$450 to spend!

[93GTosu]

$450ish/maybe more to spend on the car! need help as how to spend it...what would be next as far as mods go? car is a daily driver with occasional track trips. so far i have:

upper/lower control arms
3.73 gears
subframes
ac/smog delete
pullies
o/r xpipe
flowmasters

once more $$ comes around i plan on doing a h/c/i. I was thinkin about AFR 165s, cobra intake, not sure on cam yet. If i got a cobra intake now what gains would i see? noticable at all with the stock heads/cam?

or i could get somethin else i guess...a pro5.0 or mgw shifter cause i dont like my stock one. throw some ideas out there please guys!!!

 

[Roland69]

MGW
and some DR's

 

[93GTosu]

MGW
and some DR's

i was thinking some drag radials but i do drive this car in some heavy rain occasionaly...would that be safe? i dont wanna die, im still young!

i was definitly considering the MGW...i've heard soooo many nice things about it.

 

[Blakthorn]

if you havent done headers yet...then do that..

Didnt see it in your list but I will tell you its really crappy to do the other piping and leave those stock twisty and crumpled rusty headers on the exhaust, get some shorty unequals
thats probably around $150 or so, so you have money to spare..

also, since you are at the track sometimes, maybe you should reinforce your torque boxes before you strain them during one of your passes...
thats about $70-80 so you still can do more modding..

Electric fan? That would take your fan off the pulley and free up some power, I think its estimated at 10hp? Not sure...

Also you cant go wrong with a higher amp alternator or aluminum radiator

 

[Nvidia]

I like what these guys are saying.

Don't spend the money on the Cobra Intake right now. Do it all at once, and I'd definitely grab something besides the Cobra. It's pretty damn restrictive once you go HCI, so you might end up having to upgrade that part again.

I'd definitely spend the money on an MGW. Nothing could express how happy I was once I installed it in my '86. I Got onto open road and I was no longer afraid of breaking the handle cause the stock one felt so weak. I was banging gears like no one's business, cause I felt safe shifting that fast with that heavy duty handle.

After that, dunno? I'd agree with the shorties, the electric fan, or anything else that'll give you a good bang for the buck.

Good luck.

 

[89white50]

shifter of your choice...i love my pro 5.0, maybe some headers, my flowtechs were nice, i personally would paint them with header paint before installing. the crap they come with only holds for about 1 season. Electric fan and alternator would also be good.

 

[srothfuss]

I don't know if you have seen the "MOD" list yet or not... This covers all of the basic upgrades before most people get into the H/C/I stuff.


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) For AOD people: Get a higher stall converter and a shift kit! (don't forget the Tranny cooler)
4) Full Exhuast (headers, hi-flo cats, catback w/ mufflers)
5) Buy a K&N panel filter (no CAI kit required) and put it in the stock box
6) Bumped timing to 12 - 14 degrees (free mod) 10 Degrees is stock.
7) Larger MAF, TB (MAF cars from 1988 california only, 1989-1993)
8) Better Intake Manifold or a Ported one
9) 3G alternator upgrade / electric fan
10) Fix the stock brakes.

Optional MODs:
11) Strut tower brace (necessary on Convertibles IMO)
12) Underdrive pullies (they can't be used on S/C motors and cause charging problems)
13) Weight reduction out of the nose of the car
14) Shocks/Struts and lowering springs
15) C/C plates if you lower the car
16) Short throw shifter (if you have a manual transmission)
17) Cleaning or replacing all of the sensors (TPS, IAC, etc. - not a mod but it helps)

After those basic mods it will be pretty much up to you to pick a final direction for your car. There are plenty of Super Chargers or H/C/I [Heads, Cam and Intake] packages to choose from to really wake up the car.

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

 

[Tonys96Cobra]

Id say save the 450 for your hci, thats a nice drop in the bucket for it. The Cobra will work fine for your combo, make sure and have the lower ported to match the heads. It will make lots more power under 6000 than the other larger intakes.

 

[Strype]

What Srothfuss has there is great-

IMO #1 Take off that stock fan for 15hp...

