I'd buy a '99 cobra for $7K, immediately pull the engine and put in better pistons, rods and get head work done. Then I would grab the on3 turbo kit, get a tune and be done until something breaks.
Which mustang to buy?? The timeless question...
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the safe limit on ANY 4.6 pre 03/04 Cobra is ~450rwhp. Sure there are examples of both that have made more but they're on borrowed time. It may take the 2V a little more boost to get there but the limits are the same.
4V sounds good, a little to raspy IMO, the 2V has a real deep growl which I like.
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Get a 99-01 cobra with a bad motor. There is two in my area with under 70k miles for like $5k obo. That leaves you $10k for built motor and power adder.
Easy 10s.
Easy 10s.
The stock 2V has the same limits as a stock 4v. Build both and they will make comparable power. The 2V will always sound better thoughoke:
+1 100% true. Both have iron blocks (exclude pre 01 to 96) and can make ridiculous power. What it comes down to is how deep your pockets are, and what platform you want to start with.
If you have the goal to have a light car I would stick with SN95 platform. It is the second lightest mustang compared to the foxbody. The GT definitely gives more flexibility in the modding arena. The Cobra sn95 is great but you are slightly limited unless you the money to fork over to get the heads done, and put better cam grinds.
Only if your planning to use the stock heads, there are many different heads made for the 2V that you can get equal or better power. Example, patriot, Trickflow twist wedge or the race heads that they offer above the wedge head. And you can run a more aggressive cam profile because the head has more clearance.
Most guys on here vote the 2V has cleaner exhaust note than the 4V. Its just the nature of the game. The 4V has an extra intake and exhaust which gives it a burble type of noise at idle. They sound the best when they are revving high but your every day driving to 2k-3k rpms they sound decent. The 2V on the other hand has more defined note, and when you put on better flowing heads it just complete sound all together. I can say this 4V has more throat because of the extra air it can push because of the better head from factory.
Early 4v's are going to handle comparable power to the 2v's. It doesn't matter what the weak point is.. there is still a weak point to the both of them. ANd just because it takes less boost on a 4v doesn't necessarily mean it's any safer as the 4v's also had almost an entire extra point of compression. More compression means less boost to begin with, so as far as a safety benefit with less boost I just don't see that being a strong selling point.
Obviously my vote is going to be for the 2v considering I own one, mods are cheap, blowers are for sale all the time and shortblocks/heads have really came down in price.
Basically you need to strip away all the mechanical items of this decision and base it off of what car body itself you want to own. Regardless of whichever one you choose nothing stock will be able to hold that much power anyways so at that point it's silly to make a choice off stock parts when you already know you have to modify/change everything anyways to achieve what you're going for. Just my .02.
Of course you guys are going to say the 2V sounds better, you all have them! Of course engine sound is very subjective and there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of exhaust configurations/combinations to consider for each engine so unless a 2V and a 4V are running the exact same exhaust it's an apples to oranges comparison.
Good points made about different head/intake choices though, but stock for stock or mod for mod, the 4V will make a decent amount more power and has slightly stronger internals.
Of course once engines are being built and big boost is being added, it is just a matter of can spend more money on it.
The only way youre going to get 10's with any of those is by building them up.
Id go fox or SN95 5.0 route and build up from there. $5k for the car max, and $9-10k for a decent build should get you results. The rest the initial price will not leave you enough to touch 10's. Maybe deep 11's.
Honestly id look for a blown motor, clean SN95 and do a turbo 5.3 swap.
Id go fox or SN95 5.0 route and build up from there. $5k for the car max, and $9-10k for a decent build should get you results. The rest the initial price will not leave you enough to touch 10's. Maybe deep 11's.
Honestly id look for a blown motor, clean SN95 and do a turbo 5.3 swap.
See.... Not as easy as everyone thinks. Lol
xXGadfly09Xx
Banned
5.3?
WHy not use an aftermarket dart block based on the 302? a 363ci motor will be a good base or how about a 351W based motor?
You can get a complete 5.3 for half the price of a dart block.
