New opinion question

[brtnstrns]

I decided that for what I want to do, I should just keep my current GT as I believe it has plenty of life left in it at 120k miles, especially now since I've acquired an incredibly cheap and efficient daily driver...and I won't have to mess with car payments.

So instead my plan is to start modding the car. My plan is to start with suspension. I'm wondering if y'all think I should start acquiring parts for the suspension upgrade (H&R SSs, CC plates, shocks, the works...) or should I have my first upgrade buying a tuner. I've read nothing but good things about them so I'm wondering if most people would consider that the best first thing to do.

The car is currently (performance wise) stock.

 

[Dark04GT]

I'd make a plan for what you want to do with your car. Honestly I had an excel spread sheet for a while to plan suspension stuff (still more to do).

First question everyone should ask themselves: Do you want a car that is good for the strip, good for an autocross, good on the street, or a mix of it all?

After you answer that no matter what you picked some of the parts that are best bang for buck are the suspension mods. Depending on what you answered above should guide you to where to start. If I were first starting knowing what I know now I would buy:

1) Full length subframe connectors (weld in kind, bare metal (painted are a PITA))
2) Springs
3) shocks (I guarantee that the stock shocks are completely blown)
4) CC plates
5) Steeda Bumpsteer kit (the springs really add on bump steer, you don't know how bad it is until you fix it)

With those 5 things your car will handle much better on the strip, street, and around the track.

From there I would then think about performance mods- don't go so crazy with bolt ons like I did, if you want to go faster think about FI early.

I would not do gears unless you are spending some considerable time on the drag strip.

 

[brtnstrns]

Seems like you're right up my alley with my general plan. I'd prefer autocross/street performance over drag strip performance. Forgot to list the SFC's. And yes, post-suspension I will probably look going straight into saving for forced induction as I think that would be most interesting and an "easy" (albeit expensive) performance upgrade.

 

[txredgt]

I have everything Dark listed minus the bumpsteer and I am here in the ATX if you need help or what to see stuff before you buy it. I'm not sure I could get back into a new edge car WITHOUT subframe connecters anymore and that says alot.

 

[brtnstrns]

I appreciate it texredgt but I'm actually in the Dallas area now. I've also got a good idea of everything...mainly from looking at pictures on american muscle, etc. But thank you.

 

[Sharad]

Suspension first, because it's sort of a resto-mod. You go through and upgrade the parts that are already worn out, so it's a win win. The new parts replace the old worn out stuff, but also they're better than the other parts were new, so it's like a double improvement.

Feel free to swing by the vendor's forum, we can offer plenty of advice and hook you up with some good deals!

 

[Kornnut]

First thing I would do is freshen up all the fluids. Then I would do the suspension to the level you want.


The best thing to do is look at a progression of mods. If you're going to do a set of LTs are you going to want a K member in the future? If so do the K member swap at the same time if possible. Are you going to do gears? If so build the rear end while at it. Stuff like that makes the process much easier.