Updating a 25th Anniversary Mustang(56k warning)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sanji Himura
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Sanji Himura

Sanji Himura

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Azle, TX
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supermanfromazle
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SanjiHimura
I've put several hours thought into updating and modernizing what should be a classic car, a 1989 Ford Mustang. When my family came into possession of the car, the transmission was(and still is) shot. The aging automatic transmission can not maintain overdrive, and as a result, is forcing its 2.3L engine to work out harder than it should.

Objectively, what I want to do is overhaul the car. New flappy paddle transmission(if possible), new, more beefier engine, and freshen up the interior and exterior. I took a pre-project photoshoot to give you gentlemen an idea of what the car looks like now:

mustangint.jpg


The interior. The passenger seat is reclined up because I took the picture while my parents were sleeping, and the seat would make a ping sound when I push it back.

mustangpainttag.jpg


The paint tag. I assume that it is white, but I preserve it to get it as close to factory paint as possible.

mustangeng1.jpg


Engine Part 1. Taken to prove that it is a whimpy 4 cylcinder.

mustangeng2.jpg


Engine Part 2. To get a good view from the front.

mustangdent.jpg


Fender dent. I have to do body work on this puppy.

mustangrear.jpg


The rear. I have some work to do from there as well.
 
Sanji Himura
Objectively, what I want to do is overhaul the car. New flappy paddle transmission(if possible), new, more beefier engine, and freshen up the interior and exterior.
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RE: Transmission

Not possible in a car this old. Your options would be to fix the automatic as it is, or swap it out to a manual gearbox. That's really about it.

RE: Engine

It being the 2.3L, Ford did offer a turbocharged variant in the Turbo GT and SVO. Adapting those pieces to the standard unit may be expensive, let alone difficult to find. It would be easier to find a slightly used 5.0L V8 and drop that in.
 
YSSMAN
RE: Transmission

Not possible in a car this old. Your options would be to fix the automatic as it is, or swap it out to a manual gearbox. That's really about it.

RE: Engine

It being the 2.3L, Ford did offer a turbocharged variant in the Turbo GT and SVO. Adapting those pieces to the standard unit may be expensive, let alone difficult to find. It would be easier to find a slightly used 5.0L V8 and drop that in.
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While you are absolutely right on the tranny stuff, he doesn't have to look for turbo engines in Mustangs. Cougar XR7s and Thunderbird Turbo coupes also were available with those engines (and I think some Merkurs?), and they can run pretty strong. Altough of course I'm all for a V8 swap on one of these things.
 
I'm going to spend some time tomorow taking more pictures. I think that I have come to a consensus that the engine that I have now is a SVO, so any turbo or supercharger that I put in will fit right at home.

So right now, I have to re-work(read: modernize) the interior, get the paint to factory color(looked up the color code), fix "minor" dents on the car body, install a turbocharger to the engine and fix the transmission before I can even consider, as I found out today, to take it to the drag strip.
 
Sanji Himura
I'm going to spend some time tomorow taking more pictures. I think that I have come to a consensus that the engine that I have now is a SVO, so any turbo or supercharger that I put in will fit right at home.

So right now, I have to re-work(read: modernize) the interior, get the paint to factory color(looked up the color code), fix "minor" dents on the car body, install a turbocharger to the engine and fix the transmission before I can even consider, as I found out today, to take it to the drag strip.
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The engine you've got at present is a slightly weaker version of the one used in the SVO Mustang, yes.

To build power with it, you'll want to go turbo obviously, but you'll also want to get a stronger rotating assembly to cope with it if you're planning on running much over 250hp. It's certainly not as simple as just adding a turbo.
 
Resto log: Day 1 - took more pictures of the car, mainly in the interior and undercarriage looking at the rear end. Pretty much decided to rebuild the transmission and replace the rear end with a '98 cobra mustang one.
 
Rotary Junkie
The engine you've got at present is a slightly weaker version of the one used in the SVO Mustang, yes.

To build power with it, you'll want to go turbo obviously, but you'll also want to get a stronger rotating assembly to cope with it if you're planning on running much over 250hp. It's certainly not as simple as just adding a turbo.
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Oh, that rotating assembly is getting the upgrade too. I just got to order the right parts for the job after all.
 
Resto Log:

Transmission fixed. Still an automatic. Cosmetic work done on the hood(a new paint job). Picture forth coming.
 
i think think its going to be really difficult to set up automatic transmission in this 1989 Ford Mustang. its would better if you set it back to manual one. or consult a expert.
 
drakelouis29
i think think its going to be really difficult to set up automatic transmission in this 1989 Ford Mustang. its would better if you set it back to manual one. or consult a expert.
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I did consult an transmission expert to fix the trans. The car shifts more smoothly than it did before it went into the shop, and it can actually stay in overdrive.
 
Pfff.. Volvo 16v head from their 2.3l B234F is common swap to this motor. Requires a bit of tinkering though.
 
astrosdude91
Put a Toyota engine in it. 1UZ or 2JZ. It will decimate all.
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Don't EVER put a POS JDM engine in an American vehicle.


If you want an Automatic transmission, a C4 or C6 transmissions are some of the best to ever be built in the states, simply because they can take a lot of power with little to no work, are heavy duty and you can beat the living hell out them and they still work. I'm not saying this because I'm a Ford guy, I'm saying it because most people would agree.
 
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Sanji Himura
I think my tranny is a C4, Slash. I'll take a look see and make sure.
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C4's do not have overdrive. You more tahn likely have an AOD transmission or a E40D depnding on the year. More than likely an AOD and neither are very good.
 
You're right, since the transmission housing just cracked, so that means another rebuild at the shop. I'm going to look at transmissions now.
 
Slashfan
Don't EVER put a POS JDM engine in an American vehicle.
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Why not? there's LSx motors in Porsches, S2K's, Miatas, RX-7's, GT-R.. so why not a Japanese motors in US piles of junk? ;)


And I still think that 16v head from B234F and nice snail next to it would be cheaper and more uncommon solution than the typical "V8 in everything". :sly:
 
Leonidae@MFT
Why not? there's LSx motors in Porsches, S2K's, Miatas, RX-7's, GT-R.. so why not a Japanese motors in US piles of junk? ;)


And I still think that 16v head from B234F and nice snail next to it would be cheaper and more uncommon solution than the typical "V8 in everything". :sly:
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People get very funny. I've seen article were people have literally killed others over that kind of thing :rolleyes:
 
sumbrownkid
Were those people Australian?
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No.


But swapping in a foreign motor will anger plenty of people and keeping it American would leave the feel of driving an American car. They obviously pruchased the Mustang for a Mustang so why not swap in a Mustang engine?
 
dennisch
be different. Keep it slow
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ftfy.


Slashfan
No.


But swapping in a foreign motor will anger plenty of people and keeping it American would leave the feel of driving an American car. They obviously pruchased the Mustang for a Mustang so why not swap in a Mustang engine?
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Yeah, the 2.3L Mustang is by far the pinnacle of American motoring. You'd totally ruin it by putting in anything else.
 

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