troyclemens

I just got my wife an 05 and am wanting to do some upgrades. I was thinking long headers and new pipes out, air intake with tuner. What do you guys have or suggest?

momustang

Across every board, it seems like people are going with the same basic, entry-level modifications (with occassional exceptions):

performance:
Aftermarket cold air intake;
Underdrive pulleys (can't do without the right equipment, e.g., belt puller);
3.73 or 4.10 gears (not entry level);
axle-back aftermarket exhaust (don't expect to notice a performance difference from this alone, but easy, fun, and sounds great!);


handling:
spring kit (can't do without right equipment, e.g. spring compressor);
wider and/or staggered rims & tires (easy but not cheap)
adjustable control arms (not entry level, but not difficult);
thicker stabilizer/panhard bar (easy)


appearance:
who cares? just wash and wax it (repetitive but easy, and a good excuse to get outside in the nice weather)

Peace,
Mo

edit: P.S. If you really want to get your hands dirty for some SERIOUS power, then:
*full exhaust system replacement, i.e., long tube headers, hi-flo cats or an O/R X- or H-pipe, hi-flow axlebacks
*supercharger, e.g. Vortech, Paxton (got $$$$ ?)

Krazed

I'm in the same situation, started looking for mods about a month ago. Let me share what I've come up with so far.

http://www.rpmoutlet.com/05gt.htm

These guys have kits set up where you buy more than one item at a time. You save a lot of money from it. They also have some more nice goodies that aren't in the kit. Their kits include a programmer, cold air intake, underdrive pulleys, and throttle body in different combinations.

Lowering springs are a nice addition, either from Eibach or Steeda.

Charge Motion Control Plates are supposed to increase air flow. They seem popular with other 05 owners, but are a little pricey and you'll probably need professionals to install them.

And that's all I have so far. Hope it gives you a place to start.

jtscuba02

troy, if i was you i would do the cai and tuner first, then do the pulleys and delete plates. the stock exhaust is pretty good on these cars and the little gain you would get out of the long tubes isnt worth the price. if you want a more aggresive sound then go with the axle backs. of all the mods i have done to my car, i still have the the stock exhaust save for the flowmasters. and i am pretty sure ( havent got it back on the dyno yet ) that my car is putting out as much power as guys with aftermarket headers and h-pipes and high flow cats. and i havent spent that much. but be careful, this is addictive. good luck

troyclemens

thanks for all the help. I was mainly considering the exhaust just to help lower egt and maybe make fuel better. i have an 05 f-350 with banks system and it will outrun wifes gt. She wants it for performance. What tuner do you guys like best?

bahbahblacksheep

I agree with everything that you said...CAI and custom high octane tune first. Then pulleys and charge motion delete plates. This combination will get the 2005 mustang gt into 12's with a decent set of tires

jtscuba02

yeah dude, then its the gears, electric water pump, n2o and etc etc etc. it seems to be never ending. but man is that car fun to drive.

bahbahblacksheep

I like SCT.

bahbahblacksheep

hahahahaha...ya, I know what you are saying. Maybe you should also add a radar detector to the list? LOL

jtscuba02

i have the predator, but i have been trying to figure out the diff between it and the sct2. i dont know if you can data log on the sct2 like you can on the predator. check with your local dyno shop and see what they recomend. they might be able to custom tune both. or just run it out of the box.