Get a 1996-1998 GT. Make sure the body is solid. You won't be needing the engine or transmission.
T56 and LS series engine installed. You are winning, and spending a lot less money than you would fooling around with a 4.6.
You could also go the 331 or 347 stroker route, but even that is more expensive than an LS swap. Going fast isn't cheap.
That is what I would do if I were on a budget. If money were not a problem, then I would stay FORD all day long.
T56 and LS series engine installed. You are winning, and spending a lot less money than you would fooling around with a 4.6.
You could also go the 331 or 347 stroker route, but even that is more expensive than an LS swap. Going fast isn't cheap.
That is what I would do if I were on a budget. If money were not a problem, then I would stay FORD all day long.
A good 363ci Ford engine is going to cost at least $10,000 or more once you consider all the parts that have to go with it. Seeing as how the cheapest 363 strokers go for about $8,000. I thought I was getting a deal with my 331 stroker. LOL no the parts you don't think about will cost you, and bite you in the ass.
lol too expensive.
You can grab a junkyard 5.3, refresh/rebuild it on the cheap. Throw boost at it until it blows, and buy another or build it up afterwards.
IIRC theres guys out there making 600-800whp on these junkyard 5.3's with very little work and money invested. Thats the meal ticket right there for any backyard drag racer.
Ls motor swap is pointless. Might as well get a used coyote motor set up.
I would second the fox body build.
You could be into it WAY cheaper and be way faster.
Rip that 302 right out of there and do a turbo 5.3 LS swap.
You could be into it WAY cheaper and be way faster.
Rip that 302 right out of there and do a turbo 5.3 LS swap.
You wanted to go fast on a budget, and an LS swap is just about the only way to do it cheap/reliably. If you want to do it right with a 331,347,363,408, or 427 expect to pay a lot more money.
A coyote swap is more expensive than building a stroker. So the coyote swap would be kind of pointless. The engine alone will run you $6000 new or at least $4500 used, next the electronics/tuning will run you at least $1500, then the transmission which is another $1500 to $3000 depending on your budget. Nevermind the fact that you may have to change K-members, and other bits/pieces of suspension, gears, and custom headers that will ultimately make you go well over $10,000.
With the LS swap you can stay under $10,000, and beat people who thought building a 4.6 was cheap and effective. It isn't.
Junk yards are not saturated with Coyote 5.0's, therefore they are not budget friendly at all at this point in time.
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If you want to run 10's cheap, and stay Ford. Here is the absolute best answer:
LX Fox body + DOHC Lincoln Navigator 5.4 with a Carb conversion, 4.10/4.30 gears, custom headers, and automatic transmission.
I've personally witnessed this completed for less than $10,000. It ran better than any other car at the track since it had stock cams, and ran 10's. No nitrous I think. Of course if it did run on nitrous, it was still cheaper than $10,000. I just don't remember seeing nitrous when I looked over the car.
Engine cost the man $350 from a junk yard. That's the best deal I can think of in the history of hot rodding.
LX Fox body + DOHC Lincoln Navigator 5.4 with a Carb conversion, 4.10/4.30 gears, custom headers, and automatic transmission.
I've personally witnessed this completed for less than $10,000. It ran better than any other car at the track since it had stock cams, and ran 10's. No nitrous I think. Of course if it did run on nitrous, it was still cheaper than $10,000. I just don't remember seeing nitrous when I looked over the car.
Engine cost the man $350 from a junk yard. That's the best deal I can think of in the history of hot rodding.
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There is a post in video and pics.. Putting a 5.0 in 2003 gt.... It bolts up to the transmission.
Ill have to find it but that was something I'm seriously considering. Been watching on copart.com for wrecked 2011 and up gts going for about 5-9k
Ill have to find it but that was something I'm seriously considering. Been watching on copart.com for wrecked 2011 and up gts going for about 5-9k
So here is the cars I've narrowed it down to...
96-98 Cobra
96-98 GT's and do a coyote swap or terminator swap.
pro's and con's anyone?
96-98 Cobra
96-98 GT's and do a coyote swap or terminator swap.
pro's and con's anyone?
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