jtb727

Alright boys, landed a new job and will honestly be doubling my monthly income. Thus, making my dreams, and desires of making my car a fun car much more realistic..

I've done a lot of research, and dollar counting etc. and figured I would ask the people who have done their builds with first hand experience their thoughts and things.. as we all know things are always over looked, and the little things nickel and dime you.

So I want to ask you guys these few questions:

A)What're you're specs? (hp, tq, form of FI, heads, CR, fuel system? etc)
B) Where did you get your shortblock/ shortblock pieces if you built yours on your own?
C) How much do you honestly have into your motor? and trans?
D) what would you guys do differently next time/ or wish you had done differently?

I'm looking to go forged from the get go, and would like mid to high 400's-ish at the wheels.

Soldier GT

[quote=jtb727;7896986]Alright boys, landed a new job and will honestly be doubling my monthly income. Thus, making my dreams, and desires of making my car a fun car much more realistic..

I've done a lot of research, and dollar counting etc. and figured I would ask the people who have done their builds with first hand experience their thoughts and things.. as we all know things are always over looked, and the little things nickel and dime you.

So I want to ask you guys these few questions:

A)What're you're specs? (hp, tq, form of FI, heads, CR, fuel system? etc)
B) Where did you get your shortblock/ shortblock pieces if you built yours on your own?
C) How much do you honestly have into your motor? and trans?
D) what would you guys do differently next time/ or wish you had done differently?[/quote]

If I could do it all over again I would had bought a forged short block. Two bottom ends in 10 mths can get exspensive. In the process of purchasing a Tekseid S/B, forged pistons and rods. The most important thing is the tune. GL!

jtb727

Yeah, I know about the tune thing I just want to go forged from the get go.. but even forged wont make up for bad tuning.

Soldier, that stinks buddy!

97stanger

first off congrats on the job jtb!

My results for the time being = 516/465 (old draw thru setup, now blow thru) and I'll be going for my meth tune in a few weeks, shooting for 570+, 500tq and this is through a built auto keep in mind

It really comes down to what your goals are?

Real quick rundown of my setup:
Manley 18cc pistons, Manley h beam rods, Cobra crank (9.5:1 CR)
All arp studs/bolts
MMR stage 3 PI heads
Custom Grind bullet racing blower cams
Edelbrock Vic JR Efi manifold
Vortech SI trim
8 rib conversion w/ 2.95 blower pulley
Paxton FMIC
AIS tri nozzle meth setup
all bolt ons, yada yada
GP 1000hp fuel system
Built 4R70W with 3500 stall converter
Built rear

Thats extremely basic rundown, but you get the idea.

I built and parted together my own shortblock and assembled it myself.

One important thing you mentioned is the stuff that gets overlooked:
Expect to spend atleast $500 in gaskets, ARP hardware
$1k+ in a appropriate fuel system
Tranny $1500+
and than all the obvious stuff

Let me know if you have any questions!

jtb727

Thanks 97, your always there to help! I wish I could just follow you around for a week and ask evey question that comes to mind.. how many motors had you built previous to this one?

I've driven the KB cobra my uncle has quite a few times, (600 at the wheels.) and its alot of fun but is definately a handful, and spins extremely easily.. granted the KB is a bottom end power maker and the 3.73s could easily be changed for 3.55's or even stock 3.27s, however the abrupt, violent power is fun!

I'd like high 400's or about 500 at the wheels by the time its all said and done. The car will be a cruise night, and fun track car. With the OCCASIONAL drive to work on fridays. Nothing to seriously track oriented. Looking for something to have alot of fun in, yet not be constantly fighting to keep it straight. and I think this power level will create that. I want to go out and be able to really enjoy the car, not beat it, but enjoy it for what its made for without constantly breaking something. However, I understand things happen.. (i.e. my clutch explosion thread)

I love my current suspension set-up and plan to keep it, with the addition of a quality set of LCA's and maybe front and rear sway bars.

97stanger

haha Thanks a lot man. This was actually my first modular build (Ive built LT1's and LS1's before the mustang) but this was my first mustang build. Yeah, honestly a 500rwhp car is more than enough for the street. What kind of power adder are you planning on going with? Like you said, a KB with gears will just fry the tires with no traction. Are you interested in turbo/centri/nitrous setups?

jtb727

I've thought about doing a nasty cam, head and high compression combo with some spray... but thats basically an NA build, and I have a feeling will ultimately be more expensive and Ill only be 330-ish RWHP NA, thats alot of spray to make up the difference.. However, the hit of the spray, would be a lot of fun.. (probably a 150-175 shot with that build)

I've talked to you about doing a centri set-up, and it seems like alot of fun.. but I wonder if I'll wish for the hard hitting of spray, or a kb.. Could I make 500 on an S trim with some serious cams, and some head work?

Turbo, turbo, turbo, It's very enticing! I've read a bit about on3 kits, but the fact of going to tubular K member and coilovers kind of makes me shy away. I like my current suspension and have a pretty penny into it.. How different is a centri car vs. a turbo car? I've ridden in a few turbo cars, and the power comes on like a freight train. Turbo will also want me to de-gear and go back to stock gearing.

code3GT

Check the sticky at top of this section for the specs on my old 2v.

jtb727

Wow Code3GT nice build, I was hoping for guys like you all to chime in.. But how much have you guys spent? I'm trying to make sure I budget accordingly... How much ideally will I need to pull this off?

code3GT

Doing an N/A build=BIG MONEY. That last engine set up had about $15k+ with some parts that I carried over from past set ups. A quality long block is gonna be close $10k. The price may have come down a bit since it's been a few years since I was in the 4.6 2v scene.