They made it through the 12-month warranty period. That's all that mattered.
Stuff like this is why American car companies had such a bad reputation for quality for so many years. Thankfully, Ford has pretty much turned that around.
Why didn't Ford do it THAT way?
- Thread starter NIKwoaC
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They made it through the 12-month warranty period. That's all that mattered.
Stuff like this is why American car companies had such a bad reputation for quality for so many years. Thankfully, Ford has pretty much turned that around.
These are all good questions. But if you are old enough, "as I am" you'll remember that when these Mustangs were built back in the '80s they were cutting edge.
They were affordable musclecars of their time. LOL Unlike today, these cars were budget hotrods. Ford kept them simple, cheap, powerful for the time, and sold millions of them.
Also they were far superior over Mustangs built from '74 until around '82. Thats when things really started to happen again. An improved 5.0 was back after many years of absence. And actually made decent power for those days. After that, every year offered more power and options.
The SVO's were introduced in '84 and caused quite a stir. They were considered almost "futuristic" with modern/European options such as the inter-cooled turbo, disk brakes, "16inch wheels" have mercy ect, ect. The interior was awesome for that time!
With '85 brought roller cams the return of the 4barrel carb. '86 fuel injection.
In '87 when the aero cars came out along with 225hp/300tq it all went crazy!
Thats when the aftermarket took off and the current 5.0 era started.
As I mentioned up top, These were low cost, strong running, well handling hotrods for the day, cheap and affordable.
Dave,"wythors" Will you believe that when I bought my '88GT vert new it came with a 5yr/60000 mile warranty.
They were affordable musclecars of their time. LOL Unlike today, these cars were budget hotrods. Ford kept them simple, cheap, powerful for the time, and sold millions of them.
Also they were far superior over Mustangs built from '74 until around '82. Thats when things really started to happen again. An improved 5.0 was back after many years of absence. And actually made decent power for those days. After that, every year offered more power and options.
The SVO's were introduced in '84 and caused quite a stir. They were considered almost "futuristic" with modern/European options such as the inter-cooled turbo, disk brakes, "16inch wheels" have mercy ect, ect. The interior was awesome for that time!
With '85 brought roller cams the return of the 4barrel carb. '86 fuel injection.
In '87 when the aero cars came out along with 225hp/300tq it all went crazy!
Thats when the aftermarket took off and the current 5.0 era started.
As I mentioned up top, These were low cost, strong running, well handling hotrods for the day, cheap and affordable.
Dave,"wythors" Will you believe that when I bought my '88GT vert new it came with a 5yr/60000 mile warranty.
Yep came with 5yr/60k. We went through that warranty in a couple of years. 60k in two years. We parked it in '91 with 90k miles on it. Now it has a whopping 126K on it. And with the original clutch.
The point I was trying to get across in my long winded post earlier was the 5.0s were then what the 2011 5.0 is now.
Cutting edge for the time.
The point I was trying to get across in my long winded post earlier was the 5.0s were then what the 2011 5.0 is now.
Cutting edge for the time.
robo
Member
68stang351
Founding Member
As stated before, cost.
They already had the platform in the Falcon, which made the car cheaper. If they had started clean with a full frame car it would've have been a lot more expensive, and probably wouldn't have sold a million Mustangs in a year and a half.
Now it has a whopping 126K on it. And with the original clutch.
Drive like an old woman or what?
You gotta realize you are comparing new cars to 20+ year old cars? When did the seats start leaning? When did the ashtray break? Chances are we were into the sn95 years before those failures started to occur.
Usually parts get revved only when a product is current. So of 1987 ashtrays started failing in 1989, we might have seen a redesign. But once a product is obsolete (1994) then there usually is no support beyond buying aftermarket parts. Don't like your broken ashtray? Buy a new one or just buy a new car. End of story.
This is also the 80s and parts bin swapping was key. If ford could use two parts for one car, it saved money. This is why we have 4-lug brakes...which started in the 70's is a slightly different form. Eventually as ford rolled out new models, they used the same brakes. How many vehicles are fox front spindles compatible woth? A dozen or so? So why does ford need to spend money to develop new 5-lug brakes when they can rob them off a mark 7. Maybe the 4-lug was "fords thing" for all we know?
We will never know why these decisions came about. It's just not really right to sit here 20+ years later and play Monday morning quarterback asking why they didn't engineer these parts sooner and put them on. Initial cost os always higher, so these gt-40 heads prob cost ford big bucks for the tooling back in 1992. Now the tooling has been paid way off, and any head is pure profit. **** trickles downhill right?
We could ask why a model T didn't come with a 5.0? But they just didn't get around to it yet and it would prob have cost 3X the price of the model t.
Usually parts get revved only when a product is current. So of 1987 ashtrays started failing in 1989, we might have seen a redesign. But once a product is obsolete (1994) then there usually is no support beyond buying aftermarket parts. Don't like your broken ashtray? Buy a new one or just buy a new car. End of story.
This is also the 80s and parts bin swapping was key. If ford could use two parts for one car, it saved money. This is why we have 4-lug brakes...which started in the 70's is a slightly different form. Eventually as ford rolled out new models, they used the same brakes. How many vehicles are fox front spindles compatible woth? A dozen or so? So why does ford need to spend money to develop new 5-lug brakes when they can rob them off a mark 7. Maybe the 4-lug was "fords thing" for all we know?
We will never know why these decisions came about. It's just not really right to sit here 20+ years later and play Monday morning quarterback asking why they didn't engineer these parts sooner and put them on. Initial cost os always higher, so these gt-40 heads prob cost ford big bucks for the tooling back in 1992. Now the tooling has been paid way off, and any head is pure profit. **** trickles downhill right?
We could ask why a model T didn't come with a 5.0? But they just didn't get around to it yet and it would prob have cost 3X the price of the model t.
What about it?
umm best car ever made, can run on anthing and makes 500 hp at the crank "claimed by owners"
and has cup holders. I even heard the bumper was made out of the same material as the bottom of the space shuttle
darthcual
Member
Another thing not taken into account is N/V/H. They MUST make the car for the masses. Not hot rod gear heads. So, that drives the cost up. Example: Dog Bone. How much do you imagine those cost? How many of us pulled those off and threw them in the corner?
i love how everyone hates the srt4 and they are made cheap but you could order it from dodge with a 3 year 36k warranty and 355hp and 365tq at the tires and its only 2880 lbs without anything removed. even the stock stage 0 runs a 14.2 1/4 mile. they are what they are but its a hell of a good time to beat on one.
its not the timeslip its the people who drive them. but back on topic
I never understood why the very and the coupe didn't have the same trunk hinges. those big bar that open the trunk in my coupe are uber anoying
I never understood why the very and the coupe didn't have the same trunk hinges. those big bar that open the trunk in my coupe are uber anoying
if it helps it was the old ladys car.lol i traded it for my 07 f150.
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