MustangFirstCar

Get longtubes, shorties are kinda worthless. What you need is 3.73s, a CAI/tune, better tires, UDPs, and LCAs. Those are your basic mods, and you should do the CAI/tune/UDPs/exhaust before you do the 3.73s, IMO. Tires are an absolute must that few people consider important, but really, they make or break the car for you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Happy modding!

BlackGT45th

I agree, longtubes will be a better choice especially if you plan on more performance mods down the road but there are guys who will defend shorties to their dieing breath.

HxCGuitars

Yup, longtubes are the way to go, just be sure you know what you'd have to do when emissions testing (if you have it) comes around if you decide to go catless. I've heard the install is a pain, but I think it'd be worth it to do it.

I'd like to buy some at some point, but I just have to figure out emissions.

stealth_GT

If you plan on making a good amount of power, I highly suggest saving money right off the bat and buy a supercharger kit.

Best money spent in terms of raw power

outceltj

^^^^ what he said

dadirtypoostick

Wow a quick search put the total for the kit about 5 grand. While that would be amazing to have I'm not really into going fast anymore. Way too many tickets in my younger years. No more high risk insurance for me.

Really with any mod I add I just want to improve the looks (side scoops, side window louvres) or the sound (cai, headers, catback, exhaust). If I did add power it would just go to waste as I dont drive fast or race anymore

mayo

My plan that started a little over a year ago...

CAI/Tune combo
A/B exhaust
Wheels/Tires...end of year one

Next up...
Lowering springs
Gear
Torque Convertor (auto only)
LCA's

You can get a very good sound with just a/b's on the s197, so I would hold off on the headers until I could pair it with new cam's for maximum effect.
Nice looking stang, good luck with her.

Nuke

Certainly a CAI & custom tune from AM or Brenspeed for about 20-25 RWHP gain. If you're not interested in a LOT of power (FI or a LOT of bolt-ons) or just convenient power, then the CAI & tune is the most you'll get unless you go with cams and LT's which can gain equivalent to the CAI & tune. Most other bolt-on mods are good for about 4-7 RWHP or so. Gears are also a good consideration.

Swapping the HU from an '05 or '06 with one from an '07 and later will require some wiring at one of the connectors that plugs into the back of the radio. You're probably better of with an aftermarket HU with a built in aux input.

CutterWolf

The exhaust mod's you have listed will not need a tune to use.

JIM5.0

Since you are looking basically for sound and not so much that much performance gains, the short tube headers will be okay.
Sure, long tube headers will yield more power especially at higher RPMs because they are much better at scavenging the cylinders, but they do have the drawback of positioning the cats much further away from the cylinders, and the thin walls of headers transfers heat from the exhaust gasses much more quickly into the engine bay than your stock log headers. This means the cats have less heat to do their job and in low RPM operations, that could throw your emissions off. I do not know if Georgia is an emissions testing state, I just know your neighbor, Alabama does not do the sniff test. If your state requires a sniff test and you do decide to go long tube headers, this is a consideration you should remember.

There are many people who swear by the short tube headers and say that shorties yield as much power as long tubes, but the facts are this: long tube headers yield more power with the proper tuning and cam profiles. The only reason why shorties fooled these folks that they are just as good with long tubes is because of the other mods they have that outperform long tubes.
For example, if you put on a supercharger and pump double digit boost levels into intake manifold, with shorties, of course you will very easily make much more power than a NA car with long tubes.

But this is only if you decide to go for power and consider long tubes instead of shorties.