Start with a GT? Or will a V6 suffice?

Hey everyone. I’ll just start this off by saying BLUF; I plan a coyote/t56 swap into a 99-04. Should I buy a GT or will a V6 suffice?

I’ve been searching for a while for a 99-04 GT. The way these cars are holding their value is insane. Not to mention how hard it is to find one that isn’t a basket case. (Rust seems to be my biggest culprit so far)

I’m not jumping into this blindfolded, I’ve done copious amounts of research. That being said, please feel free to chime in with any input, there’s no such thing as a stupid question or stupid comment. After all, that is what we are here for, are comments and recommendations.

My initial plan was to buy a decent GT, mileage is not too much of importance as I’ll be swapping it out anyway. My goal for the car is to make it a serious HPDE car, while maintaining street drive ability. Part of the reason I wanted to get a GT is that I can track it for the next year or so while I finish saving up the remaining funds for the swap. I budgeted 20K for full swap, to include engine, transmission, suspension, and other odds and ends. I’m going into this knowing over time it will cost more than that, but this is my jumping off point. The 20K does NOT include the initial cost of the car.

I’ve been tracking VW/Audi’s for years, and just recently sold my last VW track car and decided I wanted something a little more classic and I just LOVE the lines of the New Edge, always have.

So this brings me to my burning question; is a GT absolutely necessary? Or will a V6 suffice? The way I see it right now, is the only benefit to the GT is it already has the 8.8 rear-end in it. I’m already gonna have to switch the fuel system.
Are the any other benefits to getting a GT?

Other than being able to enjoy a GT more at HPDE events than a V6 while I save up the remainder of the swap funds?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions, and please feel free to guide me to other resources already available.

Thanks for the heads up everyone. I’m actually looking at this one now.


I’m having a mechanic perform a PPI on it tomorrow. I’ve been chatting with the seller regularly and he originally had it posted for 9, but would take 7. Now he has it posted at 7,500.

Here’s the thing though, he just messaged me this on Sunday.

"Hey man just got back from a trip to Atlanta (3 hours) and now the car is bogging pretty bad at red lights and the mileage counter light turns on and off ,I have no idea what happened. at red lights the idle bogs from about 700 to like 200 RPM up and down trying not to stall"

That was the gist of the conversation, I asked a few questions and this is the extra info he gave me.

"It could be the plugs the coils the IAC or the throttle body, usually it just needs new plugs and the IAC cleaned whenever this has happened to me"

He hasn't had the car very long (about a month) so I think this is new for him as well.

Any idea what's going on? He's been very forthright and I thanked him for that. With the mechanic checking it out tomorrow I’m hoping it’s an easy find.

Any thoughts?

PPI.

Seller won’t budge from 6. Offered him 5.

Shop did say that it was “mechanical sound” ‍