Guide me in my mod decisions!

[sponkey21]

So it looks like my auto premium GT with 3.55s has a build week of 10/26 and it will take some time for it to make it to Hawaii, but I wanted to get an idea of where to look for my first cheap and effective mods.
I have heard great things have been done with a tune for the auto trans and 5.0 but I don't recall where it is that I should be looking. I remember there was one particular person/company that was supposed to be awesome at mapping things out. Does anyone know who that is and what the price tends to be?
The second mod is a cat-back. There have been some impressive gains tossed around, and while I know there is always controversy over that much from just exhaust, there is undoubtedly too much restriction and noise cancellation in the stock exhaust. (possibly caused by the international standards?) while I know the choice is usually personal and based on sound preference, what is the price point to aim for with a cat-back system?
Further down the road I plan on wider and lighter wheels (gonna get through the stock rubber first unless I find a killer deal and have money waiting) and a lightweight driveshaft.
What are other favorite easy mods? Further down the road I will likely add some kind of forced induction but that would not be for a while.

Sponsored

 

[Millgeo5]

So it looks like my auto premium GT with 3.55s has a build week of 10/26 and it will take some time for it to make it to Hawaii, but I wanted to get an idea of where to look for my first cheap and effective mods.
I have heard great things have been done with a tune for the auto trans and 5.0 but I don't recall where it is that I should be looking. I remember there was one particular person/company that was supposed to be awesome at mapping things out. Does anyone know who that is and what the price tends to be?
The second mod is a cat-back. There have been some impressive gains tossed around, and while I know there is always controversy over that much from just exhaust, there is undoubtedly too much restriction and noise cancellation in the stock exhaust. (possibly caused by the international standards?) while I know the choice is usually personal and based on sound preference, what is the price point to aim for with a cat-back system?
Further down the road I plan on wider and lighter wheels (gonna get through the stock rubber first unless I find a killer deal and have money waiting) and a lightweight driveshaft.
What are other favorite easy mods? Further down the road I will likely add some kind of forced induction but that would not be for a while.

With all the performance mods you are looking at it would be good to add the strut tower brace.

 

[Tim Hilliard]

So it looks like my auto premium GT with 3.55s has a build week of 10/26 and it will take some time for it to make it to Hawaii, but I wanted to get an idea of where to look for my first cheap and effective mods.
I have heard great things have been done with a tune for the auto trans and 5.0 but I don't recall where it is that I should be looking. I remember there was one particular person/company that was supposed to be awesome at mapping things out. Does anyone know who that is and what the price tends to be?
The second mod is a cat-back. There have been some impressive gains tossed around, and while I know there is always controversy over that much from just exhaust, there is undoubtedly too much restriction and noise cancellation in the stock exhaust. (possibly caused by the international standards?) while I know the choice is usually personal and based on sound preference, what is the price point to aim for with a cat-back system?
Further down the road I plan on wider and lighter wheels (gonna get through the stock rubber first unless I find a killer deal and have money waiting) and a lightweight driveshaft.
What are other favorite easy mods? Further down the road I will likely add some kind of forced induction but that would not be for a while.

Well depending on how hard they look at 'emissions' in HI I would do longtubes/cat back because a blower will just build on those mods.

 

[Thed]

I have heard great things have been done with a tune for the auto trans and 5.0 but I don't recall where it is that I should be looking. I remember there was one particular person/company that was supposed to be awesome at mapping things out. Does anyone know who that is and what the price tends to be?

Anything with John Lund's name on it. And prices are anywhere from $400-$800. However, try to look for a tune that offers data-logging support and re-flashes for new aftermarket parts (ie: getting another flash file because you just bought a CAI). These usually cost a little bit more, but they are well worth it.

The second mod is a cat-back. There have been some impressive gains tossed around, and while I know there is always controversy over that much from just exhaust, there is undoubtedly too much restriction and noise cancellation in the stock exhaust. (possibly caused by the international standards?) while I know the choice is usually personal and based on sound preference, what is the price point to aim for with a cat-back system?

Gibson and Magnaflow have both claimed +30RWHP. Both are around the $1000-$1200 range. Most cat-backs these days for the Mustang will be around there.

 

[sponkey21]

Well I'm only in hawaii for another year. I'm in the military so I will be moving all over. I'm not concerned about emissions, I'm saying that ford might have been concerned with it as well as noise because of the international markets and that's why people are gaining so much in just exhaust mods.
I know little about exhaust. Are you saying to look into long tubes and cat back or is that an either or?
Strut tower brace is a good idea. Might need some kind of rear suspension mod for off the line acceleration. I like the corners but day to day straight line is more practical or at least frequently useable.

 

[Tim Hilliard]

I meant in long tubes with no cats, x-pipe, cat back so when you install a blower your mods build on each other, then you just get it tuned as a package. I'm in the minority here but I do not believe in mail order tunes unless it can be proven to be done with you exact combo...and all cars are different.

