Mustang guys recommendations needed... [Archive]

Moparjim

10-11-2011, 10:10 AM

A good friend of my son's and I is jealous of my son's Talon :D and now wants to get out of his Kia and into something reasonably sporty/fast. The kid is not an experienced wrench turner so I obviously told him NOT to buy a DSM lol. He is basically looking for something relatively sporty/fast, probably bolt on mods like exhaust etc. would be as far as he would go or want to buy a car with. Still relatively reliable and easy/cheap to fix.

So obviously I am recommending a 4.6 or 5.0 Mustang :eek: but being "Mopar" Jim I have only owned 3 Mustangs a 70, 75, and the only relavent one being a 92 GT in my life am looking to defer to my expert buddies on here as far as:

What should this kid be able to pick up in the $3000 or so range?
What years should he be looking for - what years were best bolt on mod-able, easiest to maintain, or what years should he prefer/avoid?
Anyone have or know of anything for sale right now at a decent/good deal for this kid?

Brief look around CL seems like maybe a mid-late 90s should be obtainable in that price range...

Just looking to help the kid out and get him a good deal and the right car, he's a real decent kid.

Waver

10-11-2011, 11:11 AM

Well as for "easy to modify", if I were him, for 3k, I would look at a late model foxbody or a sn95 with a 5.0. There is nothing "cheap" for a 4.6 car. I spent probably 2500 in mods on my 88 gt. With that 2500 I got a h-pipe, mufflers, upper and lower controll arms, 3.73 gears, short throw shifter, upper and lower intake, CAI, full MSD ignition, ac/smog delete, under drives, rims/tires, clutch, quadrent, and the mass air conversion......Not bad at all. Plus most of the stuff I got was used. Ran mid 13's with the car on dr's and my shitty driving. Sold the car for 6,000.

With the 96-98 gt's at that price you will probably get non PI heads and a shit ton of miles. I probably have 3,000 invested in the basic mods I have on the car right now....Non PI headed cars are mid 14's or higher....Plus they are not really easy for someone who is just getting into the hobby to work on...

In my honest opinion a 94-95 Gt would be a good starting point for him...

STANMAN

10-11-2011, 12:34 PM

Nic has a good point. With 94/95 being the bastard years, you can get them on the cheap, but still use most 5.0 used parts, of which there are a ton out there. You won't get a decent Fox body for 3K, depending on what your version of "decent" is. Seeing your cars, decent for you would be most people's perfect. That's a compliment I can't give to many people! So, you can go with a "fixer upper" Fox (even with winter coming they never seem to be "steals"), or a better bastard SN95. Stay away from 96-98 SN95's, they are poo. If you find a new edge GT (99-04) for 3K, please let me know 1st, lol.

DRK

10-11-2011, 03:12 PM

If he is over 6'2" or fat he will fit better in a 94 & up. IMO the 88-89, MAF, non air bag, 5spd coupes are the best of the bunch

Waver

10-11-2011, 04:52 PM

If he is over 6'2" or fat he will fit better in a 94 & up. IMO the 88-89, MAF, non air bag, 5spd coupes are the best of the bunch88 was still speed density. 89 had the maf.

Irish

10-11-2011, 08:16 PM

88 was still speed density. 89 had the maf.

88's had MAF, in California

Waver

10-11-2011, 08:24 PM

most anything that will be found around here will be speed density. I doubt that someone who has 3k to spend on a car will go out there to get one.

DRK

10-11-2011, 09:28 PM

most anything that will be found around here will be speed density. I doubt that someone who has 3k to spend on a car will go out there to get one.

#1 There where many cars built for sale in smog states that sold elsewhere.
#2 I have seen excatly two speed density cars in the last ten years and they where low mile mothball automatic verts
#3 I will also include 87's because a MAF swap takes about 2 hrs so it's a moot point there captain insano.

Waver

10-11-2011, 10:06 PM

#1 There where many cars built for sale in smog states that sold elsewhere.
#2 I have seen excatly two speed density cars in the last ten years and they where low mile mothball automatic verts
#3 I will also include 87's because a MAF swap takes about 2 hrs so it's a moot point there captain insano.

