Discussion on mild budget build/ top end

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

Hey everyone , I'm new here so not sure if I'm posting this in the right place.
Anyway I'm looking for a place to hopefully meet some people to discuss and teach with some things along the way.

So I have an 88 LX I'm looking to do a top end budget build just because I find it all very interesting and at this point a hobby.
I picked up a professionally ported stock upper and lower intake manifold I plan to install, I got it for $400, and also picked up a throttle body ported to 65mm for 100
I don't really want to bolt these on with stock cylinder heads that aren't going to compliment them.
I've seen a few nice ported e7s on marketplace for great price as well as gt40 heads that just came up ( but dont want to run risk of issues with headers)
Now I dont plan on replacing the stock cam right now , hearing that 1.6 or 1.7 rockers can increase the stock cam lift a bit and is actually a good performing cam

I'm wondering on what people can tell me about cylinder heads , I really like the option of having stock parts ported out for a bit more power.

Also wondering if I'd need to increase injectors from the 19# I have right now to 24# ?

Im not looking for a race car , it's a summer cruiser but just want to tinker with things a bit and learn, and if I can add a little bit more kick to the ol girl its a bonus. I've had it for less than 2 years

88 mustang Lx
CAI
MAF converted
Electric fan
Underdrive pulleys and ac deleted
Long tube headers, mac cat back exhaust
3.73s

86HO5.0 · Feb 21, 2026

19's will be fine with that setup.

My .02. Since you're planning on running the stock intake, don't pull the heads. Throw on some 1.7 RR's and call it a day.

If you're 100% set on pulling the heads, then I'd recommend swapping the intake as well. Find an Explorer top end with TB and injectors and swap everything over. Be sure to upgrade the valve springs on the EXPO heads.

AeroCoupe · Feb 21, 2026

First of welcome to the forum! Lots of members here that are more than willing to share their knowledge. Sounds like you have a great car (we do like pictures)!

I’m not a stock parts guy as it just costs too much money to get performance out of them like I want but I get whar you are wanting to do.

Couple of things, really need to know what the ported intakes flow to figure out what you want in a cylinder head and I’m not sure how you port a throttle body being the blade is a fixed size. They may have sold you an Explorer throttle body which is 65mm but you have to flip the linkage for it to work on our cars.

As for not wanting to do the cam. If you are pulling the cylinder heads you are right there and it’s really not much more work at that point. A head , cam, intake swap (properly matched) on these cars is well worth the effort.

Even with all that work 19 lb/hr injectors will be okay. If they are the originals I would have them professionally cleans and flowed which I recently had done for $125 local to me.

One last thing to consider is to replace the factory 58mm MAF with an OEM 70mm MAF will also help. Here is a really good thread on this:

D

Thread '70mm MAF adapter'

Sep 15, 2019

Since the Kustomz MAF adapters are no longer made, does anyone know where to get one or what size the opening needs to be to fit a stock airbox? I see some online with a 3.5" opening. Is that the right size?

I know it say for a Bronco or F150, bit does it look like it'll fit?

Amazon product ASIN B009VPWOLIView: https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Bronco-Intake-Filter-Adapter/dp/B009VPWOLI

Good luck with the tinkering!

rednotch · Feb 21, 2026

I hope that's Canadian money.... I'd sell both and snag an explorer/ mountaineer throttle body and intake on the cheap... Linkage needs to be modified on the throttle body but that's a simple tack weld..

For heads look at vevor and eBay for discounts or performamce world in Canada there both China casting but can be had on the cheap end, that's less than rebuilding iron heads.. Performance world sells Steven sun castings, there smallest 175 head would be the equivalent of lmr's sve 175 same thing supplied by steven, would needs stud mount rockers and hardware, depending on cam may need to clearance the pistons valve releifs since there both 2.02/1.60

Noobz347 · Feb 21, 2026

Boost it and be done with it.

AeroCoupe · Feb 21, 2026

if you go with a turbo get some jack stands….helps with “finishing” the install.

slow84lx · Feb 21, 2026

There is a lot of good information already posted.

If your car has long tubes on it there is minimal risk of fitment issues if going to the GT40P heads and almost none if going to GT40's. Easily overcome if there is, cheap, and a great bang for the buck option.

A mild cam is an easy change with the heads off. There are many good, proven off the shelf choices that are readily available, TFS-1, N41, Flow Tech Induction, etc. Any of these would work very well to wake your car up with the upgrades that you already have and are proposing.

What is important is that the combination of parts is designed to work well together. All that is listed above will work well with an Exploder / Cobra / GT40 intake. Not sure how well your ported stock intake will work with it all, it may meet your needs. First determine what you actually have. Pictures posted here would help.

