chwithad

It's that time of year again. Tax returns come, time to splurge on something. I haven't been able to afford to buy anything for my 05 Mustang GT since late 2009. I have around $1k-$1,500 roughly to spend and want to know what recommendations are some of the least expensive for the best h.p. gains. I already have a K&N intake system and Pypes axle back exhaust. I'm not really looking for headers because of the price to install (i would do it myself but don't have necessary tools). As well as best price parts for most h.p. gain, I'm thinking about doing something with the exhaust. The pypes definitely makes it sound better than stock and i do have a straight pipe in my garage but took it off due to poor gas mileage and having to take it off every time for emissions. Please let me know what everyone recommends. Thanks!

baddog671

Drop the K&N intake and pick up a CAI/Tuner combo. Best bang for buck. My C&L combo was 599$.

http://www.brenspeed.com/3000racer.html

You could also upgrade your drive shaft to a 1 piece aluminum unit. Drops substantial rotating mass and minimizes the shifting "clunk". Really made my drive train feel tighter. IMO, Shaftersmaster is the best. Another 599$.

http://shaftmasters.com/3aldrfomu20v4.html

Use the rest for tint

Callinectes

If I had $1500 bucks, I would hire a tax advisor so I could get a refund NEXT year and get a roush or steeda CAI w/tuner and maybe an under drive pulley set. Steeda also has a lot of nifty suspension stuff. Did you have to retune when you put the K&N CAI in? If not, you probably aren't getting everything out of the pipes and intake. Brenspeed has some full exhaust packages here:

http://www.brenspeed.com/05-08-musta...t-package.html

Pretty reasonably priced. You could use what's leftover for labor to install 'em!

UPRSharad

How about UPR suspension, UPR/SCT 93 octane tune, maybe wheels & tires?

chwithad

btw, i already have a diablo tuner

Mishri

who made the tunes for the diablo tuner?

You'd still gain more power from a proper 110mm CAI like a JLT, Steeda, or C&L over any other mod. an off-road mid pipe(H sounds best on the 05-10) is cheap and cheap install if you cant do it yourself. Under Drive Pulleys, and a driveshaft. I'd probably also get an SCT xcal tuner and new tunes too, from brenspeed or bama. they are 2 of the best tuners on the 3 valve.

The diablo tuner not too many people make tunes for... if you can get new tunes on it from a good tuner then you can keep it, otherwise you'll have to drop it for the SCT which is a much more widely used tuner.

the K&N is more narrow, doesn't flow as well as the others. you'll probably pick up another 10-15whp over the K&N

chwithad

2 more questions:
1. What parts would give me the most h.p. increase for $1,000
2. What exhaust set up would make the best muscle car sound for $1,000 except headers or illegal setups i.e. catless.....muffler deletes are not a problem.

JDWalton

you can go with some cams, but if you want real power ones with muscle car sound, your gonna give up some daily drivability.

Mishri

boomtube exhaust is the best sound you can get with an axle-back setup. mid-pipe wont change sound too much, as an X pipe sounds raspy on the 3 valve and an H pipe is what is installed from the factory.
and like JDwalton said, cams will change your exhaust sound, give it a good lope. but unless you can install them yourself you'll go over $1,000. (but you will see nice gains, like 20whp)

JDWalton

mine saw 70 ;-) REAL cams make a lot of power. "Sound" cams dont make near as much.