I need a new project! (Turbo?)

[1slow95]

I'm getting bored and frustrated with my stang, so I need something new to work on. I've come up with about 100 different projects I want to do , but I only have room for one car in the garage. Oh yeah, and the whole lack of money thing. Realistically, I've narrowed it down to 4 or 5 options...

1. Fix my current setup.
2. Low compression 351W stroker and turbo!!
3. Sell the car and build...
a. 5.0 boosted Miata
b. Kit car (either Cobra/Daytona type clone, or mid engine car like the K1 Attack)
c. Custom build from scratch
d. 99+ V-6 with drivetrain swap from #2. Saleen body kit probably.

My goal is something at least as fast as what I have now (preferably faster), and DD driveability...As in something so smooth and fun to drive that I would want to drive it everyday. I want to be able to putt along at 1500 rpms in 5th gear with no bucking. And put down at least 600rwhp if I do the turbo build. Is that possible?

I'm leaning towards #2, but I also like the idea of a New Edge S-351 clone. The plan would be to use my top end (AFR 225, Vic 5.8) on a low compression 393 or similar short block. Isn't there a stroker between 351 and 393? I've looked but haven't found anything. I would prefer something in the 370-380 range to keep the CR lower...

 

[95opal]

Well Im partial to option (3b, kit car) as that is my plans for this coming year.
Hoping to have the kit by mid summer early fall. Then its balls to the walls

 

[turbogt]

Why not a turbo on what you have now but with alot milder cam???

 

[turbogt]

You don't need to go low compression to strap on a turbo.. 9.5:1 on a 408W with a turbo would be a really responsive and fun setup.. probably too fun..

I haven't touched anything else on my motor because I'm planning on doing a dart 427W with afr 225's and a turbo.. I've been spending my money on all supporting mods instead

(fuel system, viper spec t-56, etc) before I begin on my bigger project..

Turbos OWN all.

I hate my vortech because a turbo would build peak boost by around 3000 rpm whereas I have to hit redline to see 12#..

 

[1slow95]

So 9.5:1 wouldn't be too high for a turbo setup? I'm finding it difficult to find stroker kits with 9.0:1 or less... And the problem with my current short block is it's 10.8:1 and I want to continue running 93 octane . I've also had a ton of oil leaks with this engine and I'd just like a fresh start really. I really just need a new(quality) oil pan I think, but I'm pretty sure the rear main is leaking too and I'd like to move up to a one piece rear main seal.


Opal, which kit are you going with?

 

[95opal]

Opal, which kit are you going with?

Factory five cobra roadster kit.

 

[95BlueStallion]

When you say lack of money you most be joking... When I say lack of money, it means funds are too tight to buy a new pair of tires! I say either sell your car and start fresh, or put that new engine combo in and get your car to that point you have always wanted it at!

 

[Killercanary]

My goal is something at least as fast as what I have now (preferably faster), and DD driveability...As in something so smooth and fun to drive that I would want to drive it everyday. I want to be able to putt along at 1500 rpms in 5th gear with no bucking. And put down at least 600rwhp if I do the turbo build. Is that possible?

I'm not at your power level yet but I can lug my car down to 1000rpms with no bucking, and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be at or above 400rwhp now with my new heads on. Once I put the T76 turbo on I should be at or over the 600rwhp mark. Are you not happy with the power you are making or what? Is it just too much on the wild side for your liking? I think your car is bad ass!

 

[1slow95]

I'm not at your power level yet but I can lug my car down to 1000rpms with no bucking, and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be at or above 400rwhp now with my new heads on. Once I put the T76 turbo on I should be at or over the 600rwhp mark. Are you not happy with the power you are making or what? Is it just too much on the wild side for your liking? I think your car is bad ass!

I think it's a combination of poor tuning, LT's messing with the O2's, and a bit too wild cam. I know with mid-lengths or shorties and a good tune it would drive much better. That's option #1. I'm happy with the power it's making now, but I want more. I know, I'm greedy. (Plus there's a 383 YSi Camaro around here that would be fun to beat)

I do love the fact that my N/A stang will run with or beat a lot of boosted cars out there. Last time I was at the track I was trapping pretty much the same MPH as a bolt on GT500(I hit 122.0 mph on one run). It's just that I don't have any fun with the car unless I'm racing or playing around. Just cruising, especially through town, makes me want to set it on fire or take a sledgehammer to it most of the time.


Question: Will I need an aftermarket computer like AEM or F.A.S.T. or will the stock setup with a SCT chip be good enough? Mainly I'm worried about the size of injectors it will take to support 600+RWHP.

 

[S351Saleen77]

In my experience with a T- trim Vortech on a 408 I can't hook anyway down low. Even though I'm not at full boost at 3k. If it was it would be even Worse! Sometimes more power down low is not a good thing

Its still adding boost and stronger down low than no blower. I'm making on one dyno chart I looked up around 430ftlbs@3k, on another I was at around [email protected] was on a Mustang Dyno. Then it just keep going straight up to the 600ft lb mark.

