What do you think?
09-12-2010, 10:15 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 25
What do you think?
Ok I have a 1993 Ford Mustang GT Conv. I bought it in 1996 with 35,000 miles on it. I've babied her ever since. It's been to the track twice and all maint has been routine. Current mods are TB, Mass Air, Cold Air, 3:55 gears, Flow master catback with Mac H-Pipe. At this time the car has 126,000 miles on it. I'm ready to do a rebuild and new paint job but my budget is tight ($6,000.00).
With that I'm going to come up short for what I want to do. Paint, wheels/tires, all new door and top seals and motor rebuild. I would perfer 350HP but again that takes a lot more money. From what I've been looking at I have 4 options:
1. Turnkey Motor 340HP for 3,700.00 but I'll still need the waterpump and a trickflow upper/lower intake. This pushes me over 4,000.00.
2. Just rebuild the top end with AFR heads, TF Upper/Lower intake, roller rockers, pushrods and a engine rebuild gasket kit. This option saves money but not sure if it's wise doing the top end and not the bottom end, what do you all think?
3. Rebuild myself and take the block to a machine shop to have it balaced blue printed with forged pistons. I would then install AFR heads, TF upper/lower intake, roller rockers, pushrods, mild Cam E303, timing chain and rebuild gasket set. (comparing cost the turn key motor seems to be just as cheap). What do you all think?
4. Rebuild motor with all stock parts get heads / intake ported and polished and run a supercharger. Anyone done this setup? How much HP did you get out of the motor? I'm thinking at least 310HP??????
Let me know what you all think. By the way I'm in Las Vegas if anyone knows of a good machine shop here let me know.
With that I'm going to come up short for what I want to do. Paint, wheels/tires, all new door and top seals and motor rebuild. I would perfer 350HP but again that takes a lot more money. From what I've been looking at I have 4 options:
1. Turnkey Motor 340HP for 3,700.00 but I'll still need the waterpump and a trickflow upper/lower intake. This pushes me over 4,000.00.
2. Just rebuild the top end with AFR heads, TF Upper/Lower intake, roller rockers, pushrods and a engine rebuild gasket kit. This option saves money but not sure if it's wise doing the top end and not the bottom end, what do you all think?
3. Rebuild myself and take the block to a machine shop to have it balaced blue printed with forged pistons. I would then install AFR heads, TF upper/lower intake, roller rockers, pushrods, mild Cam E303, timing chain and rebuild gasket set. (comparing cost the turn key motor seems to be just as cheap). What do you all think?
4. Rebuild motor with all stock parts get heads / intake ported and polished and run a supercharger. Anyone done this setup? How much HP did you get out of the motor? I'm thinking at least 310HP??????
Let me know what you all think. By the way I'm in Las Vegas if anyone knows of a good machine shop here let me know.
09-12-2010, 10:53 PM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 934
if it was me....and if you have a garage. go for building your own custom engine (option 3). Funner, get to learn more about the car, start to learn things about it that might make you change your mind
As long as you have a place to store it out of the weather and come back to it when you have the cash, this is the way id go. If you dont have a place to store it....do a cheap rebuild, stock stuff. and hold off on driving her till you get more money to put into her.
or take all your money and buy property. quite the market for it. buy some for 10k.....sell it for 30k in 5-10 years. but thats just my idea that im trying to pull right now :-D
As long as you have a place to store it out of the weather and come back to it when you have the cash, this is the way id go. If you dont have a place to store it....do a cheap rebuild, stock stuff. and hold off on driving her till you get more money to put into her.
or take all your money and buy property. quite the market for it. buy some for 10k.....sell it for 30k in 5-10 years. but thats just my idea that im trying to pull right now :-D
09-13-2010, 09:52 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 25
Longlive289,
Thanks for the imput, that's a great idea it just that I don't want to put those extra miles on my Shelby GT while it's sitting. I figure right now if I get all the parts it would take me about a couple of weeks to pull the motor brake it down send it to the machine shop and put it back together and drop it back in the car if all goes well, ha ha. But in reality I know there may be issues making it 3-4 weeks.
To show you how I am about my Shelby it's an 08 with 4,000 miles on it. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too. What do you think about a block with forged pistons, rebuild with mild cam (E303) have my heads ported and polished and run that for a while till I save more money for AFR heads and TF upper lower intake roller rockers lifters. Then I could use the rest of the money to paint and install new door and top moldng throughout the car? By the way I do have a garage to keep it in.
Thanks for the imput, that's a great idea it just that I don't want to put those extra miles on my Shelby GT while it's sitting. I figure right now if I get all the parts it would take me about a couple of weeks to pull the motor brake it down send it to the machine shop and put it back together and drop it back in the car if all goes well, ha ha. But in reality I know there may be issues making it 3-4 weeks.
To show you how I am about my Shelby it's an 08 with 4,000 miles on it. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too. What do you think about a block with forged pistons, rebuild with mild cam (E303) have my heads ported and polished and run that for a while till I save more money for AFR heads and TF upper lower intake roller rockers lifters. Then I could use the rest of the money to paint and install new door and top moldng throughout the car? By the way I do have a garage to keep it in.
09-13-2010, 10:34 PM
#4
whats wrong with the motor? at 126K it should just be waking up. if it has good compression, i say go buy a bare block and build an engine in your garage, then just swap it when your finished with the engine and have the cash to put it in..
09-13-2010, 11:17 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 25
Nothing wrong with the motor runs good but I can tell it needs to be freshed up and I want more horse power. What do you think about just building the top end with AFR 165 or 185 heads, TF upper/lower intake, Roller rockers and lifters, E303 cam?