Hey everyone,
I have a hypothetical situation and would like your opinions. I am trying to decide on a next vehicle to save up for. Being a student I have a limited budget to plan with. I've grown up in a mustang family like most people here probably did. When my dad was young he built a 69 mach 1 with 450hp and a bed instead of a back seat lol. Understandably I have always wanted a project car of my own.

Because of being a student and having a limited budget I am thinking of a long term project car.

I have been looking at what is available in my projected price range and a 2002-2005 v6 mustang seems like my best bet. What kind of results have people been getting from super/turbocharging the 3.8/4.0L engines? Do they keep somewhat respectable mpg? I'm not looking to make a drag car. Rather a great back roads toy.

Thanks!

 

You can run an M112, the supercharger off the 03/04 cobras and make 250-300hp on the stock bottom end and retain good mpg provided you can stay out of boost. Can't speak to the newer 4.0 but guys have stroked/forged 4.2's (stroked 3.8) pushing over 600hp and dipping into 9's in the quarter. Obviously that wouldn't be a street setup with decent mpg just letting you know. Read through the M112 swap sticky thats posted for some more info on it. Can be done for just over $3,000 or less if your source the parts separately

 

A supercharger will allow you to have much more hp while still retaining the normal fuel needs of the car. Yes, you have to upgrade the fuel system, however once tuned, the fuel system only supports the new power. So in short, you still use as much fuel as you did before during normal driving cause you're still making the same amount of power at that RPM. It's only when you romp on the gas will you burn more fuel.

 

Both the 3.8L and 4.0L motors are great starting points. Both have been used for YEARS by Ford, so there are parts everywhere and lots of knowledge about repairs / upgrades.

 

I'm a big fan of turbo charging, I've been down the vortech road....

Turbo a stock bottom end 3.8, with fuel injectors/pump/tune you can run mid 12s, and get 25-27mpg.

 

You should be able to put a DIY turbo system together cheaply.
Go with a Holset turbo and you will have some damn good reliability.

The HX35 is a good cheap turbo.

Of course its not the BEST option but its a good cheap option that builds good power.

btw, I am not a huge Turbo guy, ESG is the right guy to talk to about Turbo's here.