1990 5.0 LX? Should I?

[fifity]

Going to look at a 1990 5.0 LX 5 speed hardtop tomorrow. It has 75,000 original miles. Guy wants 4,000 for it.

Is there a year I should stay away from? Should I instead look for a more modern 4.6?

I am in Cali and do have smog laws btw....

[907DAVE]

FWIW.............. I love the 5 oohh........funny huh.:hehe:

Anyways, I think they are a good platform to build on, strong, reliable, cheap, and parts are easily assessable. Not quite in the same league as the 3fifty, but a close second in my book.

As for power, I dont think it is as easy to make as much as the 4.6's, but defiantly much cheaper.

What all are you looking to get out of it?

[cajunboy2208]

No need to stay away from it at all.

I've been looking for a 95 GT for sometime now
Just can't find any in right shape or right price for me...

[ChuckD]

Go for it.

[fifity]

FWIW.............. I love the 5 oohh........funny huh.:hehe:



Dave I just got it...I am a little slow :crazy: Speaking of which, can they correct my screen name to fifty from fifity?

Your local neighbor hood five oh looking for a 5.O

As for what I am looking for out of it? Well, shits and giggles mostly. Raw power. Something to buzz around town in. Something that can kind of handle. I wouldnt mind it being able to smoke my brothers S55 AMG...that would be nice...:hmmm:
Wonder how much that would cost?:censored1:

[907DAVE]

Dave I just got it...I am a little slow :crazy: Speaking of which, can they correct my screen name to fifty from fifity?

Your local neighbor hood five oh looking for a 5.O

As for what I am looking for out of it? Well, shits and giggles mostly. Raw power. Something to buzz around town in. Something that can kind of handle. I wouldnt mind it being able to smoke my brothers S55 AMG...that would be nice...:hmmm:
Wonder how much that would cost?:censored1:

LOL.... Took me awhile to figure out what your screen name meant.

While they are at it they should change mine to 907DAVE.

Guess you need to start researching parts......and pricing things out.

Figure a reasonable budget - then times by two:hehe: - then compare that to what a 4.6 would cost to get the same hp, figure in the price of the vehicle, and that should be enough info to base your decision off of.

[Colt]

Get it.. Good cars, not all that quick stock though, 225 HP.. Best mods, cold air intake, get rid of the smog pump, exhaust, a set of long tube 1 5/8th's headers, a set of 3:73 gears, a complete set of rear control arms.. Thats just for starters.. Once you start, you wont stop.. Becareful with that tranny though, they dont take abuse very well. Run a OEM replacement clutch, put a good shifter on it and it will live a while. Run anything more than a stock style clutch and your screwed.. Believe it or not, I'm running the same trans in my 79, I have 24% slipage in the clutch, it's my fuse, but it's hurting me bad power wise. I've got this setup do detuned it's pathetic, then with the slipage and little tires. All because I'm trying to make it live. People are amazed that this thing is taking that kind of power, but every time I go down the track I assume it will be the last for it ( been doing that for 4 yrs now LOL )... Been saving up for a Faceplated ( think big rig tranny, no syncro's ) T-56..

The 4.6 is a good runnin motor, but they aren't cheap at all. I've got 10K just in the shortblock in the 98, but it's built to handle 1200 HP too, so yeah... I'd build another one, but I enjoy working on the 302 much more than the 4.6.. The 4.6 cars are heavy though, they respond well to simple mods, but the weight is what slows them down.

If I could find a 90 with that low of miles for that price I'd jump on it.. But the next Mustang I buy will be drag only, and I'd hate to do that to a nice, low mileage car.

[ChuckD]

My little 331 engine dynoed at 534 hp:evillol:. If your patient you can find parts for good deals. I got my DSS balanced and forged stroker kit for $550. Boxes had never been open. Got a Dart SHP block for $1370 and my TFS FAC heads for $1380 to my door. I started this project in March but did get a good platform to start with. Now is time to build my C4:doh: already have my SFI flex plate and bell housing. I should start getting the car put together next month when my arm is healed more and our temps are down.

