Engine Stock 5.0 Ho Build Up

[88mustang on a budget]

I got a stock 5.0 ho in my 88 I got about 1500 to spend off the bat which way should I go to get a good hp gain. Just a street car not a track ride. Ita got maf conversion under drive pulley cai bbk shorty heads and 2.5 h pipe and magnaflow pro series dumps. Its got new suspension lowering springs struts arms short throw shifter stage 1 clutch 28 oz fly wheel. This is my first car build I'm learning as I go. Open to all suggestions and criticisms.

 

[mikestang63]

is this your daily driver?

when you say new suspension what does that mean? Subframe connectors,, control arms, springs, shocks, bushings, A arms?
What about the brakes, cooling, electrical system?

The best bang for the buck is to install a lower rear end gear ratio. For a stick I would go with 3.55 or 3.73 if you won't do a lot of highway driving. Do new axle bearings and seals at the same time. Parts $300 and labor $300-$500 on that would be around $800. Next best bang for the buck is a ZEX or NOS Nitrous kit- for around $800 you can get a good kit with a purge, window switch, and bottle pressure gauge. That will get you another 75-150 hp safely with a good tune- colder plugs, decreased timing, Premium gas. The other option for $1500 is a used Vortech which will add 75 t 100 hp, but buying a used supercharger is a gamble unless you know the guy and/or know what to look out for.

Post some pics of your car and welcome

 

[88LXSleeper]

Heads, cam, intake ? You can get some gt40p heads and intake from junkyard explorer for $150 at pull a part, must upgrade valve springs. I put in an E cam, make better power and still be quite streetable. My 88 is a Cali version already had MAF, For $1500 I put heads, intake, E cam, lowering springs, shocks, camber caster plates, panhard bar and frame stiffening. Not the best stuff but it goes pretty good. Running stock brakes with better pads and shoes.
View: https://youtu.be/ldrDFD59NQU

 

[A5literMan]

Also you mention a 28oz flywheel. The stock motor is a 50oz inbalance. Are you sure it's 28oz? Or is this an older motor with a 28oz setup?

 

[88mustang on a budget]

Yes it's got all the subframe connectors and control arms sway bar's spindles ect and yes it is the 50 oz I was wrong lol. I got the 373 and the gt40 intake and heads gotta get them re worked got the new break booster and power steering pump in along wit new starter altenator aluminum radiator and twin electric 10 in fans need a shroud though. I'm doing all this my self and this is my first time ever working on a car lol I'm a wreck but I'm having a blast. As of right this second I'm pulling clutch cable out putting in new one wit alum billit fire wall deal the guy before me had this wiring all messed up looks like a rats nest

 

[Gearbanger 101]

I got the 373 and the gt40 intake and heads gotta get them re worked

So....when you say you need to get them worked, have you got this covered yet, or do you have to factor in the cost of rebuilding the heads and installing the gears into your $1,500 budget?

If by "get them worked" you mean have the rebuilt, then count on eating up about $500 to do them right. If by "get them worked" you mean have them ported....I really wouldn't bother.

If you've got $1,500 to spend, on top of everything you've already got, I'd seriously consider picking up a used Vortech and calling it a day. Especially if you're looking to retain stock like drivability. At this point, no bolt on, short of a power adder is going to give you the kind of power gains for the money.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I got a stock 5.0 ho in my 88 I got about 1500 to spend off the bat which way should I go to get a good hp gain. Just a street car not a track ride. Ita got maf conversion under drive pulley cai bbk shorty heads and 2.5 h pipe and magnaflow pro series dumps. Its got new suspension lowering springs struts arms short throw shifter stage 1 clutch 28 oz fly wheel. This is my first car build I'm learning as I go. Open to all suggestions and criticisms.

Not to be a nit picky little turd, but @A5literMan is right, if you have a 28 oz flywheel, you have a 351 or a really old 302 that got stuck in your mustang.

 

[88mustang on a budget]

Not to be a nit picky little turd, but @A5literMan is right, if you have a 28 oz flywheel, you have a 351 or a really old 302 that got stuck in your mustang.

Its a 302 and has the 50oz i got my info wrong this is my first car build ever i will be wrong alot lol

 

[88mustang on a budget]

So im broke and the further i dig into this basket case of a car the more o find the previous owner failed to mention like the basket ball sized hole behind the rear ground effects im pretty handy with fiberglass and bondo but this may be out of my league rawr... And im trying to post pics but it wont post them

 

[88mustang on a budget]

So none of the rear ground effects were lined up and all seemed pretty loose. Took them off and come to find out all the metal straps that they hook into are any good either rusted off or about to fall off how can i replace those looks to be riveted on. Can i just drill old rivets out and buy new brackets and rivet them on? Also trying to finish hooking up parking brake cables that old owner didnt finish. Dont know how to get the cable in the drum for the rear. Also never take out interior plastic crap it wont go in the same way lol. Awww the strugles are real!!! But i wouldnt pick any other car to be working on i just imagine what its gonna be like to dump the clutch and break loose around every turn and on ramp and stop lights no one els in my small town has a fox.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

