Mod recommendations for 87 GT

[Mike85000]

Hey guys,

I aquired an 87GT with recently. Motor runs very well, has low mileage for the year (173000 kms).

I've been reading up on speed density vs mass air setups and decided that the stock HO cam is plenty good for a mild mod car. I have yet to check if my 87 has the early more agressive cam, but i was thinking about a few simple mods to get her ready for some street class drags in the summer.

I'm currently doing the usualy tuneup stuff, but once that is out of the way I was thinking of a few simple mods.

-Cut out the cats (no emissions testing around here)
-3.73 gears and rebuild the trac-loc
-1.7 Roller rockers

What is the most restrictive stock part on my car? I've heard the stock headers are ok until you get a new intake and or heads.

Do the 1.7 rockers really wake it up? This car would be a driver with the occasional race.

I don't need the fastest car out there, butwhats the best bang for my buck when it comes to a bone stock 87 SD car?

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[vikingpower]

If you get 1.7RR's you have to get new, upgraded valvesprings. Old stock ones will float like crazy even with factory rockers.

 

[vikingpower]

By far the lamest part of the 5.0 HO is the heads and intake. You enter, literally, a whole 'nother universe of horsepower when you trash them for the good stuff.

 

[Mike85000]

I realize that new heads and intake would make a world of difference. But I'm not interested in dropping that kind of cash on this car.

Short of H/C/I, what mods are the best bang for my buck?

 

[Matts89Notch]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I was told that the basic stuff you want to do that is not really costly would be:

-delete the a/c & smog pump (from ford racing it's like $40)
-get a 3/6g alternator (ebay around $110)
-electric fan (depends but around $100)

If your going to be racing from what I hear upper and lower control arms arent that much money and make the rear feel a lot stiffer. It will help you launch the car with gears and sticky tires (ebay ones around $175 shipped).

This is not top of the line stuff but it's better than what comes with the car, thats the way I look at it anyway.

I have a stock 89 that I just got, my first mod comes in the mail tuesday and I got metal door handles lol....Broke both of the stock plastic ones...My next parts will be a full exhaust from headers-to the cat-back, maybe 20hp (no clue really) for about $600...I want it to sound better than it does now, its way too quiet.

 

[vikingpower]

I realize that new heads and intake would make a world of difference. But I'm not interested in dropping that kind of cash on this car.

Short of H/C/I, what mods are the best bang for my buck?

Try this: 1 5/8" long tube headers, mass-air conversion, Explorer junkyard intake manifold or a Typhoon, and some new valvesprings. If you do get roller rockers, get stud mounted ones and some hardened pushrods. Pedestal mount RR's are ca-ca and cannot be transfered to a new set of heads, should you decide to buy some in the future.

 

[HISSIN50]

I'd do gears and consider having TMoss port the lower.

Good luck and welcome to the boards!

 

[vikingpower]

-delete the a/c & smog pump (from ford racing it's like $40)
-get a 3/6g alternator (ebay around $110)
-electric fan (depends but around $100)

I got all that too, makes a subtle difference in HP, the weight reduction is a bigger factor than HP increase for those mods. Removing the A/C makes it 50 times easier to work on the engine in my opinion.

 

[vikingpower]

...consider having TMoss port the lower.

How much does he charge?

 

[I_AM_CANADIAN]

Mods

If you are wanting to disconnect the air pump, try bypassing it with a shorter belt before you remove it. I ran into stalling problems when I did this, as did Ruel with his 5.0 fairlane.

My suggestion of mods would be:
Gears
Intake (probably single best upgrade short of heads/forced induction powerwise)
Roller Rockers
full exhaust (might as well sound good )
short shifter

I wouldn't worry about things like electric fan. If the clutch fan is working properly, it won't affect your performance.

 

[tmoss]

How much does he charge?

PM sent.........

 

[Foxfan88]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I was told that the basic stuff you want to do that is not really costly would be:

-delete the a/c & smog pump (from ford racing it's like $40)
-get a 3/6g alternator (ebay around $110)
-electric fan (depends but around $100)

If your going to be racing from what I hear upper and lower control arms arent that much money and make the rear feel a lot stiffer. It will help you launch the car with gears and sticky tires (ebay ones around $175 shipped).

