5.0 newbie... could use some help on modding a stock car

thorco3 · Apr 24, 2007

Like the title says, I am pretty much a newbie to the world of 5.0's. I am wondering any one could point me in the direction of some good info filled websites, forums, etc. (anything with good 5.0 relevent information)

I've got a bone stock (engine wise) 95 GTS that I would like to lightly mod... but I don't really know where to start. Oh and as a reference point, I would like to bump up my power to the range of an sn95 cobra, if that helps any. And I'm basically looking for engine specific info. I know gears gears and such are going to be a big help but mainly looking for motor upgrade info here.

Thanks for any light you guys can shed on the topic or links and such.

-Clay

thorco3 · Apr 24, 2007

and just for the heck of it, here's a couple motor pics and my modest mods list.

Bassani BX catback
Unknown short throw shifter (i'm guessing it is a hurst model seeing as it has an H ingraved in the handle... ??)
and yep, I think that's about it, lol.

other stuff is only cosmetic or ride quality type stuff.

again thanks for any help and please keep this thread based on engine performance oriented mods

[attachment deleted by admin]

fordguysmith · Apr 24, 2007

I say that you can get a cold air intake and make a little difference. That's bout all I know.

thorco3 · Apr 24, 2007

fordguysmith said:
I say that you can get a cold air intake and make a little difference. That's bout all I know.

Well i'll prolly pick up a JLT cai, but I'm looking for a little more in depth motor work than a simple cai.

I just don't know much about upper and lower intake manifolds, or different heads, possible cam options, etc.... and any information regarding these and/or other motor mods. Like which ones are worth the money, which ones to stay away from... that kinda stuff, as well as install hang ups, difficulty of install and so on...

Downshift · Apr 24, 2007

I know you said motor mods but I will say it anyway, full exhuast. It will get you some pretty decent power for not a ton of money and not only that your car will sound bad ass. You said you have the bassani catback, I highly recommend the Bassani Off Road X pipe. I have both and they sound freakin awesome. Not to mention when I put the mid pipe on it felt like the car was twice as fast. And headers of your choice.

Im not exactly sure on Cam set ups because there so much debate and I cant speak from experience so I will let someone else chime in on that one. What I can tell you is that its pointless mod with stock heads and intake.

As far as intakes, I picked up a 93 cobra intake with a 70mm TB and gaskets and all that stuff for about the price of the trickflow piece and it feels like a whole different animal. I can REALLY feel where the heads kill my power now though. Plus the cobra is pretty tried and true and you can find decent deals on used ones locally or on places like stangnet.

I have heard and seen good thing about the Trickflow Heads/Cam/Intake kit. That would put you well above a 5.0 cobra and close to a 4.6 cobra. Personally I want to run AFR 185 Heads, I have read a ton of reviews and articles where they gained a ton of HP. If you dont want to spend around 1400 for just heads though, you might even look into getting some GT40 Iron Heads and having a shop to some spring upgrades and port it out.

Other then HCI or a Supercharger, I would start off with the Cold Air Intake, some underdrive pulleys maybe advance the timing, Gears, and Full exhuast at least.

I know I wrote a book. Hopefully some of what I said will get read haha. Later.

Downshift · Apr 24, 2007

Forgot to say your second picture looks SWEET!

thorco3 · Apr 24, 2007

thanks bud, that is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for.

I do have a bassani catback, and as soon as I sell some of the parts from my old car, wheels, etc. I'll finish up my exhaust. I have pretty much decided on a bassani midpipe. just sorta undecided still on the headers.

I will def look into different intake setups some more, just don't know what is the best bang for the buck sort of thing... or if this will be a go all out for the best sort of thing.

