Ehlp me spend 1000 to 1500 dollars on my 86 GT

[vsixer]

Ok, I just bought a 86 Mustang GT T-Top car. Currently the car has the following mods when I bought it.
1) Electric Fan
2) underdrive Pulleys
3) Bassaini Headers with a Bassaini off road X pipe and 2.5 inch dynomax mufflers with dumps
4) K&N filter in stock set up with no inner fender air box.
5) 16X8 280R cobra wheels with 255/55/16 TA's
Rest of car is bone stock(speed density). Help me pick the best performance parts per dollar to make this car faster and yet be able to take it on a 3 hour trip if needed.

 

[NeQX]

maximum motorsports full length subframe connectors (about $110 + $200 for a good place to weld them on)

3:73 gears ($375 installed near me)

pro 5.0 shifter

king cobra clutch

cobra intake manifold, and install yourself.

 

[Timmey9]

Hmm well lets see

I would some new heads and intake and maybe a cam.

For driveability maybe some GT40's or ported E7's. As i remember the heads on the 86 were terrible. correct me if i am wrong.

So i would get that out of the way early, others will say gears first, so maybe some Thumpers and some 3.73's and then get an intake later.

I am in no way an expert and so its really up to you. Good luck

 

[stangbear427]

I'm with gears and a Pro5.0, and a MAF conversion. Never liked SD, especially once you start piling the mods on. Full length subs if you have enough left. Yes, the '86 heads weren't great, but not knowing your goals for this car it would be inappropriate to suggest any. $1500 would be enough for certain H/C/I combos (without labor), but just because you have enough doesn't make it the right place to start. Just my $.02

 

[-86GTStang]

Mods...

You got a nice car there... Well Mr. NeQX ideas seems to bee good, and I would go for a set of lowering springs, rear control arms, and install a new clutch quadrant-kit. Remember to install MAF convension kit before you do H/C/I changes. GOOD LUCK !

 

[whitemustang89]

id do gears shifter, clutch and then save the rest for an emergency if you want driveability for long trips get 373 im goin with 4 10s

 

[93cobra12]

lets say you had 1500 to spend on ur car, an this is only on parts an not install, you gotta remember about that 'Kiss Me''Kiss Me''Kiss Me''Kiss Me', it bites u in the ass ! I would definitely get some gears, if you drive mostly highway an rarely see city life then get 3:55's, if its opposite, then get 3:73.. That should be ur 1st mod.. I personally like to build the car from the back to the front, meaning gears, driveshaft, tranny, clutch, flywheel an so on.. But if ur looking for performance i would skip the tranny clutch flywheel part an get a new intake and cold air kit with a bigger MAS and 70mm throttle body.. I actually just sold my stock cobra intake, which would have been perfect for you.. Sold it for 300 bucks, they normally cost about 415 after tax an shipped out.. Those cobra manifolds are pretty decent intakes for a stocker like what u got..

BUT, u have to think long term here.. ASk yourself this question, what is ur goal with this car? do you want it for mainly street with little track appearance, do you want this to be only a track car, do you want this to be only a street car with a mild set up, a street car that is a wild set up.. Once u distinguish what it is you want to accomplish with this car if u want to show it only or if u want a show go car or if u only want a go car, then the broad topic of performance parts are narrowed down.. I think everyone wants a show go car but thats expensive an very long process.. But just figure out what you want out of this car.. Then tell us and here everyones ideas..

But get gears !

 

[mr.b]

get some nitrous for it and a set of slicks. That will give you more results than anything else mentioned.

 

[93cobra12]

more results yea, but hes looking to keep his car not destroy it, DONT DO THAT !
unless u have hella cash an dont care, and you could buy urself a brand new long block when ur motor goes boom !!

 

[vsixer]

Forgot to tell you all, its an AOD car. As for the mods I can put anything on myself, if not my buddy can. Installs for me are no cost here, including the gears.

 

[stangbear427]

Oh. AOD? Oh. Well. Uh... if you take your $1000-$1500, and add it to what you'll get if you just sell it...

 

[GMstomper]

With those underdrives and the e-fan the first thing I would do is uprade your alternator. You don't want any charging problems. Next step should be a set of 3.55's and possibly an aftermarket shifter. Dont the T-5 guys get to ya...my AOD (a nicely built one) will shift 10x faster than they can. If you think you might go with a KB S/C dont go mass air...its meant to run SD. But do go mass air if you're gonnaa go with heads and intake. Oh and the cam in the 86 is the best stock cam out there so I wouldnt really be concerned with it. One last thing...you need a CAI it will really wake your car up.

 

[428dragpac]

Ok, I just bought a 86 Mustang GT T-Top car. Currently the car has the following mods when I bought it.
1) Electric Fan
2) underdrive Pulleys
3) Bassaini Headers with a Bassaini off road X pipe and 2.5 inch dynomax mufflers with dumps
4) K&N filter in stock set up with no inner fender air box.
5) 16X8 280R cobra wheels with 255/55/16 TA's
Rest of car is bone stock(speed density). Help me pick the best performance parts per dollar to make this car faster and yet be able to take it on a 3 hour trip if needed.

I vote for the Vortech A- trim...can be had for just a bit over $1700......and you don't have to modify anything ---I know this is a little more than you wanted to spend, --but is worth it, I have installed on two of my stangs.

 

[Schlodes]

Careful what heads you put on.... I've seen GT 40s mentioned but can you run them on the flat top piston shortblocks that are in the 86s? I seem to remember some sort of Trick Flow heads being able to work...

If it were mine... You could go with some worked stock valve size [Thumper] E7s, a Tmoss lower and 87-newer upper or an aftermarket intake alltogether, a 65 mm T body, 155 fuel pump, and some 3.73 gears and maybe even a bit of a convertor... 2600 - 2800 RPM... You could still retain the speed density [its not that bad on a mild car and dont have to buy a bigger MAF], and it would be a fun torquey combo to drive... probably failry quick too without breaking the bank.. Probably what I would do with an 86 be it 5 speed or auto.

 

[Scones]

I'm running very low 13s on my 86. Check out my website @ http://www.geocities.com/schlodessssu/mike.htm
to see my build up (it's not much, a few of the right bolt ons).

The times you see were all run on a set of 7-9 year old used ET streets.
For the second visit I had bought a set of turbocoupe spares and mounted some moroso skinnies on them so I could run skinnies at the track. (they look so mean on the car i'd drive it that way all the time but the tires are bias ply)

Also I go to school in waterloo but live in stratford. I drive this car 45 mins the and 45 mins back every day. My parents and friends live back where I grew up (leamington and area). I've made that 4 hour drive there 4 times and the other 4 hours here 5 times since August no prob. Of course I'm pushing 300,000kms on my car now, but she still runs good and strong, lots of vacuum, great oil pressure so why not.

Good Luck,
Scones

 

[diablostang]

very first mod should be replacing all T-Top seals <my car is a T-Top as well> unless your seals are completely leak free.