What would you build in a 85 coupe? Carb vs EFI.

[Boomer182]

Honestly this a old 3.8 V6 car, so its not rare, it is just a coupe. I know the purist are going to say Carb all the way. I am strongly considering a EFI 351 build for this car. I want a reliable 400+ hp car, with a/c, and can knock down 20 mpg with a T56. This is going to be hard to do with a carb, unless you are my pot smoking x neighbor, who apparently made a carb that could knock down, 30+ mpg, and then had the government tell him, to stop doing what he was doing. I am building this car for my wife, so keep in mind, she has never been around carb cars. I am building this car, so my wife and I can do power tour together, and hit up Route 66 in the near future. My only other option is a 3v 4.6, or a 4v 4.6 swap, although I am not crazy about mod motors. What do you guys think?

 

[Almighty-One]

I'd do EFI for sure

Carbs are fun,but for a car that is going to be driven all over the place and different kinds of environments I will take the reliability of an EFI

Though the 4V 4.6 also sounds good only if you really want to try something different, but if are not crazy for them why bother

 

[Boomer182]

Now I am debating a 6.0 T56 swap. It will all cost the same in the end. I am going efi, the more I think about it, the more, there was a reason, I never bought a carb mustang for my daily. The EFI system was so reliable.

 

[93sspcoupe]

i would do a ls swap for sure. its easier to get power out of em, more streetable and get great gas mileage. my friend has a 00z28 with a 6.0 cam only and made 440rwhp. and knocks down almost 30mpg on interstate. with a 410 gear also

 

[Boomer182]

What makes the LS motors so much more gas friendly then the 5.0? I never understood. I used to knock down 23 in my LS1 Z Auto with 3.73s.

 

[Almighty-One]

Meh i'm not a fan of lsx swaps

but can definitely understand why people do them

 

[86merc]

Coyote 5.0 swap. Been done several times already so finding info on what it takes is possible. Headers, exhaust, tune and such will net you 440ish rwhp and be reliable.

 

[slo-poc]

Efi, yes.....I like the direction of your plans. Higher comp n/a engine with a T56...Very nice driver.