1986 Improving 5.0 Performance

[rose62]

I'm considering the purchase of an '85-'86, 5.0 car. How easy would it be to get Mustang GT performance (7-second 0-60, quarter in the low 14 sec. range) with the T-bird. Are they MAF or MAP? I'd go with an auto.

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[Tom Alpers]

I'm considering the purchase of an '85-'86, 5.0 car. How easy would it be to get Mustang GT performance (7-second 0-60, quarter in the low 14 sec. range) with the T-bird. Are they MAF or MAP? I'd go with an auto.

I had an 88 mustang KX 5.0 with 5-speed. It was the last year for the MAP I think. It was very fast but not sure it was low 14 fast. I beat some corvettes (probably automatics) at stoplight gran prix's. Also had a 90 LX 5.0 which had the MAF but it had an automatic. It did not feel anywhere near as fast as the 88. I have a 99 4.6 GT with auto and it's way faster then the 88 was.

 

[missinglinc]

I'm considering the purchase of an '85-'86, 5.0 car. How easy would it be to get Mustang GT performance (7-second 0-60, quarter in the low 14 sec. range) with the T-bird. Are they MAF or MAP? I'd go with an auto.

It depends a lot on what your budget is, and what your skills and abilities are. It can be done of course, but it's not a simple matter of a bolt on and go. If I remember correctly the 85 models used a TBI or throttle body injection system, while I think the 86 was multi point EFI. I owned an 87 with a 5.0 that I raced once, bone stock and ran 17 second 1/4 mile times. I have also owned several 5.0 Mustangs, but somehow never took one down the 1/4 mile, but seat of the pants feel the Mustangs were noticeably faster, obviously lighter and better gearing.
You could swap in the wiring harness, PCM, etc, but would still not have the H.O. camshaft or cylinder heads, exhaust, etc. I don't remember if the H.O. engines had higher compression ratios or not, but the horsepower rating differences from the Mustang 5.0 to the standard passenger car engine was at least 25 or more.
If you had the budget, I would go with a stroker engine, matched torque convertor, and rear axle gearing to reach your goal. All that aside, my current 97 Tbird 4.6 is likely a good bit quicker than a similar 85 or 86 5.0 'Bird, and my 89 Super coupe 5 speed is a little bit quicker, both are bone stock, have not had either one to the drag strip yet, but plan to one day.

For simple comparison sake, the 1970 Dodge Dart that I built in the late 1990s/early 2000s ran a mild 360 4 barrel with a decent cam, headers, 3 inch exhaust and 3.23 rear gears would consistently run 13.80s in the 1/4 mile at 100 mph, car weight with me was around 3700 pounds and horsepower was around 300-325.