[phatnutz03]

How is everyone doin?
My name is Matt and I am currently deployed in Iraq. I was recently home on mid-tour leave and had the privledge of riding in my friends modded mustang. He spat all the specs to me but I was so lush-faced that I have forgot them all.

I am now very interested in purchasing my first mustang and putting money into it. I have about $12000 that I am willing to invest right now. In the past few weeks I have looked into this and there is ALOT to know. He informed me its really not once you get into it, but thats the problem, Im not very knowledgable on it right now. He suggested that I just purchase a Mustang GT being sold privately. ( He says it comes with a base for must stuff needed)He says that miles would not be a concern since we could throw a new engine into. This makes no sence to me though since the other parts go bad too, right?

I am open to ALL suggestions on vehicle purchase- year and model, 4.6 or 5.0, v2,v3,v4, SOHC or DOHC, cooling, cams, heads, intake, trannie. I need pretty much every detail thats needed to make not only a great performing Stang but also a great bang for the buck that still allows for upgrades in the future that will not kill me. Anything would help, websites that point out all of the components needed and compatibility, websites for purchase.

Your personal experiances, what you would have done differently, if YOU could (and Im sure you will) start over again, what would you purchase and why! Like I said, I am willing to invest $12000, a moderate amount, but it is my first.

I thank everyone who has looked at this and I thank in advance all of you who can give me your input. I very excited about this and after 4 combat tours in last 6 years, I havent really been excited about much. As I said, ALL input is welcome emails and comments and I cant wait to see your back and forth discussions (and arrguments) on this subject!

Thanks again,
Choff

[Smoothgrandmama]

So 12k for a car and mods?

[zigbigadoru]

buy a 94-98 cobra. they are fairly cheap and you got those 4v dohc engine for a decent price. as far as mods go get a jlt cai, gears (3.55 i think) are the best for a cobra, mgw short throw shifter, exhaust. that should set you off pretty good.

[Eagle2000GT]

Modding mustangs can be expensive. I'm assuming that you are going to use the Mustang as a daily driver. Something that can get you to work and attract the girls. I recommend that you buy a mechanically sound car. Something that you can use as soon as you get home. I have had to rebuild bad motors. While I was doing it I was walking and hitching rides with friends.

If you can find a fairly low mileage '99 or '00 GT for $7,000-8,000 then you and your friend could bolt on a supercharger (Mongoose kit) for $4,000. That would keep you within your budget and get you over 400 hp at the crank without any other mod needed. You could then add other things as you can afford them.

[phatnutz03]

Yeah, 12000 for car and mods maybee 13500-14000, depends if it could be sweet enough

[ponygrrl]

I think the most important questions is what exactly are you looking for power wise? I mean, do you want a nice, bolt on mustang? Or were you looking for more power via boost or spray?

The 4.6L motor is a good motor to learn on and is not too complicated once you get into it (although the pushrods simpler). There are TONS of mods, it all depends on what end result you're looking for.

[usafimj]

If you got $12K to drop on a car you should look for a '03-04 Cobra. Drop the cash you have on the cobra and get a loan for $10K. You'll have a 4.6L, 32v, DOHC, forged internals, and a supercharger. Best bang for the buck

[ponygrrl]

Originally Posted by usafimj If you got $12K to drop on a car you should look for a '03-04 Cobra. Drop the cash you have on the cobra and get a loan for $10K. You'll have a 4.6L, 32v, DOHC, forged internals, and a supercharger. Best bang for the buck

+1

If I went back, I'd get a Cobra.

[usafimj]

Nice car ponygrrl. Like the pink block

[Eagle2000GT]

Additional thoughts. If you have budget left after the car and the supercharger then I would recommend a cat-back exhaust to give your car that muscle car sound. It kind of goes along with the 400+ hp motor.

Forced induction is the most economical way to increase horsepower in these motors. I'm running an intercooled ProCharger. I didn't recommend it, a Kenne Bell, or a turbocharger because they would break your budget. I didn't recommend nitrous because I didn't know if you would be conveniently located near a fill station. Besides constantly re-filling nitrous can get expensive. I didn't recommend throttle-bodys, plenums, long-tube headers, cold-air intakes, under-drive pulleys, heads, cams, etc. because they would just chip away at your budget and none of them are needed to get 400+ hp at the crank. I didn't recommend gears because they could be added later if you still want them. I don't know how important gas mileage is to you but I still get 22 mpg. You can also add upper/lower control arms, clutches, differentials and other things later if you choose, but they are not really necessary if you stay with street tires.

[03MachMe]

Originally Posted by usafimj If you got $12K to drop on a car you should look for a '03-04 Cobra. Drop the cash you have on the cobra and get a loan for $10K. You'll have a 4.6L, 32v, DOHC, forged internals, and a supercharger. Best bang for the buck

im kinda with him on this one but if you cant afford that 10k get a mach would only need a loan of at max 5k. basicly the same motor minus the supercharger (yes guys i know all the diff just trying to simplify) i drove a gt then the mach and i would never go back, if your friend has a GT uless its got a supercharger or turbo you will more than likely beat him right out of the gate. plus the machs are the most rare of all the new edge stangs so its one you wont see everyday. but then again im biased

[Eagle2000GT]

Originally Posted by usafimj If you got $12K to drop on a car you should look for a '03-04 Cobra. Drop the cash you have on the cobra and get a loan for $10K. You'll have a 4.6L, 32v, DOHC, forged internals, and a supercharger. Best bang for the buck

+2 But it will cost a lot more than you said you wanted to spend and your insurance will be much higher.

