Finally picked up my '85

Apr 10, 2004 2 Replies

Went back home last weekend to pick up the '85 that I bought from a friend. I had had it towed to my bro's house where it was waiting for me under cover. My friend said it "needed a starter relay". I've learned not to trust this friend when it comes to these matters. After several hours of picking through burned wiring and (temorarily) butt splicing 4 or 5 fusible links and other wires the car fired and everything worked.



Anyways, first impressions. This is my first Mustang and my first RWD performance car so I'm still getting the swing of it. I must admit that I'm quite smitten with how it fishtails all over the road when you lay into it in first or second. I'm a little suprised with how poorly it handles however. I believe it is basically stock GT suspension and it does have a traction bar arrangement of a sort I'm not familiar with. This is defenitley not a car for the back mountain switches (yet). The brakes are - well, I guess they are what you would expect in a car of this vintage. They seem spongy and hard to modulate. I've already purchased an SN95 brake upgrade and a set of OEM Bullitt wheels, so I'm tracking to correct these things.



Stock rocks/Stock sucks rocks - Paint on this car is excellent but they painted all of the moldings and installed the cheese grater tail lights which I'm not a fan of. With the exception of the Bullitt wheels I intend to correct the car back to stock appearance as much as I can. The car is white.



Anyways, overall I'm really happy with it, and the gas mileage isn't nearly as bad as I had dreaded (it has 2.73's) since its a "mid 13 second" car. I beleive a trip to the track and a dyno is in order.


Jason


A test drive of a '85 GT nearly 20 years ago, hooked me on these Fox Mustangs. Been driving one now for the last 17 years.

Here's the fix for that:

Koni shocks & struts Eibach progressive springs Strut tower and g-load braces Subframe connectors

You can say it... they suck. All factory Fox Mustang brakes suck.

Good for you! Nice to hear from someone who likes a stock apprearing car. I'm tired of seeing cowl hoods, clear marker lights, body kits, and funky spoilers.

If it has a T-5, with 2:73s expect at least a second slower than "mid

13s." Jason,

Let us know how it does when you take it to the strip.

Patrick '93 Cobra '83 LTD

The stock versions of these cars (stick, hard-top) were good for high 14's if driven correctly. (I used to read and memorize Car & Driver every month).

I never said it was stock

Jason

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