Cost of Mods. HP to $$$ ratio

[Smokie]

I wanted to share information that I think will be useful to some of our newer members that are considering mods on their MM. and have budget constraints...as I do.

I just wrapped up the testing of my latest mod. along with results on the Reinhart forum. I also done a little math to figure out how much money I have spent to get where I am at.

Results: Gained 50 hp, from estimated stock 240 to current 290.

My cost $2050 for 50 hp. To use an average figure a S/C intalled is $7000, the hp gains about 160 hp.

..$2050 to 50 hp= $41.00 per horsepower.
$7000 to 160 hp= $43.75 per horsepower.

I am posting this info to illustrate that if you are careful and sometimes lucky with your choices your results can be; meaningful gains for a modest cost.

A S/C car is much faster than my car, I do wish for a S/C. I have a fast car for an amount of money that I can afford. I don't consider my money spent a waste of money with little returns. It has been suggested by some from time to time, that if you don't go from a stock car to a S/C in one step, you are dumb or foolish or wasteful. My dollar to hp ratio suggest otherwise.:)

[Bradley G]

Hey Smokie,

that's great news!You read my mind ! I was just thinking lately, We should have a gradeing scale on mods to examine thier ratio; Performance/dollar and customer satisfaction and bling!I think you can get to 300 rwhp for a reasonable $ I also lust for extreme power adder but I should be happy where I'm at for now.:coolman:
Bradley G

[Smokie]

Yeap, if my information is correct; I am one electric water pump away from 300 hp.:D

[Bradley G]

Hey Smokie,

Can you start the ball rolling by telling us what mods you chose to do first with your two sowsand bucks?And do you have plans for a Maziere E W P soon?
Good luck and thanks for posting reply
Bradley G

[SergntMac]

Thanks for posting this 411, Javier, I agree with every word.


Y'all keep this in mind too? Early on in the mod game, it's rather easy to build HP and stay on a budget. The mods deliver performance in double digit bulk, and the investments are moderate in light of the bang. Often times, one mod has not one, but several benefits associated to it, the Stallion TC comes to mind. However, as you build, tune and refine, mod benefits seem to diminish, and the cost seems to rise. That's why I suggest to others that they pause, add things up, and recheck their compass headings. It way too easy to travel way too far off course.

Right now, I may look a bit foolish to some of y'all for building a new engine for my MM, and not getting any real performance out of it. Well, I will, in time. If 450 RWHP is really "hitting the wall" a bone stock engine, Then it's time to change the bone stock, and I'm ready to start over at the next level with the right stuff in place.

What's most important for us all, is that we get what we want from ownership of a Marauder, and I sure do.

[MarauderMark]

Very good thread !!Thank you Smokie and Sarge very well put... :2thumbs:

[Bradley G]

Thanks Mac,

I had a discussion with my uncle a few days ago about this.He was a big time street racer in the 60's and a ford wrench for many years.I remember as a young'in, he even had a Indy style car for a while.Any way he said to me after I told him about my mods and others achievements (ET's and such)"Once you get to twelve seconds in the quarter mile, you can multiply the costs to go faster by the tenth power!"I guess some things don't change even after many years;)
Bradley G

[Smokie]

Hey Smokie,

Can you start the ball rolling by telling us what mods you chose to do first with your two sowsand bucks?And do you have plans for a Maziere E W P soon?
Good luck and thanks for posting reply
Bradley GBradley, I will be happy to. I am going camping right now, by Sunday I will have put together the path to horsepower I traveled and cost along the way.:D

Mac, you are quite right, I am at a point were squeezing ponies out of my N/A engine will become either very difficult or very expensive.:D

[Bradley G]

Hey Smokie,

That's cool I hope you have a great time and I will be watching for your input.

Bradley G

[RF Overlord]

Javier:

Thanks for that...I, too, was getting a little tired of hearing how I'm wasting my money by not installing a blower...I like to think the mods I've made have allowed me to enjoy the car more in the meantime, whether I spring for a blower in the future or not...

[sailsmen]

I began modding my car when she had less than 4K. I wasn't happy with the stock performance.

For less than $1,500 in installed mods, including labor I ran a 14.2 in good air. That is muscle car performance! :)

I than began to add mods to increase performance and durability. I drive 20K per year, I am a traveling sailsmen 1.5 days a week 300 miles, miss an appointment due to a break down and I miss a sale.

I was also hesitant to make a S/C mod for fear of losing my engine warranty, the engine has proven it'self with 36K and 80+ runs down the 1,320', generating the same RHP/TQ it did 16K and 70 runs down the 1,320' ago.

