95 gt build

[Texas_Made]

Good morning everyone,

So I really would like some opinions here on my engine set up. I have been thinking about it on and off for years. I have looked at hundreds of setups and just want to do it right. I know all of this is going to be subjective however I really want to figure it out and I want to hear from some one who has done it all so to speak. Is there anything you would do different?

On to my car, I have a 95 gt that I am building to corner. I do not drag race other then for fun here and there, but it is not the purpose of my build. This is also not a full track car. I daily the car so I would call it a serious street car. I am keeping a/c, full interior, stereo, all daily driver aspects. I do plan on auto crossing the car and doing some track days for fun not the purpose of the car.


I have considered strokers, turbo, supercharged, 351, 306 with HIC. Just cant decide, power is up in the air. If I had to put a number on it 400+ whp sounds good for a street car. I would like to keep the budget low, however I am not putting a number on it yet because I have time. I want this engine reliable and fast and i know that's not cheap.

What I dont want;
Coyote or Modular swap, I really considered this but I want to stay push rod.

Crazy power or built engine that is not daily driveable. So no big cams or big turbo/blower setups. No nitrous.

What is currently done to the car:


Engine, stock/ bolt on
Intake
Equal length bbk short headers
Off road bbk x-pipe
Smog pump delete

Trans,
Auto to T5 swap
Exedy mach 400 clutch
Ford racing bearings
MM cable and adj kit

Suspension,
MM springs
MM HD lower rear control arms
New stock rear upper control arms
New stock bushings in diff.
MM panard bar assembly
Urethane sway bar bushings and end links
MM Solid steering shaft
Koni adjustable shocks and struts
New front control arms with urethane bushings
MM bump steer kit
New rack and pinion
MM solid rack bushings
MM strut tower brace
MM CC plates
MM sub frame connectors

Brakes,
Cobra front calipers and rotors
Cobra master cylinder
Cobra rear rotor upgrade coming soon.
New hubs

Tuning,
Looking in to mega squirt.



Thanks
Kris

 

[jozsefsz]

Building a '95 to corner... interesting challenge. Stock or stroked 302 with HCI could probably get you pretty close to your horsepower goals, and help it lose a little weight while you're at it. The rear, well, that's a different story as a solid-axle isn't really meant for autocross. Neither is a heavy cast-iron v8.

Personally, I'd look into an IRS transplant, and consider a 2.3 turbo swap for the weight if you were looking to get serious about autocross.

Though to be honest, I'd also ask myself if a 95 GT is the right car for me, and look into picking up a 99-04 Cobra with IRS and try to drop in a light-weight motor with power-adder. Or perhaps a little more radical and go the VW / Honda / Toyota / Mazda route to be honest (or a Focus if you'd like to stay Ford) which puts you a lot closer to your goals than starting with a 90's Mustang.

Building an SN95 for drag racing is common, for autocross it's not. There are reasons for that (the car was purpose-built to be a fun daily driver with straight-line potential and it does so well), and trying to make it do anything else is going to get costly and complex. Not that it can't be done, but at the end, you'll have worse results for more effort than if you started with a car made to do what you're looking to do.

My 2c.

 

[Texas_Made]

Thanks for the reply an irs swap is in store for the car, just not yet. I want to have some fun with the straight axle first. I understand that the car is not the best for auto crossing but it is still fun to do. I have had many hondas and while they are better suited to auto cross I love my mustangs. I am not building the car to auto cross just will have fun like that with the car. Again this is my daily and I wanted to give you a vision of what I do with the car. Driving on some hilly/curvy back roads is really what the car is going to see most.

I put down as much information as I could to help give you an idea of what i am going for. Again the purpose is a fun daily that i wont be afraid to hit a corner with.

Kris

 

[jozsefsz]

Cool beans, you out near the hill country and the 'devil's backbone?' I spent about 5 years in Texas, some of the craziest, curviest roads I'd ever encountered.
For that kind of action, keep it light (the HCI will help with aluminum heads knocking 30lb off the engine weight), some nice wide tires on some bigger wheels, and maybe lower things a bit to get the center of gravity down towards the ground. Should give you plenty of fun.

