Engine Build On A Budget?

Ryan Timiney · Sep 11, 2013

I guess my last thread was a little much. I am new to all this so some help would be appreciated I've narrowed it down I believe... I'm on a tight budget of around $1,000 since I also need the car repainted next spring. My car is somewhat mostly stock... I want to be around 300HP. What is my best option and most horsepower on a budget build? A turbo..? Or an H/I/C build? Any ideas? Again I am on a tight budget of around $1,000. Please help!

ProKiller · Sep 12, 2013

nitrous....

used is going to be your best friend. watch the classifieds. personally i would just wait till you have more cash and do it right. gt40ps, explorer intake, and a cam will get you under 1k, but won't get you 300hp.

Ryan Timiney · Sep 12, 2013

What kind of horsepower will that HIC get me? And I appreciate your help thank you!

5.0 Ford Guy · Sep 13, 2013

I would go about this all differently. You can't say "I need 300 HP for $This Much Money". You would be better off either saving up for a better top end setup than you can currently afford, of just take your money and start doing the bolt-on game like most people start off doing. I personally am more into the suspension upgrades than I am power. Adding 300 HP to a stock suspension just means you will need to buy more tires soon after the mods. If you can't put the power to the pavement... what's the point of having it??? It's like a dog that's all bark and no bite.

I guess I should first ask, what does your car have done to it already?

90lxwhite · Sep 15, 2013

Hate to say it but a grand is barely a drop in the bucket these days homeslice. Even the used explorer gt40 crap isn't all that cheap anymore. To give you and idea of what kind of power it'd make the 95 cobra was rated at 250 horse if memory serves. Sometime back one of the mags added gt40 heads to a fox and gained 27 hp at the rear. As for the bolt-on game that's pretty much what it is, a game. $200-$500 dollars thrown here and there multiple times to gain 0-10 horse here and there w 10 being the exception more than the rule

JordanB21 · Sep 16, 2013

5.0 Ford Guy said:
I would go about this all differently. You can't say "I need 300 HP for $This Much Money". You would be better off either saving up for a better top end setup than you can currently afford, of just take your money and start doing the bolt-on game like most people start off doing. I personally am more into the suspension upgrades than I am power. Adding 300 HP to a stock suspension just means you will need to buy more tires soon after the mods. If you can't put the power to the pavement... what's the point of having it??? It's like a dog that's all bark and no bite.

I guess I should first ask, what does your car have done to it already?

This is a smart move, horsepower is meaningless for you right now. sure it has some value. but why focus on that when you could build your car's suspension to ride smoother, launch better (therefore be quicker from dead stops, 1/4 miles).
I personally would drop the money for some used trickflows or other a/m heads and then get some 4.10s or 4.56s if youre in an auto. 3.90s or more if you're in standard.

90lxwhite · Sep 16, 2013

Are you building a race only car? If not then 4.56 gears are a rediculous recommendation even 4.10s really. I went 3.73s because that's what it says in the scripture and I wasn't really happy with em. Maybe if I had more power infront of them they'd be ok but now its still slow and I have to shift sooner. Hardly no 1st gear and when on he hwy it feels like it needs a 6th. So gears bang for buck? ehh not really. They'll prob change how the car drives most per dollar but don't think you'll throw em in and be out running anyone. Really man save that thousand for when something breaks or start rebuilding the front end and shocks and struts and springs. Although they aren't very fun you're car will ride better and wont be as much of a rattle trap that a 20 yr old car can become. As for making power you'll either have to save for years or get a loan. You need an easy 5k dolla to keep up with a modern ride. If this is your daily driver I know its hard to save due to old parts wearing out causing break downs

90lxwhite · Sep 16, 2013

Oh and if you dont have any kind of performance muffler you can do that w your thousand and at least sound fast

JordanB21 · Sep 16, 2013

I said quarter mile and dead stops bang for buck.
Highway speeds, well then don't touch your gears if you're concern is there.
The rpms will be higher on the highway than before, gas mileage on hwy would be worse, but the ability to go through the gears quicker and apply more power to the ground is apparent coming off the line.
You would lose out on your overall top speed though.

