[nightsurge]

I am looking for mostly performance and some minor visual enhancements.

First off, I have a CAI installed, but other than that I am sitting as a bone stock Auto. I would like to buy an SCT Tuner once I have the mods finished to get the most out of my car.

I was going to get dual exhaust for the appearance, sound, and slight performance boost. Was looking at a magnaflow kit, but have heard that a muffler shop can custom build one for me for much cheaper and I can buy the Flowmaster 40 mufflers and pick my own tips for it?

Other than the dual exhaust I have considered getting 4.10 gears with LSD. What is the labor cost on installing something like that? I do not have the equipment or time to install these things myself unfortunately as I work 50+ hrs a week, but when I drive my car, I like to DRIVE it even if it is rather slow and has very weak shift points currently.

Visual mods I would like to do are dual halo headlights to replace the stock ones, which I can find for $250 for the set. So with the tuner and headlights that's about $600 right there. Will I be able to do both the gears and dual exhaust on the remaining $400 or are there other things that I should look into that would better fit my budget?

Parts I'm looking at:
http://www.americanmuscle.com/motive-410-9904v6.html
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-28spline-75-lsd.html
http://www.americanmuscle.com/99-04-v6-mac-catback.html or http://www.americanmuscle.com/magnaf...t-9904-v6.html
http://www.americanmuscle.com/x3-cus...er-9904v6.html
http://www.americanmuscle.com/9904-l...ors-black.html


I am sure my RWHP right now is roughly 150-160ish and I'd like to take that to 200+ if possible with those tiny mods and the tune. Thanks!

EDIT: After looking into things at a local shop, the custom setup for dual exhaust is nearly the same as buying the kit and paying for installation. Also, I am willing to do the Gears and LSD upgrades under the $1000 budget first and foremost with the dual exhaust being next on the list and the tuner and headlights being the least important upgrades in that order. Thanks again!

[mustangmike!]

Gears + Tlok usually 300-400ish install. But you'll also want a install kit to add to the price. AM has it as well.

Will need a tuner for this. SCT works great. I think you'll be happiest w/ a tuner to start though. It changes the smooth granny shifts to a much more performance ball slappin shift.

300-500 on exhaust just depending on the shop. I recommend divorced, Hpipe, or buy a prochamber to flow master 40s. My chrome 3x12'' tips look great.

And ill just be nice and say no to headlights. Before everyone else bashes you w/ ricer comments
I used to like them till i seen them in person, then said HELL NO lol. Look good in pics, but not person !


remember this "Fast, cheap, Reliable; Pick two" and "you gotta pay to play"
Welcome to MM and thank you for doing research before posting.

[6ER THEN I 8ER!]

check out our stickies...you'll find many answers right off the bat there

[mk1993]

everything sounds good except two things, magnaflows and those headlights, IMO flows or mac's sound better on our engines then magnaflows but thats just me, now for the headlights mostly everyone on here hates them including myslef, i like the smoked with HIDs look better but its also YOUR car and do what YOU want to it to make YOU happy Welcome btw

[SON1C]

do not get halo headlights. if you want new headlights that look good just get oem style smoked black housing off of amazon for 90 shipped, thats where i got mine

[GreenMustang00]

If you get halos, I will send you my jank ass ones for 35 plus shipping lol

[2000stallion]

Yes to everything except the exhaust and the halos...

[6BangEr]

for under $1000 I would say Windstar. It will make your engine look BA and help you out performance wise. The whole kit can be purchased here: VAP Auto - Windstar Kit and you get $40 back if you send your TB core. Next I would say tuner gears exhaust all in that order. If you dont do the Windstar then keep the 3 other mods I listed at the top. And to beat the dead horse.. no to the halo's. I had some projectors on my car for a little while but only because I got them for $50 and my stockers were yellow. I see you have a 2000 so i know the ones you have now have the chrome housing which is pretty damn ugly. I would just get the 01-04 style (black housing) which can be had new for $90 shiped like Elias said just make sure you seal them with clear silicone or RTV once you get the to prevent fogging.

