85 5.0 Mustangs
 

What makes the 85 Fox body 5.0 combo so good, that it hold 7 stock records. And why no SA records ?
and where are the 88,89,90s fuel injected Mustangs ?

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Hey Rory,,, you may want to jump in here and enlighten this gentleman regarding this combo,,,my 2 cents.
Danny Durham

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Slickfoot, 1985 was the last year of the carburated 5.0 Mustang. It used a Holley 4-barrel carb and are stick only. The automatic version was fuel injected.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Gary Summers makes this combo look easy, if it was easy everbody would be doing it. Looks like alot of hard work and testing that he does, my hats off to him. Wish my car was that fast. I dont think it is just a stick thing put a good C4 in it, it would still fly. The later fox bodys are easy to get under the index say .5 -.6 undar, but bad *** fast is all cubic dollars on a dyno and parts. Just like any other combo.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

The 83-84 non- hydraulic roller is lumped in with the 85. It's apples and oranges. And its not anywhere close to .5 -.6 under with good parts and a lot of testing. I should have listened to Alex D several years ago. The 83 turbo 2.3 stick is a competitive combo, not sure of the 83-84 CFI 5.0 auto combo being competitive.

Sean

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Thanks gentlemen I'm enlightened. I'm building a 89 L/S , comming back into drag racing after 43 years. I better look for a diff. class.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Sean, I think west coast was referring to the 87-93 combination being a good, cheap combination. You may never be low qualifier, but getting one to run .50-.60 under is very doable on a reasonable budget. We might even be able to call it a dime rocket!

I think the '85 is a good combination also. There have been a handful of them over the years in Stock and SS, and I think that all of them have run well.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

What is a good combo for an 89 stick car , like I said it's been 43years for me . and what do you mean by dime rocket

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

The term "dime rocket" originated from a thread by Billy Nees from a couple of years ago. Check it out, it's an awesome read: http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=34410

Anyof the '87-'93 5.0 HO combinations (they're all very similar, if not the same from '87 to '93) are good, either with a stick or an automatic!

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

^^ Marty Buth does well with the 83-84 Mustang 2.3 Turbo. ( Auto trans tho)

83-84 CFI 5.0 automatics are way over factored. Too high for that tiny CFI throttle body.


1985 4 bbl Mustang 5.0 combo had the hydraulic roller cam and the heads were better than the 83-84 4 bbl Mustang.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Yes I was referring to the 87-93 mustangs. they are quite economical to start in stock. 87-93 all are the same spec in the guide except for the hp rating, 1988 is the best hp rating. go through the NHRA guide there are lots of combos of this car, LX,GT, hatchback, notchbacks trunk cars and convertibles. There are quite a of use racing them on the west coast here at least a couple at each race. If you all ready have a car check your option on which year is the best for you. I was only a couple grand into a car, most for the car with a stock cam and could run under the index. the rest of the money was spent on rear end and trans-converter. Slickfoot what division are you in, most mustang guys are really helpful.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

I'm in div. 1 , I have talked with Shawn Allsup from Calf. he was very helpful about his K/S fox . We talk about the rear end and contol arms.
I just finsh the rear axle on my car , I thought it would be a good place to start befoe I put slicks on it. and start breaking stuff.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

^^^ And if someone wants a different bodystyle, a '87-'88 Thunderbird can run Stock with the same year Mustang 5.0 engine. (auto only)

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

The best part is you dump the race gas, fill it up with pump gas and bracket race it every weekend.....................love my 5.0L. The best race car I ever had.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Don't get discouraged! Assistance is just a phone call away.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Thanks Shawn

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Mark Walton ran the 2.3 stick combo in both a T-Bird and an 83 Mustang and set a few records.

The 83-85 heads, intakes and carbs are all the same except for casting numbers.

As for the author of this thread, everyone is here to help.

What trans and clutch are you going to run? Sorry if I derailed your post.

Sean

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

The trans. is a stock T5 and the clutch as well. I'm leaning towards a C4, looking for a good price for a complete package. I'm still open to a stick package also. I put this season's money in the rearend.
I had fell off the roof of my Airstream in June and broke my left foot, the Doc. would not let me drive the Mustang , that's why I took the time to do the rear part of the car. I did race a Hemi quadcab and a Civic Si all summer just to try to stay sharp on the tree.
Jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Ouch !! on the foot !!

