[LSX Freak]

What's up guys, new to the boards here. Looked and looked and finally chose on this forum. I am a Chevy junkie through and through, but something about the foxbody mustang has always reeled me in. I'll save you guys from asking for the cliff notes but basically I chose this car because my Dad built it for someone when I was young, so I know it was built right and no corners were cut. I decided I was ready for my first muscle car and I managed to track down the owner of the car and picked it up for $3,500 bucks.











The car started as a black 1990 LX 5-speed. The PO had it stripped, media blasted, and repainted canary yellow and added a GT kit. Hotchkis suspension was added when the car was put back together. From there, the following was done:

BBK equal length shorty headers
high flow cats
Flowmaster 40 series mufflers
Edelbrock Performer EFI intake manifold
BBK 65mm throttle body
New Ford Racing block (machine shop damaged the original so a new one was bought)
Ported and polished the stock heads
Small cam (not sure of profile, but not very lopey)
JE flat top pistons (Stock Bore)
BBK short throw shifter
24lb/hr injectors

I picked up the car as shown in the top 2 pics. The LX wheels looked terrible on there and had to go ASAP. Next step was get rid of the dorky looking exhaust tips, so I took it to the exhaust shop and addressed that issue. Had the cats removed and mufflers placed in front of the rear axle and turned down. Sounds tons better now. Since picking it up and doing what was just mentioned the following was also done:

Black Cobra R's
245/45/17 Sumitomo High Performance HTR
275/40/17 Nitto 555R
BBK CAI
NGK Iridium IX Plugs(Not pictured)
MSD 8.5mm Wires(Not pictured)

Winter mods include:
1 piece headlights
LX tail lights
Bigger radiator
Electric fan(s)
Electric water pump
Smog pump delete
Underdrive pullies
New ECU tune
New MAF sensor
Roller rockers
Larger cam
Possibly new heads?
Work on Rear suspension for better traction

My only rants about the car are the shaved door handles and launching it. Once the 555R's get warm, 1st gear is still too much and 2nd gear isn't enough. I'm hoping my winter mods will help that issue.

Judging by my username I'm sure you can assume what the long term plan for this ride is. But I figure for now I made a solid choice for a first muscle car even though I don't really know much about Mustangs (or Fords in general for that matter) and hope I can find tips and advice I need here to make this great car even better. Suggestions and criticism are more than welcome.

[S my 5.0]

Nice fox man. Im kinda diggin the yellow =P

[93hatch]

lsx that bitch asap

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by S my 5.0 Nice fox man. Im kinda diggin the yellow =P

That's what I'm sayin. I think the black wheels really make it pop.

Originally Posted by 93hatch lsx that bitch asap

[jkeyz]

There is no need at all for a bigger radiator, you would just be wasting your money. A set of 4.10's in the rear would really wake that bird up.. and i would recommend subframe connectors if they havn't already been done. Maximum Motorsports makes great suspension parts. IMO there won't be much gain from switching to an electric water pump, plus the mechanical one is more reliable, again just my opinion. I would take that money and buy a set of underdrive pulleys. Advancing your timing will free up some ponies as well. Just some budget hp for you to consider since like you said you will end up selling the car. Great looking car btw, looks real clean and well kept. New headlights would make the car look like sex.. Welcome to MM!

[93hatch]

lq4
l92's
vic jr efi

waaaat

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by jkeyz There is no need at all for a bigger radiator, you would just be wasting your money. A set of 4.10's in the rear would really wake that bird up.. and i would recommend subframe connectors if they havn't already been done. Maximum Motorsports makes great suspension parts. IMO there won't be much gain from switching to an electric water pump, plus the mechanical one is more reliable, again just my opinion. I would take that money and buy a set of underdrive pulleys. Advancing your timing will free up some ponies as well. Just some budget hp for you to consider since like you said you will end up selling the car. Great looking car btw, looks real clean and well kept. New headlights would make the car look like sex.. Welcome to MM!

