How the time flies. These were everywhere back in the day, but that day is now almost thirty years ago. Good luck trying to find an unmolested one, like nifticus did. It’s even got the period-correct bra. I can just hear the growl of its twin exhausts. And feel the shifter for the T-5 transmission slide into first. And smell a bit of burning rubber on a brisk take-off. What do you see, hear and feel?
My only real memory of being in one of these cars is very dark. A neighbor’s 19 year old son special ordered a 1989 LX 5.0 notchback, black with black interior. He made sure the car had absolutely NO options, not even a radio. He wanted it to be as light as possible to be as fast as possible. Well, he waited for 2 months for the car to arrive. His father told me he and his wife were so against the purchase, but the son had saved money for years to buy one so it was his choice. When the car finally arrived his son brought it over to my house to show me and take me for a ride. All I remember is that car feeling like a rocketship. I remember thinking it was scary it was so fast. Sadly, he was nearly killed in that car only a week after he bought it. He was racing a friend and lost control, totaling the car after hitting a pole. He was in critical condition for several weeks, and to this day has many issues because of the accident. His father had the worst vibe about him getting that car and sadly it was true.
@ Tom C. :
This is precisely why I sent my Son to professional riding school when he was 14 ~ I’d already bought him his own Moto to ride to High School and it was obvious he was seriously into speed , I made sure he understood how to drive fast correctly not teach him my ‘ old school ‘ (whatever) ways…..
By the time he graduated from Motos into cars , he’d seen a lot of mayhem and others crippled by foolishness .
He started off in Imports and in time bought a ’67 Buick GS and raced that , he never wrecked his vehicles and still races competitively , drags as well as track .
Both of us like to screw around and do foolish (?) things when behind the wheel but knowing the physics and other factors involved means one can make better choices about when and where to cut loose .
-Nate
Nate, you are so right. People do not realize they are getting into a machine that can kill them in an instant. Good call on the driving school.
I am so very lucky I wasn’t killed by my foolishness and Teenaged stupidity , I’d have been a very bad parent to have done anything else .
Interestingly , I got him his first Motocycle when he was in the 9th grade as a teaching of responsibility thing , he passed with flying colors , he never got stopped .
Parenting is tough and a double – edged sword .
-Nate
I used to have the Majorette brand dinky car toys of both the hatchback and convertible version of these Mustangs. I remember seeing one of these driving in the snow and fishtailing all over the road about 15 years ago. I have never driven one but the 5.0L badge has always intrigued me. I did know an older gentleman who still hung on to his ’86 (or older) Mustang with the quad headlights, but the burgundy paint looked faded and the suspension looked like it was sagging when I saw it a few years ago.
A older guy at one of my Summer jobs in 2004 also drove an old red Mustang notchback with the 4 cylinder engine and auto transmission. The paint was faded and a little rust was showing. He said that it could be insured as a compact, but I was thinking that a 4 cylinder engine defeats the point of owning a Mustang. He said that he had another one at home that was standard.
What bothers me is that these cars used to make some nice, descent, cheap and fast wheels or projects cars. They could be picked up used in the $3000 range at one point. Now everything has to be an expensive “classic” with good examples priced at $10,000 or more.
An ’87 convertible with 2000 kms (1200 miles) selling for $32,900 (Canadian):
http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Mustang/Toronto/Ontario/5_20256062_ON20080116103724750/?showcpo=ShowCPO&orup=1_15_12
An ’89 GT with 11,620 km for $23,995 (Canadian):
http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Mustang/Toronto/Ontario/5_22126574_ON20080116103724750/?showcpo=ShowCPO&orup=2_15_12
Don’t tell me that, my friend sold her 1991 GT convertible with 58,000 one owner female owned all stock for $3200 just 4 years ago. She should have held out for more.
Saw a primered white white 79-82 hatch today, now those have REALLY disappeared.
1985 Capri RS 5.0 4-eyed Fox; worst car I ever owned. Great beater for the shipyards, tho…
I used to think these were so ugly and didn’t see the appeal. Then I went to the street races in my town (this was in the mid 90’s) and saw these things run like crazy. But what really appealed to me was the sound! Something about that ford smallblock with the roller cam and flowmasters!