I have $7k..what do i do with it?

65notch

New Member
Jun 18, 2005
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661 Cali
hey guys, if you havnt noticed ive posted a few threads lately. Reason being i have $7000 and im going to spend it on my car.
I need YOUR opinions on what i should do. there are a couple of things im going to do for sure but there alot of money left over for more things. Heres what i have:
65 mustang w/ mild built 289 .030 over and a c4. the motor was built edel. 600 4bbl carb, perf. rpm intake, stock heads(rebuilt), small cam, long tube headers and full dual exhaust. i have a 8: rear with an open 3.55:1 gear ratio. ive rebuilt the suspension, lowered the car, front and rear sways, shelby upper control arm mod. i have blown out power steering so alot of slop in my wheel. i have msd, alum rad., and a good interior. and recenlty rebuilt 4 wheel drum brakes.

now here are things i want to do:
im going to do a t5 conversation and locker for the rear for sure.
i want to fix my steering..either rackand pinon or replace what i have with factory style stuff.
i have maverick discs that can be put on but i need a new m/s, rotors, prop. valve and lines
battery relocation to trunk with optima
camshaft/lifters
electric fuel pump


those are my ideas, i dont know if im going to do all that or not, but i would like your advice on the things im thinking and any ideas that i should do....i want to 'Best Bang for the Buck' type of thing. thanks guys
-jeff-
i would
 
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Hey Im in Tucson so you can give it to me!
J/k, first are you gonna do all the work your self?
Even if you are 7k wont cover what you have listed unless you do some serious shopping around. Well maybe it will depending on the parts. I wouldnt go with a t-5, if you really want a manual get a tremec that will stand up to some abuse. Whats wrong with your P/S?
I will be removing all my P/S and stock disc brakes and suspension for a Heidts kit on my 66. I might have a extra M/C from a Granada laying around too. Ill have to go to my shop and see. I go to school so its comming slow. Im also doing a 9" swap with all the good stuff and a martz 4 link. This should keep me busy for a while. I have a extra Third member for a 9" too.

If I were you I would do this. Steering and brakes first. Then the cam and a good set of flowing heads. Then see how much you have left and go from there.

Luis
 
LUCAFU1 said:
I wouldnt go with a t-5, if you really want a manual get a tremec that will stand up to some abuse. Luis


If your talking about a TKO or something a long those lines I think to get it right he'll need to cut the tunnel for drive line angle issues. A good z-series t-5 will be ok for him with what he has. As for installing those 3 things:tranny, brakes, rack, I know you can do the first 2 by yourself as I've never installed a rack before but it doesn't look to hard. I think if you buy a good rebuilt t-5 and the kit you would be around 1300-1500$, the brakes might cost you another 300 or so. The rack i think is 1300$ish for manuel. Depending on what type of cam a good hyro will run around 150-300$ or you could go roller with some link bars for about 600-800$. Battery relocation and an optima ( I don't know what optima's run) but I would say around 200$? Electric fuel pump just to give you some room I would say around 200$ for a good one say blue or something with a reg. That brings the total to 4300 with all the expensive stuff. you still have about 2700$ to play with! I would get new heads to match to the cam you want AFR's come to mind. Get a LSD like LMan said. Get a set of cal tracs so you can plant the new found power and I think you will have pretty much used up your dough and have a nice ride at it!
 
yes im going to do all the work myself. this is my plan..
pull the engine and tranny out. and then redo my engine compartment...clean it up...repaint and detail it some. then at that time...relocate the battery to the trunk and move the starter soleniod somewhere it cant be seen. at that point, i can do the steering alot easier also. at the same time as im putting the engine and tranny back in, while the car is on jackstands, i will do the locker. now if i do the steering...im going to have to mess with things inside the car...such as the steering column and dash. i have some cheap mod ideas for the dash and i need to fix some wiring problems there too. at the same time i can install my clutch pedal asembly. i think that pretty much rounds up all the big things. there are alot of little things i want to do, but they can happen at any time.
they way ive budgeted it all out...i can do pretty much all the big things..tranny, diff, steering, etc. and use up all my money..or i can cut something out and do the little things like the battery or fog lights.
 
LUCAFU1 said:
Hey Im in Tucson so you can give it to me!
J/k, first are you gonna do all the work your self?
Even if you are 7k wont cover what you have listed unless you do some serious shopping around. Well maybe it will depending on the parts. I wouldnt go with a t-5, if you really want a manual get a tremec that will stand up to some abuse. Whats wrong with your P/S?
I will be removing all my P/S and stock disc brakes and suspension for a Heidts kit on my 66. I might have a extra M/C from a Granada laying around too. Ill have to go to my shop and see. I go to school so its comming slow. Im also doing a 9" swap with all the good stuff and a martz 4 link. This should keep me busy for a while. I have a extra Third member for a 9" too.