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Like Sean said, the 85 4 barrel heads are esentially the same as the 83-84 heads, in fact the same D8 heads were used on 302 2 barrel from 78 until Ford stopped making them. The only change for the 85s E5 casting was to add a clearance notch to allow the removal of the taller hyd. roller lifters without needing to remove the heads.
As for running a stick trans, I would not waste my time with a stock T5. When I first started running my 85 Mustang, I too thought it would be much cheaper than buying a good trans, by the end of that first year, I had 2 broken T5s, and a bent mainshaft that was replaced1/2 way thru the season. I put a Jerico and McLeod Soft Lok clutch in the car in 2004, and other than changing the trans oil occassionly, I have not touched the trans since. Same thing with the rearend, the stock Traction Lock and axles are not up to the task with a stick, although the axles would likely live with an automatic, the Trac Lock will let you down, and NHRA mandates aftermarket axles with a spool. Best to get some good pieces from the start.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

I ran an 87 GT from 2000 thru 2003. We went 11.90's in M/SA with more left in it. So not all 5.0's have to be 85's. But actually I think the 85 head flows better than the 87-93 E7TE head.





Bret Velde

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

We all know my 86 heads don't flow at all.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

^^^ Thanks for the clarification.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Jim
Bobby Fazio I believe runs or is going to be running a foxbody, he is on the east coast and my be helpfull he is also a stick guy. Sounds like you aready have the car what model? PM me can give you my number. On the trans Rory is right do it right the first time it will cost less money.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

It is 89 HB LX 5 speed , It ran 9.2s in 1/8 on street allseasons tires. When I was out with my foot I did the battle boxs, welded the tubes, Moser axles, studs, and c-clip eliminators, pro 3:90s , and a spool. Grantelli double adjustabe w/ hims on body side uppers and Lakewood liftbar lowers. I have not been able to run since, because of a problem with a over heating right rear brake.
Jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

A 3.90 gear is not nearly low enough if you are going to make this a full time race car.
Even with a 26" tire, that is too high of a gear.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Scott sent you a PM.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Chris
I got thid car a year ago Sept. It is a one owner never driven in the snow car. So each change I make in the car I keep all the parts I replace, incase my son someday wants to put back to stock. When I wanted to do the rear part of the car. I bought a rear end that was started to be built for a bracket car and the 3:90s were in it. It works for now with the 3:35 ist gear and 25in. tire, but your right as I move to the trans and than engine it will need a much bigger tire and lower gear .Thanks for the help and I hope you will be there for this old man as he tries to race with the kids.

Jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

What about the Klacik Brothers?

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

I don't know them , should I? I been out of racing for a long time.
Jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

They race their 5.0's in Stock Eliminator.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Their cars are very nice. See them at Quaker City and Pittsburgh now mostly.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

They appeared in the May 2002 issue of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords. That is where I saw them. Beautiful cars.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

I'll get on Muscle mustang & fast ford on line , and see if I can pull it up.
Thanks
jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

PM'd you. Mitch

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Mitch
Thanks for Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords issue , enjoyed alot, it give a few of the little tricks I need to know . I was wondering how much of gain in HP you can get by .013 in.extra stroke ?

Thank Jim

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Your welcome Jim.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Bring this old thread back up, looks like alot of good info. I continue to collect parts for my 85 gt.

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Good luck on your build. I ran my 85 at Milan last week. My motor is a stocker that I bought for $250 to get the car on the road. My buddy gave me some 1.7 roller rockers so I put those on. It also has a 1/2" intake spacer. I call it my wanna-be stocker. Its not fancy or a show car by any means but I have fun with it. It's a pretty simple setup in my opinion. The DA was about -100' on this pass. I included a link at the bottom which is a video of my car. Also, I have a few other ideas for it so it should be in the 12's soon- without touching the motor. It weighs 2760lbs race ready minus driver.

It went:
1.81-60'
5.293-330'
7.724-594
8.268 @ 82.71mph-660'
12.61-1254'
13.05 @ 101.45-1320'

https://youtu.be/kBmH6F2B6cU

Re: 85 5.0 Mustangs
 

Yes, Bobby Fazio runs a 5.0 car in Stock Eliminator with an Automatic.
He's very knowledgeable on what parts to use.
He's in Pa.