How to Build a Fast Car on a Limited Budget
Anyone who has experience modifying cars knows that speed costs money. Almost all modifications to a car take some outlay of cash, although some cost more than others. By budgeting wisely, though, and targeting the right areas you can make a car far faster than it was when it left the factory. Below are a few suggestions on how to make a slow car faster.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Socket set and ratchet
- Miscellaneous tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.)
Instructions
-
-
1
Modify the stock air intake. Most cars come with restrictive stock air intakes. You can make one, though, with some length of PVC piping from The Home Depot, some rubber corner connectors and some larger hose clamps. Remove the stock air box and cut the new tubing to fit. Install a larger cone filter on the end of the tubing somewhere in the engine bay where it gets lots of cold, fresh air. K&N makes a larger assortment of filters that can be used on a custom cold air intake (see Resources 1).
-
2
Replace the stock, restrictive exhaust system with a larger, diameter exhaust. You can go budget in this area by having a muffler shop fabricate a two- or even three-inch exhaust system, which can be mated to a turbo muffler. The reduced back pressure will allow your engine to make more power. This is a great complement to the homemade cold air intake.
-
-
3
Install a hotter ignition system. More spark will allow you to advance the timing (which is free) and add a little more horsepower to the engine while also allowing it to run better. MSD makes a wide range of performance ignition parts (see Resources 2).
-
4
Upgrade the suspension with performance shocks from a company such as Koni (see Resources 3) and cut the springs. Installing a set of adjustable, high-performance shocks, while not the cheapest upgrade to perform, is a great may to make your car faster. Set the shocks on one of the firmer settings to maximize performance. When you install the shocks, cut the springs rather than buying new springs and you'll save money. Cutting the springs lowers the center of gravity and will usually result in a stiffer spring rate, which in turn equates to better handling.
-
5
Install stickier tires. Once you have lowered your car, install a set of R-compound (racing) tires on your existing wheels. Install tires that are a little wider than the existing tires, which will add grip but still allow you to keep the stock wheels and save some money. For a little more handling, install a set of wheel spacers at all four corners. The wider track (how far apart the wheels are) will increase grip in corners.
-
6
Lighten the car. This is potentially a free modification and can result in a better power-to-weight ratio, which is how many pounds each horsepower that the engine makes has to lug around. Start by removing any excess baggage, boxes, etc., from the interior and the trunk. From there, you can remove the rear seats, carpeting, sound deadening, door and interior panels and the stereo. If you want to retain some luxury, install a thin layer of carpeting and make some simple interior panels out of fiber board and upholster them with vinyl.
-
1
