So you just got a stock V6 Mustang and you want to make it faster. Well there are a few things you will or should know before you consider this. As im sure a few older gents on here would back me up on this post so here we go.

1. What are your long term goals for this new car?

2. What is your current budget to spend on this car?

3. Do you want to make it a daily driver? Trailer queen? or road course?

4. What is you basic knowledge of vehicles and electrical systems?

5. Do you have the time?

Alot of people want the fastest car, the best looking car or the loudest car. That is becuase everyone who owns a mustang gets the itch. And im not talking about down there, im talking about the power itch, the speed itch, the ability to take that corner at 55 and come out running. With most major bolt on mods, you can do them yourself with some specialty tools and a good set of hand tools. Some require welding, which most places can do for a flat rate of “X” amount of dollars where “X” is the hourly shop rate.

Now were going to get into the specific mods.

CAI- Cold Air Intake.

There are many different type of CAI available on the market. The fender well CAI places the air filter in the fender well to get cool air as it rushes under the passenger headlight. This is an excellent first mod, because all you need are some hand tools and the instructions.

Plastic vs. Metal

These are the two types of materials CAI come in. Some people like the metal chrome brushed ones because it adds a nice look under the hood. Unfortunately Metal heats up from outside sources(ie., engine bay) and internal friction of the air passing through it. Plastic on the other hand stays cool because it is not a conductor of heat. the engine bay heat or air friction will not cause this intake to heat up.

Mass Air Sensor and Housing

This is the peice that is inside your stock air box, and is, in my opinion, one of the bottle necks on the intakes today. The Mass Air Sensor, or MAS, measures the amount of air comming into the engine and sends that information to the ECU, where the ECU does its thing and tell Mr. Fuel Injector’s how much fuel to dump in accordance to the Air Fuel mixture. Lets say you have a 3″ (76.1mm) CAI and a stock MAS. You’ll be pulling in alot of air fairly quickly @ Wide open Throttle, or WOT. Lets do a in home test, if you have a cylindrical container about 6-12″ long get it. If it is open on both ends, blow threw it, and what happened? The air came out the other side with no problems, right? Now cover up 1/3rd of the other end and try again, little harder? Same concept on your intake. Still need convincing? Have you ever tried to vacuum up something to big for the vacuum? kinda struggled didn’t it? exactly.

Throttle Body

This is one of those black sheep parts where bigger isnt better. 99+ Stock I think has a 65mm Throttle Body, or TB from now on. If your not turbo, supered or No2′ed this mod shouldn’t be in the future until after a Power Adder, or PA.

Headers

Well, once again this is another mod that doesn’t really do anything for your vehicle unless you have significant mods and are going for a PA in the future, otherwise, youll get some hourse of “Fun”

Exhaust

The second mod most people will do if not the first on their mustang. When concidering an exhaust you have to take into account that a V6 will never sound like a V8, its impossible unless you buy 2 more cylinders. The stock V6 exhaust comes out of each exhaust manifold and “Y”’s into on right after the catalytic converters. When buying a kit, you can either look for one that is complete, meaning comes with the Y adapter and passenger side hangers for the muffler and tailpipe. Or you can piece together one for a few bucks cheaper and hope it all fits. My advice, dont go cheap, becuase you get what you pay for. Which brings me to backpressure. When your choosing your exhaust make sure you dont go over 2.5″ or else youll lose backpressure. without backpressure the V6 will hate you and will not run right at all. You can go bigger then 2.5″ if your Turboed or Supercharged, other then that I wouldnt recommend it.

Exhaust Tips

We can get this one from our axis the ricers. Exhaust tips dont add HP they add noise, it is more of a placebo effect when you add 3.5″ tips on your 2.5″ exhaust, you think it is faster becuase the box says “adds upto 5 RWHP!!!” well it doesnt. But when you get in your car sounds louder then it did before, so you think its faster.