A cai will be put on sometime, but i know it's not much more than a mod for looks... and i had a UDP on my v6 and i was never really happy with it. throttle response might have increased and slight feeling in the seat of the pants but it wasn't worth the loss in my ac and heater functionability... :-\

so if that gives anybody any hints, i still want the car to be driveable, after all it is a GTS so I would like to keep what little creature comforts I still have :hammer:

so any other opinions on h/c/i setups... other mods etc.

thorco3 · Apr 24, 2007

a couple more questions I've just thought of... as far as intakes go, what are the differences between different "models" such as the various trickflow intakes. (I think 5.0resto has at least 3 different setups)

cobra4978 · Apr 24, 2007

I just put the 93 cobra intake on mine with a 65mm throttle body and cold air intake it did'nt make it a beast or anything but i definately like it and you can feel the diffrence it's great for a mild setup if you were gonna go bigger like 400 or so horsepower i would go with trick flow or edelbrock. Heads will make a word of diffrence like 65 to 74 horsepower maybe more depending on which ones you get then finish it with a cam e303 or f303 for that combo and that will put you up to cobra specs correct me if i'm wrong but i think the only diffrence between the 95 cobra and the gt are gt40 heads, gt40 intakes, cam, and a forged crank? if that helps you out at all just my two cents worth

916_5.0 · Apr 25, 2007

Definatley get the full exhaust on there go with the bassani x like the other guys said. ANd whatever headers you want. Also the RPM 2 intake from edlebrock is a really good intake but pricey about 600 bucks for it. The trickflow intakes are good the track heat and street heat i will be going with one of those they are about 100 ot so bucks cheaper than the RPM. THe trickflow twisted wedge heads or AFRs are nice heads for these cars as far as cams go i dont know a whole lot aboutit. IF you said you want around a 95 cobras numbers you can go with the ford racing e303 which is what they came with. Tons of possiblities to choose from though. Gears will help alot to though do you know what gears you have right now?

thorco3 · Apr 25, 2007

916_5.0 said:
Definatley get the full exhaust on there go with the bassani x like the other guys said. ANd whatever headers you want. Also the RPM 2 intake from edlebrock is a really good intake but pricey about 600 bucks for it. The trickflow intakes are good the track heat and street heat i will be going with one of those they are about 100 ot so bucks cheaper than the RPM. THe trickflow twisted wedge heads or AFRs are nice heads for these cars as far as cams go i dont know a whole lot aboutit. IF you said you want around a 95 cobras numbers you can go with the ford racing e303 which is what they came with. Tons of possiblities to choose from though. Gears will help alot to though do you know what gears you have right now?

yeah the car has 3.08's right now. I will put 3.73's in eventually but I basically wanted more engine tech/info... i just don't know which components are the best. I haven't had this car but a couple months so I'm just sort of a 5.0 newbie.

I've decided on bassani headers and mid pipe to finish up my exhaust and that will be my next purchase. I do some more research on all the h/c/i possibilities.

From the info you guys have given me so far it sounds like it is fairly common to do the mods in stages, so I will prolly just get a really nice intake setup... then save up for a nice set of heads and a cam to complement them.

I'm also looking for a set fo 18x10 BBS RK's so if anybody knows of any please hit me up...!

thorco3 · Apr 25, 2007

oh... and how about phenolic spacers... worth the extra dough...?

Downshift · Apr 25, 2007

Im 99.9% sure the cobras did not come with the E303 Cam in it. From what I have gathered most of the cam difference came from the 1.7 Roller Rockers.

Honestly the spacers to me dont seem like they are worth it. If you are going to another intake and a spacer you might even need a different hood.

I was thinking about it some more, personally I would just save up some money and do a SC kit. It will put you ahead of the 94-95 cobras but you wont have to do HCI until you are ready. And you will still be able to return the car back to stock fairly easily.

Either way HCI or SC will be awesome. And they will run you around the same price. One thing you need to make sure to do it a tune either way. I have just seen some really awesome gains on SC cars that are stock other then the plain jane bolt ons.

thorco3 · Apr 25, 2007

nah, i'm more interested in doing the h/c/i stuff in stages anyways... I've got a little while before I will be dumping more money in the car. Really i just need to sell some stuff. I have four sets of wheels, a full parts car, and a few aftermarket parts that I need to get rid of... really just don't have the time to mess with the stuff. Other than that money seems to be tied up.