Do a search of this web site. There are many combos and results listed.

nickyb · Feb 21, 2026

In a perfect world you would have asked advice on that intake and tb.before purchasing them. Most everyone here would have told you to skip them.
I don't know the Canadian market but here in the USA for $400 you could have got the explorer intake,tb,and maybe the gt40 heads.
You would have been in a better place,now you can choose to use what you have( not a good idea) or try and sell them and go to a wreaking yard and pull the gt40 stuff. Or just get the trick flow top end kit from Late model resto,cj pony parts,or summitt,jegs.

Just my two cents.

P.s. this thread needs pictures.

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

86HO5.0 said:
19's will be fine with that setup.

My .02. Since you're planning on running the stock intake, don't pull the heads. Throw on some 1.7 RR's and call it a day.

If you're 100% set on pulling the heads, then I'd recommend swapping the intake as well. Find an Explorer top end with TB and injectors and swap everything over. Be sure to upgrade the valve springs on the EXPO heads.

Im not sure if my photos attached , the intake i picked up is ported by dasilva racing in lntario

86HO5.0 said:
19's will be fine with that setup.

My .02. Since you're planning on running the stock intake, don't pull the heads. Throw on some 1.7 RR's and call it a day.

If you're 100% set on pulling the heads, then I'd recommend swapping the intake as well. Find an Explorer top end with TB and injectors and swap everything over. Be sure to upgrade the valve springs on the EXPO heads.

I got a ported intake done by dasilva racing , don't know the flow numbers , by the looks of it i can't see it performing a lot less than a gt40? Ill try to upload pics. I did when I posted this but don't think they uploaded

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

AeroCoupe said:
First of welcome to the forum! Lots of members here that are more than willing to share their knowledge. Sounds like you have a great car (we do like pictures)!

I’m not a stock parts guy as it just costs too much money to get performance out of them like I want but I get whar you are wanting to do.

Couple of things, really need to know what the ported intakes flow to figure out what you want in a cylinder head and I’m not sure how you port a throttle body being the blade is a fixed size. They may have sold you an Explorer throttle body which is 65mm but you have to flip the linkage for it to work on our cars.

As for not wanting to do the cam. If you are pulling the cylinder heads you are right there and it’s really not much more work at that point. A head , cam, intake swap (properly matched) on these cars is well worth the effort.

Even with all that work 19 lb/hr injectors will be okay. If they are the originals I would have them professionally cleans and flowed which I recently had done for $125 local to me.

One last thing to consider is to replace the factory 58mm MAF with an OEM 70mm MAF will also help. Here is a really good thread on this:

D

Thread '70mm MAF adapter'

Sep 15, 2019

Since the Kustomz MAF adapters are no longer made, does anyone know where to get one or what size the opening needs to be to fit a stock airbox? I see some online with a 3.5" opening. Is that the right size?

I know it say for a Bronco or F150, bit does it look like it'll fit?

Amazon product ASIN B009VPWOLIView: https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Bronco-Intake-Filter-Adapter/dp/B009VPWOLI

Deleted member 215073

Replies: 62

Forum: 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Good luck with the tinkering!

Its the stock style throttle body , exact same but it measures 65 mm and a plate to match was installed. The guy had this done years ago who I got it from .

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

Noobz347 said:
Boost it and be done with it.

Lol I hear you , maybe sometime but right now dont want to just want to keep it natural

General karthief · Feb 21, 2026

My opinion, I wouldn't have bought that intake, it will move a fair amount of air, more than a GT40, cobra or exploder intakes, works well at high RPMs so needs heads (at the minimum) and cam to match, even just that intake and a good flowing head it will be a beast for about 10 feet and be a dog the rest of the time.
So you either match heads and cam to that intake which will give you a narrow power band to work with likely in a higher RPM that's not 'street friendly or do what has been proven to work since God made gas, example:
Starting with a good running engine, aluminum heads, I like the smaller heads (175's?) for low end grunt, gt40 style, I say this because there is very little difference between the GT40 tubular, the explorer and the Cobra intake except price, there ain't two tea spoons worth of power difference between the three although the tubular intake adds HP just on the cool looks.
That will get you in enough trouble and make you wish you owned a tire store.
You could spring for a cam too, just not the letter cams, E/B 303 cams are old designs, better cam tech today if you choose.

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

General karthief said:
My opinion, I wouldn't have bought that intake, it will move a fair amount of air, more than a GT40, cobra or exploder intakes, works well at high RPMs so needs heads (at the minimum) and cam to match, even just that intake and a good flowing head it will be a beast for about 10 feet and be a dog the rest of the time.
So you either match heads and cam to that intake which will give you a narrow power band to work with likely in a higher RPM that's not 'street friendly or do what has been proven to work since God made gas, example:
Starting with a good running engine, aluminum heads, I like the smaller heads (175's?) for low end grunt, gt40 style, I say this because there is very little difference between the GT40 tubular, the explorer and the Cobra intake except price, there ain't two tea spoons worth of power difference between the three although the tubular intake adds HP just on the cool looks.
That will get you in enough trouble and make you wish you owned a tire store.
You could spring for a cam too, just not the letter cams, E/B 303 cams are old designs, better cam tech today if you choose.