 

[Texas_Made]

Thanks, the suspension has the full MM road and track package plus the other items I have added. The tires could be better but are a square 275 setup all around. I have some finessing to do but other then that it is good to go.

I am thinking at this point that I will go with a stock block 331, trick flow 190 11r , custom ed curtis cam, rockers depend on cam. Keep my headers and exhaust, holly system max intake, 70 mm throttle body, custom cold air intake, 36 lb. Injectors, new lifters, push rods, timing chain, a good harmonic balancer. I want to run mega squirt 3 as the turning software. Anything I can add to this?

Kris

 

[Texas_Made]

The trans will be a built gforce t-5.

Kris

 

[96pushrod]

347 stroker will get you 400whp with a manual, any less and what’s the point A 351 build is also a solid plan.

I’m kind of confused, are the parts you have listed the ones that are on the car now?

If you’re buying heads, go 205cc intake or more - you’ll be glad you did. Also if your buying a throttle body then go with a 75mm instead of a 70mm. I’m running a tf box r series intake and it’s great, it can still be ran (well I might add) with a 75mm Tb. I strongly recommend it if you’ve got the hood clearance. Even a lower engine speeds it still pulls great.

The rest - rockers,lifters, timing chain, etc is pretty much your choice, there’s lots of good stuff out there.

No reason to buy any smaller injector than a 40lb, you’ll be able to tune around it fairly easily. I’d recommend a 42+ Minus a pump and injectors you’ll be able to leave the rest of the fuel system stock. Gotta love sn95s.

Megasquirt is great, I’m currently running quarterhorse as it’s a pretty cheap option. Definitely a lot of reading to get figure out what the hell is going on though lol.

 

[jozsefsz]

+1 on the Quarterhorse. Inexpensive and turns a pretty solid ECU into a fully programmable one. No need to re-invent the wheel.

 

[Texas_Made]

Thanks for the reply, yes the car specs listed in the first post are what is already done to the car. I wanted to build the chassis first and then work on the power. I did think about going with a 351 as well. The 205 heads can be done too. Looking at a solid but mild build. QH is good I have a good friend running his twin turbo 302 with it. I am looking at that as well. I just have done more research on the megasquirt then QH. I will look more into 351 and QH.

Kris

 

[Texas_Made]

I am looking for a solid, reliable, fun, daily drivable engine. I dont want crazy power, or something that is going to suck to drive every day. Knowing this what would you do? No real hp or budget goal. I just want a fun car that I can hit some corners with and enjoy driving.

Kris

 

[General karthief]

Read your post #5, that and the suspension set up right and you'll have a dependable smile on your face every time you drive it.

 

[96pushrod]

Thanks for the reply, yes the car specs listed in the first post are what is already done to the car. I wanted to build the chassis first and then work on the power. I did think about going with a 351 as well. The 205 heads can be done too. Looking at a solid but mild build. QH is good I have a good friend running his twin turbo 302 with it. I am looking at that as well. I just have done more research on the megasquirt then QH. I will look more into 351 and QH.

Kris

Ok gotcha. It’s good you have somebody who already knows how to do some tuning with qh. It’s worth it to have a tuner setup the base tube, then you can go back and make finer adjustments. Will save you a lot of headache.

It stick with the parts you already have, they’ll still make a good street machine. It’s only if you’re buying new stuff that you may as well get the best you can afford. There’s always room to grow, but it sucks having to buy the same parts twice.

 

[Texas_Made]

The engine items I do not have. Thats what I really want to get right the first time. No need to do things twice.

Kris

 

[General karthief]

don't tell mike

 

[StonedGreen]

ok, so i read all the posts before i responded. You and I have the same car and the same goals, the only difference is i won't daily drive it. I want a really good looking street car that can back up its looks and surprise a few ppl from its performance capabilities. I want to do a full MM set up, 500hp minimum, tremec tko and solid rear axle.

