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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Fox You have a virgin 5.0

  • Thread starter Thread starter Black1987
  • Start date Start date Nov 9, 2020

What do you do

  • Complete H/C/I with supporting suspension (Trickflow, AFR, Promaxx)

    Votes: 8 50.0%
  • Vortech V3, budget kit

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • On3 kit with upgrade BOV/Wastegate

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Stock but how stock

    Votes: 4 25.0%
  • GT40 top end with spec’d cam

    Votes: 2 12.5%

  • Total voters
    16
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
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1 of 3 Next Last

Black1987

my wife Bedazzled my input shaft
15 Year Member
Jan 9, 2011
1,064
595
174
NC
Nov 9, 2020
#1
  • Nov 9, 2020
  • #1
Knowing most of us aren’t 18 years old (body age).

You pick up an unmodified 5.0 down to the air box and quad shocks.

What would you do based on your lessons learned?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
27,924
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polk county florida
Nov 9, 2020
#2
  • Nov 9, 2020
  • #2
Nicer looking header (ceramic coated)
Cleaned up explorer intake and throttle body
Bump the timing up a little
355 gear
Enjoy the drive.
 
Reactions: Gearbanger67, Bird76Mojo and Black1987

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,255
17,939
224
Massachusetts
Nov 9, 2020
#3
  • Nov 9, 2020
  • #3
Leave it stock, dedicate time/money to preserving it using all original/NOS parts

stock as in showroom stock.


I bought my car 100% stock 23 years ago with ~ 45K miles. If I could go back in time I would have left it alone. However...I do enjoy the modded version so maybe it's for the best
 
Last edited: Nov 10, 2020
Reactions: Black1987

HemiRick

I'd be looking at jacking under the house
Jun 28, 2020
723
272
73
Memphis TN
Nov 9, 2020
#4
  • Nov 9, 2020
  • #4
I just got a 91 GT thats completely stock except for headlights and Cervini hood w only 84K I'm keeping it stock, modified ones are a dime a dozen. I have an 89 too and plan on keeping it forever and it has and will further modded. I have and will keep all the 89's stock parts.
 
Last edited: Nov 10, 2020
Reactions: Black1987

Steel1

Mustang Master
Aug 18, 2017
1,419
639
143
Connecticut
Nov 10, 2020
#5
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #5
Wash it and drive it.
 
Reactions: ReefBlueGT, Gs1987GT and 2Blue2

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
6,376
5,359
194
Corn County USA
Nov 10, 2020
#6
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #6
The vert I picked up +/-5 years ago is also completely stock. So far, the plan is:

(already purchased for cheap)
GT40 intake
B cam
Shorties
2-1/2" X pipe
3.55's
sfc

(what's left aside from labor and bodywork/paint)
heads
new clutch
T5 rebuild
brakes
possible chassis and suspension upgrades

It was originally going to be a donor car for another project, but since that project is gone I'm going to build it for myself.
 
Reactions: Black1987

Ryuk

I love your drawers
5 Year Member
Apr 22, 2017
1,685
1,605
133
Nov 10, 2020
#7
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #7
My 90 is completely stock down to the distributor and coil covers. The onjly thing that's different is a 25 year old aftermarket radio.

One day I might do 3.55 gears.
 
Reactions: Black1987

Cheapskate207

The left one hangs a little lower
5 Year Member
Jan 12, 2020
761
541
113
Maine
Nov 10, 2020
#8
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #8
It would depend on if I had my current car. If that was the case, I would leave the new one stock, If I did not have my current car, and the virgin was my only one, I would likely modify it.
 
Reactions: Black1987

Cheapskate207

The left one hangs a little lower
5 Year Member
Jan 12, 2020
761
541
113
Maine
Nov 10, 2020
#9
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #9
This is a great post/poll BTW! Good idea!
 
