3.73 gears will really wake your car up....i went from 2.73 in the 94 i had to the 3.08 i have now, and i could tell a difference in them. 3.73 would be a huge difference.
You'll beat him, but it won't be an easy kill. Don't be surprised if he's trailing your back bumper the whole way through. They're no rockets, but a stock 215hp GT is no terror either.
I'm pretty much sold on 3:73's. I'd like to do that, and get a Pro 5.0 shifter. And while i'm in there, i'm gonna replace the clutch packs in my Trac Loc. This might be my christmas present.
those monte's are not fast....i killed many of them in my old contour svt,and my 95 gt would kill my svt,so you shouldn't have any problems,and if you do it is most likely driver related