If I were you I would do this. Steering and brakes first. Then the cam and a good set of flowing heads. Then see how much you have left and go from there.

Luis


my powersteering pump is shot, my control valve is bad because thats what blew out the steering ram. the gearbox has alot of play in it, and ive tried adjusting it many times but it doesnt help. all the bushings are shot. pretty much i need everything that has to do with the steering except for the steering wheel and column.
 
I got ya!
Sounds like you have a great plan. I just dont like t-5s. Maybe you can squeeze a 3550 in there. I dont know what fits. But your plan sounds good to me. Good luck and keep us updated. Are you set on keeping the 8 inch? I dont know what your plans are but maybe a 9 inch might be better, especially with a 5 speed. I know a guy that sells 9" rear ends (any size), axles, posi/lockers/spools, bearings, third members and gears. I priced it through him and it was gonna be around $1600 shipped for everything and the housing would except my stock brakes. Or you can get a big bearing housing if you would like. You pick what gears you want and what spline you want. If you want something stonger (1000hp) it will cost about $1900. Let me know if your interested and I can get you in touch with him.

Luis
 
LUCAFU1 said:
I got ya!
Sounds like you have a great plan. I just dont like t-5s. Maybe you can squeeze a 3550 in there. I dont know what fits. But your plan sounds good to me. Good luck and keep us updated. Are you set on keeping the 8 inch? I dont know what your plans are but maybe a 9 inch might be better, especially with a 5 speed. I know a guy that sells 9" rear ends (any size), axles, posi/lockers/spools, bearings, third members and gears. I priced it through him and it was gonna be around $1600 shipped for everything and the housing would except my stock brakes. Or you can get a big bearing housing if you would like. You pick what gears you want and what spline you want. If you want something stonger (1000hp) it will cost about $1900. Let me know if your interested and I can get you in touch with him.

Luis

im for sure interested in a 9" im gonna have to do it at some point in time. 1600 doesnt sound to bad for everything.
 
I'll be upgrading to a bigger return style fuel system, so ill be selling my (summit)fuel pump and regulator,, it cost me 140.00, ill sell it for 75 bucks, its a 135 GPH, 18 psi max pressure,billet body and a billet regulator set for 3-14 psi.Has been on the car for 2 years,but it sat for a year getting painted......just letting you know
 
G-Force (every insert opinion now) sells a brand new t-5 setup to handle around 600hp for $2k. Might be able to call and see if they will put their setup in a used case for less. Used to have it on their site for $1500 with a used case.

As for the 9", damn that is a good price. I was looking at the 31 spline setup from currie and for housing and axles it was like $1000 for the 9+ setup. and then you have to add the third member and all that other good stuff.
 
What is with G-force? The problem is the weak case of the t-5. It is like giving someone who has never played guitar before a late 50s les paul standard . . . No amount of money is going to help.

If you plan on touching the motor at all (do a 347 if you are), look into getting a TKO 600. But that will probably dictate the need for a 9-inch as the 8 has its limits around the 350 RWHP and above, especially for a stick regardless of the gearing.

I would say the t-5 would be fine with a decent OTS head like a twisted wedge/AFR 165. Just make a cruiser and have a little more power to boot. Don't waste all of the $7000 trying to go in 3 different directions in a already good car.
 
You will be fine with the Z spec T5 so long as you aren't powershifting and dumping the clutch at every light. Save the money for now, get those steering and braking necessities done first. Then get a 5.0 from a junkyard, build that on the stand mate it to a T-5z, swap the engines and trannies in a day, get a new driveshaft, build a new crossmember, and your car will transform night and day literally.
 
69Rcode_Mach1 said:
You will be fine with the Z spec T5 so long as you aren't powershifting and dumping the clutch at every light. Save the money for now, get those steering and braking necessities done first. Then get a 5.0 from a junkyard, build that on the stand mate it to a T-5z, swap the engines and trannies in a day, get a new driveshaft, build a new crossmember, and your car will transform night and day literally.
IMO, no need for a G Force unless your building major power,just be easy on a "stock" T5 and will last for years
 
i talked to the guy at modern driveline today..he seemed like a decent guy to deal with. he pretty much told me the same thing most of you are telling me...the t5z with be just fine for what i have and what im going to use it for. im not going to drag it off every light. i do plan to have fun with it but not to tear it up.

as for heads...i hadnt planned on doing much to this motor because i do plan on building a 331 stroker in the future so engine work i wanna stay low on if i cant use it later on... a camshaft is pretty cheap and im sure it will make a big difference.

is anybody still using an 8" in here? if so do u and what kind of locker do you have?