Budget build for now...

[Lilifter247]

Hey guys just picked up a 90 GT with a bit of a lifter tick for next to nothing...car looks rough but is all there with the 5.0/5spd/3.73's...

I plan on yanking the motor over the winter or better yet just pulling off the top end and putting in a new cam (TFS stage 1), GT40 heads & intake and a new CAI system...the one there now looks pretty beat up and the car has headers/h pipe/flows on it now but I think I'm going to take that off and run long tubes/H pipe and SLP loudmouth...

What do u guys think of this setup? I know the word budget and what I just wrote really doesn't go together but it's just for now until I pull the motor and build a 331 in a few years...if I milled the gt40 heads and had them ported/polished would that yield any difference or not worth the money on them?

Thanks guys n gals,

 

[bluepony05]

I like the idea but my thoughts are always why spend money on something you are just going to get rid of anyway. If you want to build up a 331 save up now and start getting parts for that... cams heads cai ect. If she drives fine now have some fun and cruise around i her until you can do exactly what you want. JMO

 

[Lilifter247]

That's very true but I could always sell that stuff in the future even if I get half the money...I'm not sure how long until I build that motor...could be years and the motor needs to be checked out anyway

 

[Lilifter247]

What's a good set of aftermarket heads that are useable on a 302 and a 331 if any? I know that's a tall order considering the differences in needs of the motor...

 

[cobra20sc]

Contrary to old school approach, Get the biggest heads you can afford, something like tw205 or afr225. Yes they will work on a 302/331/347/363 but you'll need to be selective on the cam or better yet have a custom one designed for your purpose, that's what makes it all work. GL with the build.

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[Lilifter247]

Ok I just got a lead on a set of used flo-tek heads...
Ford 5.0 X (pedestal) Flo-Tek - $798.00 : Tri-State Cylinder Head, Remanufactured Cylinder Heads


What do you think of these with a explorer intake and a custom grind cam?

Also got a lead on a power dyne bd11a as well....hmmmm

 

[AdirondackFox08]

It's not really worth putting money into the gt40 heads for polishing/porting. Personally, I would save some money and at least get a pair of used tfs tw 170s. They can be had for about 850 on corral.net. I would also stay away from the flo-tek heads. The lower intake should be port matched at least to what heads you will be running. Also, pulling the engine would be best to do the new h/c/i.

 

[blown90]

The combinations are endless with the 302. Also depends on how much coin you want to invest in her. If you can afford it go with aluminum heads. I have and like performer. I've owned a Powerdyne blower...good for low boost applications but not as good or as reliable as my Vortech. You get what you pay for!

 

[Lilifter247]

Yeah...basically I got this car for next to nothing bc it's real rough...was probably hit in the front at some point...GT no fogs/no fan shroud/bumper cover warped/no airbag wheel anymore it's a GT racing wheel now....the motor has a lifter tick so the guy says but to me it sounds like an exhaust manifold leak as he said it happened when he was taking off from a stop sign under a I'm sure HEAVY load...so I'm going to revive this car and bring her back to the glory she once was and deserves....so I'm using the car for the street but I want a real ground pounder...400RWHP eventually...as of right now I want to rip the engine apart and see what's what over the winter...so I figured I just want to get this going right now and just build a budget motor so I can have about 300hp and than finish the interior/suspension/brakes/paint and then do a whole new motor or drop in a 331/347 eventually...(I'm talking a year or 2 from now)...so basically I just want some reasonable bolt ons now regarding the motor..heads/cam/intake

The car has full exhaust from shortys/h-pipe/flows...3-73's...CAI...short throw shifter and that's it from what I saw...I won't have it on a lift until next week...

So any recommendations would be great...GT40/gt40p heads...explorer intakes...OTS cam maybe a alphabet cam for now?? I know I can always sell these parts in the future so it's not a big deal right now

 

[mustangcobra94]

I'm sure im with many that say do some suspension work as well, stiffen up that chasis, get some good meat to hit the floor, all the power in the world means nothing if you're spinning every gear!

 

[AdirondackFox08]

You can build the engine up first, but don't expect to get any good launches from it until you get some suspension work. If you want 400 rwhp, go with gt 40 heads, explorer intake (might need to match the ports as I suggested before), Anderson B31 cam, and a Vortech s/c and pulley it until you reach the number you are looking for. Of course you will need to factor in the cost for a tune also. Again, if you are going to use the gt 40 or gt 40p heads, just get them cleaned up with new springs because by the time you pay for milling, porting, and polishing, you could have bought a used set of good aluminum heads. The stock fuel system will be fine for the explorer top end but a bigger fuel pump will be needed.

 

[Lilifter247]

Yeah I had that in the last long mish-mosh post I posted...I was saying I want to get the car going...finish the interior...suspension..brakes..etc..this isn't my first build but it's my first ford. I was always a Chevy guy

 

[adkmach1]

Keep us posted with your build. You know what your doing, its all the same no matter what your building Ford, Chevy, or Mopar. Better heads, camshaft and intake will get you where you want to be.

 

[dsblk93gt]

Figure out a budget so you don't get overwhelmed. I just sold a nice fully ported set of GT40X heads cheap. Aluminum heads are nice, I have Edelbrock on my car now and TFS 170 ported on my 331. If you are going to try and make a ton of power NA you are going to want the best heads available and I would advise spending the $$ on a custom grind cam as well to make the most out of it. If you can find a low mile GT40P motor or even a 100k mile one that was maintained, toss a stock HO cam in it with some good valve springs or even a mild cam and you can get 290-300rwhp out of it. It's been done over and over. Guys are running high 11's with good suspensions and lighter cars with them. I have been going to the track for awhile and there are some h/c/i combos that got smoked by my cousins 12.4 second 89 GT with just a Paxton, exhaust, and gears LOL. It had lowering springs and new shocks/struts, and nothing else. Still cut 1.7 60ft on 17" rims. I still say bang for the buck a SC is the way to go. I know with slicks that car would have ran 12.1 easy. OH and that was with a STOCK 174k mile motor, only internal mods were ARP head bolts. UNTUNED, 19lbers, FMU, etc. I later added 42lbers and tuned it but he never ran it after that. :-(

I would take yours apart to diagnose what is going on with it now then go from there.