[Colt]

I wish I could find deals like that. Once I decide I "need" something, I have to go get it right then..



Too bad you already have a bell housing, I've got a TH400 sitting on the floor thats fresh. It was built for a buddy of mine that was making 1200 ft/lbs of TQ in a 76 Camaro with a 101mm turbo, he got tired of the car and built a 71 Camaro with a 555 Big Chief with a 114mm turbo :drool2: So he went with a glide and sold me his old tranny.. TH400 swaps in Mustangs are pretty common anymore, cheap to build and stout..

I wanna go with a T-56, so that TH400 has to go.. 534 HP? Your gonna have a blast with that.. When ya gonna boost it? :evillol:

[ChuckD]

Figuring a 20% DL loss I am figuring around 430 at the wheels. I am gonna spray it since I am running a carb, I have heard really good things about my intake, though I got to spin the crap out of it. I may change later on to efi and boost it since I am at a 9.98:1, I should be able to put a few lbs to it.

[Colt]

When you decide you want to go EFI, hollar at me, I can help save ya a ton of money, and give ya one hell of a education ;)

430 is a lot of power, lighten it up, and depending on the altitude, it should go low 12's high 11's.. Spray a 200 shot on top of that, then wonder how to make it hook :smiley_roll1:

My 98 is running 11:5.1, believe it or not, boost and compression love each other, it's just all in the tune and the fuel you run. My buddy running the 555, his is at 13:0.1.. The 98, you have to spin it pretty high, I shift it at 8K. The 79, I shift at 5500, makes max TQ at 4800. Thats the difference between a turbo and a blower, turbo makes it all down load, a blower it's up high. I'm at full boost ( 14 PSI ) on the 302 at 2200 RPM, the 4.6 ( stroked to a 5.0 ) doesnt even make 2 PSI down that low.. I have plans to build a 351W based, 427, for the 79. I'm running a stock block right now. That combo is a ticking time bomb, cant believe stock components can take that kind of abuse. I have a feeling that the 15th something will go BOOM. I'm going out of town for a race, on a very good track, typically has 800 ft A/D, so it has awesome air.. Last yr I broke there too, the runs before it broke, the car pointed itself to the wall at half track every time. I've got more power this yr, more tire, so yeah, something is gonna go.

Sorry for the hijack Fifity, we're just BS'in while we wait and see if you picked that car up or not ;)

[ChuckD]

Yes pics of the new ride. We have a low D/A here. I know of other full weight cars making less power consistantly in the 11s. I am gonna be a little tricky with my spray. I am gutting a radio with a flip down face and putting my progressive controler in there to hide it.

[Colt]

Our air density is typically 5600 on a good day.. It's horrible.. The track I'm going to this weekend typically has 800 air density.. To us around here, that track is very fast. I havn't been able to get a good time in this car for the past 2 yrs. It weights 2700 LBS, and that kind of power output, it should easily be in the high 9's, but it's not even close.. The turd loves blowing the tires off at the 1/8th and pointing you towards the wall. I normally end up letting out around 4K RPM in 3rd gear and coasting the rest of the way, best time doing that has been a 11.6 @ 132 :smiley_roll1: The car tried to kill "us" last time I went to this other track, hopefully all the money I put into the suspension will help out, but my tune is horrible right now due to so many engine changes and only ran it twice this yr.

Ya know a great place to hide electronics? If you pull the HVAC box out, make a platform that sits right under the dash. Carpet it to match the interior. Ya open the glove box, and you have full access to everything. That's where my ignition system, EFI computer, W/B, all of my relays and basicly everything else is. Makes for a really nice setup. The part that sucks is pulling the HVAC box, I wanted to keep all that stuff in my 79, I was even going to put A/C back in it. But after all the turbo stuff, there just flat wasnt room to run any of it, so the box came out.