looking at 87-93 mustangs for a first car... some help/performance questions inside..

[flatlander757]

hey, i'll be getting my liscense on may 30, i cant wait ever since i've taken a ride in a friend's 88 mustang gt(with maf conversion and a bunch of stuff i cant remember, he told me about 290-310hp at the wheels...) i've been reading up and learning just about everything i can about the fox body mustangs in 5.0&SF and MM&FF and various places online. i've found plenty of '87 and '88 5.0's around here selling for under $3000, which is my budget. i know 87-88 had the speed density computer, and MAF is preferred, but is there any way you can tune the SD computer by means of a piggyback chip or tuner without needing a dyno(like the FAST engine management)? i plan on doing a few simple things like headers(what are some good recommendations? i dont know the real differences between short, long, equal, and unequal length heads in terms of performance, ease of installation, and sound), an x pipe, and some straight through mufflers, heads, cam, and intake. this will probably be over a 2 year span before i finish highschool to go to wyotech in blairsville, PA. i've read in one of the magazines that the speed density computer doesnt like cams with more duration, but you can get one with similar duration and more lift than stock to see a performance increase. what are the stock cam specs?

[Muscletang]

Originally Posted by flatlander757

i plan on doing a few simple things like headers(what are some good recommendations? i dont know the real differences between short, long, equal, and unequal length heads in terms of performance, ease of installation, and sound), an x pipe, and some straight through mufflers, heads, cam, and intake. this will probably be over a 2 year span before i finish highschool to go to wyotech in blairsville, PA.

I'm not sure about the computer but the exhaust I can help you out. It is believed that when the exhaust valve shuts, the exhaust rides a wave through the exhaust pipe. The equal length headers let the waves ride all together.

Short tube equal length headers are easier to put in but don't sound as good. Long tube equal lenghts will be harder to put in but in the end will sound much better and will give you a little more power.

If you've been reading 5.0 & S.F. then you probably know all the good brands in there. MAC, BBK, and Flowtech are good brands and have some good headers.

As for the mufflers I'm a Flowmaster guy. I know a whole lot of people have them but their sound and performance is hard to beat. My friend has some Flowmaster Super 40s on his Chevelle and the thing sounds awesome. So these would be what I'd suggest.

As for the intake manifold 5.0 tested a huge list of name brands and Flowtech was the cheapest and had the most power gain so I'd do with them.

As for the came I don't know anything about that. The heads I'm not sure either but I think GT-40s aren't bad.

[GTStang]

SD cars can still handle a lot of changes and be fine nothing you've metioned except the cam would cause and issue. Cam selection would have to be very carefully though out before hand.

The only piggyback set-up for and SD car that I know of is the old Crane Interceptor which was bought by Anderson Ford and now is called the P.M.S.. An Anerdson P.M.S won't work but the Crane will.

Fast, AEM, and any of the other tons of SD stand-alones do not need to be on a dyno but you really need wideband 02's and a good understanding of what is going on and you could tune it yaself.

[flatlander757]

well don't you need to relocate the o2 sensors when you get long tube headers anyways? maybe i could knock out 2 birds with one stone... could i really see a performance gain by getting say a gt40 manifold, afr 165 or tfs heads and a full exhaust while retaining the stock cam? without really increasing the duration or lift i dont think the heads would have a huge effect without the cam, unless the oem heads restrict flow in stock form...

i've seen a mac MAF conversion for sale in the magazines somewhere... it was like $380 or so and if you get a pro-m 70mm bullet MAS and a cold air intake its like $650 or something... and i've seen people say they convert to MAF "using an 89 computer," do you just look for junk mustangs and rip out the electronics or what? will the mac kit include everything i need?

[GTStang]

Originally Posted by flatlander757

well don't you need to relocate the o2 sensors when you get long tube headers anyways? maybe i could knock out 2 birds with one stone... could i really see a performance gain by getting say a gt40 manifold, afr 165 or tfs heads and a full exhaust while retaining the stock cam? without really increasing the duration or lift i dont think the heads would have a huge effect without the cam, unless the oem heads restrict flow in stock form...

i've seen a mac MAF conversion for sale in the magazines somewhere... it was like $380 or so and if you get a pro-m 70mm bullet MAS and a cold air intake its like $650 or something... and i've seen people say they convert to MAF "using an 89 computer," do you just look for junk mustangs and rip out the electronics or what? will the mac kit include everything i need?

Wit a GT-40/ AFR 165 heads and a full exhuast would still post very nice gains wit the stock cam. E7's are very restrictive and LT headers will improve the whole package.

Not changing your stock cam would just not be maximizing the package but there are def some good cams you could use wit that set-up and keep the stock SD.

Also the Crane Interceptor can be bought used for around $200-$250 give you a lot more control as far as tuning(use any cam you want) and if you still wanted MAF it works with both.

[flatlander757]

alright, thanks guys!

ive got one more question, i've found plenty of GT convertibles, they tend to be in the $1500-2000 range.. i know they flex more and are heavier(how much more than a hatchback?), but given the power levels i plan on putting out, would the chassis flex be acceptable after some chassis stiffeners and a few other suspension parts? and is there a way to have the top permanantly up and rip out the mechanical crap you dont need to save some weight? i love fox body convertibles with the top up

[Muscletang]

Originally Posted by flatlander757

alright, thanks guys!

ive got one more question, i've found plenty of GT convertibles, they tend to be in the $1500-2000 range.. i know they flex more and are heavier(how much more than a hatchback?), but given the power levels i plan on putting out, would the chassis flex be acceptable after some chassis stiffeners and a few other suspension parts? and is there a way to have the top permanantly up and rip out the mechanical crap you dont need to save some weight? i love fox body convertibles with the top up

The convertable only weighs a few hundred pounds more but it isn't much. It's a only a couple tenths of a second slower than the hard top.

As for the chassis flex I don't think it'd be a huge problem as opposed to the hard top.

[flatlander757]

awesome, i think ill wait til i actually have my liscense and then go for whatever i find with a 5.0 then the z28s and trans ams may be faster, but the fox body mustang is sexiest