Alove for modifying, personalizing, and building hot Mustangs is one element of the DNA in all of us at the mag, and just about anyone else who faithfully reads 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords. Yes, we, in a sense, live for badass Ponies and rightfully take pride in having a role in their development. Through the years, the magazine's full-time and extended staff members have taken part in many Mustang builds. Some projects are high profile and have been successful, and there are some that unfortunately have languished into that area of the almost forgotten. And there are great ideas that still haven't come to fruition.
While time, or a lack therof, is often included among the main reasons why project 'Stangs don't get finished (Big Steve says project 'Stangs are not done until they're sold), we know the reality is that the project efforts of many hard-core enthusiasts usually screech to a halt because their owners' lofty intentions exceed beyond their budgets. The reality of limited funds is one of the factors that led to the acquisition of our latest inductee in the 5.0 Hall of Project Cars--a bone-stock, 145,000-mileage Deep Emerald Green '91 5.0-liter/AOD LX hatchback. Tech Editor KJ Jones purchased it in April 2012. Many of you who loyally follow our Facebook page may already be up on this new addition to the fleet. But for those of you who don't keep abreast of our online musings, consider this your official introduction.
Yes, this is another project series that features an old-school 'Stang. This virginal LX is perfect for presenting the ideas and upgrade options we have in store, which, in stark contrast to past project Mustangs, are not dominated by the high-tech, high-priced hardware that we've highlighted in other builds. This time our plan is to forgo building an ultimate street Mustang, and instead focus on transforming this project Pony from a stone stocker into a reliable street sleeper.
Tech Editor KJ Jones and our...
Tech Editor KJ Jones and our latest project Mustang's original owner, Ms. "Helena S," are all smiles as they complete their cash-for-car exchange. Project Cheaper Sleeper, a fairly clean, mechanically sound, Deep Emerald Green, stock '91 5.0 LX, was purchased for the paltry sum of only $1,000--definitely a score in every sense of the word.
Cheaper Sleeper's exterior...
Cheaper Sleeper's exterior qualifies as being OK, by our tough standards. While the body panels thankfully are straight, save for some fender-to-door misalignment and a wrinkle in the hood (hidden in this photo by the old-school hood bra), the clearcoat over the Pony's original Deep Emerald Green paint is severely challenged.
Tough standards aside, we're...
Tough standards aside, we're leaving things as they are for a while, as the worn visage is perfect cover for the performance upgrades we have in store.
To do this, we're infusing it with a mix of proven, old-school performance bits (and tricks), as well as a few brand-new pieces that are specifically designed for '86-'93 5.0s. It's a concept that's doable by enterprising and capable do-it-yourself types, or the project can be farmed out to a trusted Mustang shop--over time, and as funds permit the work to be done. Yep, just like the old days when such project Mustangs were driven every day.
With '79-'93 Mustangs being so old and abundant (even in stock trim), our Cheaper Sleeper project truly is all about taking a solid platform and building a cool 'Stang that doesn't require deep pockets to make it that way. Today, the market is strong for all sorts of quality, used aftermarket parts. Of course, there are components that must be new. But, remember, there are always fellow members of the Mustang nation who might be changing directions on their combos. If you're patient and really want to save money as you're upgrading, be diligent with your search. The parts or services you need will eventually come around. We plan on exploring all of these avenues of thought-based frugality and sharing the results in the series of articles that we hope you will enjoy. For starters, read on through the following photos and captions that provide a few details about Project Cheaper Sleeper, and some of the first steps we've taken toward ridding it of its bone-stock pedigree.
Horse Sense: Yes, there's a lot to be said about "ultimate" 'Stangs. You know--rides that are masterfully crafted to include interior/exterior appearance, performance, and street driveability. In a perfect world, we'd all have these bases covered when we modify our cars. But given the great expense of taking things to an ultimate level, we totally understand that building one isn't possible for everyone.
Although the stocker's original...
Although the stocker's original 5.0-liter bullet is horrendously dirty, it runs like a champ--for an engine with 145,000 original miles. We credit this to Helena's diligence at making sure the 'Stang was serviced (oil change, tire rotation, and so on) every 5,000 miles.
Our '91's interior has character,...
Our '91's interior has character, and that's exactly what's necessary for maintaining the car's unassuming persona. We dig the fact that it's "all there," and know that companies, such as National Parts Depot, have everything necessary for correcting flaws if we elect to do so.
In addition to the 'Stang's...
In addition to the 'Stang's great price, we're super-stoked about the thick folder of documents included in the deal. Inside we found all of the original sales paperwork (including a copy of the $13,000 check from Helena's credit union that was used to purchase the LX) and repair orders/receipts for everything that was ever done to the car. At this point, having a detailed vehicle history like this is like having gold if you buy a Fox and plan on modifying it.
Knocking some of the funk...
Knocking some of the funk off is the first order of business with an acquisition like this, and our friend Edgar Fuentes handles such efforts for the entire roster of SoCal-based project 'Stangs. Edgar really had his work cut out for him with the Sleeper, as its paint was faded by years of sunbake.
Removing the bra revealed...
Removing the bra revealed this glaring example oh how badly the paint has faded on our Pony.
The detailers brought shine...
The detailers brought shine out of the faded paint and even put some bling back in the '91's chrome Pony wheels. Despite the wheel shine, we're replacing the chrome hoops with four clean non-chrome originals (and adding General G-Max AS-03 UHP radial tires), which were scored for $10 each.
Yep! This really is the same...
Yep! This really is the same stock 5.0. While the bullet cleaned up pretty nicely, we’ll be making a few changes to slightly change its appearance and dramatically improve performance.
In Southern California, more...
In Southern California, more specifically, the Greater Los Angeles area, traffic like this is a common element of your tech editor's daily commute to-and-from our West Coast headquarters in El Segundo. In its stock trim, the LX easily handles these and all other road and driving conditions that are presented--especially stop-and-go traffic and 100-degree heat.
However, the 'Stang's air...
However, the 'Stang's air conditioning does have an issue (as evidenced by the seatbelt sweat stain on KJ's shirt), which we are adamant about correcting at some point during the build.