[ponygrrl]

Originally Posted by Eagle2000GT +2 But it will cost a lot more than you said you wanted to spend and your insurance will be much higher.

I got an insurance quote for both a GT and a Cobra... Cobra was only $10 more a month...

[1StockGT]

My first mustang was a 2003 Gt that I bought back in 2005. I put all your basic bolt ons which include JLT cai, Accufab throttle body and plenum, Mac longtubes, Mac o/r h-pipe, Mac catback, FRPP 4.10s, Steeda under drive pulleys, suspension work, Steeda Tri-Ax short shifter, and I did some visual things like rims, hood and a mach 1 lip and grill delete. It put down a little over 270rwhp and about 305rwtq. It was a good car and I enjoyed it, but about 6 months ago I bought a 2003 Cobra and wished I would have bought it in the first place. I say buy a 2003/2004 Cobra and get a small payment. You'll start out ahead of alot of mustangs that are already slightly modded. You'll just need to learn how to drive it.

[1StockGT]

Originally Posted by ponygrrl I got an insurance quote for both a GT and a Cobra... Cobra was only $10 more a month...

My insurance going from the Gt to the Cobra didn't change any, but I'm 29 and have a good driving record.

[qwik48r]

cobra.. or low mileage 03 + supercharger.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by zigbigadoru buy a 94-98 cobra. they are fairly cheap and you got those 4v dohc engine for a decent price. as far as mods go get a jlt cai, gears (3.55 i think) are the best for a cobra, mgw short throw shifter, exhaust. that should set you off pretty good.

Go 4.10s if you get a '96-'98 Cobra, stock is 3.27s.

My suggestion would be to get a foxbody for $3500-$5k, and use the rest of the money *slowly* to get mods. Drive it, see what you do and don't like about it, and mod appropriately. Don't go out and just blow your wad to get something that someone else wants, or thinks you want.

All I ask is stay away from large diameter rims. They kill your wallet, acceleration, braking, ride quality, and fuel economy in one fell swoop, all in the name of aesthetics.

[BWAL09]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Go 4.10s if you get a '96-'98 Cobra, stock is 3.27s. My suggestion would be to get a foxbody for $3500-$5k, and use the rest of the money *slowly* to get mods. Drive it, see what you do and don't like about it, and mod appropriately. Don't go out and just blow your wad to get something that someone else wants, or thinks you want. All I ask is stay away from large diameter rims. They kill your wallet, acceleration, braking, ride quality, and fuel economy in one fell swoop, all in the name of aesthetics.

i concur wholeheartedly my african american brethren.

i'm surprised it took this long for somebody to recommend a foxbody.

for $12,000, you can afford almost ANY foxbody mustang you'll find for sale. i'd personally recommend you buy nice one for about $4,000 and do as revdex said - find out what you dislike about it and mod it accordingly. if you buy a fox for $4,000, you'll have $8,000 to do just about anything to it you can imagine, even throw in a built stroker with a turbocharger.. not to mention the learning experience of buying a stock car and modding it is more fun than anything

[97S281]

I had an 87' fox body mustang when i was young and broke. I was the second owner. The first owner put on gt40 heads and a gt40 intake along with long tube headers and underdrive pullies. One day I downshifted and shattered 3rd gear. I replaced the stock t-5 with a world class t-5z, upgraded the rear end with 3.27 (big gears in those days) gears and an Auburn Lockr. I also installed a centerforce clutch and upgraded the cable while I was in there.

I never got it dynoed, but I only lost two races, and both those were to corvettes.

Long story short, I got married and had kids. The car went bye bye.

Now the kids are a little older and I make alot more coin. I now own a 1997 Saleen s281. It's a beautiful car that handles like a dream. The power is no better than a stock gt though. I am about $10,000 into an engine build and will have an absolute beast when I am done.

But a part of me gets excited as hell EVERYTIME I see a nice fox body. I have already told my son that the Saleen is his, i'm just holding it for him until I die( hopefully along time from now). I will never get rid of it unless it is totaled in a wreck, but even then I think I would buy it back from the insurance co.

Knowing ,all that I know now about the new modular motors and how expensive they are to build up I think I would have stuck with a pushrod motor. The SN95 mustang is an absolutely beautiful car, but I would have gotten a 1994/1995 gt and added a Saleen body kit and spoiler to it.

look at the cost of building a 351 into a 393 or 408 stroker with a +.030 bore and all forged internals, adding high performance heads ,cam (singular on a pushrod motor), and intake to it to produce a n/a 500-600 hp. Then look at what it take to get a modular motor to the same level.

Whatever you decide, you have done the right thing by asking questions FIRST.
Good luck, and we will see you around when you decide...............