87 B2

Hey all, I am looking for some info on an 87 B2 with the 2.9L V6. I recently purchased one for my son and I want to do some improvements before he gets his license and he wants a unique and cool vehicle. What we have in mind is a 4" suspension lift with all new springs. He wants to run 31x10.50-15 on it. I want to install new gears to make the bottom end a little better (we live in the mountains). I have been looking at engine upgrades and all of the headers I have looked at say they are for 88 and up not 87. Whats the difference? I also want to ditch the old style cat and emissions and install a new style cat and squeeze as much power out of it as possible without a major teardown. The motor is old but runs good and if it lasts 6 months, then we can rebuild or get a remaned long block with the better heads so anything we do will need to be re-used in the event of a head update and fresh bottom end. It has a 5spd so any and all info, suggestions and mods will be appreciated but please keep in mind this is for a teen as his first vehicle. We will be replacing the body mounts as well (the rubber has all but dry rotted away and the body and running gear look to be in excellent condidtion.) This vehicle has 111k on the clock.

I would do 3.73 or 4.10 gears, ive loved both on a 6in on 35s so smaller would be great for that truck. I would also cut the cat and put a flowmaster,dynomax, or thrush muffler on it ( depends how loud or quiet u want it) the header with thrush was quiet for my 96 fullsize and it still gave me power and sounded badazz, or if u wanna keep it go with a highflow cat. As for motor upgrades is it efi or carb? that makes a difference on ungrades.

But all in all go with a COMP CAM, header, intake, MSD ignition box, HEI coil, ford racing plugs/wires, and if its efi put a small cold air intake in it to help it breath better I made for for 50 bucks at autozone and loved it to death got a extra 3-5mpg on the road!

I’m assuming u have a standard?