what year and model to buy?

[sixoneofwhite]

Hey whats up all.. wll i am at the point where i am ready to buy my first mustang.
I am 22 and i got about 6 grand to drop on a stock or almost stock stang
I want to build the fastest street car i can i have about 2 gran to spend after buying it and i will be saving later to to upgrade.
I want to know what model you al would suggest to buy and why...right now i am looking at the 91 92 and 93 LX and GT also i dont know if i want a convertable or not any suggestions would be welcome

[Smokedawg]

LX's are a little lighter than GT's..But GT's usually have that looking cool effect. Its a little harder to make a convt fast due to the excessive weight..You should be able to get about a 90GT with decent miles for around 4500-5500..Then how do you plan on driving this car? Street racing? Strip?? There are tons of mods to do to these cars one just has to know what kind of power they want..For street racing you will need excellent suspension mods. For the strip you will need good struts, shocks, and springs w/airbag...
Most people looking for power start off with exhaust..Headers and mufflers, and a h, or x pipe.
Then you can move to getting more, colder air into the engine..Start off with a K&N with the air panel removed on the airbox. Then a MAF, Bigger TB, Underdrive pulleys, Intake, heads..The mods just keep going on and on and on..

Good luck

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347 Stroker Motor: Balanced, Cobra Transmission, Extrude Ported and Polished Upper and ported Lower, GT40 Milled Ported and Polished Heads, B303 Cam, BBK 1 5/8 Headers, 30lb Bosch Injectors, Holley AFPR, March Underdrive Pulleys, Perma-Cool Fan, 3-Core Radiator, Accel Performance Coil, Accel 300+ Racing Wires, Ram Air, K&N Filter, 73mm Vortech MAF, 70mm TB, FlowMaster Exhaust w/BBK Offroad H-Pipe, Hurst Shifter, 3:55 Gears, Ram Clutch, Cross Drilled Rotors, AC and Smog del, rear seat del.

[88t-top5.0]

go with at least an '89 or newer. That's when they put the mass air system in (except California which used it in 88) Mass Air is a better system than the speed/density that was used beforehand. I also prefer the GT's, but that's up to you. As far as a convertible, they are heavier but a lot more fun in the nice weather. Be sure to get sub-frame connectors if you go with a vert

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1988 GT 5-speed
K&N filter
2 chamber flowmasters

[Unit 5302]

Do I dare buck the trend and tell you to buy a speed density car? Regardless get a 5spd car.

In stock form a speed density car will show an MAF car tailights, and about 2-3 car lengths in the quarter. Modded properly, you can get them into the low 12's with traction for less money than an MAF car. They are harder to get "right" though.

MAF is newer, you'll probably find a better car, in better shape after 1989. Personally, if I was looking GT or LX, I'd go 1991-1992. Upgraded fenderwells, upgraded wheels and tires.

For mods:
Hi flow H pipe
2.5" exhaust
Cold air induction
76-77mm MAF sensor (if you go this route)
65mm T/B
TFS Track Heat Intake
24lb/hr injectors
B303 cam
1.7:1 roller rockers
TFS Twisted Wedge heads
1 5/8" long tube headers
3.55 rear gears
3 core radiator
electic fans
underdrive pullies
G3 alternator
custom chip
upper/lower control arms
drag radials

Cheaper alternative
Sub Explorer intake for Track Heat
Twisted Wedge for GT-40p heads
with p heads - long tubes, have to get MAC GT-40p headers

Savings $700
HP loss 75

[1BAD89]

Stock for stock a speed density stang WILL NOT SHOW a stock mass air car it's tail-lights. Also 75hp for $700 that is bad *** , 75hp is a BIG DIFFERENCE. Go with the newest one you can get. And to you saying one of the first mod's should be a bigger MASS AIR, I would advise against this for one of your first mod's. On a basically stock engine, even with exhaust , you will feel nothing, it's worthless. If your going to keep your stock shortblock, then I would suggest:
The heads is were the real HP is at!!!!!!!!!
But here are some idea's.

1: free flowing exhaust(doesn't add that much horsepower, but it'll make you feel better.)
2. Offroad H-pipe or X-pipe
3. gears

For street racing you will need excellent suspension mods. For the strip you will need good struts, shocks, and springs w/airbag...

WTF! You don't need excellent suspension to street race, and for the strip ehhhhh...Maybe some good drag shocks. You don't need a ****** spring with an airbag to have a good drag racer. Especially if you only have a few grand to spend after you get the car. And on the car, I would recommend getinng one without a Sunrookf, moonroof, t-tops etc...And Convertibles rattle, blah blah heavier, takes alot more to get them as fast as a non-vert with same mod's.

