Way back machine? 5.0 Mustang build.

After many years of fox bodies and always wanting an SSP car, we finally located an 87 Mustang SSP coupe. Its a project....Getting it and getting it home was an adventure in itself.  Been sitting under a tree in Central Florida for "10" years ( I think more) But its mostly unmolested. And straight. My sons and I have done a bunch of the things that neglected old cars need. And now it runs and even drives reasonably well. As we continue to work the endless list of maintenance items, I find my self dreaming about what it will be.      It was black with the black 10 holes (probably LMR staggered 17s) and will be again. We have no experience in paint and body but are very slowly working our way through that. The interior will look stock but new. Which then brings about the thing that is taking the most space mentally.        It just cant be stock mechanically. Sorry. ive had them from stock to 450 at the wheels and stock wont work. But that was a long time ago. If it looks stock adjacent and is a black SSP coupe, It needs to have a proper 5.0 thump. A deeeeeeep all about the bass thump. Not going to be a race car. Its going to be FUN. I want to make tire smoke and noise and giggle. A lot.       This is NOT an unlimited budget build. So what would you do to a 5.0 that would make good sense?     306, 331, 347?  Afr heads, nice cam...        

In reply to SPG123 :

Here is what has been done on my 90LX 5 speed.

H&R lowering springs, Steeda sway bars, Koni shocks, 5 leg conversion with 17" Bullet wheels, Cobra front brakes, short tube headers and cat back exhaust.

The only thing left is the chassis stiffners

My goal is to get it around 300hp at the flywheel or thereabouts I will be bolting on different heads, intake and possibly a mild cam.

While 400hp would be cool I want to keep the car done up like one would typically have been back in the day. The 80s driving experience is what I want. If I wanted to go faster a turbo Miata would be way better as well as cheaper in the long run.

 A decent sized blower on the stock motor should make equal or better power than a heads, cam and intake set up and likely be less surgery. 
Simple changes like rear gear ratio go a long way, so plan on changing those as well.  
 

My 91 had explorer heads, explorer intake and 1.7 rockers when I sold it. When I bought it back it had the trick flow twisted wedge 360hp heads/cam/intake kit. Both set ups have been enough power to be fun. The trick flow kit definitely makes more power, but not sure if it's enough of a difference at todays prices. Doing it all again I would go with a Vortech on the explorer parts. 

In reply to Cooper_Tired :

Solid points from both posters!  We still have old Mustang Magazines still around the house and as mentioned, prices are wayyyyyyy higher now on parts.     And yup the Miata path would make much more sense if go fast was the be all.            

In reply to SPG123 :

In comparison to what I pay for Datsun parts Mustang parts are stupid cheap.

https://www.corral.net/categories/parts-for-sale.276/

I poached most of my parts here.  You have to be quick, not sure how much traffic it gets today.

Most of my suspension, engine, wheels came from Corral.

Light-weight aluminum flywheel and 3.73 gears make a BIG difference on a stock vehicle.

In reply to Tom1200 :

Popularity tax on that stuff ?         I looked again last night in an old mag and you could buy a NEW GT40 (explorer) crate motor long block for $2700 in 1997. $2295 for a standard GT 302.     I feel like GRM folks understand the coolness of motorsport but are not going to neccessarily be the ones to buy a $10,000 set of wheels or a $2,500 intake for an old car. I found a pretty badass used stroker motor last night online and am leaniing in that direction now.  

In reply to SPG123 :

I build my own Datsun engines and the all in cost for all the parts on them is $2500 and that was with me buying things before the market went crazy. If I had to by the same parts today (things like the JDM race head) I'd be pushing 4K easy. A fully built motor is 7-9K if I don't do it myself. 

I can by an all new 350HP 302 for $5,500-$6,000 ($2,700 in 1997 is $5,300 today)

A complete LSD (new) for the Mustang is $900 versus $1500 for a good used Datsun LSD.

Half the parts I need require modification before I can use them in the car. It's not expensive relative to what I am doing but it's yet another step.

SPG123 said:

In reply to Tom1200 :

Popularity tax on that stuff ?         I looked again last night in an old mag and you could buy a NEW GT40 (explorer) crate motor long block for $2700 in 1997. $2295 for a standard GT 302.     I feel like GRM folks understand the coolness of motorsport but are not going to neccessarily be the ones to buy a $10,000 set of wheels or a $2,500 intake for an old car. I found a pretty badass used stroker motor last night online and am leaniing in that direction now.  

Crate engines are always cheaper when the production line is running.