Something a bit odd: What appears to be a Mustang GT convertible sans spoiler. It seems all Mustangs from the 1998-2004 period had a spoiler; even my sister’s first car, a brand-new 2001 V6 in Zinc Yellow Clearcoat had it. But recently I spotted this one without one. Odd!
That’s a 2004 40th anniversary model–special paint, wheel colour and sans spoiler
I wondered if it was an Anniversary Edition. Thanks for confirming!
“Spoiler Delete” was an option when I bought my 2010 (and later 2012) GTs.
Yes spoiler delete, the closest you would come to the old “LX 5.0” for several years.
I think for the last few years of the fox platform (which the ‘stang above represents) you could even order a “GT Delete” which gave you the V8 minus the flashy exterior bits to tell everyone what you had under the hood.
There was a similar option on at least a year or two of the SN95’s, a GT with the V6’s spec, aside from the motor. I.e. no spoiler, cheaper seats, crank windows, etc.
Forgot what the name was, but I remember C&D saying the regular GT was worth the upgrade to not get the seats that felt like they were stuffed with dead rats.
EDIT: According to wiki at least, on the SN95’s it was a 1995 only option, called the “GTS”.
With the Fox bodies of the 80s my favorite convertible models were the LX 5.0 models. The GTs had so many silly bits and attempts at ground effects on them it ruined the clean nature of the design.
+1. LX 5.0 convertibles are my favorite Fox body as well. Especially the early ones with the sealed beam headlights. Such a clean, purposeful look.
Makes three of us 🙂 .
And, in my opinion, better looking without…
It appears that the Intrigue GLS is the image “spoiler”.
as an aside, 1986 SVO you could delete the bi-plane wing for a GT spoiler.
I think it looks good either way. Just because it’s a GT car, though, doesn’t mean it has to have a spoiler at the rear of the car. I thought the rear spoiler was meant to keep the ass end down when travelling at speeds above a certain speed, say 80 mph or faster. Most of us aren’t allowed to go faster than 65-75 mph on most open freeways. So do cars really need this rear spoiler? Or is it merely just for looks with no functional purposes?
Some wind tunnel tests have shown benefits of spoilers but generally the stock/factory ones would only kick in at not only extra legal speeds but speeds that sometimes the cars aren’t capable of in the more pedestrian cars that receive them.
If spoilers ●were● effective at highway speeds, MPG would suffer. I’m not sure Corolla S enthusiasts would like that.
We wouldn’t!!! LOL
The only time I see New Edge Mustangs without a spoiler are base models.
Deleting a spoiler which is normally standard would be next to impossible as holes are drilled into the trunk lid to mount the spoiler. Perhaps the owner of the featured Mustang ditched the spoiler on his/her own. I have an 03 coupe and would rather not have the wing spoiler, but oh well it’s staying and hey, I want the car to stay as close to original as possible.
I’ve always thought a spoiler on a convertible, GT or not, bordered on silly. When you get up to 60-65 mph the fabric top on a closed convertible starts to create it’s own spoiler.
GarryM:
When the “delete option” is checked, the holes for the spoiler aren’t filled in, but aren’t drilled in the first place.
BTW, when Ford “re-shuffled” the Mustang into trim lines of Standard, Deluxe, and Premium…starting in 2002, the lowest trim for the V6 convertible had the spoiler “de-contented”. Without seeing the fender badge, I’d be tempted to believe this is a V6 Deluxe convertible.
Yeah I didn’t want to rain on anybody’s parade but I don’t see the telltale factory dual exhausts that mark a V8 model.
It has the dual exhaust, one per side.
You can see the cutout in the bumper on the passenger side, and just barely on the driver’s side. The V6’s (and the Cobra R’s) had an entirely different rear bumper with no exhaust cutouts on either side.
Howard,
I’m with you on wing spoilers. I don’t care for them and prefer lip spoilers on the trunk lid. As my Mustang was bought from the second owner I’m stuck with the wing on my Mustang. I’ve often wondered if a rear spoiler from an 03 Cobra Mustang could be had, would I go to the trouble and expense of making a swap. Then I come back to reality and think no, keep it stock.
The GT 40th Anniversary didn’t have a standard spoiler from the factory, no repaint required.