By an intake (Explorer from a Junkyard requires phenolic spacer and has stock hood clearence issues so be ready if ya go that route)
Buy a Throttle Body and spacer

 

[87Mustang351]

can anyone shoot me a Pm on how to take the fan off and instass a elertric one i would love to know this one i dont have a 5.0 in my 87 its a 351 windsor..thanks alot

 

[srothfuss]

You can see my write up on my electric fan swap here: 3G & e-fan progress thread - DUW

If you have any questions just let us know...

 

[Strype]

Oh what the crap am I saying...

$450- Fogg that bad boy!!!

 

[93GTosu]

lol thanks alot guys!!

i think im gonna get a shifter. havent decided pro5.0/mgw.
then i think i need to upgrade to a 3G because with the pullies and then an electric fan...my stock alt definitly will take a crap on me and i might as well get that outta the way. 94-95 mustangs right? v6 and v8s BOTH had the 3g alt in them? or do i want one from a v8? cant remember...

 

[bluevenom867]

$450 will get you a nice dry style nitrous system

If not I would do the e fan and some roller rockers.

 

[Blakthorn]

you didnt answer about the headers..?

 

[srothfuss]

lol thanks alot guys!!

i think im gonna get a shifter. havent decided pro5.0/mgw.
then i think i need to upgrade to a 3G because with the pullies and then an electric fan...my stock alt definitly will take a crap on me and i might as well get that outta the way. 94-95 mustangs right? v6 and v8s BOTH had the 3g alt in them? or do i want one from a v8? cant remember...

I found that some of the 1994 cars had a 95amp alterntor where as all of the 1995 models came with the 130amp units. I didn't want to risk the goof ball at the parts store giving me a smaller unit so mine came from 1995 5.0L

 

[87Mustang351]

i added u to msn we will talk there its much eayer lol

 

[iwashmycar]

lol thanks alot guys!!

i think im gonna get a shifter. havent decided pro5.0/mgw.
then i think i need to upgrade to a 3G because with the pullies and then an electric fan...my stock alt definitly will take a crap on me and i might as well get that outta the way. 94-95 mustangs right? v6 and v8s BOTH had the 3g alt in them? or do i want one from a v8? cant remember...

i think that the MGW is a better buy from the stuff i have heard...thats DEFINATELY next on my list...then i want the 3G upgrade and elec fan...

its almost summer and i want to push more air to keep it cool and i have underdrives so it slows all that down along with the charging...

and....where do you live...on campus? I live in Canal Winchester and i am goin to school in Kent right now....might have seen you around down there...

 

[93GTosu]

i think that the MGW is a better buy from the stuff i have heard...thats DEFINATELY next on my list...then i want the 3G upgrade and elec fan...

its almost summer and i want to push more air to keep it cool and i have underdrives so it slows all that down along with the charging...

and....where do you live...on campus? I live in Canal Winchester and i am goin to school in Kent right now....might have seen you around down there...

i live on campus...well right off osu campus i guess--Lane Ave. i really dont drive the car all that much. It more or less just sits outside my window and i look at it all day lol

 

[Darkwriter77]

Wouldn't bother with headers until you're past the 275-300hp mark - the stockers are good enough up to that point, anyway.

A 3g alternator and electric fan swap is a must-have, IMHO. --about $300

A full set of gauges (mechanical) and an aftermarket tach is a good place to start, as well, to give yourself some REAL readings - the stock dash isn't even worth glancing at for anything more than speed and remaining fuel (and even those readings are kinda vague in accuracy, really). --about $150

Then, as stated above, do all the "Free" mods you can ... weight reduction, adjusting timing and fuel (an AFPR is a cheap investment), etc. ... and then practice a lot at the track. You can have all the mods in the world, but they'll be all for naught if you can't drive like a madman.

EDIT: FWIW, I love my Pro 5.0 and Tri-Ax handle combo to death. Score one offa' eBay or at the WFC vendor alley in May for cheap - you won't regret it.