Need some advice

Okay..... Im 17 and I just picked up my first car. Its a White 91 Mustang GT 5.0. Its got a flowmaster exost, new alternater, new battery, new transmission (basically stock). I figured it was a good deal for $4500 seeing it only had 100,000 miles one it.

But I want a little more out of it. Im tight for cash so I cant get a super charger yet. I was think get a cool air filter, and smarten the brain. But what should I do to get the most out of my car for the littlest amount of money.

Oh and I should mention it is an automatic :(

But I want to convert it to a clutchless munuel someday. So if anyone can give me some info on that too, that would be great. Thank to everyone in advance for taking the time to help me out.

Oh ya....

I should mention that I am retarted when it comes to cars. I got some friends who do the whole Import tuning thing, and they can help me a little. But what I really need is some explinations as to the domestic side of tuning.

So please be very detailed so I might get what your talking about. I bought this car knowing that I can learn a little about cars working on it.

don't waste money on getting a new computer until much further down the line when you have extensive modifications. everyone's favorite opening moves are installing new rear end gears with higher ratios and re-engineering the intake system. first things first: where to shop.
www.50resto.com
www.brothersperformance.com
www.mustangsunlimited.com
www.californiamustangs.com are my favorites.
40 bucks for the K&N filter or 140 for the K&N cold air intake system. that was my first decision, i went for the filter and about four months later i went for the cold air intake. new throttle body, spacer, mass air meter and inlet pipe really opens it up. do things your self and have fun. god speed. we'll be here when you need us.

Well the clutchless manual tranny will cost more than your car. You will break the stock block before you ever need to use such a tranny. Also those trannys are no good for the street, they are for race only applications.

If I where you I'd up the rear gears, go from 1.6 stock rockers to 1.7 roller rockers. Maybe pick up a Cobra or GT40 intake. Then save up for new heads/cam/and intake, or the 5spd swap. A '91 GT with a 3550, AFR 185's, TFS II cam, and Holley intake would be a sweet ass ride. Plus all things things are compatible with a turbo or supercharger. But before I did that I would rebuild the stock block, since it has 100k on it I'd just re-use stock crank/rods and buy some .030 speed pro forged pistons to take you to 306ci. If you plan to go to a blower or turbo one day I'd suggest you keep the cr down to 9.0:1 max for streetability, tuning, and pump gas use.

Oh ya....

I should mention that I am retarted when it comes to cars.

you aren't retarded - you are just inexperienced.
pick up a few books:
http://www.amazon.com/Official-Ford-Mustang-5-0-Performance/dp/0837602106/ref=sr_1_9/102-2238930-0951345?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179159626&sr=1-9
http://www.amazon.com/Modify-Liter-Mustang-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760305684/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/102-2238930-0951345?ie=UTF8&qid=1179159626&sr=1-9
and for sure get yourself the chilton manual.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I will be researching everything. It has a new rear end, but I am not sure exactly what it is. I should have mentioned that before. The intake is work in the progress, and I will be doing that asap. Ya i be looking a a blower or turbo down the line.

The pistons sound like a good I dea but I dont think Im experienced enough to rebuild an engien like this one yet.

And with the clutchless muneul shot down... How hard on me my walet and the car would it be to put a 5 speed in it.

couple grand for good parts.

if you are savvy you could sell this car and put yourself on the hunt for a stock 5speed. the automatic isn't anything to be ashamed of at all, 5speed is fun - but the auto is undeniably quicker.

5speed is fun - but the auto is undeniably quicker.

You sure about that? Stock vs stock with a decent driver the 5spd is gonna win.

Ya a manuel with a good driver should be able to beat the same car in an auto as far as I know.

Id like to hold on the the car though. I cant seem to find a manuel in connecticut that dosnt have something severly wrong, to expensive, not fit for the road, or convertable. And I did buy this knowing it would be a project.

Also, another point I would like to bring up is that the rear breaks are old drums. How much of a change would it be to switch them over to disks.

All in all... Im just looking for a guide line to follow to get a nice every day driving mucle car.

ok, i won't play the auto vs manual speed debate - there is certainly a lot of gray area there and "undeniably" was a poor choice of emphasis. the undeniable truth is that manual transitions are way funner to drive and carry with them a degree of soul and connection with the vehicle.

there are no guide lines - just do what you have to on the car until you grin to yourself every time you sit in it and turn the key. but i do recommend http://www.amazon.com/Official-Ford-Mustang-5-0-Performance/dp/0837602106/ref=sr_1_9/102-2238930-0951345?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179159626&sr=1-9 to get some ideas in your head and to help you understand the car.

Ok thanks... Maby Il pick that book up sometime. Il keep loooking into parts and Il start tinkering with it. thanks everyone. But if you got more to say im still open to ideas and suggestions.

I was talking to the Automotive teach at my school ( its a tech school ) and hes saying that when I swap out my radiator this summer that I should switch the maunel driven fan to an electric fan with a capacitor. And it should add 20-30 horse power..... I never though of that but it makes sense. Has anyone else tryed this?

I was talking to the Automotive teach at my school ( its a tech school ) and hes saying that when I swap out my radiator this summer that I should switch the maunel driven fan to an electric fan with a capacitor. And it should add 20-30 horse power..... I never though of that but it makes sense. Has anyone else tryed this?


More like 8-15 :) Not sure if a cap is needed.

Reports of horsepower gains by switching to an electric fan are usually overstated, and usually misunderstood.

Keep in mind that it takes horsepower to drive any fan, whether it's a manual fan or an electric fan. Power is power. It all comes from the same place, the engine.

When the electric fan is running, it draws power from the engine just as a manual fan does. WHEN IT IS RUNNING, there's almost no horsepower difference between the two except for a minor efficiency improvement in favor of the electric fan because it has a better aerodynamic design with the shrouded blades.

The REAL improvement comes because the electric fan can be shut off sometimes, thereby drawing zero power some of the time. Even with a thermostatic clutch, the mechanical fan has to run almost ALL the time with almost no 'zero' periods. (That's exactly why the first evolution of fan designs added a thermostatic clutch to mechanical fans....so the mechanical fan could 'not run' sometimes. The next step in the evolution was to go to the electric fan controlled by a thermostat).

Soooo, yes, an electric fan is 'better' than a mechanical fan overall, (that's why modern cars all have them now) but you MUST have it thermostatically controlled to accomplish anything.

Go for it, just don't be thinking you're getting monstrous HP improvements, because when the electric fan is running, there's not much difference at all.

Dave
Westminster, MD