'89 5.0 non HO V8 mods questions
 

I just picked up an '89 Lincoln Town Car 5.0, dual exhaust and I want to make it a little more fun to drive around town. I believe it has 160 hp and 280 lbs. ft. of torque. Should I just do the 5.0 HO conversion or collect Mustang aftermarket parts to make 220 rear wheel hp? If I go with the aftermarket parts, I'd like to used a GT-40 intake, 65mm TB & 67mm EGR, 19# injectors, Windsor Sr. iron heads, a custom cam and a JMS custom chip for Speed density compatible. Is this enough to make 220 rear wheel hp?

I think you're right on with those horsepower numbers. I think you have to start with the basics, just like we do with the Stangs.

A good friend told me this trick to remember -
Suck, squeeze, blow

That is the trick to combustion. Increase air in, increase air out. I would start by having some custom exhaust work done, maybe adding some Flowmasters. I had a shop custom bend all my pipes for less than an aftermarket system would have cost. You'd be surprised how affordable it can be. Just find an independant shop that will not charge an arm and a leg!\

Next, shop E-Bay for a stock HO intake and throttle body. Add to that a decent K&N setup (you may have to modify a Mustang setup, but it shouldn't be a big deal), and you have the beginning ingrediants to making some more power.

You may ask around and find that factory Mustang headers might work as well, and these can be found cheap on the internet as well.

Remember, the HO motor uses a type of forged piston from the factory, as well as a more aggressive camshaft. You will probably not get this thing to run like an HO, but you should be able to get close. If you are able to make these simple things work, you can then start spending more cash on the aftermarket stuff!!! Let us all know how it goes!

I'm going to do the full 5.0 HO conversion in a few months, but for right now I'm collecting parts to build a sleeper that will "surprize" a import or LT1 Camaro at a stoplight.