Budget? Fox LS
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Budget? Fox LS Hey guys been doing a lot of reading on here about LS conversions for the fox body Mustangs, I was wondering what a reasonable budget would be to do a conversion? Wanting to go 5.3L or bigger and run a manual trans. Don't need anything special to start want to slowly mod as I go, I'm looking to replace my daily driver:2000 Toyota Corolla it can barely get out of its own way much less any one else's. Thanks for your help! (and yes i've searched)
7k with a t56. Your really better off with a stalled auto especially if the fox has a stock rear and 4 lug. Its also less work because the pedal assembly is a pain in the **** to do for a 6 speed.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Budget $7k-$8k if you need to buy both a car and the stock LSx/T56 fbody drivetrain.
Budget about $6k-$7k if you already have the car and need to buy the stock LSx/T56 fbody drivetrain.
If you want alot of aftermarket stuff, just start adding:
swap headers / custom exhaust: $1200
five lug with four wheel disks: $600-$800
8.8" with gears upgrade if car was a 2.3L originally: $400-$500
aftermarket gauges: $500
uber overkill fuel system: $600-$800
etc
With an auto you would save yourself about $1000, maybe more.
My prices assume you do the typical buy and bolt together type project. If you are willing to fabricate your own mounts for engine and trans and keep the OEM k-member, you can save a bunch up front.
When I did the analysis and bought all my stuff, I found a complete fbody dropout on an LS1 was cheaper and easier than a 5.3 and piecing parts together here and there.
Budget about $6k-$7k if you already have the car and need to buy the stock LSx/T56 fbody drivetrain.
If you want alot of aftermarket stuff, just start adding:
swap headers / custom exhaust: $1200
five lug with four wheel disks: $600-$800
8.8" with gears upgrade if car was a 2.3L originally: $400-$500
aftermarket gauges: $500
uber overkill fuel system: $600-$800
etc
With an auto you would save yourself about $1000, maybe more.
My prices assume you do the typical buy and bolt together type project. If you are willing to fabricate your own mounts for engine and trans and keep the OEM k-member, you can save a bunch up front.
When I did the analysis and bought all my stuff, I found a complete fbody dropout on an LS1 was cheaper and easier than a 5.3 and piecing parts together here and there.
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: Bowling Green, Missouri
I like to say... CHEAP, FAST, RELIABLE.....PICK TWO....
The T-5 swap can be done but you have to mix-match parts on the clutch and get a quicktime 6037(I believe) bellhousing to bolt the trans to the back of an LS. You would have to spend probably close to $1000 to make it work if I had to guess.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
So far I have right at 1700 in mine for a turbo 5.3 with th400. I have made a lot of things work. I already had the turbo system. It was a on3 system adjusted to work on the 5.3. Also used a upr fox 5.0 k member. Custom mounts built for it. In the end I will probably have right at 2500. But thats a lot of fabrication and time into making things work. You got to get creative.
Mine started out as a budget build...roughly $5k later its got a pt88 forged 347, jakes performance th400, team z k, frozen boost a2w and still not finished...originally started out as a H/C/I ls1, self built th400 and stock k with 4.6mounts
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
I did my swap a 1999 LS1 from a trans am into a 1991 mustang. I did my swap as cheap as possible. I didn't buy any aftermarket parts except for my drive shaft. I used the factory k frame and made my own mounts. I use the factory trans am exhaust manifolds and just have short 2 1/2 inch pipes. The engine and trans are borrowed. I paid $500 for the car without a engine or trans. So far I have about $2500 in the whole car. If I bought the engine and trans from the friend that offered them I would have another $2000 in it. It's street able and runs 7.50's in the 1/8th on motor and 6.80's with a 150 shot of spray. The bottom line is you don't need to spend a lot of money to go fast my engine is bone stock except for a tune and some home made ram air
I did my swap a 1999 LS1 from a trans am into a 1991 mustang. I did my swap as cheap as possible. I didn't buy any aftermarket parts except for my drive shaft. I used the factory k frame and made my own mounts. I use the factory trans am exhaust manifolds and just have short 2 1/2 inch pipes. The engine and trans are borrowed. I paid $500 for the car without a engine or trans. So far I have about $2500 in the whole car. If I bought the engine and trans from the friend that offered them I would have another $2000 in it. It's street able and runs 7.50's in the 1/8th on motor and 6.80's with a 150 shot of spray. The bottom line is you don't need to spend a lot of money to go fast my engine is bone stock except for a tune and some home made ram air
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
I did my swap a 1999 LS1 from a trans am into a 1991 mustang. I did my swap as cheap as possible. I didn't buy any aftermarket parts except for my drive shaft. I used the factory k frame and made my own mounts. I use the factory trans am exhaust manifolds and just have short 2 1/2 inch pipes. The engine and trans are borrowed. I paid $500 for the car without a engine or trans. So far I have about $2500 in the whole car. If I bought the engine and trans from the friend that offered them I would have another $2000 in it. It's street able and runs 7.50's in the 1/8th on motor and 6.80's with a 150 shot of spray. The bottom line is you don't need to spend a lot of money to go fast my engine is bone stock except for a tune and some home made ram air
