what to look for when buying a stang

[HopingForAGT]

is there any common problems i need to look for? im about to start a hunt for a 87-91 GT 5 speed. also how hard is it to install headers on a gt? engine compartment looks pretty packed. id like to run full length bbk headers to a off road h pipe and what muffler?? how much power do you think that would add? i bet it would sound awesome. also are the bbk or k&n cold air intake worth 100$? im about to sell the camaro for around 3000 and take the 2k i have and try to find a 4k GT and use the other thousand for the exhaust,intake, and taxs and title and all that crap. also would it be safe buying a mustang with 100+k miles on it? how strong are the mustang motors? seems like a crap load of people put new engines in them

[Old Guy with 87 GT]

well mine's got 170,000 on the odomiter and it still runs strong........if the moter's in these cars are decently maintained they last for a while ......

when buying one keep an eye out for trans problems.......the 5 speeds in these cars are a weak link ,make sure when buying one the trans hasn't been abused (syncronizers wear out easy).......
also keep an eye out for whether it's been wrecked or not ,it's been getting harder a harder to find one that hasn't been wrecked ,it's easy to run into headaches with a wrecked one depending on the quality of workmanship by whoever put it back together
if you find one with 100 + thousand on it ,check for altinator,waterpump ,smog pump and clutch as these parts seem to wear out in between the 100,-150 thousand mile mark

well good luck

[Jeb_Bush_2000]

Full-length headers are a PITA to install. The good news is they aren't too expensive, so if you can get them on by yourself, it's a worthwhile mod.


If you get a cold air intake, make sure it's the kind that mounts to the fender, and that it comes with a heat shield.

[srv1]

like old guy said, Foxbody's are a magnet to accidents, so look to see if yours has been.
all the VIN tags that i can remember are on the fenders, both bumper covers, hatch area or trunk. they should all match the vin, if not, somebody replaced a part. look at the floor boards under the driver and passenger seat. if they are wrinkled a little bit, the car has been hit hard. look at the body lines. all the gaps should be relatively equal on both sides, they are not going to be exact, but they shouldnt be too close or too far apart from each other(check to see if the door is coming close to the fender, that is a sign). open the gas door. does the paint match? look at all the trim around the car, does it have any paint? look under the front and rear, do you see any overspray? look at the radiator core support to see if it is misaligned or look liked someone try to hammer it out.
old guy is right. the car should shift without any problems, if so, look into that. make sure you can drive the car or bring it to a mechanic if you arent one yourself. the best thing to do is to pay a garage a couple of buck to check it out and to put it on the lift!! if you are really serious about it. if the owner wont let you drive it or put it on a lift, then most likely walk away. sometimes you cant if it is a personal owner whom you are buying it from, unless you know someone with dealer plates.
ask why they are selling it. i mean, we all love Stangs, right?
last but not least, DON'T BE IN A HURRY TO BUY THE FIRST STANG YOU SEE! IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, MOST LIKELY IS!!
good luck, SRV1

[tireburner163]

MM/FF did a article on how do buy a stang, not too long ago.

Also look for oil leaks, the oil pan gaskets on Fox bodies have a tendicy to leak after a while. When you first start the car(then it's cold), put your hand over the exhaust tip. If you feel anything coming out or you have little oil splashes on you hand, WALK AWAY.

As for the miles, 100, 000 mile is 100,000 miles. It all depends on how the car was treated. I would rather have a car with 100,000 miles that had been taken care of, than a pony with 40,000 that's be thrashed. IMHO, if it was me I'd spent a little more money and try to find one with lower miles, but that's just me.