Doing it cheap and doing it easy aren't exactly compatible ideas. The easiest way to go EFI if you already have a carb set up on it is by getting one of the aftermarket systems self contained in a TBI unit that bolts on in place of a carb, like a holley commander or the Retrotek Boss EFI. They are definitely not the cheapest way to go, but the installation is little more than swapping a carb and running some wiring. Some people knock the concept of TBi systems, but the ones available these days perform much better than the oem TBI systems of the 80's.
The most cost effective approach if you're only looking to get a stock oem system is probably the advice given in the previous post, just go and find a wrecked '89-93 5.0 Mustang that has a running engine in it and buy the whole car. Once you get the EFI system swapped into your car you can part out what's left of the donor car and end up with a relatively small net out of pocket cost. Just be aware that you'll still need some parts that the donor won't have, like an EFI compatible fuel pump that will fit on your car, because the oem pump from the donor is an in-tank pump and won't fit in your tank unless some serious customizing work is done. Also be aware that swaps of this nature can quickly accumulate unexpected costs when you start replacing all the 20 year old sensors and parts you just installed if/when running or drivability bugs surface. Another factor is if you plan on upgrading the oem system, like running bigger injectors and MAS, or an aftermarket intake, the cost advantage of using a donor car quickly shrinks to almost zero since the big cost items available from the donor end up going unused.
IMO, the best and most practical way to go (especially if you intend to upgrade an oem system) is to educate yourself very thoroughly on what's needed to make a complete running system, then shop for a complete system pulled from parted out car and you'll have the knowledge to know you're getting everything you need or what it might be missing. Even if you buy individual parts like new sensors (highly recommended) or a bigger intake it is still usually cheaper to get the rest of what you need by getting a complete system pull plus someone else has already done the work of removing it from the donor car for you. This approach often has better results because you can use the year/car of the donor as the model for getting replacement parts and avoid compatibility issues that can cause hard to diagnose issues that come from mixing components from different years or different cars.
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"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got!" - Sheryl Crow
Last edited by Rickmaan; 11-07-2009 at 02:27 AM.
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