[89lxinwky]

I just bought my 3rd 5.0 a couple of months ago after a lot of searching. Over the past 10 years I've had an '87GT, '91GT, and now an '89LX. All 5 speeds. Only bad part about '91-newer is no tilt steering. Depending on your size you might want tilt. I did (6'3", 230#). As said earlier, the LX's are lighter than the GT's. Either one will do but a convertible definitely will not be the base for the fastest street car you can build. My major criteria when I was shopping was: 1)price/mileage 2)how many owners and who 3)appearance 4)any mods? Beware of any mods because this probably means the previous owner has visited the upper rpm's. But if the car is in good shape, this could save you money in the future. If you can get a high mileage car cheap enough, you might come out better doing that and installing a new engine. If not, stay on the lookout and something you like will turn up eventually. The first $2k you should spend on mods once you get the car would be tune-up, lower gear, exhaust upgrade, high flow air filter. That is the point where I am right now. I'm trying to decide on supercharger or heads/cam.
Hope that helps.

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'89 LX 5spd w/ 56K, MAC shorties & H-pipe, Flowmasters, 3.73 gears, Moroso cold air

[Skyman]

Sorry, but speed density makes more power stock.

Skyler

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-1989 Saleen Mustang #406-
TFS TW Heads, E-303, Edelbrock intake, 70mm TB, 73mm MAF, 24lb injectors, 1 5/8 shorties, Off Road H, 3 Chamber flows, Jaz Race seats, Back seat removed, sub-frames, Roll Cage, and a 80 shot of N20.
12.54@107.4 Motor
332RWHP, 350rwtq

[Unit 5302]

Originally posted by 1BAD89:
Stock for stock a speed density stang WILL NOT SHOW a stock mass air car it's tail-lights.

Yeah, sure dude... whatever you say. Quite frankly you're about the last person who doesn't know this. Stock for stock, look for the Speed Density car to put down a good 20 more hp. The computer is way more aggressive in the SD cars. Remember the 1993 GT rated at 205? No changes were made from 1992-1993, yet the rating was 20 off. Ford claimed it was a new rating system. Interesting, why was the Mustang the only car affected by that? Don't be babbling on about the hyper pistons either. Everything equal the hyper piston car will make MORE hp, they weigh less. The truth is the 1987 5.0HO was the only 5.0HO in the Mustang to be rated, until 1993, when Ford discovered they lost 20hp along the way. The 20hp went the way of a weak computer, minor cam revisions, and the MAF restriction. In all likelyhood, all MAF cars made less than the SD cars. Which is why the earlier cars usually run better. IE 2-3 tenths, and 2-3mph.

As far as your 75hp being so huge, how huge is it? He can make all the hp he needs to run well into the 12's with the GT-40p's. How fast do you want to go? That's the name of the game. With the proper setup, he can crack the 11's with the TFS TW setup. If you're on a budget, you're on a budget. Other things you can add to that $700 is an additional $200 for not having to change injectors, $200 for not needing the 1.7's. Now that makes it $1100. $1100 for 75hp. Still a lot of hp, but how much does he need? He'll already be pushing as fast as you can get on street tires with a Fox body. Mid 12's at probably closing on 110mph. More than enough to take your SS to the cleaners.

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1987 GT 5spd.
D&D Performance "Z" spec T-5
Dynomax 2.5" Super Turbo system
BBK 2 1/2" H-pipe with cats

[This message has been edited by Unit 5302 (edited 09-02-2001).]

[dinomite]

89-93LX 5spd hardtop.

first off, get gears. i would say put that 2k into heads/cam after that, as those are the hardest and most expensive to do. when you get more money, you can put it into intake/exhaust, and then suspension/braking.

[LoneRanger]

If you want to start out with the lightest possible mustang (meaning fastest) go with an '89-93 LX Coupe notchback 5-speed. It is lighter than the LX hatchback and the GT. They are pretty hard to come by but well worth looking for. As for mods I would start out with a gear change (3.55, 3.73 or 4.10) depending on your driving habits and don't forget the frame connectors to keep the body looking nice and to give you better launches. Then I would put on aftermarket headers, H-pipe, free flowing mufflers, and then a throttle body change along with the MAF meter along with a K&N air filter and then go to aftermarket head and intake and then by this time you will need a larger fuel pump and maybe bigger injectors (24 lbs.) A cam would be one of the last things I would change as the stock one is real good until you get to the last point I described. Hope this helps! Jeff

[MusTanG_GT]

i would say mostly a mustang cobra cause there lighter

[LfiveohX]

I would suggest atleast a 89 or newer. Try to find one with the least amount of bodywork or interior work needed. That is expensive and does nothing for performance but will drive you crazy if you have to drive it everyday. There are plenty of clean mustangs that are still "stock" which would be best to get anyways. That way you will know all the mods that have been done to the car. I would suggest getting the car that you want. If it is a GT or LX, hatch, coupe or convertible, I personally think you can make any of them just as fast as any other. It might take a little more if say you get a convertible over a coupe. IMO, any model with a 5.0 is a good starting point, so have fun!

