Guess I'm getting an '86 Mustang

kpack5982

kpack5982

Yeah, it was pretty stiff, but eventually a buddy
Jul 13, 2005
325
1
19
Granger, IA
#1
Been looking for another mustang for a while and found a deal I just cant pass up for an 86 Notchback with 5.0L 5 Speed. Not exactly the color I was looking for but that's what paint's for right ? :D Anywhoo I know the pistons were different so it doesn't take well to aftermarket heads without a little work, but what else is different than the fuel injected 87-93 cars. Im super familiar with the EFI with mass air, but i'm kinda just dumb as far as the SEFI which I believe the 86 has and it's speed density as well, correct? Anyways I was just curious of the specs of the engine and what computer it has, Etc.

Prolly gonna do a maf swap, so I'd need a new computer and wiring harness. Or is there some kind of pigtail kit you can add to the current wiring to hook up for mass air?

I'm kinda curious in general so any help will be appreciated. Thanks Guys!!!:nice:
 
#2
kpack5982 said:
Been looking for another mustang for a while and found a deal I just cant pass up for an 86 Notchback with 5.0L 5 Speed. Not exactly the color I was looking for but that's what paint's for right ? :D Anywhoo I know the pistons were different so it doesn't take well to aftermarket heads without a little work, but what else is different than the fuel injected 87-93 cars. Im super familiar with the EFI with mass air, but i'm kinda just dumb as far as the SEFI which I believe the 86 has and it's speed density as well, correct? Anyways I was just curious of the specs of the engine and what computer it has, Etc.

Prolly gonna do a maf swap, so I'd need a new computer and wiring harness. Or is there some kind of pigtail kit you can add to the current wiring to hook up for mass air?

I'm kinda curious in general so any help will be appreciated. Thanks Guys!!!:nice:
Click to expand...


If you're gonna just drive it, leave it. If you start getting into the engine and do the mass air swap, yes you will need a MAF sensor, and computer. You can pick up a pigtail kit for like 10 bucks on ebay that you wire into the main harness. real easy. Obviously if you are doing heads, you'll want to do injectors so buy the right MAF. And yes pistons will be a problem. Depends on how much power you want, my 86 was an animal with just the usual bolt ons - intake, gears et. You may want to just pick up a good used 87+ short block and bolt everything on it.
 
#3
I'm actually gonna go turbo shortly so I'm gonna do a mild turbo cam and have maybe find some twisted wedge if they'd fit or I have some stock ones from a 93 sittin around. Any other suggestions. Its gonna be a 2 to 3 time a week driver with maybe 6lbs of boost
 
#4
I'd bolt that turbo if you're sticking do low boost onto the stock motor with the mass air conversion and some fuel upgrades, tune it and drive it till she blows. Then find a decent shortblock and do your HCI set-up, unless you wanna pull the one you have now and do it. I wouldn't bother with swapping stock heads, hardly worth your time.
 
#5
Hmmm that's a good point. Maybe ill just get it runnin with maf conversion and a turbo, do all the tuning myself (thinkin moates quarterhorse) and then make everything else exceptional like the interior and paint and then when she goes, build her up right
 
#7
Twisted wedge heads will work, but like with anything you need to choose a cam wisely and check P-V clearance. Any other head is a crap shoot.

SEFI= Sequential Electronic Fuel Injection. Mass Air and Speed Density both are SEFI, they just use a different means of metering air. Same system, different sensors, different computer programming.

On the surface, mechanically the '86 looks just like a '87+. The fact is, though, there are a lot of little details about these cars that are slightly different from the '87+ cars. Not stuff that makes them impossible to modify, just little stuff that requires a little bit of homework. For example, the driver's side strut tower is shaped differently than the '87s and makes installing a bigger brake booster (for 5-lug swaps) considerably more difficult. Various fasteners are different, wiring is slightly different, etc.

foureyedpride is a good resource for '86 stuff.
 
#8
I think you should look for another car imo. Going at it with the attitude of I guess I am getting this car isnt too convincing. You should be like Hell yes, I am going to get this car tomorrow. I would look for something newer, if your still shopping around I would look for something already MAF so you wont have to convert anything, the heads on an 86 mustang are beyond horrible, and you wont have much options, not only that but the flat top pistons will result in higher compression which is not optimal for a turbo setup. But if it really is the car you want go for it.
 
#10
mob said:
I think you should look for another car imo. Going at it with the attitude of I guess I am getting this car isnt too convincing. You should be like Hell yes, I am going to get this car tomorrow. I would look for something newer, if your still shopping around I would look for something already MAF so you wont have to convert anything, the heads on an 86 mustang are beyond horrible, and you wont have much options, not only that but the flat top pistons will result in higher compression which is not optimal for a turbo setup. But if it really is the car you want go for it.
Click to expand...

I agree, the '86 heads blow monkey balls, but the increase in compression ratio would be insignificant to really affect how much boost you could run. IIRC, the '86 has a 9.1:1 CR and with aftermarket heads with a 61cc chamber (TF TW) you're only looking at maybe 9.5~9.6:1 CR.
 
#11
First off, the "i guess I'm getting an 86" was more like "Id given up finding a decent four-eyed car, as there just aren't too many in my area, and I was browsing for a decent 89-92 and a lot I was finding were hatchbacks, even tho I really secretly preferred a notch". So it kinda caught me off guard. So I am EXTREMELY excited to get an old 4 eye :rock:

The guy just wants to get rid of it so he just wants $600 for it since I know him. The fuel pump went out last year about this time and he just hasn't had the ambition to put a new one in. I've done one before and in about a 1/2 hour can have a 255lph pump in there and have it running again. Not only that, it'll be good for whatever future mods I decide on.

I also have some self-ported and polished e7 heads and intake that I have about 40 hours or so redoing that just need to be finished up with newer valvesprings and rockers that I could slap on there and kinda check out the motor when I'm in there. It only has like 60k on it and I figure I'd do new gaskets, arp head studs, etc. while I'm at it. And MAYBE a mild turbo cam, which if anybody has suggestions that'd be kewl, but I can do some searching

I guess the biggest thing I wonder about is the SEFI as I'm not familiar with how much difference it is and how much it'll take to either change it if that's what needs done or adapting it to maf, etc.

Appreciate the comments everyone
 
#12
oh and anyone have any pics of the 86 interior in red that's in good shape? This one has red, but I'm not really liking it and thinking of dying it and painting all the trim black
 
#14
Well I got her finally!!!!! 6 hundy and she is all mine.

Has some minor surface rust and needs some dents pulled, but the shock towers and the entire underneath is pretty darn good. Car hasn't been in any fender benders or anything, just some idiot who kicked in the rear quarter a little, some dents that can easily be pulled, and some flaking paint, etc.

It's been sitting for the last 9 years, the last 3 it hadn't been started. We got it to fire up with some fresh gas, but needs a serpentine belt and tires before it is road worthy.

Gonna go thru, check the plugs, put some new wires on it (still has the original and I got a bunch of spare msds i've accrued) check timing, change all the fluids out, etc.

Anything else you guys can think of?

Getting dropped off at my place tomorrow. CAN"T WAIT!!! :D
 
#16
I'll take some pics tomorrow. Just a forewarning tho, the thing hasn't been washed yet and looks darn shameful. :D It'll be interesting where it'll be in a couple months versus how it comes home
 
#20
Here's one i took with a crappy cell phone. Any ideas how to get that stupid chrome piece around the windows off?
 

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