Reactions: Black1987

BlakeusMaximus

Still got to try a little lube on my speedo head
5 Year Member
Jul 12, 2017
2,474
1,348
173
Nov 10, 2020
#10
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #10
When I bought my latest Mustang in 2017, it was a 109k, completely stock other than headers, X-pipe and Flowmasters. It still had the airbox silencer, distributor cover, coil cover and quad shocks. In the last few years, I've replaced all the old worn out suspension and brakes, added subframe connectors, replaced the suspect T-5 that was in it with a brand new Ford Racing Z trans and added 3.73's, along with a major tune up. Other than that it is stock. I am torn about adding an HCI combo. We'll see. I don't have a problem upgrading the car, but it has to be done using quality parts. NOS/Ford parts as mentioned above. Oh, I did a complete teardown, did the minor body work it needed and had my painter refinish it.
 
Last edited: Nov 10, 2020
Reactions: Black1987

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?
20+ Year Stangneter
Nov 29, 1999
8,483
8,687
234
S.I.NY
Nov 10, 2020
#11
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #11
HCI car or maybe just an upper lower explorer intake . Save ALL the stock stuff in a bin .

Short shifter ,minor suspension , exhaust , gears, 15x9 10 holes and enjoy .

something like this .
 
Reactions: 1hot87gt, Gs1987GT, Potomus Pete and 2 others

Adieu

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 7, 2002
9,531
5,187
224
Nov 10, 2020
#12
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #12
Stock, damn stock, so stock even yo mama would know it's stock.

Then put it under a car cover, on jackstands, in the garage and let it appreciate.


(Okay, so I'm kidding about that last part.)
 
Reactions: General karthief and Black1987

Black1987

my wife Bedazzled my input shaft
15 Year Member
Jan 9, 2011
1,064
595
174
NC
Nov 10, 2020
#13
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #13
Nice to see similar feedback of my own thinking.

The silver car I bought has all the EGR/Evap stuff, factory cats. It is a driver tho, non factory paint so keeping NOS compliant isnt necessary going to reflect a non original paint car.....it was a Calypso .

When the clutch went out, my wife was like there is your excuse to mod away.

Meanwhile I’m like way, at most it needs shocks and a tune up.

Like most of us, I have cams, sets of heads, a few gt40 intakes collecting dust, but only if something breaks that warrants the change.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,255
17,939
224
Massachusetts
Nov 10, 2020
#14
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #14
If I were to actually buy a very clean, lightly modded foxbody, I would probably make an effort to demodify it and return it to stock. This is actually part of my plan as I seek out some sort of Fox/Sn95 to purchase after my car is finished. I doubt i'll find a stocker, but if I found one with bolt-ons, I might be crazy enough to return it to stock. A no-brainer if the car is something like a Fox Saleen, or a '93 Cobra, however I actually think if I found an LX convertible with a 93 cobra intake on it, that I would put the HO intake back on.

The nice thing about my current fox is that I know i'm never going to sell it. It's been 23 years, and the sentimental attachment pretty much mean it's mine forever, so it stops me from thinking about what mods I should or shouldn't do. It's freedom of sorts and I could care less about perceived value of the car, although it's flattering in a way when I used to get people try and make offers on it when I went out for a drive. However, buying a collectable fox like a 93 Cobra, I could see myself selling that as values appreciate, especially if it gets to the point where they become a $100K car like a Boss 429. I feel in that case, I couldn't modify it, and needed to locate NOS parts for it. I would also feel bad driving the thing.

I remember when these things were a dime a dozen. You could get 50-75K mile examples in near stock condition for $5-6K. A driver was a $1500-2K car that didn't need much other than paint and some interior trim. Parts cars/rollers were $500-1000. You could drive down the road and see at lease one on every used car lot. I spent my teenage years drooling over $7-8K 90-93GT's with 50K miles, and had to "settle" for my "cheap" $4500 LX with ~45K miles on it. Now I find a 93 Cobra for sale for $25K and think to myself...maybe I should buy this?
 
Reactions: FortySix&2, 2Blue2 and TOOLOW91
D

Deleted member 215073

Nov 10, 2020
#15
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #15
If you do any modifications, make sure they aren't permanent and keep the parts you remove.

I'd say a good set of subframe connectors would be a permanent but necessary modification.
 
