Hi All! New Pony Owner! First-Time Poster... Need Some Suggestions.

[Mega-Man]

Hi Gang,
Nice to stumble across these boards--looks like I fell into the right place regarding Mustang-talk.

After nearly 20-years of wanting a Mustang, my wife finally gave in and let me get one. A 2002 GT--which you can see in the picture I have in my sig. Basically, I've owned it for a few months now, and pretty much nailed the cosmetics to my liking. I'm not planning to do anything more in the looks department, however, I'm now fighting the urge / NEED for more horsepower. (Needless to say, it's a fight I don't really want to win.) LOL

So, there you have it in a nutshell. I'm a complete newbie, and have come to you guys / gals for help. I need to start upgrading the performance on my ponycar and have no idea where to begin. My goal is to get around 300 - 325hp and hopefully this will satisfy me.

Questions (and I welcome differing opinions) I have:

1.) What should I do first?
2.) What are the costs associated? (It is a concern as my wife wasn't too happy with all of the stuff I've been getting in the mail the past couple of months.)
3.) What manufacturers do I need to go after?

I'm into the old-school throaty sounding Stangs, with a look to match, if that helps at all. I just would like to get some more horses under the hood, with good-quality parts, on a decent budget, spanning over the next few months / years.

Thanks again, and apologize for being verbose. - Mega

 

[DBMSTNG]

I'm not planning to do anything more in the looks department, however, I'm now fighting the urge / NEED for more horsepower. (Needless to say, it's a fight I don't really want to win.) LOL

So, there you have it in a nutshell. I'm a complete newbie, and have come to you guys / gals for help. I need to start upgrading the performance on my ponycar and have no idea where to begin. My goal is to get around 300 - 325hp and hopefully this will satisfy me.

i once said the same thing. take a look at the link in my sig. once it starts, it's very very hard to stop.

1.) What should I do first?

i suggest you start with the exhaust, then go from there.

2.) What are the costs associated? (It is a concern as my wife wasn't too happy with all of the stuff I've been getting in the mail the past couple of months.)

depends on what type of exhaust you want. anywhere from $1000 to $1600 for a full exhaust. go to www.mustangexhaust.com to hear sound clips of different exhaust combos.

3.) What manufacturers do I need to go after?

Magnaflow, SLP, Flowmaster. whatever you like.

get the exhaust, then come back and ask what to do next. take it one step at a time.

 

[Mega-Man]

LOL Will do--and good advice! Thanks much for the help as it's always nice to know others have been where you are now. I'll start with the exhaust. Would you recommend having it professionally installed? I have no access to a lift, ramps, and my driveway is a small hill.. I'm also not super confident in my mechanical skills, yet. (I guess I just answered my own question there, huh?) - Mega

 

[twogts4us]

Nice ride - love the old school rear window louvers. Fav first mods are cat back, shifter, gears, mid pipe. These have good bang for the buck. For gears, besides their cost and the labor to have them installed (typically about $425 total), you'll need a speed cal, a chip, or a handheld computer, to correct the speedo.
Best of Luck and Welcome to StangNet!!!

 

[Mega-Man]

Thanks much! Yup, I absolutely love the louvers--took me a while to find a place who made / had'em. Installing wasn't too fun, but definitely worth it.

Thanks again, nice to be aboard and thanks for the info! - Mega

 

[Cobra Jay]

Gears! 4.10's or 4.30's if you don't plan on putting a S/C on your car. 4.10's if you do any long distance highway driving. 3.73's if you do plan on installing a S/C. Welcome aboard and enjoy your new toy.

 

[PEWTERPONY]

GREAT COLOR :d

UM......Get rid of those altezzas. I'm totally digging the luvers but the tezzas gota go. They look like krap with that color. If you really got have tezzas, get the carbon fiber trim ones. Those tezzas take the tuff....outa mustang

WELCOME

 

[brando]

Free up the air intake and the exhaust (lose the restrictive stock H-pipe), then gears and pullies.