And post some pics when you get a chance!!

[nightsurge]

Thanks all for the suggestions! I agree now that the headlights will probably be a waste and I'll go with the standard OEM style with a fogged lens or the black housing from the 01-04 style.

Here are a few pics of my Mustang. I hope you don't make too much fun of the racing stripes I had added... I was obsessed with exterior mods when I first got my mustang and now I want performance.

[1Clean6]

4.10 + tlok is going to give you the biggest acceleration gain for that amount of money.

[dgt_mustang]

i say 3.73 and t-lok if you do highway a decent amount of time, 4.10 and t-lok if you dont. ..........and whats with the star wars siggys?

[nightsurge]

I def do more city driving than highway. I think I am going to try my best to squeeze the 4.10 + tlok + installation and the tuner into that $1000 budget with whatever is left going to that $90 headlight deal on Amazon and then start saving for the MAC exhaust kit.

Thanks everyone for your input!

[2000stallion]

look around on craigslist..you can find headlights for cheap. the car looks good...but i think you should take off the rocker panel stripe

[carney]

If you're looking for the most noticable increase in acceleration I'd do the 3.73 lsd+ tuner combo. Since you need a tuner to do gears anyway, you'll get better shift points along with greater acceleration with the 3.73's, and from what i have heard you will be smiling the whole time. After that I would do exhaust. If you can pick it up off of cragislist, try and get some GT takeoff tubing, as in could save a decent chunk of change if the shop doesn't have to custom bend stuff for you. Then go with flow 40's and you'll be loving it.

[WickedSnake00]

Well I'm next to no help (unless you're looking to do a completely impractical Cobra or GT swap) but judging by your plates you're in Indiana. Whereabouts?

[nightsurge]

So 3.73's are really better than the 4.1's? I really wasn't aware of what the differences would be between the two, it just seemed like I noticed more people getting 4.1's. With gears I have heard you need to have your speedometer recalibrated. Do I need to buy the Ford Racing recalibration tool or will the shop I have these installed at be able to do it themselves?

Also, good tip on the exhaust. I could also look at a salvage yard, too, for some GT tubing could I not?

@Wicked: Fort Wayne, IN

[carney]

Originally Posted by nightsurge So 3.73's are really better than the 4.1's? I really wasn't aware of what the differences would be between the two, it just seemed like I noticed more people getting 4.1's. With gears I have heard you need to have your speedometer recalibrated. Do I need to buy the Ford Racing recalibration tool or will the shop I have these installed at be able to do it themselves? Also, good tip on the exhaust. I could also look at a salvage yard, too, for some GT tubing could I not? @Wicked: Fort Wayne, IN

the 3.73 vs. 4.10 all depends on what your drive the most, city or highway. If your mostly city/ stop and go driving the 3.73's are better as it won't have to go through the gears as quick. The 4.10's make more sense if you drive on mostly the highway. The 3.73 and 4.10 represent how many rotations the axle make per one rotation of the driveshaft. So w. 3.73's, your axle will turn 3.73 times for every rotation of the driveshaft. The 4.10 just mean you get more rotation per driveshaft turn.

And if you get gears you will have to have your speedo recalibrated. But if you buy a tuner, there is an option in the tuner to recalibrate the speedo. So if yu get the SCT your killing two birds with one stone.

The GT tubing you could definitely get from a salvage yard also. Just search around for it.

[236Mustang]

a used 8.8 rearend with 3.73s or 4.10s will cost you about 200-300 bucks. To get it installed another 200-300. With the 400 bucks left get the SCT Tuner from Americanmuscle.com

Do this and you will be happy

[walt1120]

OP just go 4.10's if you dont do alot of highway.

i think the 4.10 highway loss is overrated anyway, i just set my cruise control at 75 and still get decent mileage.

4.10's > 3.73's unless your planning on going supercharged or turbo later

[nightsurge]

Ok now I am somewhat confused which gear to get... some are saying 4.10's and some say 3.73's for the same city/stop-and-go driving scenario. Which one is it guys?