 

[Thed]

Well I'm only in hawaii for another year. I'm in the military so I will be moving all over. I'm not concerned about emissions, I'm saying that ford might have been concerned with it as well as noise because of the international markets and that's why people are gaining so much in just exhaust mods.
I know little about exhaust. Are you saying to look into long tubes and cat back or is that an either or?
Strut tower brace is a good idea. Might need some kind of rear suspension mod for off the line acceleration. I like the corners but day to day straight line is more practical or at least frequently useable.

You can do the cat-back on the factory headers and get decent gains, as I just mentioned. Installing long tubes will only heighten those gains. However, if you're going to put on long-tubes with the stock cat-back, you might as well flush money down the pooper.

 

[sponkey21]

So do you foresee any issue if I get catbacks now and add long tubes and x-pipe later? Sounds like the most sensible idea to me.

 

[Tim Hilliard]

Cat-Backs include X-Pipe, and longtubes can be added at a later date with a tune.

 

[jayman33]

You could get a cat back now and LT's and Mid pipe later. Long Tubes will require a tune whereas a Cat back will not.

What are your plans for the 15? That would help us guide you to some parts you'd most benefit from. Let us know if we can help you out, being veterans ourselves we do everything we can to help out the military

 

[Old Car Guy]

So it looks like my auto premium GT with 3.55s has a build week of 10/26 and it will take some time for it to make it to Hawaii, but I wanted to get an idea of where to look for my first cheap and effective mods.
I have heard great things have been done with a tune for the auto trans and 5.0 but I don't recall where it is that I should be looking. I remember there was one particular person/company that was supposed to be awesome at mapping things out. Does anyone know who that is and what the price tends to be?
The second mod is a cat-back. There have been some impressive gains tossed around, and while I know there is always controversy over that much from just exhaust, there is undoubtedly too much restriction and noise cancellation in the stock exhaust. (possibly caused by the international standards?) while I know the choice is usually personal and based on sound preference, what is the price point to aim for with a cat-back system?
Further down the road I plan on wider and lighter wheels (gonna get through the stock rubber first unless I find a killer deal and have money waiting) and a lightweight driveshaft.
What are other favorite easy mods? Further down the road I will likely add some kind of forced induction but that would not be for a while.

Hum! Spookey21: I was in Hawaii in 1963, and that was so long ago I have for got, but with a new 2015 is there a place were you can really turn the car lose, just asking! Not like Arizona or Texas New Mexico, there are places were I have had my 2014 5.0 mustang at 130 mph in fifth gear.... Noe thing you will be ridding in one cool car! :amen:

 

[foghat]

I meant in long tubes with no cats, x-pipe, cat back so when you install a blower your mods build on each other, then you just get it tuned as a package. I'm in the minority here but I do not believe in mail order tunes unless it can be proven to be done with you exact combo...and all cars are different.

Does no one in the mustang world do custom etunes?

Where you log, send log files to tuner and they give you a map based on said log files. Rinse and repeat until tune is dialed in.

 

[sponkey21]

Hum! Spookey21: I was in Hawaii in 1963, and that was so long ago I have for got, but with a new 2015 is there a place were you can really turn the car lose, just asking! Not like Arizona or Texas New Mexico, there are places were I have had my 2014 5.0 mustang at 130 mph in fifth gear.... Noe thing you will be ridding in one cool car! :amen:

Not to much to really stretch the legs but I'm in the military and only here another year and change. This is my car for a LONG time time. Also, I like a powerful car because it can effortlessly do what decent cars do. It's about a fun grunt to the speed limit even.

In answer to the previous post, I wrote above my plans for mods but here goes again in pseudo chronological order (to be done over the course of years) -

Fairly short term:
Tune (something reflashable as I add mods)
Cat-backs

Later on:
Wheels and tires
Lightweight driveshaft
Minor suspension upgrades

Much later:
Long tubes
Forced induction
Some exterior mods

Are there any other mods that seem like a must? I feel like that is a fun forecast over the coming years

 

[Old Car Guy]

Not to much to really stretch the legs but I'm in the military and only here another year and change. This is my car for a LONG time time. Also, I like a powerful car because it can effortlessly do what decent cars do. It's about a fun grunt to the speed limit even.

In answer to the previous post, I wrote above my plans for mods but here goes again in pseudo chronological order (to be done over the course of years) -

Fairly short term:
Tune (something reflashable as I add mods)
Cat-backs

Later on:
Wheels and tires
Lightweight driveshaft
Minor suspension upgrades

Much later:
Long tubes
Forced induction
Some exterior mods

Are there any other mods that seem like a must? I feel like that is a fun forecast over the coming years

Thanks I was not sure if you had anywhere were you, can really stretch it's legs, it really does not matter there just fun to drive at any speed!

 

[cobra199711]

VMP for auto tunes. Had others and by far they were the best.

Sponsored