Want to make some initial Mods to 05

[lukoi]

But am looking to see if anyone more knowledgable (which admittedly is just about anyone) can lean me in the right direction for some good places to really find good parts at decent prices. And to clear up some confusion for me.

I understand that throttle bodies and cold air intake are something a newbie such as myself can learn to install under the watchful eye of someone more experienced, but I'm at a loss to find some solid examples outside of what's on the Steeda site for example.

So far I can only find one cold air intake for the 05 GT (steeda's). And only one 70mm throttle body. Does anyone make a 75mm? Should I even bother with one or is the work/result not worth the effort?

I'm also looking at getting a short-shifter, but is that something the "average" newbie should be doing with a buddy or is that a definite task for a real mechanic?

Finally, I'd like to add a chipset and tune, but...do I buy both the chip and the tuner and then take it to someone like Delk for the tuning? Or do I get just the chipset (and if so, what should I be looking for) and pay for the tuning as they'll have the right gear at a reputable shop?

Please excuse the newbieness here but it's my first kickass car and while I'd love to put some serious work into it, I admit, I'm not well versed at ALL about how to go about it.

I'm thinking my initial modifications would go like this (but again as I pointed out above, I need some help here):

stage 1: bolts ons+ throttle body, cold air intake, exhaust, shifter, chip and get her tuned.

stage 2: purely cosmetic; some ghost flames (blue and pearl to go with the silver body), some interior cosmetic mods, perhaps a change in spoiler

stage 3: suspension???

stage 4: save up all of my extra money from my upcoming tour in Iraq and splurge for a SC and new tuning.

Any help, guidance, even some flames that might tune me in on what to do, would be appreciated.

Mike from Ft Campbell.

 

[CY98Cobra]

Don't waste your money on a throttlebody. They do very little for a N/A car. A CAI however, will help the car to breathe. The best out there is the JLT. I'm not sure if they make them for the GT's yet but you could PM Tucker (the owner) and ask him. Here's the site www.jlttruecoldair.com.

As for the shifter. On the pre 05 models this was the most basic and easiest mod. It took about an hour. The 05's are somewhat more complicated because of the shifter design but nothing to worry about. This should be one of your first mods. MGW makes the best but once again I'm not sure if they make one for the 05's. www.mgwltd.com

Exhaust is also another great mod. Not only does it make pretty good power but it makes the car sound so much better. Aftermarket mufflers will keep you smiling. If you really want power invest in some longtubes. They make great power and make the car sound amazing. They are expensive and fairly hard to install. The 05's might be easier, but on the 96-04's it required dropping the front suspension and k-member.

A tune is another thing you should invest in. The stock 05 tune is awful and really limits the cars performance. A good tuner will really open the car up. You should do this after your power mods. Most places you take your car will supply the chip and the tune.

Suspension mods are great. The suspension on the 05's is leaps and bounds ahead of the older cars so it's alot easier to make the car corner like it's on rails. First should be springs. These will drop the car and give it a mean look and make it corner better. You could also upgrade your struts/shocks, swaybars, panhard bar, etc.

Gears should also be one of the first mods. You will definitely feel an increase. I would say 4.10's would probably be your best bet.

You should definitely do some cosmetic mods. The 05's have so many aftermarket body parts it isn't hard to make them the meanest looking car on the road. Top it off with some ghost flames and you'll have everyone staring.

Congrats on the new car and have fun modding it. Once you start you can't stop

 

[lukoi]

JD,

Thanks for the info and the ideas. That was exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for info wise.

Now, from what I've read, getting the Steeda CAI will require a reflash of the computer anyway, so I figure instead of worrying about getting it and doing it solo, I'll make it a same day event as the day I invest in the chip/tune.

As for some of the other stuff you mentioned, help me out (remember, I'm a complete newb), Gears of 4.10 means what exactly lol.

Secondly, as far increasing handling, does increasing the wheels to 18's make a significant difference (heard some other people mention it before) or is that more cosmetic?

Lastly, got a website you can refer me to regarding aftermarket cosmetic parts for the 05? I've only found a couple and they seem pretty thin so far

Thanks,
Mike

 

[CY98Cobra]

From what I've read the 05's have more sensitive computers than the earlier cars. Get all the mods first then install them and have it tuned. It's best to wait until you have all the bolt ons before getting tuned or you'll spend a fortune going to the tuner after everything.

Gears help get the car in the powerband quicker. 4.10 means that the driveshaft turns 4.1 times for every one revolution of the tires. This makes the car rev quicker and also multiplies the torque output to the rear wheels. FYI, with gears, the higher the number the lower the gear. For example, a 3.55 is a higher gear than a 4.10, a 4.56 is lower than a 4.10. This isn't really necessary to know it just helps when you're talking cars and trying to explain something.

increasing to 18's is more cosmetic than anything. It does give a smaller/stiffer sidewall but not anything you will notcie handling wise. One of the Mustang mags did a comparo between 17's, 18's and 19's and didn't notice any difference through their handling test. 18's are heavier and will hurt acceleration however. It may or may not be noticeable but the more weight you add the slower the car will be.

As far as cosmetics. Almost everybody has body parts for the 05. Ford gave many aftermarket companies early access to the Mustang so they would have parts ready. Steeda, Saleen, Roush, MRT, CDC and many other companies have many cosmetic parts to choose from. Do a search on google and you should find plenty.

You should also buy either a 5.0 Mustang or Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords magazine. They have alot of articles on the 05 concerning mods and power output as well as advertisements from most aftermarket companies. This will give you websites and phone numbers so you can contact these companies or go to the site and see what they offer.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

 

[Madhouse]

I've heard that the best dyno-tuned power gains are coming from the JLT setup, but there was an issue with the filter staying on the car. I think Jay has remedied this problem though. C&L is also an option, very good quality piece, but not yielding quite the same numbers as the JLT. I wouldn't bother with a throttle body.

A shifter isn't too hard to do, you'll be fine. I saw a great write-up somewhere online about a shifter install, but can't remember which site it was on.

You'll need a tune for mods like a CAI, underdrive pulleys, etc., and the best bet is always a dyno-tune with a reputable tuner. If you do exhaust work, you shouldn't need a tune unless you go with a full system that really opens up the outflow.

So far all I've done is some simple exhaust work - I plan on getting a tune later (hopefully this summer), when I add a Saleen supercharger.

 

[CY98Cobra]

JLt makes the best RAI/CAI there is. Glad to hear they have on for the 05. I felt a good SOTP difference after installing my RAI.