Tripwhite

Ok so hears the deal... I have a 89 mustang 5.0, down side its a convertible, and even worse its an automatic. And although this sounds bad to most people its exactly what I want. But now that I have it I want it faster, eventually i want a turbo on it being an automatic it will hold boost and sound redicluous. But I dont just want to go crazy and put a turbo on a car with 128*** miles on it. So hears the question everything is bone stock, except for a few bypasses and exhaust. So in reality for a college student, working partime as assistant mechanic. Where should I begin. I want the car to be super serious eventually. So definately basic stuff weight reduction being that it is a convertible, 5 lug conversions, suspension, I think you get what Im saying the best stuff for my money of what needs to be done before its has a massive turbo on it. And finally if I do a full engine rebuild like new heads and resealing whats the best company for the money to go with. THANKS I know confusing...

mjr46

if you wanna run massive amounts of boost..grow deep pockets.....get a aftermarket block, aftermarket tranny to hold all power and full suspension upgrades and rear upgrade....it won't be cheap and you'd better become the mechanic and not the assistant so you can have some what of a salary to afford what it'll all cost

Tripwhite

Well that is where Im headed thats why Im in college, Im really not going for huge amounts of boost. I have a clean 5.0 for an 89 I just want it the power to be what people think of when they hear 5.0,and then some

irish1

Take care of the car while you either build an engine on the side, or save your money until you can buy a short/long block from someplace like fordstrokers.com. You can do some prep work though, you will need gears, subframe connectors, torque box reenforcements. You might also consider it will be difficult to make that transmission live behind any serious kind of horsepower.

Matt

thedude

For cheap you can just advance the timing, put in abigger fuel pump, and a bigger MAF. Mayebe throw in some 3:73's.

OneFine89Mustang

an upper and lower intake gears and exhaust...that would wake up the car a lot

nitrous_bob

your car weighs about 3450# w/ no driver in it and only a half tank

i had a '90 lx 'vert aod and i weighed it often

for an initial budget buildup here is what you need to do.

first off....4.10 gears w/ NO EXCEPTION !!!! if you go less you will need it to be wet to spin the tires. then get lower control arms to make it hook better, i like hpm megabite jr's , then get a set of cheater slicks(mickey thompson). you will at this point still not be capable of running quicker than about 14.50-ish

spray 100 on it and you will see mid to low 13's

until you have heads...and intake , tb, or meter does nothing
until you NEED more fuel for 325+ hp...the stock fuel system is fine and upgrading will do nothing (as long it works correctly now)
upper control arms won't get you anything
ditching the sway barsand smog pump will knock off almost 80 lbs

if you plan on big boost down the road....just spray this motor for now, buy a new motor...longblock shortblock whatever , w/ what you need to do, it will save you money over upgrading what you have

128k is nothing....i am spraying my 3rd 5.0 w/ that many or more miles on it

you don't wanna do anyhting twice.....so start there and start planning the longrun

low 13's are no joke especially from a heavy 'vert

302army187

thats what im gonna do to my 89 vert.

100shot nos, 4.10gears, and cosmetics.

nothing else really, because dwn the road i want 400-500rwhp.
so im prob going the 351w, running 6500 rpm's and a supercharger, prob 10psi (would be lower if it wernt for being 5000+ft elevation)