So im broke and the further i dig into this basket case of a car the more **** o find the previous owner failed to mention like the basket ball sized hole behind the rear ground effects im pretty handy with fiberglass and bondo but this may be out of my league rawr... And im trying to post pics but it wont post them

I'm no welding genius, so hell, if I can weld, I bet you can too. Got to borrow a MIG though.
Consider it a challenge, also imagine the skill set you will have once you start learning. It will open up all sorts of modifications you can do.
Putting in a patch panel really isn't that difficult, just take your time and do all the details as best as you can, besides, crappy first welds that are hidden under the moulding are still far better than a hole.
You can do it, trick is finding the MIG welder.....

 

[Davedacarpainter]

So none of the rear ground effects were lined up and all seemed pretty loose. Took them off and come to find out all the metal straps that they hook into are any good either rusted off or about to fall off how can i replace those looks to be riveted on. Can i just drill old rivets out and buy new brackets and rivet them on? Also trying to finish hooking up parking brake cables that old owner didnt finish. Dont know how to get the cable in the drum for the rear. Also never take out interior plastic crap it wont go in the same way lol. Awww the strugles are real!!! But i wouldnt pick any other car to be working on i just imagine what its gonna be like to dump the clutch and break loose around every turn and on ramp and stop lights no one els in my small town has a fox.

Yes to what you said on the brackets.
Brake cable is just a minor pita. It would be a good time to rebuild the brakes anyhow. Rebuild kits are cheap, just make sure you put the adjusters on the correct side, they will be marked r and l. Put the cable in first and hook it up and complete rebuilding the brakes. New pads and springs will make you feel better anyhow.

 

[stykthyn]

^^^this. For the love of God don't patch with fiberglass or bondo. This isn't a boat. Sounds like the engine/performance parts need to go on the back burner for a bit. Focus on the structural body work so when you break those tires loose chunks of metal and body trim aren't left all over the road.

 

[LiquidStangs]

So none of the rear ground effects were lined up and all seemed pretty loose. Took them off and come to find out all the metal straps that they hook into are any good either rusted off or about to fall off how can i replace those looks to be riveted on. Can i just drill old rivets out and buy new brackets and rivet them on?

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-10214-K/87-93-Mustang-10-Piece-Ground-Effects-Bracket-Kit

No experience with them, but that might be a good start. There's a video install guide too.

 

[88mustang on a budget]

I'm no welding genius, so hell, if I can weld, I bet you can too. Got to borrow a MIG though.
Consider it a challenge, also imagine the skill set you will have once you start learning. It will open up all sorts of modifications you can do.
Putting in a patch panel really isn't that difficult, just take your time and do all the details as best as you can, besides, crappy first welds that are hidden under the moulding are still far better than a hole.
You can do it, trick is finding the MIG welder.....

I'm actually a certified welder so I'm not as scared about body rust as I am after I patch and try and do bondo to smooth out

 

[88mustang on a budget]

^^^this. For the love of God don't patch with fiberglass or bondo. This isn't a boat. Sounds like the engine/performance parts need to go on the back burner for a bit. Focus on the structural body work so when you break those tires loose chunks of metal and body trim aren't left all over the road.

Yea way ahead of you didnt buy any aftermarket's just parts to fix the body and rust. The frame is great. Just under molding and ground effects is rusty. The previous guy put all new floor pans and trunk flooring in.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm actually a certified welder so I'm not as scared about body rust as I am after I patch and try and do bondo to smooth out

Excellent that you already know how to weld, save you all that time of being a total goof like me.
I look at body work as sculpting. Just make sure you have the metal as close to the original shape as you can. Then use filler to fill in the small areas to finish off the desired shape. It's not real tricky, but like painting, you just need to think through the process. See in your mind what you want the end result to be and then think through the proper steps that will get you that result.
Let me know specifically what you will want help on and I'll do my best to advise you.

 

[88mustang on a budget]

Right now been trying to finis parking brake install. Guy never finished putting cables through drums. But the rear wheel wells are dented and mis shapen. So been slowly working on that. Going to pick up separation plate brake lines fuel lines and some interior plastic stuff all for 300 guy has a few foxes from old builds. Today I'll go out and take pics

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Right now been trying to finis parking brake install. Guy never finished putting cables through drums. But the rear wheel wells are dented and mis shapen. So been slowly working on that. Going to pick up separation plate brake lines fuel lines and some interior plastic stuff all for 300 guy has a few foxes from old builds. Today I'll go out and take pics

The parking brake cable really isn't too tough. Look on LMR or just google the cables install, all sorts of videos of people doing that. It'll seem so much easier for you.

 

[88mustang on a budget]

I've got it all the way done but putting the lead tip through that metal hook in the drum. I'm thinking I gotta take the darn thing apart