Under Drive Pulleys

There are a few out there some are cheap and some are expensive. What to look for when buying a set is the hardware they come with, instructions and a package deal. RPM-Outlet has 42% MotoBlue Underdrive Pulleys, or UDP from now on, for around $208 shipped. If you have a big stereo in your car, I would say 2000-5000Watts, you really want to be carefull of the UDP’s. They will slow your accessories a certain %, and could affect your cooling, charging and Air Condition. They wont affect every car, but there is a possibility. Steeda and ARP have some 25% UDP which are a little more expensive and, well your paying for the name mostly. Installation is about a 1-2 hour job depending on your mechanical level. Hint: A pulley Puller helps installation.

Buying import car body kits is easier than ever thanks to the internet. Customizing import cars is moving away from being a hobby toward becoming a big business. Import car body kits can include many things, including spoilers, wings, skirts and air dams. Many kits serve to improve aerodynamics and increase speed, while also making the car look cooler.

There are several factors to consider before making an investment in import car body kits, but first and foremost is the kind of material you want, fiberglass or urethane. Both materials have their advantages. Fiberglass is the preferred type because it usually provides a superior fit and is also easily repaired. Be aware that not all fiberglass import car body kits are created equal; don’t save money by buying low-quality sprayed fiberglass.

Sprayed fiberglass often winds up giving you uneven quality prone to brittle sections that can result in both problems with the fit and breakage. Those who choose the urethane kits prefer it, however, because it is a little tougher and hold up to minor impacts better than fiberglass. This is important because if it does get damaged, it’s almost impossible to repair. Another word of advice: Fiberglass import car body kits are unquestionably the better choice if you plan on a customized paint job.

Import car body kits may sound like a DIY job, but unless you have some experience or are just blessed with natural abilities when it comes to do-it-yourself projects, the actual installation is probably best left to a professional or at least an amateur whose work you have actually seen.

The best way to find someone to install import car body kits is probably to ask someone who already had a body kit installed. Ideally, attending an import car show would probably be your best bet; you’ll likely find not only owners with body kits, but some of the guys who make a living installing them. Unfortunately, not everybody has access to a car show. Next on the list would be hitting the internet.

Import car body kits are always a hot topic of conversation on the import car forums and message boards. The internet is a primary source for information on the import car scene because enthusiasts love to show off their stuff. Take a few hours to look around and you’ll not only find images of the kind of body kit that you want, but also vital information on problems, modification tips and hints, and even the names and phone numbers of qualified installers.

There is one single piece of advice you can expect to get from just about everyone. There is very nearly unanimous agreement anyone getting import car body kits installed should also get it painted at the same time. The reason given for this advice has nothing to do with saving money, or body protection or anything like that; this advice is given to protect the drivers from ridicule. Apparently, it is the ultimate in uncool to drive around in unpainted import car body kits.

Why lift your Jeep? More height means more clearance for dealing with obstacles while offroading. It allows you to run larger tires, which also helps with conquering offroad challenges. Still another reason is that many folks just feel that a lifted Jeep with larger tires looks better, and I certainly agree with them. The added height and larger tires just give a Jeep a better more pronounced profile

No matter the reason for lifting your Jeep, there are a number of ways to go about it. Before you pick which one is right for you, you’ll need to make some decisions along the way. First, you’ll need to decide on what you’re looking to accomplish with the lift. Is it simply for show, or is it for go? Serious rock crawling anyone? Second, determine just how high you want to go. Looking for a little height for some mild wheeling or are you really serious about this height thing? Third, you’ll need to select the type of lift to use. Finally, install the lift or have it installed.

The basic methods for lifting a Jeep are Suspension Lift Kits, Body Lifts Kits, Shackle Lifts, Spring-Over-Axle Conversions, and Coil Spring Spacers. Jeep shackle lifts and coil spring spacers typically result in a maximum increase of 2 inches. Coil spring spacers are just what they say: spacers that are inserted under the base of the coil spring, resulting in lifting the springs higher. Shackle lifts are comprised of leaf spring shackles that are longer and lift the frame higher from the leafs. Both of these kits are rather inexpensive methods, but if you’re looking for more than a couple of inches, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Spring-Over-Axle conversion kits allow you to change the location of the leaf spring from beneath the axle to sit on top of it. They’ll usually result in a lift of 4 inches or more. This can be increased by the size of springs you use with the over axle kit. Use of these can cause cantering, and steering linkage and driveline issues which must be addressed. It can become a little complicated for the less mechanically inclined among us (I’m one of them!). It will definitely change the handling of the rig. While the spring-over-axle conversion kits are rather inexpensive when compared to suspensions lifts, there is a good bit of time and money spent on fixing the issues it creates, which needs to be taken into consideration when assessing the costs of your various options.