1)Cant include the swap, because that is not how they came from the factory. I never said anything about how easy it was to do.
2) Odd how you have only seen two, since EVERY (over 30 different cars)87-88 that I looked at when I bought my 88 was SPEED DENSITY (sticking with STOCK dipshit!)
3)Only valid point that you have is that some of the cali cars made their way over here.......but then again, how many of those cars would be for 3,000? So for all of those who are counting, all three of your retarded comments are moot in them selves. Now instead of trying to shit up Jim's thread, stfu or give some advice pretaining to a $3,000 Mustang.

-stew-

10-11-2011, 10:11 PM

http://forums.corral.net/forums/mustangs-sale-wanted-1987-1993/1328603-1990-mustang-5-0-conv.html

http://forums.corral.net/forums/mustangs-sale-wanted-1987-1993/1327091-1991-5-0-notchback-md.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-Ford-Mustang-2-Door-Hatchback-/180737332900?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2a14c8d6a4

Three stacks will get you into the foxbody game, albeit on the shallow end. For the kid you described, I think the blue hatch on ebay is the way to go. $2000 should buy they car, a plane ticket, and fuel home. Maintenance, brake and suspension upgrades, and repairs will give him some experience wrenching and time to learn about what it takes to go fast. Fuel and insurance savings will keep some money in his pocket for a turbo build or 5.0 swap in the future.

MurphysLaw88GT

10-11-2011, 10:20 PM

88's had MAF, in California

Pwnt

DRK

10-12-2011, 08:43 AM

1)Cant include the swap, because that is not how they came from the factory. I never said anything about how easy it was to do.
2) Odd how you have only seen two, since EVERY (over 30 different cars)87-88 that I looked at when I bought my 88 was SPEED DENSITY (sticking with STOCK dipshit!)
3)Only valid point that you have is that some of the cali cars made their way over here.......but then again, how many of those cars would be for 3,000? So for all of those who are counting, all three of your retarded comments are moot in them selves. Now instead of trying to shit up Jim's thread, stfu or give some advice pretaining to a $3,000 Mustang.

magazines mechanics such as yourself shouldn't give advice on shit they have no clue about

Waver

10-12-2011, 09:52 AM

magazines mechanics such as yourself shouldn't give advice on shit they have no clue about

Magazine mechanic? Really? I am going to pm considering I dont think we should have a e-peen contest in Jim's thread. If you want to shit it up, that is on you.

DRK

10-12-2011, 12:04 PM

Waver

10-12-2011, 12:55 PM

....and another although a auto. I can swap a auto to T-5 in less then a day by myself with no lift and I'd figure a weekend for your first time. assuming $200 back from the auto you should be able to do the T-5 swap for less then $700 with used parts

http://forums.corral.net/forums/mustangs-sale-wanted-1987-1993/1325957-1989-mustang-coupe-blue-5-0-all-stock-illinois.html

I am sure Jim can do it just as fast as you, however where did he say that he is going to be helping his kids friend do anything to the car? A kid with minimal mechanical experience should first be doing basic bolt ons.....exhaust, CAI, under drives, not swapping out a whole transmission by him self.

DRK

10-12-2011, 12:59 PM

Waver

10-12-2011, 01:09 PM

If I was you I would kill myself.

Now what does that have to do with him giving his sons friend a recommendation on what car to buy, or what year of car to buy?

You really need to remember the person who is buying the car is not related to Jim, dosnt have a lot of mechanical ability at this point, and is working with a 3,000 budget. There are certian things that should be done first to gain experience before going to a big job like a transmission swap.

oh and just so you know, you dont need to be me to kill your self. If you really want to kill your self, just do it.....I am sure you can find some source online since you spend a aweful lot of time on the computer.

DRK

10-12-2011, 01:29 PM

Now what does that have to do with him giving his sons friend a recommendation on what car to buy, or what year of car to buy?

You really need to remember the person who is buying the car is not related to Jim, dosnt have a lot of mechanical ability at this point, and is working with a 3,000 budget. There are certian things that should be done first to gain experience before going to a big job like a transmission swap.

oh and just so you know, you dont need to be me to kill your self. If you really want to kill your self, just do it.....I am sure you can find some source online since you spend a aweful lot of time on the computer.

I give up, you win another ebattle, you bad mofo you. I'd put you on my ignore list but reading your posts makes me feel better about myself then watching a episode of COPS

Moparjim

10-12-2011, 01:52 PM

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Apparently nearly every thread no matter the topic devolves into some sort of epeening contest lol.

Waver

10-12-2011, 02:08 PM

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Apparently nearly every thread no matter the topic devolves into some sort of epeening contest lol.

