Best Bang for your Buck Top End Kit

Fox 5.0

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
580
Location
Pacific Beach, CA
Hello,

I'm in the planning stages of my next project Fox Body. I don't even currently have a car but want to get a solid budget laid out for each aspect of the car i want to upgrade. My big question for this thread is which top end kit is the best bang for my buck?

I previously had a 1990 fox that I pieced together a Trickflow kit (twisted wedge heads, stage 1 cam and what they now call the street burner intake (street heat back then)). I liked that kit a lot and the car was fun as hell! I later did a 331 stroker kit in addition to the HCI. However, in doing internet research now a lot of the articles/forum threads i'm reading are from like 2008-2010. Has anything changed since then with the top end kits? New designs/better performance? I saw on AmericanMuscle.com they have the OPR top end kit which is new to me, LMR has the SVE top end kit, then there are the general Trickflow/Edelbrock/FRPP kits all over which are more expensive.

Any advice, experience, reviews would be appreciated. I know a lot of people wills say have a custom ground cam made and build the setup around that. That would be nice, but just seems expensive.

*BTW it will need to be a CA Smog Legal setup.

Thanks!
 

MG0h3

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
13,685
Location
El Paso, TX
I'd find the parts used if I did it again. At least I'm the heads and intake.


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com
 

crazycarlo

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
6,116
Location
Savannah, GA
You'll save money finding used parts. Most kits do a good job but there is power to be had from piecing together parts. Just keep in mind to buy parts that are sized for each other and the motor you have.
 

96cobra96

Member
Established Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2003
Messages
416
Location
Lake Zurich, IL
I went with the Trick Flow top end kit (Street burner) on my 1991 LX 5.0 a few months back. Ended up making 312hp/343tq at the wheels and it still has great street manners (good dyno tune). Very happy with the numbers and performance/sound!

Smog Delete
Shorty headers/offroad H-pipe/Flowmasters
Underdrive Pulleys
75mm MAF & Throttle body
24# injectors
190 LPH fuel pump
BBK blackout CAI
 

Fox 5.0

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
580
Location
Pacific Beach, CA
Ya i'm thinking with my past experience with TFS products i'll probably just stick with them. Those are impressive numbers! I had my old 5.0 dyno'd stock and it put down like 195hp/260tq IIRC. Then I did the top end kit, then I did the 331 stroker... never found out the final numbers though.
 

Hwy. Chile

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
800
Location
Central NJ
Any updates? I have a couple of 5.0 fox bodies and am thinking about long term plans


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com
 

Fox 5.0

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
580
Location
Pacific Beach, CA
No updates. I'm still in the market to buy another Fox and am brainstorming the route I want go. If i learned anything from my last Fox, it's have a plan and stick to it. I was young and dumb and re-did a lot of things because i changed my mind or just didn't thoroughly plan out the build.
 

N A

New Member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2018
Messages
19
Location
Massachusetts
I just picked up an '88 GT hatch auto last week. I'm having it checked out by a mechanic. It's an 30 year old car after all and I'm not a mechanic. I'm researching 5.0 coyote swaps, but if I stick with the original 5.0, TFS 11R 190 56cc heads and an Ed Curtis cam is the hot setup going around. It should make 350 to the wheels.
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top