7 Great Mods for Your 2005-14 S197 Mustang
If you own a S197 Mustang, you've got one of the last of the great American muscle cars. Sure, the later cars corner better, but the solid axle cars rule the drag strips. Here's a handful of basic mods to make it even better.
1. Cold Air Intake
One of the most basic and effective modifications you can make on any car is installing a cold air intake. A CAI replaces your stock airbox, and is designed to capture more cold air from outside the engine compartment, and feed it to the intake, which increases the performance by up to 15-horsepower. As an added bonus, you may see better the fuel consumption, and it will add a nice intake note to your engine. Replacing the stock airbox with an aftermarket cold air intake can be done at home in less than two hours if you're mechanically inclined. Popular cold air intake kits include K&N, Roush, and Airaid, however, the options are numerous depending on what you're looking for.
2. Aluminum Driveshaft
The Ford Mustang comes equipped with a steel driveshaft, which adds extra weight to the vehicle, and takes more energy to spin than a lighter unit. Installing an aluminum driveshaft decreases weight, as well as increases the throttle response, and put more power to the wheels quicker. An aftermarket aluminum driveshaft can shed 15 to 25 pounds in weight, as well as smoothing the ride quality and help make the interior quieter. Replacing the stock steel driveshaft with an aluminum one is not the easiest of tasks, but it can be done in a few hours. Check out some aluminum driveshaft options for the Ford Mustang HERE.
3. Cat-back Exhaust
Perhaps one of the best modification you can do to your Ford Mustang is replacing the stock exhaust system with a performance cat-back exhaust. A cat-back exhaust weighs less than a stock exhaust, but more importantly, it assists in freeing up the flow of gas exiting the engine, plus it sounds awesome. The larger diameter of the cat-back exhaust gives the engine a mean roar, which can only complement your Mustang's performance. This is a simple replacement, and if you're comfortable working under the vehicle, you can easily do it yourself. You want to hear that V8 roar? Click to hear what the Roush system sounds like on your S197 Mustang.
4. Lower Stance
You are going to have a hard time keeping up with the later Mustang with the independent rear suspension, but a good way to make your Mustang handle better is by lowering it an inch or two. Lowering your car allows it to have a low center of gravity, which makes it handle better around fast corners, and also typically involves stiffer springs, for less body roll. Be sure to measure everything and do your research before lowering your vehicle, you don't want to lower it too much that it makes it hard to drive on regular roads. For a mild drop you can just change the springs, but for the ultimate you'll need coil overs.
5. Wheels and Tires
Wheels and tires play a major role in the handling of your vehicle, and some wheels may look better than others too. Replacing your OEM wheels with performance aftermarket wheels can shed off some serious pounds. Tires also play a huge role in your Mustang's traction, and replacing your stock all-season tires with low profile performance ones can make a tremendous difference. Choose the right tires for your driving purpose, and your Mustang should handle like a completely different vehicle.
6. Big Brake Kit
What's the point of making your Mustang faster if you can't stop it? If you plan on doing track days, one of the most important modifications for your Mustang is aftermarket performance brakes. Brake upgrade kits come in a variety of levels, with some replacing your pads, some replace your calipers, and others replace most of your brake components and add larger rotors. Big brake kits that include bigger rotors, performance pads, performance calipers, and stainless steel lines can offer the peace of mind you need to slow your car from triple digits and toss it into a corner, again and again. Explore some of the brake kits for the Mustang HERE.
7. Lower Control Arms
Replacing the stock rear lower control arms with stiffer performance versions can complement any other modifications you may have done to your Mustang. Not only do stiffer control arms allow you to take corners more aggressively, they reduce wheel hop and shorten your 60 foot times at the drag strip. Replacing the lower control arms is not a difficult process; however, it requires some hard labor and muscles. Explore some of the options for your Mustang HERE.
For help with other maintenance and mods on your Mustang, check out the how to section of our sister site, MustangForums.com