With Body Lift Kits you basically unbolt the body from the frame, and place manufactured blocks between the Jeep’s body and the rolling chassis. This raises the body of your Jeep but doesn’t directly increase the clearance of your undercarriage. The body lift does allow you to run larger tires, which will increase your Jeep’s clearance.

Suspension lift kits will directly increase the clearance of a Jeep. They call for installing taller suspension components (higher lift springs and longer recoil shocks). These systems deliver lift, better articulation, and better offroad handling. Unfortunately, they are the most expensive of the lift options, but they deliver the best handling performance.

When it comes down to choosing a lift, you’ll need to determine why you’re lifting the vehicle, and how much you’re willing to pay for it. If you’re only looking to add a couple of inches and you want the lift just for looks, a body kit, coil-spring-spacers or lift shackles may be just what the doctor ordered. If you’re looking to build a Jeep that is more offroad capable then you should look at suspension lift systems.

Many serious offroaders combine the suspension lift with a body lift for additional height. Installation of any of these lifting methods will usually change the handling of a vehicle. They all raise the center of gravity and will, therefore, affect side-to-side handling and cornering. This can be addressed by adding wider tires along with the lift. Depending on the type and size of kit you install and the model of your Jeep, you may need to install a dropped Pitman arm, longer control arms, longer brake hoses, a transfer case drop, and/or a CV drive shaft and slip yoke eliminator kit (due to a change of the angle of the drive train on TJs and some Cherokees). It’s important to not cut corners when lifting your Jeep. Why spend the money on a lift just to compromise the handling performance and face potentially serious wear and tear issues with key components? Do it right the first time and it will serve you in the long run.

Whatever system you select, the one thing for sure is that the added height will help give your Jeep that rugged tough look most of us seem to prefer.

If you’re looking online for an ecommerce store hard to find import car parts, or specialized auto headers, or customized fog lights, look no further than Dreamers Performance.

A growing number of car enthusiasts have found Dreamers Performance, their best source for all after market car parts. This family-owned business has been supplying performance car parts to sport compact cars owners for 2 years.

They also specialize in performance and accessories for every kind of automobile, from import to domestic.

Dreamers Performance has a wide selection of new, genuine, OEM, rebuilt, and quality aftermarket discount car parts, import auto parts, replacement parts, which are in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

Are you looking for customized euro taillights for your BMW? Or maybe auto spoilers or car suspension for your Chevy Malibu?

Dreamers Performance sells it all. In fact, they sell everything from intakes to Xenon body kits, from headlight conversion kits to performance headers. Their prices are very competitive, and their customer service is among the best.

In fact, the number #1 reason Dreamers Performance is fast becoming the choice for body shops, custom shops, and auto fans all across the nation is customer service.

If the part in not in stock, they will contact their suppliers until they find exactly what you are looking for. Why? Because they understand how important your car is to you. They understand how competitive the market is. And they understand if they provide quality service, at a competitive price, you will buy from then again. So, rest assured that, with every part you order from Dreamers Performance, you will be treated like you are their most important customer. If you’re looking for the right part at the right price from people with the right attitude, look no further than Dreamers Performance.

Their online import auto parts accessories catalog is engineered to allow you to search for import or domestic car parts as fast and as simple as possible. Our system is designed for easy check out and shipping. Our secure server assures your privacy is never compromised and your contact information will never be shared with any third party.

Gregg Kell is President of Kell Solutions a website design and search engine optimization firm based in Laguna Niguel, CA. Permission is granted to re-publish this article providing it is published in its entirety without exclusion including this Author’s Block and embedded links. The author may be contacted via email.