Spend my money!

Ok, so it's not thousands of $ like some people here have...it's $500 or so.

My car is bone stock, and I'm looking to take some simple steps....soon, to change that.

I was at the Woodward Dream Cruise yesterday and was checking out the Roush display in Mustang Alley. The Roush shifter is to DIE for...(at least in a parked 427R), and I was thinking I should have one. Once I got online to check the price, I found you have to pay for the shifter, the stick and the ball....seperately! Total price?! $413 or so. WHOA! My original consideration was the HURST. The MGW does not interest me, so please hold your comments for now.

Mufflers. I need some. My friend has the SLP Loudmouth, which sounds pretty good and are the most affordable, but they are LOUD...when you start the car, and I'd hate to have to wake the neighbors (apartment complex) every morning. My considerations are: SLP Loudmouth, Borla Stinger, FRPP GTA, FRPP Bullitt (the 500KR mufflers are coming in the Fall..think Corsa prices for those!)

So, with about $500 or so to play with, what should I do first? The shifter, or the mufflers? Or do I do a HURST AND mufflers, and skip the ROUSH shifter altogether?


Thanks!

Ok....well...hmm..

The local guy here who tunes/dyno's recommends C&L intakes and SCT tuners. Is that a good way to go?

Not sure about the tuner really just yet. The other two options won't bring warranty hassles...I was maybe thinking of tuner after warranty....Hmmmm.....

There's a place not too far from me, Alternative Auto Performance, which has a dyno and sells tuners and all that stuff. Their site:

Alternative Auto Performance - Mustang and Ford Performance Experts

Looks a little dated (the site) but I talked to the owner last summer about working on my car. I think he installs his "custom tune" but I mentioned I might want a stock pull (baseline) and then a specific tune for my car. I know that will cost more, but then it's a tune for MY car, not for Mustangs in general.

He recommends C&L and SCT.

The future plan for my car is this:
1. 3.73 gears
2. U/D pulleys
3. Intake + Tune
4. Roush Shifter
5. Suspension (maybe Roush Stage 3)
6. Roush Trak Pak wheels (forged, black)
7. FRPP Cams + Heads
8. Some sort of axle-back exhaust

I talked to the FRPP guys at the Woodward Dream Cruise. They told me about some new cams/heads coming out this Fall that with an intake, tune, exhaust....would put down around 380+ rwhp. They started up one of their cars with this combo, and it sounded REALLY good! (I was asking them about exhaust, so they started up a few of their cars for me.) The price of the cams/heads was not available when I talked to him, but he said "around $3K or so." I don't think you need to do the springs with this set-up either, which would make the install a lot easier (and cheaper).

For me, as a daily driver, I think high 300 HP is enough to have fun. It's all-motor, so you pretty much just put gas and oil in it and go. If they are correct on their price point, it would be a lot cheaper than a supercharger too. I'm not a big fan of supercharger whine....I'd much rather have a lumpy cam idle, myself.

My primary goal for this car is to be very streetable, auto-x-able, carve corners and lay massive patches of rubber should I want to. A 12-second car would be nice. It will be constructed with weight in mind (no heavy wheels/tires). I think that a car with "around" 400 rwhp that can pull 1g and still handle Michigan roads would be a blast! I want the car to look stealthy if possible, or at least, not flashy. I hate big chrome wheels! I'd rather sit nice and snug on some forged black 18s with fat rubber.

Now, If I could only find some cash....LOL.