Bought a Mustang this weekend

Great looking Mustang, nice purchase. I also would be tempted to keep it as-is and just daily drive it as a rare 2.3 N/A Fox body.

The 2.3 is a very solid engine. I had an '86 Cougar XR7 with the turbo 2.3 and a 5-speed, and the car was a blast to drive. I also have the original 2.3 in my '94 Mazda B2300 (Ford Ranger) and it still runs like a watch after 24 years of hard service and city driving. I commute every day in Pittsburgh traffic in that truck and it performs just fine.

I personally have an '09 Mustang GT, but it's in winter storage until all the salt gets rinsed off the road surfaces. :biggrin:
 
Launches are mostly what hurts the gears. I won't be doing much of that.

Having said that, he has bigger, better everything ready to go. He's trying to convince me to go to 5-bolt axles for better brakes and a larger wheel selection.
 
I hear ya. I won't be building it,just getting a great deal on an already built engine that only has maybe 2,000 miles on it.

I'd probably go with something revvy and has a lumpy idle for auditory pleasure.

I've been around fast cars my whole life, but I'll mostly probably just lean into it every once in a while. I'll leave the stop light antics to the youngsters.

Even at my rapidly advancing age, I still appreciate a car that will break the ass-end loose when you rip second gear.... :)
 
Sounds like it’s gonna be a nice project. Make sure to post updates. Always cool to see another mustang build. :)
 
I'm guessing the 4 cyl cars came with rather wimpy rears and gearboxes.

to an extent. The rear is likely the 7.5, which is what the early V8 cars came with. Stock 5.0 will do OK with it but it has it's limits. The trans gearing is all wrong though. Very short first gear, so with a V8 its closer to feeling like a truck transmission than a car. That and its just not as strong as the V8 version. The T5 isn't exactly the most robust transmission ever made to begin with, and the 4 banger ones are weaker than the V8 ones.
 
Looks sharp with the 10-hole wheels. You could put GT emblems on it, hang a fake pipe out the rear on the passenger side, put LETS GO on the license plate and then blow off anyone that asks to race . . .

Maybe a chip amp and outdoor speaker hidden with s 5.0 or cobra soundtrack:idea:
 
I've seen anything in the Fox bodies besides any size SB Ford in the Hot Rod/Car Craft mags. over the years from SB & BB Chev's , LS GM to Duramax 6.6L from the pickups. The Modular 4.6 & Coyote 5.0 have picked up in popularity nowdays.
 
I just doubt many people did the BMW oil burner in a Mustang. usually when you do motor swaps its to go faster. I have my doubts that the 2.4 turbo diesel is faster than a 2.3 EFI gas motor. It might be faster than the early 80s carb version. Definitely not faster than the 8 plug version of the 2.3 though.
 
One negative of V/8 's are they hurt the cornering, but that built like a tank (so heavy) 2.3L could use an aluminium head and they are available! A turbo then could be added for lot's of fun!
 
Go full electric. You could source the parts easily I’d think... hell, I heard they’re launching old cars into space now just to get rid of them. ;)
 
I have a 1993 fox body LX 5.0. Stock everything except for factory short shifter. 63K miles.
 

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Nice fox body. Almost everyone loves the Mustang. It's probably the most loved car ever made. I still get smiles and comments on my S550 and it's been out a while.
 
I'm surprised at how many people strike up a conversation about it. I've driven it to work four days and driven it on the weekends and I bet about eight people have started talking to me about it, mentioning their Fox body.
 
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I'm surprised at how many people strike up a conversation about it. I've driven it to work four days and driven it on the weekends and I bet about eight people have started talking to me about it, mentioning their Fox body.
Enjoy it brother. All mustangs are good!
 
Beautiful ride:thumbsup: I don't recall seeing too many in this color around my area.

I've seen quite a few V8 swaps and eventually I found problems with all of them. The drivetrain, efi wiring harness, suspension, brakes(the entire system), ecm, instrument cluster...nearly all of it is different. It's still easy to find a v8 donor car for all the needfuls. You can re-pin the existing 4cyl efi harness rather than replace it.

I've had some terrible and some absolutely terrifying experiences with this chassis. I can recommend a few parts that will help keep it on the road.
Sticky tires: Sumitomo was the good compromise in price vs. wear the last I've checked.
Big brakes: 1994+ Mustang Cobra brakes. Griggs 4on4, Wilwoods, big Brembos....all good.
Chassis stiffening: I've had the foot box close in on me in a crash and these saved my feet from being severed.
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Full-Length-Subframe-Connectors-1979-04-bare-P580.aspx
Rear end deficiencies: This will address the rear end axle wrap and side to side play.
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Torque-arm-Package-1979-98-Mustang-P341.aspx
 
I'd leave in stock as there's way too much that goes into a different engine transplant. Plus that low milage 4 banger should give you years of service.

If you want performance, Mustang GT's are cheap and plentiful.
 
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