1987 Mustang LX/5.0 Hatchback

92LX302

92LX302

Moderator
Staff member
1987 Mustang LX/5.0 Hatchback

Front 3/4 Passenger by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

A friend owner this car for the last 14 years. In the last few years, he had the vehicle completely repainted, refreshed the interior, built a new forged bottom end and top end, etc. It was time for his to move on to another project and I was searching for another Mustang.

Engine combo:
-Stock block 302
-Forget piston, crank and rods
-Blueprinted assembly
-Ported Edelbrock Performer RPM heads
-FRPP B303 cam
-Professional Products Typhoon Intake Manifold
-Shorty headers
-X-Pipe
-Unknown catback (Flowmaster tailpipes, unknown mufflers)

The car had some ignition issue last fall. A common friend changed the billet MSD distributor for a stock one and it was fixed. The previous owner didn't like the look so he reinstalled the MSD one. Since then the issue re-appeared. That's why I got it dropped at the same common friend today to fix it.

Rear 3/4 Passenger by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr
Passenger Side by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

The plan:
I expect to drive this car more than my red one. I'll keep it in Cape Breton and bring it to Moncton once in a while. As such the car will be built to keep a better level of comfort. Lookwise, I plan a return to a more stock-ish look (ditch the front pony, LX tails, spoiler, stock hood and maybe a set of 17'' Pony R).

Interior by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr
 
Last edited:
Took a little trip to Miramichi to look at the car. Last time I saw this car in person was 2 years ago... Anyway it's at a buddy's place getting some work done (good tune up, distributor, timing, etc). The previous owner told me he changed the fuel pump earlier this spring and the way he explained it to me sounded a bit sketchy. Turn out they bypassed the fuel pump relay (located under the driver seat) when they installed it. They didn't even put a fuse in it. This is getting fixed too. An inspection of the wiring harness showed this to be the only hack done to it.



I received my 'Ford' badge for the grille to remove that awful Pony. Turned out to be a GT one, doesn't fit. With all the cost cuting measure Ford used in those cars I can't believe they had 2 different size of badge. I imagined the fiberglass hood to be all wavy and ugly. I was pleasantly surprised of its quality. I might actually keep it. New stock replacement headlights are on order.

Rear 3/4 Driver by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr



The car is pretty low, but the tires are really short. I've got new ones with the correct height on order.



I like cheese gratter taillights on a GT. On a LX, not so much. I've got a set here I'll be polishing to replace those. However I prefer the GT spoiler to the LX one. I always thought about putting one on my red car.



It's nice to have a fully functional hatch. My red car's strut have been going through a slow and painful death for the last 3 years. I bought a new set this winter but looks like I won't have the car out to install them anytime soon.



The interior is in decent shape. New black carpets were installed by the previous owner. The seats are in really nice condition, not faded and to tears. Even the knee lumbar are in working order! I've got a new (to me) stock steering ordered from Ebay. I've got to align the stereo face plate correctly again. It was removed when they checked for wiring hacks.



That's the mill. The engine was rebuilt at the same time I did my red one's (3 years ago). Forged bottom end, same head, different cam. We ran them both on the track in Miramichi 2 years ago and my red one put about a fender lenght on this one. The engine bay is pretty clean. The polished intake manifold and valve covers just need a good polish and they'll look good. I'll probably ditch the crummy BBK intake for an Anderson Ford one and delete the EGR (most of them doesn't work anymore anyway). The MSD distributor will be thrown away as far as possible and replaced with a stock one. My friend who's doing the tune up on it actually took the heads off this car last winter for the previous owner to get them ported. According to him, the engine was like new and well put together.
 
Last edited:
05 gt 5spd;n3745 said:
Looks good Max, you seem to know where to find the Nice Fox body cars. Maybe I will get to see this one someday going through.
Click to expand...

I plan on keeping this one in St. Peter's. We'll have to meet for coffee sometime, it's not like you didn't try haha!

TrueBlue02058;n3762 said:
Nice Find Max , look forward to seeing and hearing it this summer.
Click to expand...

I can't wait too. It doesn't sound as good as my red one tho.
 
I spent some time tonight polishing the used set of LX taillights I bought.



Before:

IMG_5351 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5352 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5353 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5354 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5355 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5356 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr



After:

IMG_5357 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5358 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5359 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

IMG_5360 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr



Tommorow I'll finish them outside with the DA polisher. They should turn out pretty glossy.
 
t_20150325.mtahz5.l.jpg


Ordered a set of Bf Goodrich G-Force Sport Comp 2 tires. 245/45R17 and 255/45R17. 849$ through Goguen Tire in Dieppe, plus a 50$ mail in rebate.

I also ordered a few parts from CJ Pony, mostly interior trims:

-New stock pedals pad
-New OEM red ashtray door
-New OEM manual shifter bezel
-New black '5.0' carpeted floor mat
-87-93 Mustang LX 'Ford' emblem
-87-93 Mustang Hatchback 'Ford' emblem
-84-93 Mustang 'LX' emblem
-87-93 reproduction headlights
-79-93 ignition switch

The floor mats are on back order. Next will be a new headliner (it's ripped and faded around the sunroof).
 
Not much updates on this. Few of the parts I ordered are on back order.

Trying to find a non-cruise control steering to replace that one.

Waiting on my mechanic to fix the starting issue. Found the cause, when the fuel pump was replaced they crimped a wire while putting the tank back up.
 
Finally some updates!

My tires arrived at Goguen Tires in Dieppe a few weeks ago:

DSC_0001 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

DSC_0003 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

DSC_0002 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

I've got the car home (finally). Ended up being an issue with the fuel pump relay. While being there and having the interior stripped, I also got the main harness replaced.

DSC_0005 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

DSC_0006 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

First thing done was removing that god awful pony from the grille. It was replaced by the original Ford badge:

DSC_0007 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

The missing 'LX' and Ford badge were also added on the hatch:

DSC_0018 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr
 
Last edited:
Got the new tires mounted. The is some rubbing in the back but I've ordered new Steeda Sport springs (same as my red car) which should raise this one about 0.25'' in the front and 0.50'' in the back.

DSC_0020 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

DSC_0019 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

Yes, I know my rear passenger side tire was mounted backward. I need to get this fixed.

The car was then jacked up and received a good under carriage clean up:

DSC_0013 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

Looks like it used to be white with a grey interior (the current headliner and map light are grey):

DSC_0009 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

The metal portion of the inner fenders were rock guarded for a cleaner look and to add some insulation at the same time.

I also had a good helper to polish those aluminium wheels:

DSC_0012 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr
 
I put the interior back together and tightened some items. The center console was completely taken apart to install a new ash tray door and shifter bezel. The Fast & Furious red pedals were replaced for a stock clutch pedal, a stock gas pedal and a drake '5.0' brake pedal.

DSC_0052 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

The car was later dropped to get the interior shampooed.

Here's an exhaust clip:

MOV_0011 by Maxime Sonier, sur Flickr

I spent the night detailing it today. Pictures to come! Next to do are the new headlights (waiting on my new seals to arrive), get the new coil springs & isolators installed, install new cover on my seatbelt buckles (they're missing), install the new center console latch, new handbrake handle trim/gasket, new door scuff plates, new windows switch trims (chrome covers were stuck on them), new motor and transmission mounts and install the transmission I just got rebuilt. All parts should arrive next week!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top