulated" instead of actually respect the law.
But there's a difference, the main priority here is to avoid the incident, no matter what's in the right, and knowing that the everything could happen anytime, most ppl drives with an additional couple of eyes.
In US it seems that prevails the law of "If i'm in the right I continue no matter what"... so you see people crashing into others, while they could have avoided the incident by simply braking, because the other car (in example) did a illegal lane split. It's like they want to "punish" the other driver because he's wrong. I think this is a stupid mentality, because the coffin wouldn't care if you're in the right.
Maybe a difference in culture.. I don't know.

I agree with this. I'm from the Netherlands. Here it's the same thing.

"I'm in the right, so I will continue, no matter what".

And then they crash. They want to punish others who are in the wrong, but they punish themselves by getting in an accident just because you were in the right.

It's a Karen mentality.

 

[LouG]

OT: being Italian, I know we're on a different scale. The traffic is chaotic and someway "self-regulated" instead of actually respect the law.
But there's a difference, the main priority here is to avoid the incident, no matter what's in the right, and knowing that the everything could happen anytime, most ppl drives with an additional couple of eyes.
In US it seems that prevails the law of "If i'm in the right I continue no matter what"... so you see people crashing into others, while they could have avoided the incident by simply braking, because the other car (in example) did a illegal lane split. It's like they want to "punish" the other driver because he's wrong. I think this is a stupid mentality, because the coffin wouldn't care if you're in the right.
Maybe a difference in culture.. I don't know.

I have to agree. I've done 15000 - 20000 kms in Italy from the Stelvio down to Sciacca in Sicily and both coasts. Autostrada driving is stress free compared to our terrible roads in NZ.
As long as you stay aware of what's coming up from behind, and realise that the 130 limit is just a suggestion, you can drive relaxed.
Not so much on the really narrow roads such as the Amalfi. They may be used to mirrors kissing as you pass, but I never got used to that.
And, in general, Italian drivers don't show the insane aggression we see in the Anglosphere. I never saw any brake checking for example.

 

[smurfslayer]

I agree about the brake checking as well. Although I did have a scooter rider in Bergamo show me his front wheel coming into a roundabout. We were not going slow... but obviously he or she wanted more pace. I went straight through them and I think they peeled off in another direction at the next one.

 

[npole]

Brake checking here is like a putting you the shame, it's the worst thing you can do to prove your "superiority", so you rarely see it.. we tend to accelerate rather than slow down.

We have two other annoying categories on the highway: those one which doesn't like to drive in the most right lane, and those ones (which is related) which doesn't care if you have another car in front of you, slowing you down, they start to flash their high beams pretend everyone to move away. Normally it solves in a gentle agreement: you move away, show him there's another car, let him pass, going behind, and when the road is free again giving back his annoying flashing until he'll realize he's slower.. normally he'll get quite for the rest of the trip together.

I wouldn't call driving in Italy "relaxing", there's many other things you learn to handle in years of driving (like not respecting the traffic lights in certain circumstances because it actually help to make the car circulation more efficient...), for someone who doesn't live here, it appears crazy.

 

[LouG]

Brake checking here is like a putting you the shame, it's the worst thing you can do to prove your "superiority", so you rarely see it.. we tend to accelerate rather than slow down.

We have two other annoying categories on the highway: those one which doesn't like to drive in the most right lane, and those ones (which is related) which doesn't care if you have another car in front of you, slowing you down, they start to flash their high beams pretend everyone to move away. Normally it solves in a gentle agreement: you move away, show him there's another car, let him pass, going behind, and when the road is free again giving back his annoying flashing until he'll realize he's slower.. normally he'll get quite for the rest of the trip together.

I wouldn't call driving in Italy "relaxing", there's many other things you learn to handle in years of driving (like not respecting the traffic lights in certain circumstances because it actually help to make the car circulation more efficient...), for someone who doesn't live here, it appears crazy.

It's strange, I felt quite comfortable from the almost the first few kms on the first trip 17 yers ago, despite driving on the left all my life. LHD cars feel more natural, shifting with your right hand etc.
And I'm sure there is a genetic component in Italian driving. Either that or I'm just a hoon everywhere.
I did see the flashing thing a bit, I just ignored them and pulled over as soon as I can.

 

[npole]

Try do drive in a city like Naples, ad you'll figure what I mean. And why passing with a red light is someway accepted (even by those with the green light and by police!) in some intersections (I don't mean high speed ones) because it helps the traffic flow and to self-regulated (the traffic light couldn't know what's happening), otherwise it'll be congested forever. It's hard to explain, you can only figure it out by driving there for some time, it's a sort of order within the chaos.

 

[LouG]

Try do drive in a city like Naples, ad you'll figure what I mean. And why passing with a red light is someway accepted (even by those with the green light and by police!) in some intersections (I don't mean high speed ones) because it helps the traffic flow and to self-regulated (the traffic light couldn't know what's happening), otherwise it'll be congested forever. It's hard to explain, you can only figure it out by driving there for some time, it's a sort of order within the chaos.

Ercolano was the closest we got to Naples, and that was bad enough. Most of the streets there would be considered one way here.
I get the point of civil disobedience, and it probably works where your drivers are aware of what's going on around them. Here....not so much.

 

[Jonyxz]

Try do drive in a city like Naples, ad you'll figure what I mean. And why passing with a red light is someway accepted (even by those with the green light and by police!) in some intersections (I don't mean high speed ones) because it helps the traffic flow and to self-regulated (the traffic light couldn't know what's happening), otherwise it'll be congested forever. It's hard to explain, you can only figure it out by driving there for some time, it's a sort of order within the chaos.

In Naples they say "Careful with the red light, more careful with the green light".
Agree, its chaos but somehow an ordinate chaos. Traffic reflecs people personality

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