The only thing holding ne back on the S/C is $$$. I am saving up for it.

[Bradley G]

Hey Sailsmen,

thanks for your input,did you figure what it cost you to get from14.2 to the 13.743 as it appears in your sig?
Bradley G

I began modding my car when she had less than 4K. I wasn't happy with the stock performance.

For less than $1,500 in installed mods, including labor I ran a 14.2 in good air. That is muscle car performance! :)

I than began to add mods to increase performance and durability. I drive 20K per year, I am a traveling sailsmen 1.5 days a week 300 miles, miss an appointment due to a break down and I miss a sale.

I was also hesitant to make a S/C mod for fear of losing my engine warranty, the engine has proven it'self with 36K and 80+ runs down the 1,320', generating the same RHP/TQ it did 16K and 70 runs down the 1,320' ago.

The only thing holding ne back on the S/C is $$$. I am saving up for it.

[sailsmen]

In parts the Stallion cost $775 and the exhaust $900. Dyno Tune $125.

[Patrick]

This all good info. Thanks Javier. But bottom line just enjoy the car.

[Ross]

Good posts. The main thing is: Spend what you can afford, do your homework and choose wisely whether you are spending a little or a lot, and enjoy your beast!

[DEFYANT]

What's most important for us all, is that we get what we want from ownership of a Marauder, and I sure do.
Well put. This holds true for any car.

[NAVCHAP]

Anyone who wants a ball park idea of what I chose to spend is more than welcome to PM me. Not going there in a thread, out of courtesy to all the folks who helped me on my project. -kjs-

[Bradley G]

Hey MMers,

If I seemed brash asking How much you spent, I am sorry,I was mostly interested in feedback comparing what mod = best ET's and trying to see which fit my $ to aquire them.And of course the seat-o pants feedback that I have found to be invalueable.Some claims are much higher than others on achievements.some mods seem to complement others much better.
Bradley G

[NAVCHAP]

Bradley, you asked a good question! Just trying to comply with the request from the honchos to keep "comparison shopping" type data out of the threads.

BTW, don't want to cause any divorces, bad for my real world business, LOL. No woman would ever have let me get away with this. Even my Mom doesn't know how much I have in the car. -kjs- :rofl: :rofl:

[bigslim]

You have to start somewhere. The mods that I am making help with my car now but can be used when I put a blower on it this spring.

[teamrope]

Yeap, if my information is correct; I am one electric water pump away from 300 hp.:DJust be careful Javier. Electric is good for freein up some ponies, but I'de keep the original and some tools in the trunk just in case... Specially on a daily driver.

Not ment to flame, just friendly advise I've recieved from a few racers. :)

[FordNut]

Just be careful Javier. Electric is good for freein up some ponies, but I'de keep the original and some tools in the trunk just in case... Specially on a daily driver.

Not ment to flame, just friendly advise I've recieved from a few racers. :)
I still carry my original one around in the trunk, not sure why. Been on several road trips, been using the electric one for over 20,000 miles, nary a problem....

Unless you count that time I left the key on to cool down between rounds at the drag strip and it was a long, long time between rounds. Ran the battery down!

Oh, on topic: I had to quit keeping track of what I spent so I could honestly tell the wife I didn't know how much money I had wasted on a perfectly good new car. Since it's new and under warranty why should you have to spend anything at all on it, and on and on. However, I know I've spent LOTS on it to get over 300 RWHP. Still gonna do a couple more things to it, I'd like to get 310-320 RWHP N/A before adding the blower. I've heard of N/A Cobras getting that, but they have a manual tranny so drivetrain losses are probably lower for them.

[Petrograde]

great post! I look forward to hearing more! Have fun camping!

[valkyrie]

I still carry my original one around in the trunk, not sure why. Been on several road trips, been using the electric one for over 20,000 miles, nary a problem....

Unless you count that time I left the key on to cool down between rounds at the drag strip and it was a long, long time between rounds. Ran the battery down!

Oh, on topic: I had to quit keeping track of what I spent so I could honestly tell the wife I didn't know how much money I had wasted on a perfectly good new car. Since it's new and under warranty why should you have to spend anything at all on it, and on and on. However, I know I've spent LOTS on it to get over 300 RWHP. Still gonna do a couple more things to it, I'd like to get 310-320 RWHP N/A before adding the blower. I've heard of N/A Cobras getting that, but they have a manual tranny so drivetrain losses are probably lower for them.


