$tock $hort block?

[Adam00GT]

Guys,

I've got a high mileage 95 GT (195k) and have been thinking about what I want to do when the engine dies or I have the money...whichever comes sooner!

My car will probably never see the drag strip so it's mainly just a weekend street cruiser. I was thinking about dropping a long block in it but WOW those can get expensive unless I went with a stock longblock but then I'd be yanking heads, and cam immediately and the cheapest I've found is around $1,200.

I'm kinda new to the 5.0 scene as I've owned two modular mustangs prior. I'm looking to get around 300RWHP +/- with the usual bolt-ons and heads,cam,intake,etc.

Where would you guys start as far as finding just a short block. The one's I've seen from like DSS or Livernois are all built with forged stuff and $1500+. Am I dreaming in thinking I should be able to find a pretty much stock short block for $500-$800 then slap a cam, GT40 heads and Intake, and all the other hardware and have an engine ready to throw in the car?

There are way to many paths to be taken when building a 5.0....this is a completely different world for me coming from the 4.6 where you pretty much had bolt ons and power adders and thats it! UNLESS you had serious money to throw at it!

What do you think...with all the bolt ons, full exhaust, a stock block with heads, cam, intake make 300RWHP +/-?

Cost wise are the GT40 FRPP stuff any better then Trickflow? or Eldebrock or Holley?

Sorry for so many questions but like I said I'm kinda new at this!

Thanks,

Adam

 

[Adam00GT]

Are these heads any good?

http://www.buyfordracing.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=518

Or should I just cough up the extra dough and go with some Twisted Wedge heads or AFR or somthing else?

Thanks,

Adam

 

[JJ95GTID]

I have those exact heads on my car. So far I love them. My car is my daily driver so I need reliability. And Ford will only sell parts that are bolt on and go friendly. But, if I were building an engine that I only drive in good weather and weekends then I would spend the money on the more pricy stuff. Seems that you are on a budget so yeah get these heads. Also, you being in Atlanta I would just rebuild your original short block. With the H/C/I on a rebuilt stock block you should be able to reach 300+HP naturally aspirated easy.

 

[wytstang]

Those heads are great budget heads. But if you plan on being a part of the 300rwhp crew I would cough of the $$ for some TW heads or the like. As far as short blocks go even at Tommie Vaughn Motorsport stock OEM 302 short blocks are being sold for $1299.00. The only way your going to find a short block for around $800 is used on ebay and or corrals classifieds(sp?). Good luck

 

[Adam00GT]

Thanks guys for the replies! I was looking at the Twisted Wedge stuff, seems they have a set similar to the Holley Systemax II setup but I can't find anyone (online) that's selling it yet. I wonder what the price would be for their set. With with a long block from www.stangparts.com for around $1200 I guess another $2100 for the Holley SMII kit I could have a pretty nice setup for around $3300, then the cost of of Headers, 24# Injectors, 70mm-75mm Throttle body, 70mm MAF, and a tune and I'm up to $4500......

Thanks,

Adam

 

[JJ95GTID]

Summit sells the Twisted Wedge kit. They own the Trick Flow brand. There are a few people here who are using this setup...no track times yet from them though. Wytstang is right about the short block...your not going to find a name brand shop that will sell it for cheap. Going to have to shop around.

 

[final5-0]

Adam

I'm gonna give you the medicine straight up with no sugar coating.

Speed cost money! ...... How fast do you wanna spend?

A stock block 300 to 325rwhp combo is a goal that you can obtain.

With that goal in mind heres my .02 on not the cheapest way but a way that WILL DELIVER and give a GOOD VALUE for the money spent.

Having said that ...... you usually get what you pay for so some parts of your combo should not be a compromise, like the heads.

You will reach your goal with TFS, Edels, or AFR's period. I'm not knocking heads like gt40's, gt40p's thumper E7's or any other head that can be bought for 1/2 to 2/3 of the price of the big three I told you about. Some have done it with the Ford iron heads but they are the exception to the rule.

For a cam I'm a believer in the custom route for one main reason. The combo we are building is a mild STREET combo. The custom route will ensure a tq curve that is the most desireable of em all for a street motor ...... tq that rises steep at a very low rpm and stays flat until it approaches the redline. IMHO this is more important than peak power. Again we are talkin street, not race car. With an ots cam you most likely won't get that kind of tq curve.

As for the intake the TFS & Edel brands offer several that will get the job done.

Lt headers will prop up your low & mid range by a good bit and I'd tell you to run em instead of the shortys.

I'm not gonna get involved in the supporting parts like tb, maf, rr's (studs are stronger & give better valve adjustment range), inj's and the like.

Last thing I'd say is you will need some form of custom tune to reach your goal for max power. A custom tune can also give you stock like driving conditions with the exception of cam lope. You basically got two options ...... Pro Tune or Self Tune.

These thoughts have been followed by myself and many others on the various forums so you can easily compare their combos/dyno pulls to see if you wanna go down this road.

Later
Grady