Talk me out of buying a TE50.

[Madhatr]

* It won't do a 13.
* Get a BA XR8 (which won't do a 13 stock, but will actually do one as soon as you lift the bonnet and touch any part of it)

Ahh, yes it does.

http://www.performanceforums.com/for...4&postcount=13

They have more power to be found by ditching the exhaust manifold for a better designed set of headers, plus a better exhaust. The herrod packs were quoting figures of around 280kw which will see them drop well into the 13 second bracket. Ive seen a red one up here run a 14.1, 13.8 and 13.9 at willowbank during test and tune, plus motor and wheels both tested them when they were released and flat 14's were the go.

[Skippy]

I thought the title was talk me out of buying a te50
your not helping

i cant read the details of that 13.9 te50 is it stock?

if thats what you would like to buy i say go for it

id spend a little bit more and get a commodore
i traded my 285kw vx r8 and they gave me 36,000 for it

[Madhatr]

The BA was lauded as such a great step on from the AU series and then there was Holden well into the LS1 age, with the Windsor you're just buying the last of an era that may have gone on just a few years too long. To be honest if you hadn't started this thread I'd have never believed one of those would fetch 30k!

Looking at the interior there has made me wonder why Ford have never made a 'taxi-spec' centre dash console to differentiate its top models from the taxi spec. Suppose the accountants scuppered that. I can never escape the taxi syndrome when looking at the interior and it doesn't create a good reflection on their top model (at the time) Falcon.

I'm doing my best to talk you out simply because I'd never buy a Falcodore myself! Although I will confess that it is a neat looking machine from the outside

Yeah, but look how long the LS1 design has been around? what makes it so much better? for the windsor you actually get a fully blue printed engine hand built from scratch. Ive heard nothing but glowing reviews from owners and little, to no reports of major engine issues from the stroked motors. Says a lot when comparing the motor to an off the line, production motor. I think you guys are forgetting that. Ill see if i can dig up the specs of the motor.

The interior looks much better in the TS and TL, or even fairlane guise with the black dash. Actually, someone on ford forums put a t series interior into his otherwise standard AU and it looked really nice. Ill see if i can find the pics of it too.

Edit: Found the engine specs.

Engine type: 5.6-litre OHV V8
Displacement: 5605 cc
Bore: 101.67 mm
Stroke: 86.36 mm
Compression ratio: 9.6:1 (low boost forced setup perhaps?)
Power: 250 kW @ 5250 rpm
Torque: 500 Nm @ 4250 rpm
0-100 km/h: 5.9 seconds
Cylinders: 90-degree V8
Head: Cast iron - GT40P
Block: Cast iron
Intake manifold: Aluminium alloy
Crankshaft: Nodular iron, crank girdle fitted as standard
Valve gear: YT Roller rockers (1.7:1 ratio)
Inlet: Valve 49.3 mm, 11.99 mm lift, Opens 17 deg bdtc, Closes 79 deg atdc
Exhaust: Valve 39.4 mm, 12.00 mm lift, Opens 64 deg btdc, Closes 22 deg atdc
Valve lifters: Hydraulic
Pistons: ACL Lightweight with fully floating pin
Connecting rods: Argo High-strength billet (5.4")
Injection: Sequential multipoint fuel injection
Ignition: Coil pack

Optional Brembo brake package:
Front: 355 mm x 32 mm cross-drilled rotors, Four piston calipers
Rear: 330 x 28 mm cross-drilled rotors, Four piston calipers

Hand built, stroked motor, comes fitted with some equipment you wont find on your production LS1, for example billet rods, crank girdle, with the whole lot being blue printed and balanced, thats not just your usual engine package.

In detail about the engine design can be found here

[Madhatr]

I'd def be getting an SS. Some nice examples of late model stuff can be had for 30k. Even a 25k VX SS plus LSEdit, exhaust will easily see off a TE50.

I never knew TE50's were 5.6ltrs though, nor go for 30k!

http://www.carsales.com.au/used-cars...tial&R=1165874

What are they like as a car though, the only SS's ive really driven with any intent were pretty average as the owners really gave them a hiding and to me seemed like they were too rough and skittish, suggesting they needed some work. What are they like suspension and brake wise? anything to look out for when test driving?

Yeah, late models were hand built, stroked motors. See the post above for some info

[twidenbar]

dont get it, because the interior looks like a taxi, and the colour coded seats might make some people vomit.

only reasons that i can come up with for not getting one.