Reactions: Essn95 and 2Blue2

Black1987

my wife Bedazzled my input shaft
15 Year Member
Jan 9, 2011
1,064
595
174
NC
Nov 10, 2020
#16
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #16
Mustang5L5 said:
If I were to actually buy a very clean, lightly modded foxbody, I would probably make an effort to demodify it and return it to stock. This is actually part of my plan as I seek out some sort of Fox/Sn95 to purchase after my car is finished. I doubt i'll find a stocker, but if I found one with bolt-ons, I might be crazy enough to return it to stock. A no-brainer if the car is something like a Fox Saleen, or a '93 Cobra, however I actually think if I found an LX convertible with a 93 cobra intake on it, that I would put the HO intake back on.

The nice thing about my current fox is that I know i'm never going to sell it. It's been 23 years, and the sentimental attachment pretty much mean it's mine forever, so it stops me from thinking about what mods I should or shouldn't do. It's freedom of sorts and I could care less about perceived value of the car, although it's flattering in a way when I used to get people try and make offers on it when I went out for a drive. However, buying a collectable fox like a 93 Cobra, I could see myself selling that as values appreciate, especially if it gets to the point where they become a $100K car like a Boss 429. I feel in that case, I couldn't modify it, and needed to locate NOS parts for it. I would also feel bad driving the thing.

I remember when these things were a dime a dozen. You could get 50-75K mile examples in near stock condition for $5-6K. A driver was a $1500-2K car that didn't need much other than paint and some interior trim. Parts cars/rollers were $500-1000. You could drive down the road and see at lease one on every used car lot. I spent my teenage years drooling over $7-8K 90-93GT's with 50K miles, and had to "settle" for my "cheap" $4500 LX with ~45K miles on it. Now I find a 93 Cobra for sale for $25K and think to myself...maybe I should buy this?
Click to expand...
See there’s two guys local that buy up all the coupes.

Most are modified original 5.0 coupes, they pull everything and return it to stock. Sell it for more as “original”.

Then they take the parts and either sell them like big ticket items like the Blowers/Trickflow heads/ stroker motors

Or use the left overs for their converted 4 cylinder builds to incentivize the buy.
 

Black1987

my wife Bedazzled my input shaft
15 Year Member
Jan 9, 2011
1,064
595
174
NC
Nov 10, 2020
#17
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #17
JMGlasgow said:
If you do any modifications, make sure they aren't permanent and keep the parts you remove.

I'd say a good set of subframe connectors would be a permanent but necessary modification.
Click to expand...
Could do the BBK bolt on ls but have to drill them
 
D

Deleted member 215073

Nov 10, 2020
#18
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #18
I don't see how bolt in subframe connectors are anywhere near as effective as the weld in type.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,255
17,939
224
Massachusetts
Nov 10, 2020
#19
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #19
JMGlasgow said:
I don't see how bolt in subframe connectors are anywhere near as effective as the weld in type.
Click to expand...

I think SFC's are a no penalty mod, but would prefer weld-on vs bolt on. You can grind the welds off or fill in the drilled holes, so it's not 100% permanent.

Unless the car is a 100 mile halo car like a Cobra R, I wouldn't penalize if I was buying a 30K mile 100% stock coupe that had a pair of SFC's welded on.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,255
17,939
224
Massachusetts
Nov 10, 2020
#20
  • Nov 10, 2020
  • #20
Black1987 said:
See there’s two guys local that buy up all the coupes.

Most are modified original 5.0 coupes, they pull everything and return it to stock. Sell it for more as “original”.

Then they take the parts and either sell them like big ticket items like the Blowers/Trickflow heads/ stroker motors

Or use the left overs for their converted 4 cylinder builds to incentivize the buy.
Click to expand...


That does sound like a sound plan, and while i'm sure I could do something similar, I lack the time.

Where I live, there's a guy who buys 03-04 cobras and parts them out. Perfectly good running cars with no issues. He'll sell the drivetrains, seats, body panels, wiring, etc and claims he makes significantly more than the purchase price of the car. I've watched him kill 5-10 perfectly fine Cobras like this.....
 
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