Another F*%#$ nubi with questions.....

[biggdave92]

Straight to the point. I just got a 89 LX 5.0 5spd. I want more power. 1. What is the best exhaust setup (headers back). 2. What is the best intake set up (K&N, BBK, ???)

This car is completely stock w/ 78k miles. It is a convertible. I want to start slow and build it up. Im thinking exhaust, intake, shifter, springs, gears, flywheel, driveshaft, intake manifold, headers, etc....dont want to get into superchargers or nitros.

Point me in the right direction. I've been reading the boards, but its so hard to find all the info I need.

Thanks

 

[Roland69]

upper and lower intake .....maby some heads of some sort..GT-40's can be found for 300-500 bucks

 

[Roland69]

Oh the stock exhaust is fine (maby change mufflers) the headers are good till around 300-350 hp

 

[88Stang331]

For exhaust, i use MAC shorty equal length headers, and a MAC H pipe with high flow cats.

For heads and intake i suggest you talk to TMoss and Thumper Very good performance for the price. Great on a budget.

Nice cam, like the TFS stage 1 cam. And that should get you a descent foundation.

NOTE: if you have been doing your research, you don't need to upgrade the injectors. A 190-255LPH in tank fuel pump and a adjustable fuel pressure regulator.

 

[vristang]

Welcome to Stangnet, and congrats on finding the low mileage 'vert.

You may want to stiffen up the convertible chassis a little before increasing the power too much.

H/C/I + Gears = 1 Ton of Fun

jason

 

[biggdave92]

What size throttle body? How much power will this give me? Will this require any other tuning?

 

[88Stang331]

probably right in around 280rwhp and 320rwtq. Again these are purely estimates, but other people with similar combos seem to be putting down these kind of numbers. Also i strongly suggest a tune while your at the dyno to optimize the power out of your combo. Also you might want to choose a different cam. Thats just pretty much up to you, and where you want the power band to be. I wouldn't worry about throttle body yet.

 

[Skoobie]

Gears...gears....gears....you want SOTP difference for your $$$? Gears... Then exhaust (what a Mustang is known for IMO), then HCI if you can afford it. As far as the exhaust you can go traditional with the shorty headers, H-pipe (catted or O/R), and a flowmaster 40 series setup. Otherwise mix it up and make your own sound with Bassani, Magnaflow, or if you want to get really aggressive go with SLP or Spintech.

 

[MustangGT92]

how much are you willing to $pend?? basically you can rebuild your motor and put in a cobra motor.... gt40 or cobra upper and lower intake, stock throttle body for our body style is 57mm, i would go to about 70mm, a bigger cam...if you go with ford get atleast an e303 cam(when you change cam change lifters), get heads, atleast gt40 cast iron gives you 25 horsepower over stock...with roller rockers atleast 1.6 ratio that are cast iron(maybe cobra), underdrive pulleys, cold air, 24lb injectors(when you go bigger injectors you have to change mass air meter to about 75mm set up for the injectors), if you want looks go for
1-5/8inch shortie headers, but tgo actually add horsepower from headers buy long tubes, i have a custom 2-1/2inch xpipe with flowmaster that are pro-dumped(sounds great)....thats basically a cobra motor with extra....hope that helps....

 

[MustangGT92]

sorry i forgot gears...atleast 3:73's or 4:10's...

 

[biggdave92]

I really dont want to get into the motor tooo much right now. I wouldnt mind doing the gt40 upper and lower intake, if it will pretty much bolt on. Pretty much, exhaust, intake, and gears at the moment. Will I need to change the injectors with the new intake? I'll probly go with 3.73's. Also, which is better, x or h pipe? I would like to go with one of those and finish it off with dual 40's. About where this put me in the 8th? Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[MustangGT92]

no, you don't need bigger injectors, but if your going w/ an aftermarket intake, your having to unbolt the injectors to the lower intake anyway also your thinking of going with a bigger throttle body...i personnally feel an xpipe is better...they sound better at the higher rpm's... and 2 chamber 40 series flowmaster makes it sound mean...i hope it helped...

