monkeydude3

Well I hope this isn't too off topic, but i figured I'd post here. I am planning for the next year or two to just maintain and drive my stang while I'm still goin to school. Once I up my job status and start making some more $ that will allow for more fun funds, I am planning on seriously buying a 4.6L SOHC forged short or long block and going forced induction. Kicking around the ideas between a vortech supercharger at around 15 psi or going twin turbo with the same. If I go short block what heads to put on I will probably get from the same company.

I love my car, it is in great shape and any difficulty of working on it is no problem. I'm studying to be a master tech so a challenge with custom work is what I want and can handle. I want to keep the same engine so that the majority of wiring and accessories (a/c, power steering) will bolt up fine. But I want it forged so I can mod it to high heaven.

I have goals of putting in with that engine a TKO transmission of some kind (not sure yet) with a heavy dutier rear end, and definitely a stage II or III clutch. And I plan on doing no exterior changes, leaving it look as it does now, with the only exception being some super sticky rear tires.

I was looking at this place http://www.dssracing.com/
I read about them in a MM & FF magazine and was wondering if they are a good company.


Any ideas on this let me know. As in centrifugal, turbo, etc and what places sell good kits.

Thanks

George

randy78045

Youre going to find people on this site that say bad things about DSS.... They built my engine an i only have one thing bad to say about them: the moforkers aint payin me anything to say these good things about them... bastards....

monkeydude3

haha well that's one for the good story. They have a dozen of each engine available at all levels. I just want a basic engine that can take forced induction from them.

do they offer a warranty? I haven't read much fine print yet

ShadowDrake

Sounds like a pretty solid plan. I've been doing a little research myself for my summer funds... I definitely want to add power to the stang.

My first step in my plan for power was to pick up forced induction... something with boost potential. I'm not starting off at the highest boost. I found a realisticly priced turbo kit (only single) which I can run at low boost for now, 6-8 psi. Once the rest of my driveline supports the boost that's capable I will up the boost, or swap the turbo later for even more.

The next major expense was going to be a built short block, and I'd get my heads P&P'd, upgrade the valve springs etc while I'm at it... full rework on the heads. As for the short block... I have a couple options: Pick up a new crank, rods, and pistons, and do the rebuild myself... or buy a forged short block and do the swap... money at the time would be the deciding factor... I would likely go with a pre-built block though. VT Engines comes to mind, as well as DSS... I would check the ads in the latest MM&FF/5.0&SF and make some calls. Cams may be in order at this point, money permitting. With head work, they will probably be necessary.

Keep moving down the driveline, with the power at this point, a new clutch is in order... may toss a new spec stage II or III in earlier. Transmission gets the attention next, by this point, the meek TR-3650 won't be able to hold up. In the latest 5.0&SF they were going over the '07 gt 500, and it's transmission is going to be a TR-6060, which is new... the article said it has two synchronizers for all shifts, and the 1-2 shift and 3-4 shift had an additional each, for three each on those two shifts. Many other transmission components had been heavily upgraded to stand MUCH more power. While this transmission won't fit in my stang (or yours), the article said Tremec would be applying the same design to their newer aftermarket transmissions... so the next gen of TKO transmission will be the one to get.

Provided the rear hasn't given out at this point, it'll get an upgrade, I haven't decided entirely yet if I want to go to a 9" rear, but 31+ spline axles are in order... this is a ways down the line. Of course I'll repair things that break early from the power, I have to expect that to happen, but this is just a plan... I'm going to take things as they come.

This is my personal plan, but maybe it's given you some ideas. Finding money for this will be a different matter for me I expect this to take several years, but it'll be a nice evolution for my stang. My goal is to get the turbo kit before winter comes around again. Will be going all the labor myself, it'll be a good project, learning experience, and it will save me a lot of money. I'll be able to have pride in saying I did it all myself, and that it is my creation

Edit: That turbo kit is for 99-04 stangs, but they sell one for 96-98, too, as can be seen here. It's only a single turbo, but it should be adequate for me, for the most part anyway. If you get daring, and have the tools, you could fab your own turbo kit I'd love to learn to fabricate but I just don't have the tools and materials available [&o] Save myself a ton of money and just fabricate my own twin turbo kit.

monkeydude3

that's awesome man. Yeah right now while i'm in school I have to prioritize that. The most I am gonna do this year is get a beater car so my stang can rest. I hope I can do that by this winter as one winter of stang in the snow is enough for me!