Sorry about that, I tried to avoid it. Did you also suggest an LT1 Camaro or TA to him too? Huge aftermarket, more power than a stock 96 mustang gt, and they can be found in good condition for around 3000 as well.

FoxStang

10-12-2011, 02:32 PM

I am sure Jim can do it just as fast as you, however where did he say that he is going to be helping his kids friend do anything to the car? A kid with minimal mechanical experience should first be doing basic bolt ons.....exhaust, CAI, under drives, not swapping out a whole transmission by him self.
No, a kid with minimal mechanical experience should first do basic maintenance. If this is his daily driver there's no reason to add performance parts until the rest of the car is straightened out, which considering a 15-20 year old car, there will be plenty of work to do.

Waver

10-12-2011, 02:42 PM

No, a kid with minimal mechanical experience should first do basic maintenance. If this is his daily driver there's no reason to add performance parts until the rest of the car is straightened out, which considering a 15-20 year old car, there will be plenty of work to do.

I agree with that 100%. My comment was when it was time to mod the car. On my first car, the first "mod" was a K&N filter and a set of fog lamps.

-stew-

10-12-2011, 03:28 PM

Sorry about that, I tried to avoid it. Did you also suggest an LT1 Camaro or TA to him too? Huge aftermarket, more power than a stock 96 mustang gt, and they can be found in good condition for around 3000 as well.

So you think a trans swap on a five speed is to complicated for the unbaptized, but then you recommend LT1 F-Bodies!?!?!??!?!

Waver

10-12-2011, 08:02 PM

So you think a trans swap on a five speed is to complicated for the unbaptized, but then you recommend LT1 F-Bodies!?!?!??!?!

Well chevy parts are cheap, and stock they do offer a better starting point. Besides, Beagz had one, cant be all that hard lol

STANMAN

10-13-2011, 04:51 PM

Just swapping the plugs on an F body is a PITA. Stick with a Fox, they are way easier to work on.

Reverend Cooper

10-13-2011, 09:49 PM

Jim hit up a sn95 94-95,get one with a aode throw a shift kit in it and a lock up stall.any major mods will require a tuner such as a PMS heads cam intake is a cheap mod with inj and maf,there are alot of good used parts out there as well as blower kits that can be had cheap. its a solid rear end 8.8 that car on et streets with 350 at the wheels will do 12.5 all day over 400 or a touch more it will dip into the 11s. if you need any help on one of 94-95s i know them like the back of my hand.

Moparjim

10-14-2011, 09:33 AM

Yeah it sounds like the 94-95 is the best bet for this kid so far. Just to clarify, yeah he has NO experience wrenching but has been in my sons car and my cars and he is interested in getting something musclecar-ish but like I said I am thinking a 13-14 second car even would be plenty fast enough for him, and basically maintenance and bolt ons like exhaust etc. would be about as far as he would go or want to buy a car with, at least in the near or foeseeable future.

Waver

10-14-2011, 10:11 AM

Then stick with the early sn95 or a late model fox.

DurtyKurty

10-14-2011, 12:16 PM

DRK

10-14-2011, 01:59 PM

This may be a decent car, hard to tell from the pics. Looks to have the potential to go high 13s the way it sits
http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/2649606201.html

DRK

10-14-2011, 04:50 PM

Another decent looking car for the money, although it's $3500

http://www.chitownracing.com/forums/showthread.php?190220-89-mustang-gt-fs

Gregor

10-18-2011, 08:04 PM

Waver-

Please for the love of God don't use your old 88 in any Mustang examples. That thing was the biggest pile of shit. The only reason your front clip stayed on was your fenders kept it from falling off. And the only reason your floor pans were not rusted out was because your rear main pissed enough oil to coat them. What you can use your 88 for is a perfect example how your a car salesman and some salesmen can sell anything.

Jim-

I have a 95 Mustang GT. And like any car it has its pro and cons, it seems like people, love it or hate it. But once they find out that it has a 5.0 they seem to love it more. I don't understand it, like a stock 5.0 is fast? Anyways the pros are that it shares the underpinnings of any 79-2004 the body parts od the 94-98. Which is nice for over the counter parts. Some of the cons are it the odd parts like the timing cover plate and the only 2 year run of tail lights. The tail light can be changed out with 96-98 so it not that bad but still only 4 year runs on that part.