[Zac]

That is nice on paper - 500nm, roller rockers, GT40 heads, crank girdle. tough.

Have you driven one?

[Madhatr]

I thought the title was talk me out of buying a te50
your not helping

i cant read the details of that 13.9 te50 is it stock?

if thats what you would like to buy i say go for it

id spend a little bit more and get a commodore
i traded my 285kw vx r8 and they gave me 36,000 for it

Yes.

I dont really care how much power they make, my idea of fun isnt having all that power on tap and not being able to punt it through corners.

The other side to the coin is the tickford vehicles seem to have suffered a fair hit initially, but have kept their value fairly well over the past 3-4 years (as evident by people thinking they would be much cheaper). The series III cars are different than the previous versions and are numbered, which performance packaged fords and low production numbers seem to hold their value well, even increase in price as they become collectors items. So if you ever did intend to sell it, probably not going to depreciate as far as a commodore might.

[Skippy]

sounds like thats what you want so i say go for it

[Madhatr]

That is nice on paper - 500nm, roller rockers, GT40 heads, crank girdle. tough.

Have you driven one?

Ohh god yes. First time i drove a series III when i was at ford was just.. well :w: But sheer luck i got to drive round in one for awhile back in 2003, had it for a few days to drive around some of the ranges up here.

I couldnt get over how much torque the thing develops and how flat it is, there is some stupid figure like 80% is available below 1200rpm, you could just fart about town in 4th gear and it didnt murmur at you. The engine note is very mechanical and very rough when you open it up, back then (talking 5 years ago), i thought this is the closest thing to sounding like the super taxis, had that same metallic bark and burble. Gearbox was a little notchy and the clutch is real heavy, and that was saying a lot coming from the weight of a hydralic bmw clutch (which is bloody heavy considering the small engine they are attached to). The engine was great and all, but the car handled very well for a big arsed falcon, the standard brakes were more than enough to out perform the driver, but the brembo package as mental, if a little touchy. Only big sedan ive driven that handled the weight as well (well better) was an E39 M5, you know it is big, but it isnt brutish in the handling and it does have a directness about it you dont expect, especially when you get used to how average an off the line model is. If money wasnt a factor at the time i probably would have purchased one on the spot (could have picked it up for less than 60k at the time).

Need to take some time out to drive a few holdens in the same price range and see what a few decent examples are like. Trouble is finding someone i know with one i can "borrow" for awhile Dont really know a whole lot about what to look out for as holdens, nor fords have really been my thing. Only reason i know anything at all about the later model fords was due to falling into a job working for a dealership when younger

[Rollin]

TS/TE50 series III shit on the equivalent SS from a great height.

TE/S were aimed at taking sales from Clubsport R8/Senator, at the time they were built, had about equivalent straight line speed but according to reviews were better ride/handling/comparitive brakes.

Power curve:



Brakes:



Pretty much the only V8 I would ever gladly own (This is coming from a Turbo I6 worshipper too....)

[upgarage]

why not a xr6t or xr8?

what do you think of the EL GT's?

[Madhatr]

sounds like thats what you want so i say go for it

No id like to know about what an alternative is really like, or some examples of what to do with them to improve things, what to look out for, so things can be considered. If you want to talk about them, atleast get the specs of the other vehicle right first

[Madhatr]

Brakes:

I can remember a guy who owned a 250 pursuit ute, came into ford because brakes needed replacing. At the time, replacement pads couldnt be sourced off the shelf, were ex melbourne and came with a price tag of nearly $1200. Guy dead set did his block in when the service advisor told him how much it would cost. A replacement set were sourced from a local manufacturer who used the old backing plates and made up another set with a similar compound, still think the price was around $700. He wasnt a happy camper :rotflol:

[Madhatr]

why not a xr6t or xr8?

what do you think of the EL GT's?

I reckon the XR6T is great, but im older now and i want to own a V8 again, just for the audible pleasure

Ive only ever driven one down the main street and back into the lot, think they look a little ugly personally. Last time i saw a mention of the word GT it came with a 40k+ price tag though, have they dropped at all?

[Decadentia]

Looks are subjective, some will like them some won't - You'll have the final say with regard to asthetics. Seems to me like your mind is made up, you've driven one and were obviously impressed with the mechanical and handling characteristics.

The mechanical package is there, Get a nice exhaust and a custom Edit/Flash tune and you'll be laughing.