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1993 Conv. LX 5.0, Air in the tires, Fuel in the tank, Put the top down, Floor it till it breaks!

[RED92LX50]

I am partial to convertibles...I wonder why...anyway, there is nothing like putting the top down, jamming to tunes, and hearing the exhaust...I would rather be a few tenths (or even 1/2 second) slower in the 1/4 mile and be able to drop the top...just my opinion. I may be wrong, but most likely those telling you NOT to get a convertible have not owned one themselves. I have owned BOTH verts & hardtops with similar performance levels - top down is WAY more fun! Good luck whatever you get.

Go Skyman.....Go Unit........it's your birthday......you know it! Guys, I totally agree w/ your SD statement, I just thought it was common knowledge! I'd stick w/ 89-93 LX 5-speeds, Six - getting one now, w/ relatively low mileage and in great shape isn't that easy to come by. Shop around, do your homework, don't jump on the first one you see unless its a gem. Stock, these things'll smoke most of what's on the road......w/ a little time/$$$ you'll be stompin' some major a$$ on the streets/strip!

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'90 LX 5.0;12K original miles (no sh*&);3.55 gears; March pulleys;Edelbrock Performer Heads;BBK 1 5/8" equal length shorties;MSD 6AL ignition w/ blaster 2 coil;FMS E303 cam;Pro-M 75mm MAF;BBK 70mm TB; Eibach drag-launch spring kit;Southside welded subs;9" K&N cone filter charger;Hurst shifter;Cervini's 3" turbo hood;A/C delete; gutted cats;2 chamber Flomasters;Corbeau racing seats;FMS 30# injectors;JMS chip; Holley 190lb fp;TFS track heat Intake (12.299 @ 113 - 1.78 60')

[Unit 5302]

A coupe weighs about 50lbs less than a hatch. GT's are not availible in the coupe form, and they only weigh about 20lbs more than a similar LX.

They figure about 1 tenth per 100 pounds. That means a coupe isn't even a tenth quicker than a hatch for weight difference alone.

[bri32z]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Skyman:
[B]Sorry, but speed density makes more power stock.

Skyler

Skyman, Your car kicks as*. It is a very nice looking car. From your videos it also runs like the wind.

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95 gt:edelbrock intake and heads, 70mm throttle body, 75mm mass air meter, 2040 cam, 1.7 cobra rockers, bbk equal lengths, super chip, 24lb injectors, under drive pulleys, 3;73 gears, cold air induction, hoping for low 11's in the 1/4 mile. was dynoed at 374 rwhp.

[This message has been edited by bri32z (edited 09-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by bri32z (edited 09-09-2001).]

[1965GTO]

Also the extra weight of the hatchback is on the rear wheels.

[topless tire fryer]

I gotta go with RED92LX50 on this one, its all about being topless!

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'95 Chrome Yellow GT ragtop, KN filter charger, Dynomax cat back, Accel plugs and wires.

[93cobrah]

I am looking for a LX vert myself. Always wanted one I live in sunny s.o. calif. vert stangs are popular around here

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93 cobra #3786
bbk cold air induction
3:73's,tri-ax shifter
bbk headers, H Pipe
flowmaster catback exhaust, triple crome plate 17" original factory wheels

[1BAD89]

Well a few of my close friends have the speed density cars and I've had them too. But yeah I wouldn't know , I've just had an 87, and an 88 SD. I'm not really all that impressed. My "mass air" car was a little bit faster. You act like a SD is just going to destroy a MA car, But hell someone that had both cars wouldn't know sh**, I forgot. Anyway that is another topic, my friend has a 90 LX 5-speed, and switched to carburetor, and I'm really impressed! He went with a Edelbrock RPM air gap intake, and holley 750, msd 6a, msd Pro billet distributor, and a k&n Xtreme filet set-up. He says it runs ALOT better, and that he probaly picked up 20-30.

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1989 GT, 3:55's, full exhaust, 4 in. hood, Pro 5.0, Have many other parts 4 sale. All parts for sale now.

2000 Camaro SS-A4, 13.7's bone stock.

1989 Chevy S-10, EX. Cab-383(500+hp on motor), trick flow heads, trick flow pistons, etc... autometer phantom gauges, "built" 700R4, roll cage, lexan back window, corbeau seats, R.H.S. 5 harnesses, Fuel cell, convo pro wheels, 15x14's with 29x18.5 M/T'S on back, 15x4's on front, nitrous, and so much more!