New to this and mechanically clueless

tylerself94 · Aug 17, 2010

I am new to the Mustang world. I know that I like them. I have a late 60's early 70's 302 that my grandpa gave me and I want to put it into a '90 LX that I am looking at that has a 4 cyl in it.

M<y stepdad is a Mustang guy from way back. He knows the first gen Mustangs and is a good mechanic.

I know I want a car that is fast and handles well.

Can anyone give me a little direction? Who carries parts? What can I make this thing do? My stepdad says that a 275hp 302 would excite me enough, but that seems a little tame compared to what I have seen on TV.

Oh yeah, I'm 15. I get my license next month. My mom has a 2003 Mustang GT that I LIKE to drive.

madspeed · Aug 18, 2010

You'd be better off picking up a V8 Mustang and learning from there... here's a quick little read that will give you an idea of what needs changed...

READ ME

madspeed · Aug 18, 2010

Let me google that for you

jrichker · Aug 18, 2010

Buy the '90 LX 4 cylinder and drive it until you are old enough to make payments and full insurance on a V8 Mustang. Turning a newly minted 15 or 16 year old driver loose on a 5.0 Mustang is a hazard to the newbie driver and the rest of us. High powered cars are very unforgiving in slippery conditions, and a lack of driving experience compounds the problem. A 5.0 Fox Mustang will swap ends in the blink of an eye on a wet road. It is amazing how quick the driver becomes a passenger with limited control in an unpleasant situation.

dave181760 · Aug 18, 2010

jrichker said:
Buy the '90 LX 4 cylinder and drive it until you are old enough to make payments and full insurance on a V8 Mustang. Turning a newly minted 15 or 16 year old driver loose on a 5.0 Mustang is a hazard to the newbie driver and the rest of us. High powered cars are very unforgiving in slippery conditions, and a lack of driving experience compounds the problem. A 5.0 Fox Mustang will swap ends in the blink of an eye on a wet road. It is amazing how quick the driver becomes a passenger with limited control in an unpleasant situation.

this is very true i agree

dave181760 · Aug 18, 2010

tylerself94 said:
I am new to the Mustang world. I know that I like them. I have a late 60's early 70's 302 that my grandpa gave me and I want to put it into a '90 LX that I am looking at that has a 4 cyl in it.

M<y stepdad is a Mustang guy from way back. He knows the first gen Mustangs and is a good mechanic.

I know I want a car that is fast and handles well.

Can anyone give me a little direction? Who carries parts? What can I make this thing do? My stepdad says that a 275hp 302 would excite me enough, but that seems a little tame compared to what I have seen on TV.

Oh yeah, I'm 15. I get my license next month. My mom has a 2003 Mustang GT that I LIKE to drive.

i would find a donor car it will be alot cheeper trust me did the swap.

things you will need if your staying 4lug spindles, rotors, pads, calipers, struts, v8 springs. you can use 4cyl if wanted it will lower it a bit, you'll need struts and shocks, sway bar, brake booster and master cyl, you'll also wanna get v8 brake lines the soft lines going to caliper and swap the master cyle, lies from prop to master, bleed it all when you do the rear swap. i havint done the rear yet so i wont be much help there, also you'll need engine harness for a 90 since its a standalone year, and you'll need a head light harness from a v8 cause of alt, so when you add it all up it will bw cheaper to buy a v8 stang or you can go to town on the swap learn alot and have fun. o and also you'll need to swap fuel lines.

madspeed · Aug 19, 2010

ABOARD by the way...

Bottom line my friend, it can be converted to a V8, done everyday, BUT, it is time consuming and requires some mechanical aptitude. Not something you want to take on for your first experience.

I would walk away and look for a V8 car instead, will be cheaper in the long run for you, and you can drive it around all day long while you look for go fast goodies for it!!

Bills89GT · Aug 20, 2010

I bought my mustang when i was 15. it HAD a 4 cyl in it, I drove it for quite a while and loved having the great gas milage, cheap insurance and no speeding tickets.. im now 21 and just finished swapping it to a v8. To do simple stock 4cyl to stock V8 swap is not difficult at all for someone with basic mechanical skills as long as the swap is done with a parts car of the same year and transmission and you do lots of homework. I made it difficult on myself and swapped my interior, exterior, brakes, and a wild V8 with a parts car that even though it was only 2 years newer and looked the same, was completely different...

So my advise to you... buy the car and leave it a 4 cyl

Oh and don't pay attention to what you see on TV!! You're 15, to have a nice looking fox body stang at that age is reason enough to be proud!

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