5.0 Ford Guy · Sep 16, 2013

4.56's are pretty steep. But, my brother put 4.33's in his AOD car with 29" tall Mickey Thompsons and it drove out great. 4.56's would have been pretty good also for his setup. It just depends on what you want to build. A drag car with fats and skinnies, or a corner carver. 4.10's are the norm for AOD cars I thought. I had 3.73's in my 90 and I loved them. The RPM's were a tad high on the interstate, but not too bad that I regretted my decision. The quick shifts and fast acceleration around town sure made it a lot of fun.

90lxwhite · Sep 16, 2013

JordanB21 said:
I said quarter mile and dead stops bang for buck.
Highway speeds, well then don't touch your gears if you're concern is there.
The rpms will be higher on the highway than before, gas mileage on hwy would be worse, but the ability to go through the gears quicker and apply more power to the ground is apparent coming off the line.
You would lose out on your overall top speed though.

I know you were talking about off the line acceleration but I was talking about practicality. If he's building a drag car than yeah get. 4.56 hell why not recommend a powerglide. We know he's not making a race car when hes talking bout being on a thousand dollar budget. The 4.56 aren't going to make em fast enough to justify the headache of day to day life livin w em

revhead347 · Sep 18, 2013

I hate to be honest, but $1000 doesn't go very far these days. Your only chance is a ton of nitrous. And at $1000 it is going to be a crappy nitrous setup that is going to be hard on a stock engine to get that kind of power.

Kurt

85rkyboby · Sep 18, 2013

I'd get a panhard bar and torque-arm from mm. I know this isn't what you asked about but this will bring a smile to your face and safety to your... everything.

5.0 Ford Guy · Sep 19, 2013

Good call 85rkyboby. My car is somewhat stock right now aside from the exhaust and lowering springs. If I had $1000 to spend it would be spent on rear suspension goodies and sub-frame connectors.

90lxwhite · Sep 20, 2013

Subframes are good but I wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a name brand set. It's just a steel bar w seat brackets. Send your lower intake to tmoss for some porting maybe. Or if u wanna do it yourself i think there's a how to on his website

85rkyboby · Sep 20, 2013

If I had a grand to spend. An this is just me bro, I'd buy a new bottom end. Stock block as I'm not looking to drag race my DD. I'm looking into road course and just extreme reliability on the street. Fast, Cheap, & Reliable pick two of the three and the third one will be what you won't have.

k00ksta · Oct 1, 2013

Spraying that stock motor will end up destroying it and costing more money. Save your money and build it right.

90lxwhite · Oct 1, 2013

85rkyboby said:
If I had a grand to spend. An this is just me bro, I'd buy a new bottom end. Stock block as I'm not looking to drag race my DD. I'm looking into road course and just extreme reliability on the street. Fast, Cheap, & Reliable pick two of the three and the third one will be what you won't have.

If he went that route he'd have a thousand dollar boat anchor in his garage. A guy that hasn't done his homework yet to know that a grand doesn't go very far isn't going to have the know how or equipment to mate top to bottom.

90lxwhite · Oct 1, 2013

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1302_six_budget_ford_heads_that_work/viewall.html. Here you go. Any would be an improvement (except e street, flat tappet cam needed) now if you're not putting them on yourself save around another 800 or so for install. Also don't forget rocker arms and the rest.

85rkyboby · Oct 2, 2013

90lxwhite said:
If he went that route he'd have a thousand dollar boat anchor in his garage. A guy that hasn't done his homework yet to know that a grand doesn't go very far isn't going to have the know how or equipment to mate top to bottom.

I don't see how that would be a boat anchor. I understand if he wasn't capable of building properly. In road course you don't need much HP to have "fun" and if it was drag racing you can run stock as possible with 75 shot for extra fun. Wouldn't be any 300 hp but fun enough...

Engine Build On A Budget?

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