I'm picking up a BBK 2 1/2" H pipe with cats and the catback to flowmasters from a fox mustang setup today. The guy has a set of stock mustang shorty headers that he's throwing in which I might use but I have came across a used set of BBK headers from another source for a good price. I dont' know enough about how these would fit in the 88 Cougar but I've read that the shorty headers were a tight fit. Would the BBK shorty headers be able to fit in without modifications? I'd like to make this conversion as simple as possible.
Charlie
The BBK shorty headers will fit where the stock headers fit. If your motor mounts are shot, they may be tight. If the mounts are in great form, they will fit fine. IF you have a column shifted car, you may have to fiddle with the linkage at the frame as the exhaust may touch it, and, the O2 sensor harness will need to be extended as the sensors are further down on the e_Pipe than on the stock cast iron manifolds. I have BBK's on my Bird.
They guy only wants $30 for the BBK's, would I be better off going this way over the stock mustang shorties?
I bought the BBK H pipe setup today which is in great shape and was worth the money even if I don't use the catback. The flowmasters are 40 series and he had the catback setup to dump before the rear axle so they're very short. I'll have to have this extended to use it on my Cougar. From what I've read I think the 40 series may be a little louder then I want and if that's the case I'll just have a custom exhaust put on from the H pipe back. Has anyone had any experience with these lers? I'd like to get a little more aggressive sound but I want to be able to have a conversation while going down the road without raising our voices.
The BBK's are very good headers. For $30, I'd buy them even if I wasn't going to use them. Stock Stang headers are actually good enough on a stock or mildly modded mtoer. You can go either way and be fine. Or, use the stock Stang pieces and save the BBK's for another time, but for $30, buy them. As far as the lers, I had them and they were a bit too loud for my taste with dumps. I like the exhaust out the back. Some like it really loud, I don't. Just a nice grumble to make a point.
I think I will buy the BBK's since you say they'll fit just as easily. I was afraid the lers would be too loud and I only want to do this one time. I may check with a couple of exhaust shops in Denver to see if they'd have any interest in the flowmasters I have, they look to be in very good shape. Then I could just have a custome exhaust done from the H pipe back with something a little more quiet. What do you think would be good, something like Flowmaster 50's? I really have no experience with any of them.
i had bbk shorties and they were great. easy enough install. i'd say equally as hard as the mustangs would be. i had mine with an offroad h-pipe. and flowmaster super 50 series lers going all the way out back. btw if you dont know, youll have to pick up a couple extra feet of pipe to make the mustang catback work on our cars. but i loved those 50's, had them on there for about 2 years, had a nice grumble at idle, when you got on the gas it sounded bad ass, and no annoying drone on the highway. not loud but awesome tone. then cause i was dumb and wanted it to be louder, i switched to 40s and hated them. too raspy. louder, yeah, but a worse tone. highway drone was real bad too. wouldn't recommend them for a daily driver. good luck, let us know what you end up going with
Thanks for the advice, it sounds like 50's would work for me. I'd like a little deeper sound but I want to be able to have a conversation while I'm driving without raising my voice. The Cougar will never be a daily driver, more of a pleasure drive through the mountains during the summer and if it's too loud we wouldn't enjoy it.
I just checked the # on the lers to the Flowmaster website. 942543 is listed as the 40 series Delta 2 chamber ler. It's a real shame, when I wipe them off they look like new. Maybe I can get something out of them as a trade in or list them on Craigslist.
I have bbk shorties in mine and they work great. Had to do a little massaging on the column shift linkage but nothing major. Can't say much for the power improvement since I installed them with my new engine, but they didn't have much effect on the exhaust note.
I've got BBK shorties, and I had to loosen the motor mounts from the k-member and jimmy the engine to the passenger side as far as I could to stop the steering shaft hitting the one. My mounts are new, but maybe since I do my engine swaps with the mounts still attached to the engine, I may have initially dropped it too far towards the driver side.
I may try to tackle this project next week and plan to pick up the bbk headers on Sat. I haven't really compared my current setup in the way the Y pipe hangs to the bbk H pipe. Could someone tell me if I will need new hangers and a crossmember or will I need to make any other changes?
The same guy has the following parts for sale and I may start collecting for my winter project of changing the heads, intake cam ect.
Would the E-7 heads be the best way to go? Would this be the best speed density computer to use.
85 GT E5 heads look newer rebuilt but unknown mileage $80
89 E7 heads out of f-150 that was .040 over unknown mileage $50
86-93 fuel injection throttle cable bracket w/screws $10
79-85 exhaust hanger bracket that bolts to transmission $5
86-93 exhaust hanger bracket that bolts to transmission $10
Oem foxbody transmission mount x-2 $10 each
map sensors for speed density cars, or bronco, or F-150 etc x-2 $10 each
86-88 DA1 speed density computer worked great when pulled $50
just make sure youve got a double hump trans crossmember if youre going to dual exhaust
Your just changing heads and ex.?
For now, I'm just doing the exhaust from the headers back. I may try to move forward with the head, intake, cam ect this winter so I'm considering some the parts listed above.
Any advise is appreciated.