If you buy any Mustang there are major structural rust issues, strut towers, cowl, floor pans, quarter panels and torque boxes. And the torque boxes on most foxs are damaged in some way, if not rust. Most V8 mustangs are beat. If you look with Mustangs with him take someone who knows Mustangs of that era.

If you can find one that isn't a rotted out, and the torque box are not ripped out and cheap go for it. They are out there just getting harder to find. He would better off going down South, out West or look carefully of the areas that I mentioned. Or he could also google Mustang rust.

Waver

10-19-2011, 10:33 AM

Not going to get into a discussion on this, but I think you have my 88 confused with someone elses...only rust on my car was the strut towers (typical), which I told the guy who bought it from me, and what appeared to be the rear main seal (fixed by fritz when he did the clutch about 6 months after I got the car) wasnt the problem. It was the lower intake gasket, which I fixed shortly there after. When Marv tuned it, he was surprised that it didnt leak. I sold that car about 8 months before I became a car sales person.

Granted, it wasnt perfect, and it was daily driven. However it is more of an example of "you get what you pay for".

DRK

10-19-2011, 08:08 PM

another CL find

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/2651899475.html

-stew-

10-19-2011, 08:29 PM

Dare to be different...

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2612458986.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2605296186.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2625615307.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2626697946.html

Or be cool with a cool 4 eye...

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2596036527.html

Irish

10-19-2011, 08:44 PM

What four eye?

-stew-

10-19-2011, 09:00 PM

Don't sass me.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2596036527.html

PureSound15

10-19-2011, 10:36 PM

Sometimes "different" is just "ugly"

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Irish

10-20-2011, 04:21 AM

another CL find

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/2651899475.html

Potentially, this could be a decent deal!

jakedrew

11-13-2011, 05:14 AM

Maybe Stews mustang would be up for sale. Maybe 2000 $ would buy "they" car? ?

outlawgibbs

11-13-2011, 08:26 AM

Has anyone thought about what this kid is gonna do when the snow flys. I guess Id have to agree that the 94-95 would be the best way to go. And who ever said that aftermarket parts are cheap for an LT1 never opened their eyes at what it really costs. However you are right that the Lt1 will get you more power stock vs stock and much better fuel milage then a fox body which again no one here has thought about. Hes a kid, I dout he can afford driving around in a car that at best pulls high teens on the freeway. The only down fall to playing with a 4th gen Fbody is I wouldnt want anyone to try to do anything under the hood.

fivonut

11-13-2011, 09:22 AM

Sorry about that, I tried to avoid it. Did you also suggest an LT1 Camaro or TA to him too? Huge aftermarket, more power than a stock 96 mustang gt, and they can be found in good condition for around 3000 as well.

If this kid has the support, I know of a 32,000 +/- 96 SS chassis and parts that need to be assembled into a complete car. The chassis was bare, the parts came from a wrecked 96 Z28. It would be a good learning opportunity for someone who wants to get into wrenching, but he would need a lot of support. Assembling a stripped car is a lot of work.

-stew-

11-14-2011, 04:53 PM

Maybe Stews mustang would be up for sale. Maybe 2000 $ would buy "they" car? ?

Is that you, kidcougar?

jakedrew

11-14-2011, 05:46 PM

Nope, I am not kid couger. Just another fan of how awesome you are Stew. ;)

Good luck and keep us updated on what the kid(not stew) ends up coming up with for a car.

outlawgibbs

11-14-2011, 08:57 PM

Dont know if its to late or not but i may have a 99 T-top Camaro with only 98k miles available soon

Gregor

11-20-2011, 09:51 PM

if he is still looking this isnt a bad deal.

http://www.brewcitymuscle.com/forum/showthread.php?53089-84-coupe

-stew-

11-26-2011, 06:16 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1995-Ford-Mustang-GT-5-0-5-speed-/250939813386?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3a6d2dae0a

HY35F2T

11-27-2011, 11:16 PM

Foxbody lx and then a explorer motor either p or non p heads on it with a small cam.Get any foxbody with a decent driver into the 12's all day.Took my lincoln mark 7 from piss slow to running right next to cars that run low 13's.And that was when i was on street tires.Which is useless in 1st and 2nd gear.

I still get 20's for gas mileage in my vert fox so idk what these people are talking about the mid teens.

Also when the snow flys well buy some winter tires.I know of a few people who drove there fox in the snow and they had a 20min drive everyday.