Advice for a Beginner

[Jdub94]

In about a year or so I look to pick up a 2018-2019 GT as a weekend driver. I want to mod it for extra power gains (maybe over 500??). But I am very novice in my savvy of what is normal for these rides.

I would like to potentially do a Whipple in it, but what else will be needed as upgrades to make that a safe upgrade? New trans, injectors, etc.? And what is the typical budget I need to have ready for something like this?

Or, if you have a good starting set of mods for solid power boost from a stock 5.0?

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[ravenofpoe]

Whipple kit is around $10000 installed. You don’t need to do anything else to prep the car really. The kit will give you around 600hp to the rear wheels. As for recommended upgrades, bigger brakes would be wise, so would a bigger radiator. If you can find one, I would start with buying a GT performance package 1. It will come with those upgrades and a number of others.

 

[SSG 5.0]

You’ll need those drag tires too.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

The stock car will handle a whipple just fine. Upgrade your tires and your set. Maybe change to a 170° REISCHE thermostat. However the stock cooling system will work fine. The stock fuel system is also fine up to about 700whp. You really don't need to go crazy with upgrades unless you plan to race the car.

 

[crcpdx]

Please don't pay 10k for an installed Whipple. Wait until the kit is 15% off. Should be all in for 8k

 

[OniVita]

Get a complete kit supercharger and you won't have to pay for anything more other than installation. Any supercharger kit will get you 500+ whp easily.

 

[Jdub94]

The stock car will handle a whipple just fine. Upgrade your tires and your set. Maybe change to a 170° REISCHE thermostat. However the stock cooling system will work fine. The stock fuel system is also fine up to about 700whp. You really don't need to go crazy with upgrades unless you plan to race the car.

So basically the bone stock GT can handle a whipple, then? That's great to know. I was unsure if the stock clutch and trans would get ripped apart or not.

I'll check out various recommended tires. And the performance pack 1 gives you a suspension that should work, correct?

Do performance intakes do these motors any good or is it placebo?

 

[Jdub94]

Please don't pay 10k for an installed Whipple. Wait until the kit is 15% off. Should be all in for 8k

How and where would I find these discounted?

I wholesale vehicles to the dealers in my area and have a great relationship with all of them. I plan on having one of the independents snag me a GT with performance pack 1 and I will buy it from them. I was going to ask them if they would reach out to the local street performance shop about installing any mods. Then the dealer could just sell me the ride at total cost they spent.

The only thing I wonder about is if a bank/lender will lend me the full amount with mod costs. I know that some banks tend to not see the "value" of aftermarket mods since NADA doesn't account for them.

 

[5.0_SD]

Since it wasn't mentioned...some would say OPG/CS upgrade.

 

[Jdub94]

Since it wasn't mentioned...some would say OPG/CS upgrade.

You'll have to educate me on what those are! Sorry, I'm pretty ignorant at this point

 

[5.0_SD]

Oil Pump Gear
Crank Sprocket

 

[Burkey]

So basically the bone stock GT can handle a whipple, then? That's great to know. I was unsure if the stock clutch and trans would get ripped apart or not.

I'll check out various recommended tires. And the performance pack 1 gives you a suspension that should work, correct?

Do performance intakes do these motors any good or is it placebo?

It seems everyone assumed your car was an auto...

The stock clutch seems to cope up to a point on a typical street tyre. Mine was fine on a particular tune for about a year. Added roughly 10% across the board on a new tune, clutch took a massive shit within weeks.
Other guys have had the same experience. Expect the stock clutch to give up far more easily on a drag radial/bias ply.

Halfshafts will quit pretty quickly if the car is wheel-hopping, which is pretty normal for a manual car. I’ve seen 2000hp rated shafts quit from wheel-hop on street tyre. So you might want to at least budget them in all of this.
To counter wheel-hop, consider the BMR CB005 as an absolute minimum. Preferably you’d add the RLCA bearing from either Steeda or BMR on top of that. Again, that’s a starting point.

If you plan to take it to the strip on a sticky tyre, just keep adding parts to that list.
Diff bushes and driveshaft being among the first casualties.

If you don’t plan to race it and you don’t need an emissions compliant tune, I’d be looking at some other options for a manual car.

 

[Jdub94]

It seems everyone assumed your car was an auto...

The stock clutch seems to cope up to a point on a typical street tyre. Mine was fine on a particular tune for about a year. Added roughly 10% across the board on a new tune, clutch took a massive shit within weeks.
Other guys have had the same experience. Expect the stock clutch to give up far more easily on a drag radial/bias ply.

Halfshafts will quit pretty quickly if the car is wheel-hopping, which is pretty normal for a manual car. I’ve seen 2000hp rated shafts quit from wheel-hop on street tyre. So you might want to at least budget them in all of this.
To counter wheel-hop, consider the BMR CB005 as an absolute minimum. Preferably you’d add the RLCA bearing from either Steeda or BMR on top of that. Again, that’s a starting point.

If you plan to take it to the strip on a sticky tyre, just keep adding parts to that list.
Diff bushes and driveshaft being among the first casualties.

If you don’t plan to race it and you don’t need an emissions compliant tune, I’d be looking at some other options for a manual car.

I dont plan to race. This will be a car I take out around town a few times a week to have a fun drive. I would also like to take it to car shows in various surrounding cities.

Do you think its best to go ahead and upgrade the clutch if I am only planning on using it this way?

 

[SSG 5.0]

I dont plan to race. This will be a car I take out around town a few times a week to have a fun drive. I would also like to take it to car shows in various surrounding cities.

Do you think its best to go ahead and upgrade the clutch if I am only planning on using it this way?

If this is your once in awhile car, you’ll absolutely beat the snout out of this car. Maybe you can control it like I don’t because I rarely drive my car and 10 miles is probably too far. I drive the shit out of my car because I don’t get to drive it too often.

Once you get that supercharger or turbo, you’ll beat that car like no other lol.

 

[5.0_SD]

I used to have manual cars and I believe I can safely say you will be ok on the stock clutch IF you are driving fairly normally, but if you are constantly revving high and dumping the clutch, I don't care what you have in there, you will destroy said clutch.
Edit: And I would definitely agree with what @SSG 5.0 said.

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