 

[scalder]

Can I say it first this time???

DON'T FEAR THE GEAR!

Okay sorry...had to do it!

Whew! Now it's outta my system...

 

[KAILUAZ]

Nice Stang!! Welcome to the madness!!

 

[Kraw]

nice
I encourage you to use the search feature, there's TONS of useful information here

like the louv's

 

[Mega-Man]

Thanks all! I appreciate the suggestions--it gives me a good start.

Quick question, "tezzas" & "S/C", what are they? It's going to take me a couple of weeks to catch up on all of the lingo. LOL - Mega

 

[Mega-Man]

PewterPony,
Are "tezzas" the taillights by chance? I just got them not too long ago and thought they were classy / matched the other chrome on the back-end. I'll wait to hear back if this is what you were referring to. - Mega

 

[Ghostface]

tezzas are altezza lights as in those taillights that you have right now. S/C is supercharger. I would totally agree that the altezzas doesn't flow with your car especially with the window louvers, its like a clash between old-school and ghetto-school. I'd say if you want something different, get NiteShades and darken up the stock rear red lights. That would flow well imo.

 

[CPB00GT]

FMS gears (410's) and a quality exhaust first. They both will make you smile. Lose the tailights.

 

[streetstang03]

Do you plan on adding a supercharger or staying all motor?? Full exhaust (long-tube headers, xpipe, cat-back), cams, under drive pullies, plenum, throttle body, K&N filter, Steeda timing adjuster etc.. should get you to around ~310 ish horsepower.

If you plan on adding a supercharger, just do gears (3.73s), exhaust, and shifter for now. Then, save for a Kenne Bell supercharger. Maybe some suspension work (lowering springs, upper/lower control arms, subframes, shocks/struts) while saving for the blower to help get the power to the ground once the blower goes on.

 

[Mega-Man]

Wow, O.K., I'll see if I can return the taillights. The right one was leaking (doubling as a bathtub) and had to get new ones. So, I was trying something different--didn't realize they were "ghetto cool." LOL New term for me.

At any rate, I'd like to stay all-motor with the upgrades. I'm already sold on people's opinions of starting with the exhaust first, then go from there. I didn't even consider changing the gears, so that's now on my wish-list. Any pointers of where to go / search for the best deal? This is a daily driver for me, and not many freeway miles.

Thanks again folks! - Mega

 

[GTsleeper]

Not sure on how you can drive but definently GEARS. Gears is probably the biggest improvement for the first mod arranging around $400-$500 including installement. Lose the shifter and pick up a shortie you will need that exspecially if you get 4:10's. I recommend steeda's tri-ax but expect a little noise w/those no big deal. The price $179 but look around on e-bay. And go with speed cal at first its only $100 and saves room to spend money on other mods. Next work on the exhaust, X-Pipe, or H-Pipe with a set of mufflers. Definently wait until you have enough money to get the exhaust and mufflers all in one. Headers can wait since they are pricey. Exhausts vary so shop around if you want the best bang for the buck check out mustangtuning.com there x-pipe is a low price for a good sound. Not sure on quality. And like DBMSTNG said take one step at a time, a lot of people here don't mind giving advice. Also read articles even ones on the web modulardepot has great articles with good ideas.

 

[GTsleeper]

Oh yeah before I forget do not make the same mistake I made and get a 85mm MAF or higher stay with the stock air box (air filter). I am taking mine off and putting back on the stock box. Idles high and messed up the air fuel ratio. Until I s/c (supercharge) I don't need it.

 

[Screaminyellow7]

I would check out www.50resto.com thats where i bought my Bassani O/R x-pipe, and i thought i got a pretty good deal. I just went to a custom exhaust place and they had stage 2 flowmasters there. But def wait till you get it all at once, i put the x-pipe on and it didn't make a difference with stock muffler, then i put on the flowmasters and wow. Lets just say i just got a ticket last week for my exhaust, cop was 1/4 mile away.