This is not top of the line stuff but it's better than what comes with the car, thats the way I look at it anyway.

I have a stock 89 that I just got, my first mod comes in the mail tuesday and I got metal door handles lol....Broke both of the stock plastic ones...My next parts will be a full exhaust from headers-to the cat-back, maybe 20hp (no clue really) for about $600...I want it to sound better than it does now, its way too quiet.

i wouldnt delete the AC, it doesnt rob anything when its off and even when its on, it will disengage under WOT. the 1 HP gain isnt worth taking it off IMO

 

[Mustang5L5]

i wouldnt delete the AC, it doesnt rob anything when its off and even when its on, it will disengage under WOT. the 1 HP gain isnt worth taking it off IMO

If the A/C system works keep it....if it doesn't, then i usually suggest just to delete it. On e the 5.0's A/C starts to go, it usually takes a good chunk of money to get it working again and it's NEVER as good as it was originally.

But i would never tell someone with a working OEM A/C system to delete it.

 

[cenok is family]

if you throw on 1.7 rockers, you're probably gonna have to do a mass air conversion.

 

[Mustang5L5]

1.7's are not one of the first mods i'd do to a stock Mustang. Spend your money elsewhere for now

 

[SPEEDYLIFSAVR]

First mods should be as follows (my take):

In order of Priority
1) Subframe connectors (SFC's) full length ones are prefered for a stiff chasis
2) Gears: 3.73:1 or 4.10:1 seem to be the popular choices
3) Full Exhuast (headers, hi-flo cats, catback +mufflers)
4) Buy a K&N panel filter (no CAI kit required) and put it in the stock box
5) Bumped timing to 12 - 14 degrees (free mod) 10 Degrees is stock.
6) Larger MAF, TB (MAF cars from 1988 california only, 1989-1993)
7) 3G alternator upgrade / electric fan
8) Fix the weak brakes

Optional MODs:

9) Strut tower brace (necessary on Convertibles IMO)
10) Underdrive pullies (they can't be used on S/C motors and cause charging problems)
11) Weight reduction out of the nose of the car
12) Shocks/Struts and lowering springs
13) C/C plates if you lower the car
14) Short throw shifter (if you have a manual transmission)

After those (the basics), it's pretty much up to you. There are plenty of Super Chargers or Heads, Cam and Intake packages to choose from.

Also, don't forget about the basic tune up
1) Changing all of the fluids (oil, coolant, trans, rear end, brake and some of the power steering)
2) Plugs: (non-platnum type) Autolite or Motorcraft are prefered
3) Oil filter: Motorcraft or equivalent (not FRAM)
4) Air filter: see first mods item #4
5) Plug wires: Ford Motorsport (FRPP) 9mm units are great
6) Cap / Rotor
7) Oxygen sensors

 

[gcwh02]

i know you said you dont want to do heads...but if your going to spend money on a tb, or a maf, or a 3g and electric fan. By the time all that adds up your better off getting a set of aluminum heads for $1000 and making a lot more power

 

[Matts89Notch]

whats wrong with a fram filter?

 

[mustang65luvr]

if you throw on 1.7 rockers, you're probably gonna have to do a mass air conversion.

BLAM! He hit it right on the nose! BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING TO THIS CAR, you need to convert it to MASS AIR. Buy the wiring kit and a ECM. It's pointless to do any hard mods or even bolt ons if the Speed density ECM isn't going to learn-up for you.

 

[87AODGT]

BLAM! He hit it right on the nose! BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING TO THIS CAR, you need to convert it to MASS AIR. Buy the wiring kit and a ECM. It's pointless to do any hard mods or even bolt ons if the Speed density ECM isn't going to learn-up for you.

I wouldn't listen too much to that, you're fine with speed density if you're not looking to dig too deep into the motor, first do the free mods like taking out the air silencer if it's still there, bump the timing to 14*, make sure the TPS is in the correct range .92-.98v, after that you gotta ditch the stock highway gears and get a set of 3.73s or 4.10s ,then I'd open up the whole exhaust system starting with 1 5/8 longtubes, go to an offroad pipe either h or x is fine, and a decent cat back. The next restriction to play with from there would be the intake manifold and then the heads, the only thing to look out for with speed density would be the camshaft you pick, you're going to want to find something that doesn't kill vacuum too badly