I'm running a Accel DFI with 75lb inj. I'm also loosing fuel press up top and think I'm pretty maxed out and probably need a little larger injectors.

 

[SublimeRT]

After seeing you say you want something faster than what you have now with the ability to drive everyday and be able to put around at 1500 RPMs smoothly on the highway the first thing that came to mind was a LS1/T56 FD RX7. I don't think you'll want to drive any kind of 351W stroker turbo car every day or a Daytona or Cobra kit car. The 5.0 Miata is close to the RX7; I hate to say it but the LS1 would be better for the Miata too. I think you should really check out the LS1/T56 RX7s though. IIRC they weigh less than a stock turbo RX7, they'll run 11's in the 1/4 with stock heads/cam with good driving, run circles around a vette on a road course, do 1500 rpms on the highway and get almost 30mpg.

 

[1slow95]

Had the LS1 RX-7 discussion with my cousin last night. It's pretty much exactly what I want. Except FD RX-7's are hard to find, and rather expensive when you do find one. Plus you're recommending a Chevy engine on a Ford site. Maybe I should just swap a LSx into my stang.
Seriously though, a stock LS1 in a Miata will run 11's at almost 120mph. STOCK. I've spent a lot of time researching V-8 Miatas. It's something I've wanted to do since I first saw one a couple years ago.

This car will most certainly NOT be a DD. I just want something that is civil enough that I could live with it everyday if I wanted to. My semi wild cam in a 10.8:1 418 would be mostly civil with some good tuning, so I would think a semi mild blower cam in a 9:1 393 would drive close to stock. I could be wrong, which is why I'm on here. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something if it's not exactly what I want.

 

[S351Saleen77]

You could put in new pistons to drop the compression. I have inverted dome JE's and had another I think .020 cut off of them to drop it even more. Then put in a milder cam and add a Turbo or a S/C, you could have a nice idle. You could take care of the leaks while you were at it.

The S/C is a fast bolt on and a simple to install.

 

[94-302-vert]

I vote to fix your current set-up... Get it dialed in and I think it will be what you want it to be...

Then you can work on the Cobra Kit car... Those are sweet...

 

[ProKiller]

i say do you rebuild your bottom end and make it lower compression. get a solid tune by a reputable guy. then see what you think. if its not enough, you built the bottom end for boost, slap a supercharger or turbo on it and enjoy. i think you'd miss your car if you sold it and got a miata or similar project car. it will take more work on that car than this car, and you already know the ins and outs of the mustang so there is no learning curve.

 

[95opal]

That is why I like the cobra kit car you dont need anything more than a basic HCI to rip off an 11 sec pass. The dam thing only weighs 2050lbs and you can use a donor stang to build it.

 

[S351Saleen77]

I want the 33 Hot Rod from Factory Five!

'33 Hot Rod

What I would do is take my combo out of #77 could you imagine 650RWHP and 2000lbs???

Then I would build a new World products Aluminum block stroker than can be up to 460CI and the block weighs only 108lbs! Throw on some of their big port heads and a Vortech YSi supercharger and a 6 speed into the Saleen!!

MAN O'WAR Aluminum Small Block Ford Engine Blocks

 

[Pokageek]

As you know I am thinking the same thing. You can do it as you have a forged crank by swaping pistons. My cam is a .586 lift, little less than yours, my compression is 10.45:1, so I think thats why my driveability is nicer but I also have the problem with the LT's. When I pull the battery for a while, it resets the computer and it has no hesitatin low end. Thats why I know its the tune. I dont understand why my tuner could not get that right!?

 

[1slow95]

94-203-vert, you missed the part where I only have room for ONE car in the garage.

Prokiller, I probably would miss my car. And I didn't really think of it, but I do know my car inside and out. I can do pretty much anything on my car without looking at a manual now, and I don't know a thing about Miatas. Although learning is part of the fun of a project, but I would hate to find out Miata's are a PITA to work on. Good reason for sticking with a Mustang.

My only problem with the Cobra kit cars is that I would like to have the option of a roof. Not that I would drive it in the rain, but you never know when you'll get caught in some bad weather. That's why I was looking at the Daytona kits. Plus you don't see many of them around.

As for my short block, if I go with boost I'm not reusing this short block. It's bored .040 over and needs .060 over to fix some scratches in the cylinder walls. I'm pretty sure I'm not burning oil so it's not too bad, but I don't know if I would want to run it like that with boost.

I might have been wrong on my 10.8:1 CR. I was putting in some numbers on a CR calculator and I may actually be closer to 10.5-10.6:1. Anyways, it looks like I will need pistons in the -35 cc dish range to get close to 9.4:1 CR with my current engine.

Pokageek, my car was great for about 2 or 3 weeks after it was tuned, then the surging and hanging idle and missing/bucking started and it hasn't got any better. I know it can be smooth with a proper tune, because it does run perfectly fine every now and then. But just for about 5-10 minutes usually.

 

[turbogt]

Turbos like really mild cams .. But seriously, there is no better way to keep a motor mild and streetable than adding forced induction, while still making amazing power..