the delay in shifting is normal with your kind of transmission (i believe u have a 700r4) my 92 305 tbi does the exact same thing, the transmission is pretty much a slush box so it shifts slow. the jerking is normal too, u put it in gear therefore there is now power going to the rear wheels and it will push u forward slightly (same deal w/ reverse). the reason u didn't feel it in the civic or escort is because your car has torque (at least a respectable amount compared to the 4-bangers). the difference in engine noise is also normal. when you put your tranny into drive you make a connection between your engine and the rest of your driveline, but, your car isn't goin anywhere if you have your foot on the brake; so your engine will drop some rpms. finally, your car is slower because the 3rd gens are beasts, even with a v6 they are still about 3400-3500lbs, and thats a heavy sob. the civic and escort i would guess are about 1000lbs lighter than the maro, so its understandable that your car is slower.
p.s. remember you can always fix the slower problem by slapping 2 more cylinders on the girl
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'92 RS lt1/t56, lt4 hot cam, 30lb injectors, 54mm throttle body, full exhaust, 4.11 posi, 4 coil ignition, alluminum driveshaft, adj rear suspension, low. springs, electric water pump, custom tune.