96conv38L

I bought a '96 3.8L a few months ago and am HATING the automatic transmission. Is there any 5-speeds that bolt up to the 3.8? also, I am going to put GT exhaust (after manifold) on it, does it matter whether its the 5.0 or 4.6 exhaust? (same body style of course) Thanks for your help.

neo8222

for one it would be more cost effective to sell the current mustang and buy a 5 speed, if you must swap then yes a t-5 from that same year of mustang bolts up once you get all the other parts to go with it.

the exhaust off a v8 will NOT fit as a bolt on to your car. it would have to have some parts cut off and reattached/bent to new angles to fit. better option is to go to a exhaust shop have them cut off the Y of you exhaust and have a true dual fabbed up for you. thrush welded series mufflers are the general pick but i prefer MAC flow paths

NeoTokyo

Yup, it would be better just to buy an Manual instead of trying to swap.

Being that your car is a 96' it is a toss up if you have PATS or not, some did and some didnt (Like ours.) Thats another thing to deal with when doing a 5spd swap.

As for a GT midpipe, the 94/95 GT uses the same trans support mount that the 94-98 5spd does or for the respecting auto versions.

The modular style midpipe does not have the same support (That I have seen) as the windsor style.

The midpipe has such little space from the flange to the first cat that a muffler shop may not be able to modify a stock 94/95 GT/Cobra midpipe.

I do know first hand that an off road x or h-pipe or one fitted with aftermarket cats can be easily modified.

In fact for just $70 a local shop did just that with a BBK O/R X-pipe that I had for my wifes 96' 5spd.

-Eric-

NeoTokyo

Your in California so your best bet is to see if a muffler shop can do it to a stock 94/95 GT/Cobra midpipe.

Buying and selling of used cats in California is illegal and can carry up to a $250,000 dollar fine per cat (there are 4 cats) so if you buy used from say Craigslist or something, just be sure to say your using it for offroad use.

You can also purchase new CA legal units from the dealer or SummitRacing.

Another thing that you can TRY but I dont know if it will work is take an offroad X or H pipe and have the muffler shop weld in four CA legal high flow cats in the stock locations.

You will pass smog and probably the visual, the visual is what might fail you though. Just talk to a couple shops about your plans, if they dont think it will pass visual they wont even do the work.

Good luck and btw, what Neo said is probably the easiest for a Cali resident that cant do their own work for whatever reasons.

-Eric-

laser.redv6sleeper

This is kind of old but I dont want to post a new thread. I have a 96 3.8l in NC and I have pacesetter long tubes but cant figure out if I can use a O/R X or H pipe, or do I HAVE to use a catted mid since it's 96'? I've seen a lot of people, and i mean A LOT, in NC running O/R so are my chances decent to pass running a O/R X setup with longtubes?

mustangman02232

LTs and high flow catted h pipe = win

NeoTokyo

You can run an offroad x-pipe or h but its illegal, no matter where you are it is FEDERALLY illegal. You need to run at least two cats, two high flow cats.

You also need the backpressure from high flow cats.

Flora62

for one it would be more cost effective to sell the current mustang and buy a 5 speed

laser.redv6sleeper

Once my bike sells thats what im shooting for, high flow catted H, X is too raspy on the 3.8. Any recommendations on a quality built/cost efficient midpipe as such that is used for longtubes? I bought Pacesetters but didnt like that fact that slag was everywhere , looks like they never attempted to clean the welds. I've been welding for about 4 years now and I can say I'll end up cleaning them up myself before they go on because they look a bit neglected in a few areas. No flanges too, for the extra $20 I couldve went MAC with flanges .

mustangman02232

I bought the shorty mid pipe and had some one fab up cats

I have a sound clip somewhere on here or YouTube, my user name is the same, don't know how to post links from my I phone