Here’s a factory shot of one from the front. You can see they also received the Boss front lip, and a scooped hood.
Principaldan:
I downloaded that picture AFTER leaving my previous remark. It’s hard to see but there is a 2nd exhaust tip, but more importantly there’s a GT badge on the back, too.
“Spoiler Delete” would be, and has been, an option I choose for any Mustang.
Spoilers serve no useful purpose on an everyday road car – other than for a dealer to add to profit on something like a four cylinder Mazda 6 sedan sold on a multi-year loan to a single woman.
For car geeks like me a spoiler is a negative. It makes hand washing the car slightly more of a job and has the high potential for causing water droplets to be left that will, when dried into spots, mar the completed job.
Mark me down in the anti-spoiler camp and note that Ford had the good sense to delete the spoiler from the otherwise standard GT that was sold with a package as the “Bullitt” in ’08 and ’09.
There was no spoiler delete on 99-04 Mustangs. On some V6 base models it was extra money to add. The 01 Bullitt and the 04 40th Anniversaries did not have spoilers–they were intentionally left off–to clean up the look.
I personally sold Mustang GT’s in the mid 2000s and have seen them without a spoiler. It was on the 2004 models only from what I recall. They always had stripes on the hood and the anniversary badge on them(2004 models of course). Seems like many of them were white with tan stripes or red with grey stripes.
I love the Alero with the spoiler. Surprising that the little shitbox of a Dodge doesn’t have one too. Wasn’t a spoiler included with every “Sport” trim level on every boring sedan ever made?
In my geographic area (obviously much different than yours) the 4-cyl Avengers almost never have a spoiler. However it was possible to order a V6 without one, although around here they largely seem to have govt plates.
GarryM:
I’m not sure which model of Mustang you have and whether it has a “special” paint color, but if you don’t like the wing (I don’t either) and you don’t want to look at that wing…just locate a junked Mustang of the same color, but lacking the rear wing. Some of the Mustang mags used to even have ads from “take-off”yards….though they seem to be a thing of the past. Put the wing-less trunk lid on your car and your current trunk lid goes in storage…in a safe place.
Howard,
Just an 03 V6 coupe with a few good options. Debated a few times about replacing the trunk lid after a few trips to the local auto wreckers. Bought four nice used 03 Mustang Cobra wheels with BF Goodrich tires for summer instead.
The wheels do more for the Mustang than ditching the spoiler. But never say never, perhaps a wingless trunklid at the right time might change my mind.
I remember when I ordered the ’03 V6 Coupe that I used to have, the salesman pointed out to me that the base model came without a spoiler and had other cheaper appointments. I opted for the next level up. That was absolutely the best car I have ever owned.
THe Avenger on the left needs a spoiler. They make the car sporty and less Japanese or European. Even though they are FWD, they handle well and the one I have has a little frigerator/storage compartment in the dash that is the bomb on long trips. The Mustang looks funny with out the spoiler.
Spoilers seem have become passe on family sedans; good riddance! Now if only grilles would get smaller as well as emblems…I can dream, right?
Reply from the future:
They most definitely did not get smaller.
I think new edge Cobras offered a spoiler delete option. The delete option for regular Mustangs didn’t start until 2007 or so–I know when we ordered my wife’s 2005 there was no spoiler delete or we would have checked it
Two random comments:
1) My three-year old son is convinced that any car with a (rear) spoiler is a “race car”, and will argue vehemently with anyone who claims otherwise.
2) From 1989 to 1995 I owned an ’85 Plymouth Turismo (L-body 2-door variant, similar to a contemporary Dodge Charger). I would say that at least 90% of Chargers/Turismos had a small rear spoiler at the base of the hatch, and the majority had louvers over the large rear window that took up most of the hatch, but mine (a stripper model that lacked an interior dome light or a rear defroster) had neither of these features. I would always check other Chargers/Turismos I saw to see if they had the spoiler and louvers; there were some running around without the louvers, but it was rare to see a car without the spoiler.
We bought an 1986 Charger new–the spoiler was standard because the CHMS was mounted on it. Believe it or not ours had about every option available–interior upgrade, automatic, A/C, luggage cover. It was my wifes first new car and we still think of it fondly
My 1998 mustang convertible has no spoiler.