which engine turbo 2.3 or 5.0

[Unit 5302]

The Turbo 2.3L is good for 175hp in 1987-1988 Thunderbird TC's and the Merkur XR4Ti. The Mustang SVO version got 205hp.

Modifications to the turbo setup are possible, but to get more than about 240hp, you'll need to do some turbo upgrading, or go to nitrous. I don't know as I'd want to run the stock T-5 4banger beyond that, and the rear end starts to become a little iffy as well. Don't expect to get away without making cooling system mods for the turbo engine either. They kick out a ton of heat, and the intercoolers in there add to the need for cooling.

The 5.0L everybody knows about. Expect to make a couple more changes with the 5.0L, but not many.

Before anybody babbles about reliability, the turbo 2.3L is built to take serious abuse. Forged crank, rods, pistons.