Ok, so im goin to school this month for mechanics and i was originally goin to do a honda civic hatchback as a project car but i feel id rather just do a foxbody. I have a integra with basic bolt ons as a daily driver, but as a project i want to build a mustang while i go to school simultaneously to further my learning curve.
I definately want to do a tranny AND engine swap not only for the learning experience of it, but since i plan on buying a really cheap (800 or less dollars) foxbody it would be best to get a fresh tranny as well. Im a noob when it comes to domestic performance, and i need to know what would be possible in say a year or less time with a budget of around 5 grand.
I plan on racing the car in the straights as well as autocross if possible... im thinking of a 351 swap with a good T5 tranny, maybe i could acquire these from a junkyard for cheap.

So basically,

1. I want my project car to be a foxbody

2. What are my options for around 5 grand give or take

3. Is this possible in a home garage

4. Open to any suggestions or advice

 

With 5k you'll probably need to find an old 4-banger. It's usually not too tough to find a strait, good condition 4 for less than a grand. Then go to the salvage yard and pick up an 87-93 5.0 and tranny. With a good rebuild kit and doing the labor yourself you should be able to have an engine and trans for less than a grand. No frills though. Don't use the stock heads, find a set of GT-40 (not the GT-40P) heads from a 5.0 Explorer and work with those. Good aftermarket headers, air intake and rear gear are always the best bang for the buck. This'll definitely fulfill your project car requirements/needs. Gook luck.

-Smart choice not going with the Honda. Those tiny little four cylinders yield only so much streetable hp, I don't care how big a bottle it sucks on.

 

the 351w project is of course the right idea, but working on a budget of 5k, you might be better off going with a 302 and a t5 tranny. i just bought a 1990 mustang lx, original 4 cylinder car that has a 347 stroker pushing about 400 hp in it, and i am going to put my 351w that has been bored and stroked to 396 c.i.d. in it, pushing 465 hp and 485 lbs. ft. of torque. i planned on throwing the 347 into my 1985 bronco...but, for the right price, i would be more than willing to sell the stoker engine and just find a cheap 302 to throw into the bronco to sell it. but honestly, and seriously, if you want to build a serious car, with serious 1/4 times, plan on spending more than 5k. i would sell that 347 engine for 2,000, possibly. and that wouldn't leave much for a rolling chassis with a t5. think about what you really want to do and what you really want the car to do. 5k isn't much when you're talking serious horse power.

 

Take a v8 mustang, start off with a 5.0, lots less effort in making it a 12 sec. car. Coming from some body that did the 4 banger to 5.0 swap, id start with a v8 T5 car, just for ease of starting out with all the V8 stuff in there.

Your going to notice how much faster they are right from the start. I drove my friends 97 Integra Type R that had minor bolt ons, header, intake, etc. to work one time cause my car was broke and i was like damn this car feels sick like it was lagging behind or something.

 

my suggestion would be to get a rolling fox...
next get a stock block at the junkyard.. have it bored.."
get a kit and fix it up.. by now your probably looking at over 2k easy.. maybe close to 3k..

next i would get a tranny and a rebuild kit.. then start looking at the rearend.. see what shape thats in.. maybe some gears.. better differencials.. then maybe suspension..

i dont think 5000 will get you that far but give it a shot.. sadly like most of us you will get consumed by the car and end up spending more than you planned..

hope this helps some
billymac

 

Ok, thanks for yalls help... But i guess i just assumed it would be pretty straightforward and relatively inexpensive to get a 351 from a late model f series for less than a grand from a junkyard. I really want to do an engine swap (even if its the same 5 liter) for the experience. I have knowledge with basic mechanic work so im not completely clueless...

Here are my questions...

1. Is it true if i get a 4 cylinder body the insurance company will bill me for it regardless of the engine in it?

2. What is the difference between the w and c? Isnt it just the heads?

3. Should i just stick to the 5 liter for my first build?

Sorry, i had many more questions but im just dealing with some female related crap right now... but please, any more advice would be appreciated... thanx

 

are you talking about 5 grand total or 5 grand to spend after you get the car?

 

Insurance is based on the car's VIN. Though, if you're car isn't worth more than a few grand it shouldn't matter since I'd doubt you'd get collision.

Stick w/the 5.0. Parts are more plentiful and easier to find, more people have experience with them, they're lighter and you can always down the road w/some extra cash turn it into a 347 stroker, which is like a 5.8, but lighter.

 

Theres alot more difference than the heads between the "C" and "W". The C is a Cleveland engine, the heads are so big they dont flow very well at low rpm. Im building one currently and ill be spinning it to 7K to get the air huffing through the ports. Clevelands are known to make 550hp N/A pretty easily compared to other engines. But they are expensive to build, trust me. The Windsor or 'W' is the 302 based engine, its more refined powerwise. The heads are about the same as a 302, try to find heads before 1975, they're higher compression and the ports are a little larger. Port them, definatly port them or your going to be dissapointed performance wise. If you go with a 351W your going to need to decide EFI or carburetor. EFI is much more exspensive, but more drivable, Carb is much less exspensive but the drivability will decrease a little bit. Plus a carb isnt going to pass emissions if you have them.

Personally if its your first Mustang build, id' go with a 302, parts are so plentifull people practically give them away and cores are everywhere.

And like i said, a 5.0 is better to start with than a 4 banger, cause if you start with a 4 cylinder, chances are its a auto. So your going to have to do a T5 swap which is going to eat into your budget for the pedels, tranny cross memeber, etc. Plus its just more work involved. Not to mention doing a rear end swap from the 7.5 to the 8.8. Then your going to have to find a 5.0 radiator, motor mounts, etc.

Its just much easier to start with a 302 car. Thats what i would do. Then i'd pull the motor and rebuild it. Thats the simple and cheaper thing to do.

 

Hmmm, thanks for the help... maybe i should just get a fox with a good tranny and rebuild and stroke it to a 331? Is that possible with 5k?