Upgrading Your Mustang GT: Lights, Transmission, and Gears

By My Store Admin
3 min read
Upgrading Your Mustang GT: Lights, Transmission, and Gears

The Ford Mustang GT is already a muscle icon, but there’s always room to push performance and refine the driving experience. Whether you're working with a 1999 SN95, a 2014 S197, or a newer S550 GT, these upgrades can take your pony car to the next level—on the street or the strip.

🔦 Lighting Upgrades: Modern Style, Nighttime Safety

1. LED Headlights & Taillights
Ditch the dull halogens—upgrading to LED projector headlights (or full LED assemblies) improves visibility and gives your GT a high-end, aggressive look. For S550 owners, it’s almost plug-and-play. For S197 or older Mustangs, you can use retrofit kits or aftermarket housings.

Popular options:

  • Morimoto XB LED headlights & taillights

  • Diode Dynamics Switchback DRLs

  • Raxiom smoked or sequential lights for classic Mustang vibes

2. Smoked or Clear Lenses
Add a visual edge with smoked headlights or clear euro-style lenses. It changes the whole personality of the front and rear—especially on S197 models.

⚙️ Transmission & Gear Upgrades: Feel It in Every Shift

3. Short Throw Shifters

If you’ve still got the stock shifter, you're missing out. A short throw shifter makes every gear change feel tighter and faster.

  • For S197 (2005–2014): MGW, Barton, and Hurst are top picks

  • For S550 (2015–2023): Consider MGW Race Spec or Steeda Tri-Ax Race

4. Clutch Upgrades

Planning more power? Your clutch will need to keep up. Upgrade to a performance clutch kit from McLeod, SPEC, or ACT. Match it with a lightweight flywheel for quicker revs.

5. Rear Gear Swap (Differential Gears)

Want instant acceleration without touching the engine? Swap your rear gears. Most Mustang GTs come with 3.31 or 3.55 gears—but going to 3.73 or 4.10 gears delivers a punch in the lower RPMs.

  • Best for street and light drag: 3.73

  • Track-focused or naturally aspirated cars: 4.10

  • Boosted cars (turbo/supercharged): Stick with 3.55 or 3.31 for traction

Pro tip: Pair it with a limited-slip differential or Torsen-style diff for maximum grip.

🛞 Supporting Drivetrain Upgrades

6. One-Piece Aluminum Driveshaft

Stock two-piece driveshafts (especially on S197s) are heavy and limit high-RPM stability. A one-piece aluminum or carbon fiber driveshaft reduces rotational mass and allows smoother high-speed pulls.

7. Upgraded Axles

If you’re running sticky tires or launching hard, your axles could be a weak point. Ford Performance, GForce, and The Driveshaft Shop make heavy-duty half-shafts and axle kits for high-horsepower builds.

8. Transmission Cooler (Auto GTs)

For automatic GTs, especially 10R80-equipped S550s, a trans cooler upgrade is key for longevity. It prevents heat soak during aggressive driving or track days.

🔧 Optional Add-ons

  • Line Lock Kits (perfect for burnouts before a drag pass)

  • Transmission mounts (firmer feel, less flex under load)

  • Clutch pedal assist springs (improves pedal feel on S550s)

🏁 Wrap-Up: Built for the Street, Prepped for the Strip

Upgrading your Mustang GT doesn’t always require a supercharger or a big engine overhaul. Sometimes, it’s the drivetrain and lighting upgrades that make your car feel newer, sharper, and more capable on every drive.

From the first click of a short throw shift to the roar after a 4.10 gear swap, these are the mods that make you fall in love with your Mustang all over again.