My biggest fear is overheating. I'd love to try and attempt the HotRod Power Tour next year and always read of people's rides overheating. Don't want to join that club! I had a thought at re-gearing but was unsure. Is there any way I can calibrate my speedo to compensate for the gearing? I don't explain things very clearly, so I might have been misunderstood. I plan on slamming an LSX in this car eventually so I'm definitely keeping it.

[93hatch]

google 92 or whatever year mustang speedo gear

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by 93hatch google 92 or whatever year mustang speedo gear

So it can in fact be done. I'll have to add gears to the list then

[ryanw]

Originally Posted by LSX Freak So it can in fact be done. I'll have to add gears to the list then

yes....



And welcome to MM

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by ryanw yes.... And welcome to MM

Thanks. I'm glad I can finally start on a muscle car and have some support. I've messed with a few jacked up chevy and gmc's, but really my first Ford AND muscle car experience and already loving it.

[jkeyz]

I plan on slamming an LSX in this car eventually so I'm definitely keeping it.

ohhh I got ya... But still our cars came with a very reliable cooling system. There are guys running 400-500 hp and using stock radiator. With the mods you plan on doing there is no point for a bigger radiator yet, How many miles is the HotRod Power tour?

[FastStang91Lx]

Originally Posted by LSX Freak Thanks. I'm glad I can finally start on a muscle car and have some support. I've messed with a few jacked up chevy and gmc's, but really my first Ford AND muscle car experience and already loving it.

My support will end when you drop an LS motor in it, lol. Anyway, stock cooling system is only good if it's in good shape. Cores on these radiators can plug. If in doubt, replace it. Couple hundred bucks for piece of mind is worth it. Stock temp gauage is about as accurate as shooting a 22 at 100 yards, so keep that in mind. Oil pressure gauge too.

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by jkeyz ohhh I got ya... But still our cars came with a very reliable cooling system. There are guys running 400-500 hp and using stock radiator. With the mods you plan on doing there is no point for a bigger radiator yet, How many miles is the HotRod Power tour?

It's usually roughly in the 3,000 mile range. I am dying to go and won't be able to this year. I didn't know if re-gearing would send my RPM's through the roof for highway crusing or what, that's why I was worried about the cooling system. I don't plan on doing much more than what's listed for this winter. Once I get that done I'm going to start a build on an LS1 and then work my way up to a boosted LSX. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew at once power wise so I'm working my way up.

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by FastStang91Lx My support will end when you drop an LS motor in it, lol. Anyway, stock cooling system is only good if it's in good shape. Cores on these radiators can plug. If in doubt, replace it. Couple hundred bucks for piece of mind is worth it. Stock temp gauage is about as accurate as shooting a 22 at 100 yards, so keep that in mind. Oil pressure gauge too.

Sorry... I'm an LS junkie!

I'll keep that gauge thing in mind for sure. What about the tach? Will mods mess with those in any way? I haven't wound mine much past 5k, it's been sitting for a few years so I'm still gettin the cob webs blown out and making sure everything is GTG.

[FastStang91Lx]

Tach is off too. Stock rev limiter is 6250, and mine says about 7k before I hit it. Everyone else has similar results. Unless it's been tuned with a chip and had the rev limiter removed, it's probably still in play.

[93hatch]

ls1... lame waste of money

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by FastStang91Lx Tach is off too. Stock rev limiter is 6250, and mine says about 7k before I hit it. Everyone else has similar results. Unless it's been tuned with a chip and had the rev limiter removed, it's probably still in play.

Didn't know they did... I yanked it up to about 5600 the other day and heard something that didn't sound healthy. Figured it was just a couple valves floating. Now I'm worried.

[LSX Freak]

Originally Posted by 93hatch ls1... lame waste of money

It's a start!

[jkeyz]

damn thats a roadtrip lol.. and even though a chevy swap is as wrong as a pregnant nun, an LS motor in a light foxbody with a built rear end is a brutal combo. Its good your going to work on the 302 motor and get familiar with it and ford pushrod motors in general