It has gotten to the point that when the wife ask "how much" I just tell her "you don't want to know". She knows at that point that she really doesn't want to know. :D

[Smokie]

I am going to provide some information on some modest mods, my cost and the results that I enjoyed. I am including links to previous threads where I have provided pictures and graphs and detailed information. My wife shares my passion for the MM. and has paid herself for many upgrades, so I have no constraints in sharing cost info....however do not take cost info as written in stone; it is what I paid at a particular point in time and subject to change, one very significant improvement is my complete exhaust system that I purchased used so I enjoyed a cost savings there, all else was purchased brand new.

First mod: Flashed PCM, 180* thermostat, Denso plugs.(installed)
Source: Reinhart Automotive
Approximate Cost: $505
Results: Dyno readings 264 hp/285 tq (average)
Track: Average of 14.7 all conditions. Personal best: 14.49 @ 97.51 mph.
Comments: This is a flash, no physical change to PCM. Tremedous improvement to stock, highly recommended.
Hp to $$$ ratio: $21 per Hp.

Mod: K&N drop in filter
Source: Local auto part store
Cost: $39.99
Results: Slight improvement in throttle response
Track: N/A
Comments: Deeper tone to exhaust, no hp gains that can be proven.

Mod: SVO Shorties, X-pipe, hi-flow cats, 2.5" pipe, 18 inch stainless Magnaflows, Steeda U/D's, PHP intake spacer, dyno-tune and 9100 SCT with cable.
Source: Team Ford Marietta, tuning by Aric, Exhaust install by Grand Muffler Shop.
Cost: $1830 (installed)
Results: Dyno showed 281 hp/ 306 tq
Track: 14.5 all day in 85*+, running against wind(6-8 mph)personal best all short times 2.1 60' versus 2.3.
Comments: The car now sounds the way I thought it should, low end torque gains are enormous.
Hp to $$$ ratio: $92.94 ($1580/17 hp) did not include cost of SCT with cable since they don't add hp and it's not a must have item.

Mod: PHP airbox + dyno with A/F corection
Source: PHP and Reinhart Automotive
Aproximate Cost : $350 (Grand Opening Special)
Results: Dyno shows +6 hp / +8 tq, gains are +12 hp/ +16 tq at about 3500 rpm's.
Track: N/A
Comments: Initial disappointment until A/F correction, very pleased with results, torque gains can be felt at the SOTP meter, improved exhaust note (deeper)
Hp to $$$ ratio: Using peak gains $58.33 -- Using gains at 3500 rpm's $29.16

Helpful links:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13390 (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13390)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14370 (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14370)

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11872 (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11872)

[Petrograde]

wow,.. great post! This is a highly useful thread right here! :up:

that reminds me,.. I never had my A/F corrected for my PHP box. I guess I'd need the SCT 9100. ..sigh... HP sure ain't cheap! :P

[Smokie]

wow,.. great post! This is a highly useful thread right here! :up:

that reminds me,.. I never had my A/F corrected for my PHP box. I guess I'd need the SCT 9100. ..sigh... HP sure ain't cheap! :PThanks, having Dennis within reasonable driving distance is a plus, after air box install hp actually dropped 3 ponies, the torque was up even before A/F correction. The SCT tuner at first seemed like a bit of a frivolous investment...I no longer feel that way, it allows my PCM to remain virgin...I now have thanks to Dennis my original stock program, the Aric dyno tune (with corrected A/F ratio by Dennis), the original flash by Dennis and a custom version of of my best program with T/C locked and tranny instructions not to downshift....any time I do a dyno run all I have to do is load my "locked" program to get results that start at 1500 rpm's.:D

[maraudernkc]

The ProCharger kit complete and Installed should be at $5000.00 that would
be 160HP for $31.25 per RWHP that's not bad.

[Svashtar]

I was fortunate enough to get my new '03 MM for $24,800 6 months ago, so knew I had some bandwidth to put a little extra into it. I would have done the S/C in a second if I thought I could get past the CA laws, ending up with a nice S/C'd car for a bit over $30K. My brother in law has an S/C'd Mustang that he can't drive as it won't pass smog any longer.

I sprung for the 1725 tuner that was surprisingly good, and then sold it in favor of the 9100 from Dennis. Right now the only difference I can tell between the two tunes (1725 91 Octane vs. DR's 91 Octane tune) is that the shifts on the DR tune are definitely firmer and more noticeable. I'm just about done with my mods (famous last words!), but after final install of his cobra exhaust need to check and see if he has another program to optimize the tune using the new exhaust.

Was going to go with the Meziere water pump, but my mechanic said that for a daily driver he wasn't sure if it was a good idea for the nominal HP gains possible. I know I would have to get a new program from Dennis to boost the at-idle RPM's up a bit. We'll see...

Regards,

Norm