89 Fox Body rebuild eng/trans bang for buck

[89Foxstang]

Hello All,
So heres the deal… I have an 89 Fox-body that I found “accidentally” by getting lost one day. Owner passed away and his girlfriend was selling the car. Obviously he loved the car put a lot into it but she had no idea exactly what the car had in it.
Fast forward about a month and the clutch goes out. No big deal fixed that got it back on the road and all was good.
Until it wasnt… bad rod bearing has her down for the winter…
So here is my issue… I love this car. I will NEVER sell this car. I want to do a complete overhaul new crate engine upgrade the trans suspension fuel system exhaust all of it. I want this thing to be a BEAST!
So far I want to go with a 347 stroker or a coyote motor and a TKX 5 speed but I am wondering what you all would do with her? My budget is around $25k.

 

[Erkenbrand]

You definitely have the budget to do a LOT. What's your goal? Is this a daily driver? 1/4 mile run? autocross? Once you have a goal you can tailor the rest to hit that.

 

[347HO]

My only suggestion is to pick the platforms which offer the most "future upgrades".
Whether it be the engine, suspension, electrical, brakes... You get the gist.

No sense in doing everything twice... If you're never going to sell.

 

[Ponyprez]

I like the two suggestions you have gotten but deciding what your plans are for the car in the near and far futures I believe is the most important steps and also you must keep in mind smog status as it will dictate what all you can do. States that require smog tests can be a real issue as I knew several friends in California that spent a lot on upgrades in performance only to have to spend a lot more to pass the smog test or remove/reinstall said equipment every two years.