​Top 5 Mustang Mods to Start With

Just got a Mustang? Looking to get some more performance out of it right away? These modifications are simple to do, and their improvements can form the foundation of a complete build.

Cold Air Intake

A cold air intake is designed to draw air away from the engine bay. Colder air is denser, which means more power, especially on long drives. Cold air intake kits usually replace the stock air filter with a large conical unit with more surface area, which makes it easier for the engine to draw in air. Since an intake can be installed with common hand tools in under an hour, it's a great mod to start out with.

Gearing

Through mechanical advantage, the transmission and axle gear multiplies the power of the engine. By installing a lower (higher numerical) final drive ratio, that mechanical advantage is increased. That means faster acceleration, even if the engine remains the same. Lower gearing does mean a lower top speed and higher RPM at highway speeds, cutting into fuel economy, but it's an easy way to boost performance.

Frame Strengthening

The Fox body and its iterations use a unibody design with two subframes, front and back. A set of subframe connectors joins these subframes to make two continuous rails running along the length of the car, strengthening the chassis and reducing flex. That keeps the frame from absorbing and releasing energy when going over bumps, keeping the suspension settled.

Have a later Mustang? The frame can be strengthened with a set of strut tower bars. These connect the left and right sides of the car at the top of the strut mounts, keeping the frame straight and the suspension in the right position to work correctly.

ECU Remapping

Every Mustang since the mid-80s has come with an electronic fuel injection system controlled by an ECU, while the switch to distributorless ignition on later models adds spark advance to the computer's duties. By modifying the ECU's programming, the fuel and ignition settings can be adjusted for better performance, even on a stock setup.

An ECU flasher changes the programming on the ECU directly, overwriting the factory settings. A PMS acts as an intermediary between the engine and the ECU, modifying signals to alter fuel delivery and timing while leaving the ECU untouched, while gathering information from added devices including wide band 02 sensors. With either system, the ECU's output can be tuned after every engine modification to get the greatest performance gains.

Cat Back Exhaust

"Cat back" exhaust kits replace everything behind the catalytic converters. The stock exhaust is designed primarily to keep the car quiet, leaving some room for improvement when it comes to performance. There are plenty of options that can add more mid-range or top end power to a mostly stock engine without making the car unbearably loud. After the pipes and exhaust have been replaced, further gains will mostly come from replacing the X-pipe and exhaust manifolds. Unless you're going for extreme power, a cat back system will work with whatever you have planned for your car.

Where do I start?

Having trouble trying to decide which parts to use? Anderson Ford Motorsport has been testing, developing and selling parts for Mustangs since the late 80s. We design our own cold air intakes, and we sell individual parts and complete kits to turn your car into whatever you want it to be, whether you're looking for performance on the street or on the track.