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Cheap Horsepower

OILFIELDTRASH

OILFIELDTRASH

Lifer
What's the car right now that's easy to work on, provides ample aftermarket horsepower add ons cheap, hot rod? I was looking at foxbody mustangs 87-92. I want something cheap that you can add some bolt ons and have some fun burning the tires off. Is it best to get a car already modded for horsepower and let them take the loss?
 
Only because I don't like Ford.... I'd have to say an LT1 Camaro/6 speed
they are cheap, they are SBC's, and obviously have shitloads of aftermarket support.
 
OILFIELDTRASH said:
What year and what's a decent price?
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You can find a lot of them from '94+ fairly cheap, like $3k for a pretty good runner. The huge thing with these cars is that virtually all of them have been really beat on, so expect stuff like creaky interiors, questionable paint, worn suspension, and so on. But yeah, for cheap HP, it's hard to beat. Forget all of the V6 models though, Z28/SS or bust.

Also has to be said : Fox-body 5.0 Mustangs. Ridiculous potential and super cheap parts just like the 350s. Personally I think most of them drive like shit, but the fact remains : $3k Mustang, $2k-$3k in typical go-fast goodies and fix-em-up parts, and you've got a 400hp+ car if you do your own labor.
 
been looking at 5.0 SN95 myself. found a manual convertible garaged, woman driven, original owner, low miles. priced so low i had to wonder wtf was wrong with it. it looked beautiful. most convertibles ask for ~$5000, that one was like $3000.
 
OILFIELDTRASH said:
I want something cheap that you can add some bolt ons and have some fun burning the tires off. Is it best to get a car already modded for horsepower and let them take the loss?
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That's usually the best way, the only problem is finding such a steal AND making sure the damn thing works. Using it as a daily driver could pose problems.
 
AdamK47 said:
Civic/Accord
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tn_65.jpg
 
ElFenix said:
been looking at 5.0 SN95 myself. found a manual convertible garaged, woman driven, original owner, low miles. priced so low i had to wonder wtf was wrong with it. it looked beautiful. most convertibles ask for ~$5000, that one was like $3000.
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well...it's a convertible, not sure how hawt of a situation that is for you. Plus, the 5.0s are great V8s, but keep in mind even Steve Saleen was only able to get around 292 hp out them by manipulating air flow and so forth.

They need new heads.
 
TehMac said:
well...it's a convertible, not sure how hawt of a situation that is for you. Plus, the 5.0s are great V8s, but keep in mind even Steve Saleen was only able to get around 292 hp out them by manipulating air flow and so forth.

They need new heads.
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Only 292hp out of a 302 without new heads? I'm surprised - thought they'd do much better than that.

Eh just replace the heads and put a supercharger on it, then.
 
Only? ONLY? Damn, you guys must think it's trivial to get a "100% overclock" out of a piece of detuned Detroit iron assembled by hung over union workers. 400 horsepower 5.0s are *not* thick on the ground in spite of internet lore. And "even" 300 takes quite a bit of tweaking by a pro.

There are a few problem areas. The intake, the heads, fuel delivery... But mostly the bottom end. To make big power without supercharging you have to spin the engine to RPM it wasn't designed for. It has two bolt main bearings -- that should tell you how wise it is to build it with enough air & fuel to hit 9000 rpm.

Also, the T-5 transmission is going to explode behind a high powered motor. And you might break some axles. Other than that, all is good.

Slapping a supercharger is the fastest way to go fast. But you will need a new fuel pump and new jets. New heads are nice, but you can get by without.

I second the recommendation for a Z-28. It's 100hp more straight from the factory.
 
jlee said:
Only 292hp out of a 302 without new heads? I'm surprised - thought they'd do much better than that.
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No no, Saleen got 292 by putting in a new intake and so forth, new after-market heads for that Windsor engine didn't come about until the '90's and more recently, I think.

Also, the ECUs back then weren't that efficient, and the 5.0 from the 70-80s wasn't the best forged engine either.
 
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v8envy said:
Only? ONLY? Damn, you guys must think it's trivial to get a "100% overclock" out of a piece of detuned Detroit iron assembled by hung over union workers. 400 horsepower 5.0s are *not* thick on the ground in spite of internet lore. And "even" 300 takes quite a bit of tweaking by a pro.

There are a few problem areas. The intake, the heads, fuel delivery... But mostly the bottom end. To make big power without supercharging you have to spin the engine to RPM it wasn't designed for. It has two bolt main bearings -- that should tell you how wise it is to build it with enough air & fuel to hit 9000 rpm.

Also, the T-5 transmission is going to explode behind a high powered motor. And you might break some axles. Other than that, all is good.

Slapping a supercharger is the fastest way to go fast. But you will need a new fuel pump and new jets. New heads are nice, but you can get by without.

I second the recommendation for a Z-28. It's 100hp more straight from the factory.
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Well, my apologies for not realizing they were 150hp to start with...

