I expect to be in the 13's next spring. By then i will have:
PI Stallion 3200 stall torque converter
Jerry "mod" and tune
BBK long tubes, modified
4.10 gears, traction lock
Cobra intake
full 2.5" exhaust
My car is a '97 base model. You definitely need a tune or a chip, i recomend getting it dyno tuned by jerry or someone that he taught. You definitely need to do something with the tranny and the computer, or you'll never see a 13 second pass. The intake gained me about 4 tenths and 7 mph, +/-, and i didn't even port it (yet). The headers, gears, and torque converter aren't in yet.
Converter: $700-$1100 new
J-mod: $50-$100
headers (get the kooks or ART): $700
gears, posi, set-up: $700-$900
MMC driveshaft (needed with 4.10's): $460
J-tune: $400 (including dyno time)
the stock MAF isn't a limitation if the car is tuned right. Getting a different MAF (and putting the right transfer function in the computer) is only worth a few hp. Everything on my list up there is about $3900, if my math is right, and that's about what it'll take to run 13's NA, give or take. You might make it without the intake and/or headers, though. You will need full exhaust, though. The LMS stuff looks real nice, but you can get it set up by someone local, too, if you know a good place, and it may be cheaper.
If you want to run 13's, and do it cheap, spray it. You might be able to spray it into the 13's without any other mods, but i'd say at least get a good tune and some type of limited-slip device.