I'm not too concerned with actually reaching cobra numbers at the moment, just want to start checking on what it's going to take. the sc will be a route I look into when I feel like i've exhausted all the other avenues...

thanks for all the info so far guys, if anybody else wants to throw in their .02 feel free

cobra4978 · Apr 25, 2007

I'm with 5.0wned i really dont think the cobras had the e303 camshaft in them just the diffrent heads and intakes

GaryG · Apr 26, 2007

trick flow twisted wedge heads, stage 1 cam, tfs street heat intake, 70mm tb, cia, longtube headers (if u have a 5 spd)...i know u said u mainly want motor mods, but i would recommend sfc's, all that power is gonna be useless if u dont have them

94 DropTop · Apr 26, 2007

I would do the LT headers, O/R X-pipe and with your cat back it would sound awsome. There is someone on here selling a Power Pipe, so there is a little money saved. I would go 4.10 for your gears. The heads are the bottle necks on these cars so if you want to go the cheap route get your E7's ported by thumper or find some used gt40's(Cobra Heads), Heard very good things about TFS1 Cam, and the Steeda #19(Wont have Idealing probs.) Get a gt40 intake out of a junkyard, they are cheap and flow very well. Then a 65mm-70mm TB. Dont know what state you live in but delete your emissions systems.( you will save alot of weight. Then do your suspension. I might be missing some things in this but that would make that 5.0 roar, and blow away a cobra. Dont forget the best places to shop are on ebay and junkyards, just because its used dosent mean its crap.

GaryG · Apr 26, 2007

94 DropTop said:
I would do the LT headers, O/R X-pipe and with your cat back it would sound awsome. There is someone on here selling a Power Pipe, so there is a little money saved. I would go 4.10 for your gears. The heads are the bottle necks on these cars so if you want to go the cheap route get your E7's ported by thumper or find some used gt40's(Cobra Heads), Heard very good things about TFS1 Cam, and the Steeda #19(Wont have Idealing probs.) Get a gt40 intake out of a junkyard, they are cheap and flow very well. Then a 65mm-70mm TB. Dont know what state you live in but delete your emissions systems.( you will save alot of weight. Then do your suspension. I might be missing some things in this but that would make that 5.0 roar, and blow away a cobra. Dont forget the best places to shop are on ebay and junkyards, just because its used dosent mean its crap.

dont have to worry bout that in KS...w00t w00t

thorco3 · Apr 26, 2007

I'm already set on 3.73's this time around. I had 4.10's in the auto sixxer and but i just don't need that much gear in the 5spd 5.0. After your guys replies i'm thinking about going with either a gt-40 or cobra setup and have already been looking for deals on ebay to see what I can get one for.

again, thanks for the responses guys.

I've got a new question, how about clearance issues. Are you guys running the cobra intakes having any issues clearing a stock hood? How about clearance with any other intakes that you guys know of...?

I might try and pick one up cheap.. and go to town polishing it. One more question... does anybody port and polish the gt40 or cobra manifolds or would it not be worth it or what? flow well enough as is...?? I haven't really found any info about that.

Downshift · Apr 26, 2007

Thats what im doing until I have some good money for some AFRs, just gonna get some GT40 heads and have them rebuilt and ported.

As far as clearance issues, on my car with the 93 cobra and 70mm fox style throttle body (didnt want to buy an elbow). The only clearance problem I have is the IAC has cut a square hole into my hood liner. I am using my SN95 IAC though which has the electrical connector pointing up. If you switched it would be opposite and fit fine.

If you plan on doing the 94-95 cobra intake there is no problem, because they came with the same hood as the GTs only the 96+ had different hoods. Goodluck man. Let us know what you decide on and get.