 

[SPEEDYLIFSAVR]

First mods should be as follows (my take):

In order of Priority
1) Subframe connectors (SFC's) full length ones are prefered for a stiff chasis
2) Gears: 3.73:1 or 4.10:1 seem to be the popular choices
3) Full Exhuast (headers, hi-flo cats, catback +mufflers)
4) Buy a K&N panel filter (no CAI kit required) and put it in the stock box
5) Bumped timing to 12 - 14 degrees (free mod) 10 Degrees is stock.
6) Larger MAF, TB (MAF cars from 1988 california only, 1989-1993)
7) 3G alternator upgrade / electric fan
8) Fix the weak brakes

Optional MODs:

9) Strut tower brace (necessary on Convertibles IMO)
10) Underdrive pullies (they can't be used on S/C motors and cause charging problems)
11) Weight reduction out of the nose of the car
12) Shocks/Struts and lowering springs
13) C/C plates if you lower the car
14) Short throw shifter (if you have a manual transmission)

After those (the basics), it's pretty much up to you. There are plenty of Super Chargers or Heads, Cam and Intake packages to choose from.

Also, don't forget about the basic tune up
1) Changing all of the fluids (oil, coolant, trans, rear end, brake and some of the power steering)
2) Plugs: (non-platnum type) Autolite or Motorcraft are prefered
3) Oil filter: Motorcraft or equivalent (not FRAM)
4) Air filter: see first mods item #4
5) Plug wires: Ford Motorsport (FRPP) 9mm units are great
6) Cap / Rotor
7) Oxygen sensors

 

[RYC CUKR]

Get a set of full length subframes on that thing before you get a little tweak in the unibody. Maximum motorsports makes a nice set of full length SFCs. A wet noodle has more structural rigidity than a fox vert.

Check out my sig and you can see what I have done with my auto vert. It goes 14.0s NA and if I can find time to get my converter in there I can shave some more time off. If you plan on any type of forced induction in the future I would recommend against the 4.10s and would go with a set of 3.73s. Gears are really the biggest bang for the buck.

Everyone has given you some good starting points and speedy's list is spot on.

 

[bryce93lx]

I will post it agian becuase it is important Buy subframes and a strut tower brace FIRST!!!!, the only suspension bracing parts most people on here recommend in maximum motorsports, thats all i have on my car and recommend them highly, for i vert i would get the full lenght subframen the strut tower brace, and a k member brace, you can get all of that for less than 500 bucks and spend thousands on other thing and none of it will help as much as a good set of chassis braces. Also be carful with boltons, if you plan to get into the motor(heads cam intake) wait and buy it all at once. For instance a 65mm throttle body will work better on a stock motor but then three months later you do a head cam intake and you need a 70 or 75. Good luck and welcome to :SNSign:

 

[jzgt]

Don't forget to yank the intake silencer (on the other side of the panel filter - in the fenderwell).

 

[srothfuss]

When you do the SFC's get a strut tower brace! I cracked the windshield in my car last summer going around a corner hard. I even had SFC's... Thanks to Pro3i I have a strut brace now and the car is 100% more fun to drive.


Welcome to :SNSign: and congrats on the purchase

 

[biggdave92]

Thanks for the info guys. I just need to get pointed in the right direction. Thanks again!

 

[billpo]

I agree with bryce93lx. Get some subframe connectors. Very important
on the verts. Start with 3:73's. Best bang for your buck.

 

[MrKwik]

My personal opinion is that the motor in these cars is pretty much the last thing that needs attention. That is of course if it well maintained and in a good state of tune. The poeple that have talked about stiffening the frame need to be listened to. Get all the chassis stiffening you can afford before adding power or traction. Then I would say some kind of lower torque box reinforcement for what comes next. Gears and sticky tires. I wouldnt be at all afraid to run 4:10's with a 5 speed in a heavy ass GT vert but some might say to stick with 3.73's. I'm not one of those poeple, you can really use the extra leverage in a heavy car. Wheelhop will probably becaome an issue at some point so look into some aftermarket control arms. Once you get all that done, dump the stock headers and work your way back. Choice of exhaust components can be argued all day but mostly comes down to personal preference of how you want it to sound and far you want to go. Any reputable header and or exhaust should be fine. I would also ditch the air silencer and drop a K&N in the stock air box. I have found CAI's for the most part to be nothing but eye candy and no real gains to back up what they claim. That will get you on the right path and then your ready to crazy with the engine.