about to buy a 5.0

im looking at an 89 LX 5.0 with 80,000 miles on it. the only mods done to it are 3.73 gears and a 155lph fuel pump. it is an automatic. As it sits right now, what should this car run in the quarter mile if the engine is in perfect shape??

To me the only draw back is the automatic.

It should run, low 14s.

If its rust free, and is good Mech running order, it sounds like a very nice car, because 80k, is nothing for a Mustang of that year. That is some very low miles.

Make sure to do a leak down test, that will tell you a lot about the engine.

I'm going to have to disagree Skyline. I'm willing to bet it will run 14.8-15.1 in the 1/4. If it were stick with 3.73's, then I would say low 14's. That AOD in stock form is better used as a paper weight.

Ya, Ya...I meant HIGH 14s...Thats the ticket;)

what do you mean leak down test? and how do you do so? the car is as far as i can tell rust free, the paint is in horrible shape b/c some guy tried to do it himself and it didnt work, but what more can you ask for a $3,500 car :)

A leak down test measures how well the cylinder maintains compression pressure. If the pressure in the cylinder leaks off quickly (when the piston is at TDC), you could have worn rings, valves, etc. Leakage is measured by removing the spark plug and screwing a gauge in place of it.

oh, i know what youre talkin about, i had to do that in autotech class the other day, turns out the 2nd cylinder on the mazda had no compression lol....but thas another story. if the cylinder/s didnt maintain pressure what is the most money that would cost to have fixed (just parts) i get free labor.

Depends on what is wrong with the engine? If it the vlave, a head job should only run you a few hundred.

If its a cylinder, the block could need a complete rebuild.

Find out what/if it needs anything?

If it only has 80k on the clock, and was maintained well. You should have no problems.

well, thanks for all the info, i'll just have to wait until i see the car before i can really do anything, but is this year model a 4lug or a 5lug?

here are my plans for the car, after months and months of saving, i want to (in one weekend) have the car painted black, get some 17" chrome torq thrust II's and full flowmaster exhaust. after that im not sure what mods i should do to the engine, i am on an extremely tight budget so if you guys could help me get started in the right direction id appreciate it. and what type headers should i get? long tube, shorties, equal length?? on and another thing, i would have to keep this car very reliable for daily driving.

it is a 4 lug, paint cannot be done in one weekend, and full length headers are better than shorties, but are more expensive, and illegal in California and some other smog states. BBK makes great headres (I use their long ones) and go well with flowmasters.
Sorry to inform you, but the Torq thrust II's are only available in 5 lug, and will not fit your car untill you change to 5 lug setup. The car sounds great otherwise.

thanks for the info, i wasnt sure if the stangs were 4 or 5 lug so i guess im gonna have to find a new wheel, but my friend works at a custom auto body shop and they do paint in one clearcoated and everything if its primered the day before. but thanks for all the information.

"they do paint in one clearcoated"

You mean they do a single stage. Two stage looks a lot better, but it comes down to money. That is why I paint my own cars.

oops i meant to say..."they do paint and everything in one day, clearcoated and everything..." sorry about that.

They do the prep work, and the paint in one day? Thats not good.

It takes me weeks

prep one day, paint the next, and if its got "trash" or whatever then they'll wetsand it and clearcoat it again for free, its actually top notch service, they painted my friends truck and i like how it turned out.

i may be wrong on a few things, i'll ask him the next time i see him.

oh it doesnt matter much anymore the car got sold :banghead: :disappoin