I am sure you guys get this all the time. I just bought a 97 SSEi and I LOVE it. It is completely stock. I WANT TO GO FASTER! I am taking it to the strip in a couple weeks to see what it runs.(Milan Dargway opens April 1) I fell in love with them when a saw one smoke a mustang. What are the first few things i can change to get a little more? would the pulley be a good idea? Is there a perfarmance chip available for this? I will start with just these questions but I am sure I will be back. Thanks guys for any help.

Check the links section for ZZP and Intense.

Pulley, intake, PCM, exhaust...

Here'* the link from tech info...........

First Performance Mods

Welcome to the addiction

97 is good year for the ssei. i've heard its the lightest. If you wanna break into the 13'*, go with an Intense level 3 kit. I've had mine for about a year, and I love it. Headers, FWI (fender-well intake), smaller pulley, rockers, and a reprogrammed PCM.

Addiction isn't a strong enough word..... Welcome to the club!

welcome!!
Yes, I'd have to agree, from personall experience, that 1997 SSEi'* are some quick movers.
When you go to Milan are you going to be running it bone stock? I'd suggest that you do so as you mod it you can see how much each mod helps.
I highly suggest that you get a CAI and some exhaust work (high flow cat or muffler) before you do the pulley.

95 was actually the lightest year. But the 97 is still pretty light when compared to the newer SSEi'* (2000-2003). They are easier to launch for low 60' times as a result.

Do it by the numbers, and your first investment should be a scantool.

95 is only the lightest with you behind the wheel or overall? (j/k)

97 is a good year. As many have said...you can do tons of stuff. I went gentle as this is my daily driver. Pulley, gutted air box, PEM'* (recently installed) and a few other little things.

Nothing like a 4 door sedan opening up a can of whoop A on another car.

What are you looking for overall? Drag car or daily driver?

97 is a GREAT year !

I second everyone! The 97 SSEi is seriously amazing. Mine has over 153,000 and is faster most cars I encounter on the road.

For starting mods:
1. Custom Cold air box (if you want details on how to build this, let me know)
2. Autozone Rice Pipe (yes, it really works)
3. 3" K&N Cone filter
4. Autolite 104 Sparkplugs (or another one stage colder set of plugs)
5. 3.4" pulley from ZZPerformance.com (will make engine run hotter...supporting mods are a must!)
6. Smaller Gatorback belts (Gotta have these if you change the pulley size, otherwise the belt will slip and you won't get a damn thing out of the size change)
7. 180 Thermostat (keeps the engine temp down by letting coolant through at a lower temp)

Next, I'd get a custom PCM.

I've been running the above mods for about 12,000 miles and just recently got my PCM. The difference with the PCM was mindblowing: I can finally do burn-outs without the transmission cutting out, there'* no more speed limiter, and the Knock Retard problems I was having have dissappeared, not to mention the HP increase.

PM me if you'd like more details.

-Sam

The 97 Bonnies were are still are a gret car. Mine is a daily driver, with nothing done to it. Like Blackbonne said, it is faster than most things out there.

I have 160,68x (org tranny, no work on it at all but for reg maint) on mine as of this morning. I odn't smoke the tires, but it is balls to the walls on the road.

Welcome to the Club, it'* only an addiction