This year is gonna be valve seals, C&C plates, wheels/tires. That's about it. Once I am working full time fun will begin.

I can invision my car now, rolls up and looks stock. Pop the hood to see a clean/new engine with a ton of plumbing for the turbo kit.

Good luck with your car!

ShadowDrake

Thanks, good luck to you, too... you've had your share of problems as I've read on the forums as is School takes priority for me, too... but I'm not taking as many classes during summer, and should be able to make money. I don't exactly plan on staying here in MI for another winter. I'd like to have a second car so I can stop putting so many miles on the stang but, at this point, it's a beater plus extra insurance etc... or the prospects of much more power I just got new wheels/tires this spring, so I'm set with that for a couple years.

monkeydude3

sweet dude. Yeah I've had some problems, but hey what can i expect with a 100K mile stang??? However it is a solid car to work with. It will be a GREAT base for my race car.

I am not taking summer courses. I go in the fall/winter/spring and go all out. It's hard with my situation to have any money left for fun on the car, something ALWAYS comes up. I'm just glad I have a mustang as so many people dont' even have a bicycle.

My buddy has a saturn with a scoshe over 100k on it I may buy for 500 bucks or so. It's been pretty well taken care of and doesn't need anything really. Those turn near 300k easy.

ShadowDrake

I'm glad I haven't entered the more major maintence period for my stang yet as you have, but it will come... unavoidable. As for me, I am lucky enough to not have many expenses past the stang (at least for now... that's the nice thing about being single, but that may change soon, and my money may end up elsewhere [8D] I won't be complaining about it though). I'll always be glad to have my stang, no matter how much maintence it will require.

I'd say $500 for a car is a good deal if it runs well... Something small and good on gas is the way to go.

For tires, when you get looking: I picked up a set of BFG g-Force KDW tires. They're supposed to have a long life, and the traction is AMAZING compared to the stockers. I could spin in second gear all day long with the factory tires, and I have a 295 width with the BFG tires for the rear... I hadn't tried to spin them (because of the cost, 295/35-18 rear, 265/35-18 front [:@]) till the other day... but I gave second a try, I wasn't going to do a brake stand, just make some noise on a launch... 2nd gear drop the clutch at 4000 RPM and they gripped and I bogged it... I felt stupid but I'm so glad I know how much more traction I have now ... I'd suggest those for when you go tire shopping... I love them, I'd so far say they were worth the money, and provided I keep driving nice for the most part, they should last me a couple years.

cobrapony27

a friend of mine has a saturn he drove back and forth to school and work every day when he was going to be a tech. Odometer quit working at 230,000 miles, best he can guess it has about 280,000 on it now and still going strong. but your difently on the right track, always start with a good bottom end thats gonna hold up. You said your going with a forged bottom end so im assuming you mean forged pistions to, but just in case i was just going to warn you about the hypereutectic cast pistions, i know the cobras come with them and im not to thrilled about that, because we always called them hyper-explosives, because if they get run lean they explode and take everything with them. Their fine for just regular replacement pistions but with what your wanting to do I would diffently go with forged for the peace of mind.
good luck with your build dude

monkeydude3

excellent man.

Yeah once you get a certain point you have to do some work on an engine to keep it alive. The compression is good, and this thing still absolutely screams when I get on it so I know the bottom end hasn't croaked yet. I just wanna try to stop the oil consumption problem so I can run synthetic, and I know that the valve seals are a common **** point on this engine.

All and all it's been good to me. Once I have the extra cash flow, it's gonna be one helluva sleeper.

Anyway have a great one man, I gotta hit the hay. Feel free to hit me up on AIM at monkeydude3 any time
or email monkeydude3@comcast.net

Peace!