What you're going to get out of a throttle body will amount to a hand full of horsepower that you'll only see on the dyno. You'll notice is all those magazine articles, that you see writing them up, that they're performing multiple mods at a time...MAF, Throttle body, intake, etc. This is where the horsepower is going to be felt....and even then, it will be minimal. Remember....these magazines make money by selling these parts. In the end though, all the basic bolt on's in the worlds won't equal the horsepower and torque gains of a decent set of heads and intake....and trust me when I say you'll spend just as much, if not more in the end, to gain half as much!
Big throttle bodies, MAF meters, exhaust components etc are great, if you've got the heads/cam/intake to back them up. So many people make the same mistake (myself included when I was just starting out in the Mustang game) and go for the cheap stuff first. It's like flushing money down the toilet IMO. I did the whole "small bolt ons" route, the home made parts, the ported heads/intake, etc, etc....and in the end, I ended up with a lot of work, with very little pay off. My only saving grace was that I was in an area populated with like minded thick headed individuals like myself, who wouldn't listen to reason either....so nobody really had a fast car at the time. The ones that did, were the ones who took their time, kept their mouths shut and quietly let their cars reputation speak for itself. If you want your Mustang to perform, go with parts that are going to make a difference. That way, when you do start playing with the little stuff like throttle bodies, etc later on, the gains will be far more pronounced and far more worth the money being spent.
If I were you, on your budget I'd start hitting the swap meets and used parts market. Nobody says you have to go out and buy brand new stuff. Hell, your car is probably older than 95% of the used parts floating around out there for it. I bought a set of fresh out of the machine shop aluminum heads, cam and aftermarket intake for my car for a about $1,300. And that included gaskets and hardware. The trick to doing it on a budget, is to do it in stages and stockpile the parts until you're ready to put them on. I started collecting my parts a year and a half ago and they won't be going on the car for another month. In that time, I've been able to scrounge most of my stuff from the used market and have accumulated parts from intake manifold, to H-pipe and everything in between. The only new parts in my engine are the components of the stroker rotating assembly and even then I waited for a sale until I bought them.
The other possibility is maybe you just need to swallow your pride and have to admit you can't afford this kind of hobby? Hot rodding isn't cheap. If you can't afford to fix it, you can't afford to drive it IMO. There's no shame in it, but spending money you don't have and the little you do have for the sake of spending it is a good way to get yourself in over your head and a half finished car.
I work a couple of jobs and the last couple of years have been tight for me as well, but it's all a matter of budgeting. You're young, I can tell. My advice to you is to not to be so eager to empty your pocket every time you get a couple of bucks in it. Show some restraint, make smarter purchases and let the funds built up to the point you're able to afford the parts you really want, instead of the parts you think you' need to have.
Again, if you want to build a fast car, be prepared to pay for it and make smart decisions with your money, not rash ones....or, ignore the advice. buy the throttle bodies, the cold air intakes, the specialty spark plug wires and all of the $100-$200 parts you can think of to your hearts content and contend with owning a 14-second car....because that's what you'll end up with in the end if this is continues to be your minds set. The choice is really yours.
What are we all on these forums for? To learn and chat about this HOBBY we all share;
They key word in this sentence is the word "learn". You right now, have the benefit of learning, from others mistakes. Whether you choose to do so and not make them yourself is up to you. It's your money, and your car, so spend it the way you wish.
...but don't get bent out of shape when you post on an open web forum asking for advice and you get some that you don't want to hear. I can tell by your tone that you're taking this personally and it's not meant to be. I'm being realistic. I've been in the small block EFI game for over 20-years. I've made the mistakes you're about to now and learned from them. You can either take the advice of someone who's been there and done it, or ignore it....it's your choice.
Now, what I asked was would a throttle body be worth while or can anyone suggest anything else that doesn't cost an arm and a leg for some weekend fun?
Yes, go buy a motorcycle. They're lots of fun.
.
. Well while doing so you missed the point. I wasn't trying to have someone talk me into buying a throttle body no, I was trying to see what would be something worth buying so I could have something to tinker with on the weeknds to keep the HOBBY alive. I realize that a t.b. isn't a miracle and wouldn't add 53 horse power like electric superchargers or the "tornado" (sarcasm just incase you missed it) But I thought it might get me a little something and more so give me something to work on. Now, what I asked was would a throttle body be worth while or can anyone suggest anything else that doesn't cost an arm and a leg for some weekend fun? I'm not looking for a miracle just something to keep the hobby alive while I save for my heads like you suggested. Hmm save money, if I would have only thought of that sooner.......
