1996stang

Hi, I just got a 1996 Mustang GT, I was wondering what would be the best mods to do to the car on a budget of about $1500, I have already went through the whole care doing general maintenece and now Im ready to start turning her into my DD that I can take to the strip on the weekend. any help would be great, and I would really like to shoot for 300rwhp without N02.
Thanks

mrtstang

It sounds like a pi swap, and stage 2 cams would be your best bet. Although you'll need long tubes, gears, and a good tune to get the most out of it.

BIGMAC9940

first off welcome to the mustang club. second the if you use the search there are alot of similar post. but if it were me i would start with LT headers, h or x pipe and full exhaust, CAI, some gears 3.73 or 4.10, UDP, upper plenum and TB, and definately the PI head swap, then start saving for suspension and some good brakes. All of this cannot be bought for 1500 but it gives you a good starting point, just shop around and find the best prices for parts. and remember that the big name brands are not always the best way to go some other brands are just as good and made with same materials and cheaper.

WannaBeGearHead

Yes! What he said ^^^^^^^

MU71L4710N

PI swap will net you the biggest horsepower gain right now. then get gears. pi swap is stupid cheap, but you could also get some stage 1 or 2 cams and throw them in while your doing the swap since youll be tearing **** apart anyways, or get the heads ported and polished. but PI swap, new midpipe, drop in K+N filter with silencer removed, and gears would be your best first mods.

1996stang

Thanks, the PI swap sounds like my best bet and I have been doing some research on this conversion, my car already has 3.73's in it but I would like to have some 4.10's and it also has a o/r x pipe with no cats and 40 series flowmasters, so for the exhaust all I would have to do is buy the long tubes correct? but my question is how well would the car run on a stock tune until I could get it tuned? By the time I get done with this car it will have alot more than 1500 in it but this is my starting budget now and just wanted to know what I could do to her.
Thanks

rafacalz

If you go with LT headers i believe that you will need a new mid-pipe

wmrcer

https://mustangforums.com/forum/pipe...-its-done.html

then save for injectors, maf, dyno tune.

screw all the other crap if your goal is just 300rwhp

1996stang

Yes I have thought about a supercharger setup, and after showing me this page hear it just sounds more user friendly to me and instead of shooting for 300rwhp I can shoot for mid 300's to low 400's if I wanted to push it. Thanks for all of your guys help just didnt know which way to go to make the power I wanted

Lowtryx

Welcome to the world of the 96 Mustang (And Mustangforums lol)
There is absolutely no question, you NEED to do the PI Swap first hand. I started with a Cat back, then put in a Cold Air Kit and X Pipe. Made a bit of diffeence, but after I installed the PI Heads I was blown away. For the price, the difference it's going to make the acessability it will give you to install Long Tubes (Trust me, it's not fun without the engine being out/apart) it's just the Cat's ***. Get the PI Swap done with some cams as stated above. As for the tune, the stock tune for your NON-PI is very conservative, and you will be totally fine running it until you can afford/would like to get it tuned.

Just be sure that when you DO complete the PI Swap you replace your timing chain guides and tensioners, Rear main seal, anything really that would be a complete whoore to do so without the engine out. If you're smart about it, you can get some tedious but necessary maintenance done while building ponies.