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Mr 5 0 · 08-26-2002, 03:55 PM

ziggy:

For under $1,000. you only have a few options, two really.

You can try to find a set of iron GT-40 heads cheap, port them and install new rockers, springs, etc. and then add used Explorer intakes and maybe a set of headers. This would wake up your 5.0 big-time and add another 30 HP or so as the stock heads and intake are fairly restrictive. You can do this for under $1,00 but that assumes you do most of the labor. If a shop does it, add many hundreds to the price.

The other option is to get lower (higher numerically) rear gears. 3.55's work great for a daily driver; I have them on my near-stock '90 LX hatchback and love them. You'll be down in the 14's with those, once you learn how to launch and shift within the new parameters the gears offer. Total cost with professional installation is around $400.

I never understood the fear and loathing so many Mustang owners have about installing lower gears. Everyone sems to expect that a lower rear gearset is somehow going to propel them into 4,000 RPM @ 65 mph jaunts to work - and that's totally bogus.

I went from 1800 RPM @ 65 mph (in 5th) to 2150 @ 65 mph with the 3.55's. Hardly a big difference. My off-line punch improved noticably and all-around performance improved, too.

You could do the gear swap alone and probably beat your uncle but you would still have enough left for other mods, like a bigger Mass Air meter, exhaust (headers) and/or a shifter.

Think about it.

08-26-2002, 03:55 PM	#7
Mr 5 0 Conservative Individualist Join Date: May 1997 Location: Wherever I need to be Posts: 7,487	14's are waiting for you ziggy: For under $1,000. you only have a few options, two really. You can try to find a set of iron GT-40 heads cheap, port them and install new rockers, springs, etc. and then add used Explorer intakes and maybe a set of headers. This would wake up your 5.0 big-time and add another 30 HP or so as the stock heads and intake are fairly restrictive. You can do this for under $1,00 but that assumes you do most of the labor. If a shop does it, add many hundreds to the price. The other option is to get lower (higher numerically) rear gears. 3.55's work great for a daily driver; I have them on my near-stock '90 LX hatchback and love them. You'll be down in the 14's with those, once you learn how to launch and shift within the new parameters the gears offer. Total cost with professional installation is around $400. I never understood the fear and loathing so many Mustang owners have about installing lower gears. Everyone sems to expect that a lower rear gearset is somehow going to propel them into 4,000 RPM @ 65 mph jaunts to work - and that's totally bogus. I went from 1800 RPM @ 65 mph (in 5th) to 2150 @ 65 mph with the 3.55's. Hardly a big difference. My off-line punch improved noticably and all-around performance improved, too. You could do the gear swap alone and probably beat your uncle but you would still have enough left for other mods, like a bigger Mass Air meter, exhaust (headers) and/or a shifter. Think about it.