Next Mod on my 89 5.0?

85SVOGUY

Member
Jan 21, 2009
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Hey everyone i own a mustang SVO and have been building a 5.0 since i was about 15 with my uncle. Im 20 now. I have a full MSD Setup ignition, coil, cap starter, cobra upper and lower intake, ported and polished cylinder heads, crane rockers, rods, new lifter kit, e 303 cam, ud pulleys, venom 400, 30lb injectors with maf, bbk cold air intake, shorty headers, h pipe w/hi flo cats, and flow master 40 exhaust, alum driveshaft, electric fan, auxilllary tranny cooler kit, new 3 core radiator, big brake kit, slotted rotors, i think i have a few more things in there but i cant remember. What should my next mod be? I was thinking maybe gears? or suspension? Im not sure because i got my taxes and all my bills are paid but i still got cash left over :shrug:
 
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All the power in the world ain't gonna do ya' any good if you can't put it all to the ground. I'd invest in some suspension mods and some drag radials, then see what kinda times you get before looking at gears - you don't want to do those more than once, and it would suck to find out you got too much/not enough gear for your combo. (You might get 3.73's when it turns out you instead 3.55's would've been better, for example.)

Sounds like you've got a helluva setup there, though. Got pics?
 
Haha ill post pics as soon as i can. Just letting you know though it doesnt look all that great, but it runs like hell. The engine is taken apart right now because the camshaft just got put in. Once i put it back together ill try to post some pics up.
 
It doesn't really matter much what you do next as it's all not going to mean much without the other. You should weld up your torque boxes (rear control arm mounts) with some reinforcement plates, but you don't need a whole hell of a lot of suspension mods for your power level, especially if you keep the auto. I'd put an air bag in the right rear and rip it. Get some drag radials (old style bfgs or m/ts) or slicks depending on if the car is going to be on the street or track more. Gears, anywhere between 3.73s and 4.30s again depending on what you're using it for. Rebuild the trac lok while it's apart, and maybe get some axles. If it was me I would do a 5spd swap but if you're going to keep the auto it would benefit a lot from a looser converter and a shift kit or valve body (lentech).
 
Thanks alot for the input guys, from what im reading looks like im gona pick up a set of gears, im gonna be using it mostly for the street so what gears should i be using 3.73's? Its gonna end up being my daily driver so i dont want anything too crazy, and i think im going to get some full length sub frame connectors.
 
Thanks alot for the input guys, from what im reading looks like im gona pick up a set of gears, im gonna be using it mostly for the street so what gears should i be using 3.73's? Its gonna end up being my daily driver so i dont want anything too crazy, and i think im going to get some full length sub frame connectors.

If you haven't done SFCs, that should definitely be high on your list. Even a completely stock Fox can benefit from SFCs. Make sure to weld them in.
 
Thanks alot for the input guys, from what im reading looks like im gona pick up a set of gears, im gonna be using it mostly for the street so what gears should i be using 3.73's? Its gonna end up being my daily driver so i dont want anything too crazy, and i think im going to get some full length sub frame connectors.
A lot of the AOD guys like 4.10s better, especially with a mild combo.
If you haven't done SFCs, that should definitely be high on your list. Even a completely stock Fox can benefit from SFCs. Make sure to weld them in.
Not always true. It may FEEL like a benefit because of the stiffer chassis, but in a lower hp car the chassis flex can actually help the car hook. I actually probably wouldn't even worry about hurting the torque boxes in a mild auto car because they're not being shocked like dumping the clutch.