Got ya, im just wondering if these move the same amount or more air than gt40 why is everyone telling me they wouldn't of bought them ? I see gt40 intake manifold come up for above 400 , and i paid 400 for this one . So kind of just wondering why it was a mistake on buying this and the 65 mm throttle, would it not compliment the 175 cc heads you mention ?

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

AeroCoupe said:
First of welcome to the forum! Lots of members here that are more than willing to share their knowledge. Sounds like you have a great car (we do like pictures)!

I’m not a stock parts guy as it just costs too much money to get performance out of them like I want but I get whar you are wanting to do.

Couple of things, really need to know what the ported intakes flow to figure out what you want in a cylinder head and I’m not sure how you port a throttle body being the blade is a fixed size. They may have sold you an Explorer throttle body which is 65mm but you have to flip the linkage for it to work on our cars.

As for not wanting to do the cam. If you are pulling the cylinder heads you are right there and it’s really not much more work at that point. A head , cam, intake swap (properly matched) on these cars is well worth the effort.

Even with all that work 19 lb/hr injectors will be okay. If they are the originals I would have them professionally cleans and flowed which I recently had done for $125 local to me.

One last thing to consider is to replace the factory 58mm MAF with an OEM 70mm MAF will also help. Here is a really good thread on this:

D

Thread '70mm MAF adapter'

Sep 15, 2019

Since the Kustomz MAF adapters are no longer made, does anyone know where to get one or what size the opening needs to be to fit a stock airbox? I see some online with a 3.5" opening. Is that the right size?

I know it say for a Bronco or F150, bit does it look like it'll fit?

Amazon product ASIN B009VPWOLIView: https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Bronco-Intake-Filter-Adapter/dp/B009VPWOLI

Deleted member 215073

Replies: 62

Forum: 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Good luck with the tinkering!

Hey thanks for the info, enjoying reading all of these
So when you say properly matched, how exactly do you match cam, heads intake etc .
Also the main reason Im not interested in a cam right now is because I plan on doing all this with the engine in the car , the cam i assume is going to be a lot more work to do in that space

nickyb · Feb 21, 2026

Right here in the state of Nevada I can buy a gt40 upper and lower intake with the 65mm tb from pic a part for less then $200 US dollars.
The gt 40 heads for $125 pair.
That's why I wouldn't have bought what you did.

General karthief · Feb 21, 2026

Acesario said:
im just wondering if these move the same amount or more air than gt40 why is everyone telling me they wouldn't of bought them ?

That intake is designed for power in the upper RPM band, basically it's just started breathing when the stock cam falls off, so it would be a dog in low rpm cruising..
To get an idea of what we're yappen about find the Engine Masters on the utube, they have a lot of dyno testing vids addressing making power and where/how it's made.

AeroCoupe · Feb 21, 2026

Acesario said:
Hey thanks for the info, enjoying reading all of these
So when you say properly matched, how exactly do you match cam, heads intake etc .
Also the main reason Im not interested in a cam right now is because I plan on doing all this with the engine in the car , the cam i assume is going to be a lot more work to do in that space

I would call Dasilva Racing and see if they can shed any light on what those intakes will flow. From there you can contact Comp Cams and see what they would suggest cam wise with the heads that rednotch mentioned.

1000’s of cams have been swapped with the motor in these cars and I’d bet you can find some videos on YouTube showing how.

Acesario · Feb 21, 2026

nickyb said:
Right here in the state of Nevada I can buy a gt40 upper and lower intake with the 65mm tb from pic a part for less then $200 US dollars.
The gt 40 heads for $125 pair.
That's why I wouldn't have bought what you did.

Sounds like I may have to do a trip to the states ... I'm surprised they are still laying around , figured theyd all be stripped. I checked a few here online with no results of any 5.0s around

AeroCoupe · Feb 22, 2026

www.carpart.com

Jersey Joe · Feb 22, 2026

I haven't been a fan of buying used parts for awhile now, maybe it's just trust issues. There are many who went the GT 40 route which I'm sure you can find lots of info on, I decided to do the Trickflow topend which provided matched parts that work together, but even that route required additional parts, Maf, throttle body, and ultimately larger injectors and I decided to replace the lifters, radiator, water pump etc, I would suggest reading the many build threads here, youtube, and anywhere else you can find them for the right options for you. I would also agree that if your messing around in there, I would definitely replace the cam while you're at it.

Discussion on mild budget build/ top end

New Member

Attachments

Active Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I'd like to remain having one chocolate starfish

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

clean it good before insertion

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

New Member

New Member

New Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

New Member

New Member

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

New Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I remember blowing that Monkey's ass

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency