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

Mild 88GT. Which heads for $1k?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cutter1024
  • Start date Start date Dec 18, 2010
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Cutter1024

Member
Apr 23, 2010
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Ephrata, PA
Dec 19, 2010
#21
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #21
I also dont have to put the $1k into heads. Im looking to get the most bang for the buck without installing nitrous, because I had it one time.... fun.... cheap horsepower.... just the idea of filling the bottle all the time.

What else could i do?

What about supercharging my motor? Can a good used kit be had for $1k? Im looking to get into the 12's without nitrous! Heads, supercharger, cam, anything to help, or get me on my way with $1k would work.

What about a set of P heads, cam, and 1.6 or 1.7 rr's? Or.... I can look for a set of nice heads for $1k, and just buy them, set them aside.... save another $400 and buy 1.7RR's, and cam.... then buy my gaskets, and get everything installed? I would rather do the install towards spring anyways....

My intake is a GT40 upper and lower.
 

Shaolin Crane

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Oct 6, 2008
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Dec 19, 2010
#22
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #22
Haha, if you want to go 12's without nitrous help, start tearing **** out of your car and spend your money on suspension. I'd rather a car go faster from losing weight than adding horsepower.
 
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Cutter1024

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Apr 23, 2010
118
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Ephrata, PA
Dec 19, 2010
#23
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #23
I could.... but dont want to turn this car into a drag queen. Simple stuff to strip yeah... but dont want to go crazy. I rather add horsepower.
 

Shaolin Crane

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Kommiefornia
Dec 19, 2010
#24
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #24
Then get more money
 

robo

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cleveland ohio
Dec 19, 2010
#25
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #25
sounds like you need to decide what you want to do before you start throwing money at parts.
 
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Cutter1024

Member
Apr 23, 2010
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Dec 19, 2010
#26
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #26
I already know what I want to do. Whatever gives me the most bang with $1k-$1200.
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
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gainesville
Dec 19, 2010
#27
  • Dec 19, 2010
  • #27
Hookers and blow
 

old_blue

15 Year Member
Nov 3, 2003
1,783
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Dec 20, 2010
#28
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #28
thumpers or gt40/p's, stage 1 cam, use your current upper and lower and you'll get that seat of the pants feel. Although with the 373s if you had the thumpers you might want to strengthen torque boxes and add sub frames. That will get you a lot of low end and you could start tearing things up. Especially if you had DRs.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
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Northern KY
Dec 20, 2010
#29
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #29
I would look for a wrecked low mileage Explorer in a junkyard and buy the whole engine. Take off the heads, put your stock heads and cam on it and sell it as an HO 302 with an Explorer intake on it and get most of your money back. Then i'd buy new springs for the P's, buy a Stage 1 cam, put it all together and put the rest of my money into drag shocks and struts and maybe some sticky tires. You'll have an engine you can beat the snot out of and not worry about breaking everything, and if you do blow it up you won't wanna hang yourself if you hurt the heads. Then you can run 12s with a "stock 302" and laugh at all the guys spending $1500 on heads who are running the same times you are and can't figure out how you did it. If you really wanna get sneaky, mill the GT40P bars off the front of the heads
 

1993SSP

Founding Member
Sep 5, 2001
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Ky
Dec 20, 2010
#30
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #30
Budget's suck, the never happen!!

I have to give kudo's to thumper head/cam package, I bought one about 6 or 7 years ago for my car and it's been a nice package. Thumper is honest and straight forward, you tell him what you are looking for out of your engine and he will hook you up!
 

90lxcoupe

20+ Year Stangneter
Oct 7, 2003
3,596
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134
Dec 20, 2010
#31
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #31
save a few more bucks and get a set of FAC trick flows. Used heads can be a gamble because 90% of the time your going to need to put some kind of money in them and blow your budget right out of the water
 
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Cutter1024

Member
Apr 23, 2010
118
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Ephrata, PA
Dec 20, 2010
#32
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #32
old_blue said:
thumpers or gt40/p's, stage 1 cam, use your current upper and lower and you'll get that seat of the pants feel. Although with the 373s if you had the thumpers you might want to strengthen torque boxes and add sub frames. That will get you a lot of low end and you could start tearing things up. Especially if you had DRs.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a good idea. Who sells these, and do they have package deals? Also, I have the GT40 upper and lower, would it be a good idea to get rid of those and get a better aftermarket upper and lower?
 
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Cutter1024

Member
Apr 23, 2010
118
1
16
Ephrata, PA
Dec 20, 2010
#33
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #33
I found a used set of twisted wedge heads on craigslist for $650. Even if i have to put some money into them would that be a good deal?
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
6,945
1,598
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Northern KY
Dec 20, 2010
#34
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #34
Cutter1024 said:
I found a used set of twisted wedge heads on craigslist for $650. Even if i have to put some money into them would that be a good deal?
Click to expand...

That's a damn good price as long as they don't need a ton of work. Keep in mind that new valves and a valve job can easily run $500+ so check them out before you buy.

Don't even get me started on my Windsor heads. I paid $260 for them, i have almost $800 into them by the time i installed them (and that's not counting gaskets and head bolts and such for the actual install).
 

1993SSP

Founding Member
Sep 5, 2001
1,194
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Ky
Dec 20, 2010
#35
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #35
Unless you're buying the heads from someone you know you can trust 100% I would never buy a used set of heads again. I got burned once on a set, people will look you right in the eye and lie about them all day long. I bought a set used my first and last time, took them by the machine shop to let the guy who was doing my block look em over, after a few more hundred dollars and bent valves replaced they were in the condition that the guy I bought em from swore they were in to begin with!
 

Shaolin Crane

Banned
Oct 6, 2008
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Dec 20, 2010
#36
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #36
You guys are making me nervous about the heads i just bought, good thing i was able to pull them apart myself
 
C

Cutter1024

Member
Apr 23, 2010
118
1
16
Ephrata, PA
Dec 20, 2010
#37
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #37
Maybe I will just get a new set of TW's. Just do it right and be done with it. Best place to get them?
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
6,945
1,598
223
Northern KY
Dec 20, 2010
#38
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #38
Just do like i do and buy what you want and sit on it until you have the cash to get it all together. That way you don't sacrifice on what you want. It all works out in the end if you're patient. I sat on my Windsor heads for like 4 years before i ever got them put on.
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
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223
gainesville
Dec 20, 2010
#39
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #39
Summit as far as I know is the only place to get them new
 

Flavadave4

Active Member
Nov 28, 2003
1,044
21
49
Utica, NY
Dec 20, 2010
#40
  • Dec 20, 2010
  • #40
1993SSP said:
I have to give kudo's to thumper head/cam package, I bought one about 6 or 7 years ago for my car and it's been a nice package. Thumper is honest and straight forward, you tell him what you are looking for out of your engine and he will hook you up!
Click to expand...

+1
He was very helpful and the heads looked great when I got them. I installed those with a TMOSS ported lower and a TFS1 retarded a few degrees. The combo felt good but what really made it all come together was the bigger throttle body, it really helped in the higher RPM.

http://www.hunterstyle.com/thumper/

http://tmossporting.0catch.com/
 
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