I'm used to turbocharged 4 cylinders. A $50 boost controller does a lot. 😛

TehMac said:
No no, Saleen got 292 by putting in a new intake and so forth, new after-market heads for that Windsor engine didn't come about until the '90's and more recently, I think.
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Ah. The SN95 5.0's were 1994-1995 though, no?

I'm still kicking around the idea of picking up a Mustang for a weekend / drag car, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.
 
How cheap are we talking? LS1 F-bodies run 12-13's stock, or an LS1 Vette is squarely in the 12's. You could probably find an LS1 F-body for under $10K I imagine, an LS1 Vette (older one) under $15K.

I don't know how much you can get out of the LT1 without dropping mega-bucks on a built engine, but these cars will definitely outrun & outhandle a Fox body or LT1 F-body. Plus you can break 500WHP on the stock block or hit 400 RWHP with cam and maybe heads.
 
jlee said:
Well, my apologies for not realizing they were 150hp to start with...

I'm used to turbocharged 4 cylinders. A $50 boost controller does a lot. 😛
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Well, in 1967, Shelby had the 302 in bone stock configuration as an option for his GT 350 Mustang. The engine had a four barrel carburetor and is noted to produce around 335 hp. Now I believe that is gross hp, so net hp is around 300-315.

One of the things that kind of disgusts me about Shelby is that he lost his innovative flair right after the '65 GT350. The '67 and following Gt350s were bigger and tbh, kind of crap compared to the original, and his GT500 wasn't really the best effort he could have made. The thing was heavy as hell and had the cobra jet engine--good for drag stangs but considering the sort of cars Shelby was known for prior to this, not the sort of thing you'd expect from him.

To be fair, he did experiment with a "Hornet Mustang" in 1968 that had fuel injection and Independent Rear Suspension, but why he never added that on is a mystery.

More agonizingly, the 302 was a beautiful engine that he could have modded like he did the 289. Balanced the camshaft, install a higher flow carb, aluminum intake manifold, he could have bettered his cars a great deal. But he chose not to, which is irritating.


Ah. The SN95 5.0's were 1994-1995 though, no?

I'm still kicking around the idea of picking up a Mustang for a weekend / drag car, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.
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Well I think SN95 started in '93 or '94, but I think the interest in the 5.0 surged in the late '90's, mid 2000's.
 
fbrdphreak said:
How cheap are we talking? LS1 F-bodies run 12-13's stock, or an LS1 Vette is squarely in the 12's. You could probably find an LS1 F-body for under $10K I imagine, an LS1 Vette (older one) under $15K.

I don't know how much you can get out of the LT1 without dropping mega-bucks on a built engine, but these cars will definitely outrun & outhandle a Fox body or LT1 F-body. Plus you can break 500WHP on the stock block or hit 400 RWHP with cam and maybe heads.
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LS1 FTW. I've seen them under $5k if you look, and they are easily modded to 400+ hp to the rear wheels.
 
ElFenix said:
been looking at 5.0 SN95 myself. found a manual convertible garaged, woman driven, original owner, low miles. priced so low i had to wonder wtf was wrong with it. it looked beautiful. most convertibles ask for ~$5000, that one was like $3000.
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maybe she wants your caulk
 
just buy a stang and put a big spoiler on it.. i think they sell those +200 hp ones on ebay dirt cheap 😉
 
zerocool84 said:
People with no knowledge will say no of course but Civics have insane aftermarket and support. You can get a beater for cheap then mod the hell out of it. Same thing with old VW Bugs. Cheap to buy with tons of aftermarket and parts are cheap.
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That's a negative. He wants horsepower, and while a civic can make good amounts of power, you will spend far more to take a civic to 400hp than you will any small block v8. A turbo kit to get you to 400hp is going to need a new bottom end, forged crank, rods, and pistons etc. Not only that, but it will not be nearly as reliable or as daily drivable afterwards.

Trust me, I run a high boost 2l I4 motor, and I've had Corvettes and such. He wants early 90's small block powered muscle.

edit: you're right, here's the perfect car for him. Or maybe this one.
 
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Cheap and Horsepower do not go hand in hand. I learned that a while ago.

LS1 F Bodies are really nice. Friend of mine has one and it makes my little v6 F Body look like a skateboard.



Now them old Foxbody 5.0s from the mid 80s are not to fast when they are stock, at least the autos arent. I beat a couple in my camaro a few times which isnt saying much because those 5.0s have a lot more potential then my engine could think of.
 
zerocool84 said:
People with no knowledge will say no of course but Civics have insane aftermarket and support. You can get a beater for cheap then mod the hell out of it. Same thing with old VW Bugs. Cheap to buy with tons of aftermarket and parts are cheap.
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Yeah, but it's a Civic. 😛 If you're going to build a car for decent power, at least start with a sports car.

I'd rather have a 300hp MR2 than a 400hp Civic...but I'm biased. 😛
 
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