What i did up to now
MM sub frames
MM Pan hard bar...best upgrade ever
BBK Lower RCA
New stock uppers
rebuilt 373 rear end with a ford motorsport lsd, basically a stockish up grde
31 spline axles
bbk hpipe
pipes catback
bbk cai
bbk 255 Alph fuel pump
new brake lines and fuel lines

So getting back to the engine. This is my idea for me:
dart block 427 with 220 air heads and edelbrock intake. This should bring me to the 580-600 hp range.

At first I wanted a 363 so that it would be an easy straight up swap, but the engine builders all suggested a 427 because you get more power but also load of low end torque. I spoke to jim woods and performance unlimited and that was their suggestion. This engine choice was made because this car is not a daily driver, its my sometimes car, it's basically my toy.

If it was a daily, I would go for a 347 stroker on the stock block and 190 heads. The smaller head, helps with low end torque and you can still make good numbers.
My friend made 375hp to the wheels, so 425 ish at the crank. he head some chinese replica intake manifold and throttle body with edelbrock rpm heads, e303, shorty headers, no cats and flowmaster cat back. Stock computer A9L(fox body) if i'm not mistaken

 

[96pushrod]

I think a 427 needs a 240cc Head. You’ll still make more tq than you’ll know what to do with. Not that the bigger intake runner will even affect that...

Not to be that guy, but I gotta call bs on an e303 cam making 375whp. I think that would be a n/a e-cam record lol.

 

[a91what]

MS3 is a fantastic EMS and if you decide to go that route I am very well versed in tuning that system. FYI I have a help and how to threads just for the MS systems. check out the digital tuning portion of the site and you will see dozens of MS powered cars.

 

[RioRed95Cobra]

331 > 347. Small vortech, lots of MM stuff, you'll be fine. Basically my car, and it made 370 rwhp n/a, and over 550 rwhp boosted on 12 lbs.

I also have koni yellow coilovers all round, griggs tubular stuff, lots of MM, etc.. car is a blast.. edit: +1 on quarterhorse. Have one and love it.

AFR 185's, nice crane cam, Edelbrock RPM intakes, stock block 331, shaved/balanced crank, 1500g bob weight, Mahle phosphate coated flat top forged pistons/phosphate coated rings, 90mm maf, 42's, s trim @ 12 lbs, etc.. standard setup, shorty headers, offroad x, magnaflows.. no smog/ac.

Standard, tried and true setup for 2+ decades, now. Add a good suspension and brakes and it's more than enough to get in trouble with and blow off the occasional supercar with a doucher behind the wheel

 

[RioRed95Cobra]

Building a '95 to corner... interesting challenge. Stock or stroked 302 with HCI could probably get you pretty close to your horsepower goals, and help it lose a little weight while you're at it. The rear, well, that's a different story as a solid-axle isn't really meant for autocross. Neither is a heavy cast-iron v8.

Personally, I'd look into an IRS transplant, and consider a 2.3 turbo swap for the weight if you were looking to get serious about autocross.

Though to be honest, I'd also ask myself if a 95 GT is the right car for me, and look into picking up a 99-04 Cobra with IRS and try to drop in a light-weight motor with power-adder. Or perhaps a little more radical and go the VW / Honda / Toyota / Mazda route to be honest (or a Focus if you'd like to stay Ford) which puts you a lot closer to your goals than starting with a 90's Mustang.

Building an SN95 for drag racing is common, for autocross it's not. There are reasons for that (the car was purpose-built to be a fun daily driver with straight-line potential and it does so well), and trying to make it do anything else is going to get costly and complex. Not that it can't be done, but at the end, you'll have worse results for more effort than if you started with a car made to do what you're looking to do.

My 2c.

You do realize a 95 gt and a 99-04 cobra are the exact same chassis...right? Lol.

I'm personally buying a 1500 buck gt and blowing 20k in parts on it.. not buying someone's beat to '03 snake for 15-20k.

 

[a91what]

You do realize a 95 gt and a 99-04 cobra are the exact same chassis...right? Lol.

I'm personally buying a 1500 buck gt and blowing 20k in parts on it.. not buying someone's beat to '03 snake for 15-20k.

You missed the very important point in that statement..... the 99-04 cobra has IRS suspension factory. (Independent rear suspension) which is far superior for autocross/cornering.