What route would you go?

[90mustangfan]

with about $3,000-$3500 max spending limit....

Either

A.
rebuild 302($800), Throw Trickflow top-end kit($2200), finish full bolt-ons for around 3k total and have a full bolt-on h/c/i on fresh 302 with some suspension mods.
estimated 290-300rwhp

B.
leave stock h/c/i 302 w/ 160K+miles(still good compression 130 in all cyclinders), With current mods I already have, Add B&G stage 1 turbo Kit($2800), add supporting mods, Injectors/fuel pump/maf/Tune(350-400)
estimated 370+rwhp at 8-9psi intercooled

Which route would you go, This is my daily driver and weekend worrier. Im looking to spend no more than $3500 tops.
Ill upgrade the trans/clutch/ and more suspension parts in the future...

 

[91 HATCH]

b ftw

 

[bloopbloob]

i'd go with A. sure its less power and all, but then i wouldn't be worried about something blowing up every time i took it out for a rip. i'd rather have a good foundation then a high hp time bomb.....
i also think that turbo job will end up running you well over $3500 before you're happy with it. you also said intercooled.... is that included in the kit for the $2800?

 

[Towelly]

i'd go with A. sure its less power and all, but then i wouldn't be worried about something blowing up every time i took it out for a rip. i'd rather have a good foundation then a high hp time bomb.....
i also think that turbo job will end up running you well over $3500 before you're happy with it. you also said intercooled.... is that included in the kit for the $2800?

+1

I agree. A. for the win!

Edit: Plus you can alwayz add a turbo down the road when you have some more money saved up and get a much better (Higher Horsepower) end result. Turbo + H/C/I and full bolt ons!

 

[LS-what?]

http://www.fordstrokers.com/331-liberator-stroker-short-block-p152.html

$1799 shortblock
$1000 for twisted wedges (used)
$300CUSTOM CAM!!! this is the best money ever spent look into ED Curtis, Jay Allen kinda expensive but worth it
$400 intake look for used but should be around this price
$500 or less for fuel pump, injectors, throttle body, arp bolts, etc...

Right now your @ $3100 about four hundred below budget.

Now do alittle research cause you can get it done and be well within your budget

later

 

[25thmustang]

$1799
$1000
$300
$400
$500

= $3999

Thats not $3100 last time I did the math.

"rebuild 302($800), Throw Trickflow top-end kit($2200), finish full bolt-ons for around 3k total and have a full bolt-on h/c/i on fresh 302 with some suspension mods."

$800
$2200
$xxx for bolt ons.

That doesn't equal $3000 either, more like $3500 (when you factor in all the bolt ons).

The turbo route $2800 for a turbo and you only expect to pay $350-400 for MAF, Injectors, pump and tune?? Expect to pay more like $1000-1200 for that stuff!

Not trying to rain on your parade, but never expect to pay the lowest price possible, or you will come up very short in the end!

 

[Ozz]

No kidding. Option B isn't going to cost what you expect. Even if it did, don't expect it all to be flawless after it's all said and done, either.

 

[blackened88lx]

If this is truly your daily driver, as in your only vehicle, I would honestly leave it as it is. Don't go modifying it if you don't have another vehicle to drive, because things WILL go wrong, and it WILL break. Buy a beater, then save up the money to do what you want to the stang. Everything always costs a lot more than you expect. The turbo will be out of your price range, and there would be a lot more unexpected costs, things going wrong, and breakage when you're done. I stand behind turbos 100%, I think that's the way to go, but you have to be ready for things to go wrong, and be willing to spend the money to make it right. Good luck.

 

[Flavadave4]

Spend the $3500 on a project car.....A highly modified car for a daily drive just seems like you are asking for trouble.

Just my $.02

 

[25thmustang]

My friend bought a HCI fox for a DD. He really really regrets it!

 

[Ozz]

And you know how them turbo cars run...or don't run.

 

[NKau]

My vote is for option A from a reliability standpoint. Also, as others have said that turbo setup is going to cost a bit more than you think.

If your shortblock is in good shape, I would honestly just upgrade your intake, Maf, TB, and spend the remaining money on some really nice AFR or TFS heads. Maybe pull the motor and replace the oil pump, timing chain and water pump for peace of mind. I wouldn't even mess with the cam for a DD. The stock cam still makes excellent power, and you probably wouldn't run into the drivability issues of a true h/c/i car.

Wonder if anyone out there has run an unbiased dyno challenge type thing featuring a stock cam as well as a variety of ots type cams?

 

[1.8kmint]

You gunna tune it yourself? You should factor that into your costs also. I vote A.

 

[90mustangfan]

I have another car as a beater(96 hyundai accent), I just drive the stang more because it nicer /funner to drive.
I only drive like 5 miles a day to and from work. So its not really alot on the stang.
What driveability isssue will I have with H/C/I?

 

[blackened88lx]

And you know how them turbo cars run...or don't run.

They'll run like a stocker if they're tuned properly!

 

[5spd GT]

$1799
$1000
$300
$400
$500

= $3999

Thats not $3100 last time I did the math.

"rebuild 302($800), Throw Trickflow top-end kit($2200), finish full bolt-ons for around 3k total and have a full bolt-on h/c/i on fresh 302 with some suspension mods."

$800
$2200
$xxx for bolt ons.

That doesn't equal $3000 either, more like $3500 (when you factor in all the bolt ons).

The turbo route $2800 for a turbo and you only expect to pay $350-400 for MAF, Injectors, pump and tune?? Expect to pay more like $1000-1200 for that stuff!

Not trying to rain on your parade, but never expect to pay the lowest price possible, or you will come up very short in the end!

Yep!

Ls1-What - By the time he adds up all the odds and ends to do the swap, clutch, etc. It is going to cost him a bundle.

When I did my h/c/i swap, I spent near $4,500. All new parts though.

I daily drove a h/c/i fox for close to 3 years with the h/c/i added. The engine did not bother me. Just with the car being old and little things not working and the rough ride is what bothered me. Not the engine.

As for a custom cam suggestion, Ed Curtis has the cheaper of the two at $325. He actually somewhat supports this site as oppossed to the other one, who bashes it any chance he gets.

So if he will support it, I will support him.

 

[NKau]

What driveability isssue will I have with H/C/I?

I can't make this blanket statement for all h/c/i cars, but a lot of people have issues with surging idle, cold idle trouble , cold drivability problems, warm drivability problems (stalling on deceleration is a big one) and just not getting the performance you should be without a tune.

The factory EEC has factory presets for open loop (cold) starting/driving that don't really jive well once you've modified your engine, which is probably the biggest issue most run into.

In my case, my car runs/drives like poo when cold, runs pretty well on the street when warm with the exception of the car stalling when coming to a stop often times. This has bugged me enough that I'm going to be investing in a Tweecer R/T to take care of these problems, as well as a wideband 02 setup.

If you are going to be making any serious modifications to your engine, you may as well start researching tuning now, because there's a good chance it's something you'll probably have to deal with at some point.

 

[90_Red_LX]

My car with the h/c/i only really has one issue...the idle surge. Dunno why in the hell it does it but oh well. Car runs very well as it is, from the motor standpoint I'd drive it cross country. Transmission is gonna come out though.

 

[ryan218]

my car being a dd too! id go with route A becasue its going to be more streetable then a turbo'ed v8 would be.

 

[Ozz]

They'll run like a stocker if they're tuned properly!

Yea, I'm sure the $150 tune he accounts for will be just that too