Horse Sense: One hundred and seventy thousand miles and still going strong! Jim Kilmartin's super-clean '88 coupe earned "bad ass" props when we looked at the clock and saw that mileage total, then learned the distance had been covered with the same engine we were about to crack open . . . for the first time.
High performance on a budget-is there such a thing? Improving your 'Stang without going broke is always the main objective when you buy parts. The best-bang-for-the-buck theory comes into play, as components sold in kits or individually are counted on to improve a car for as little money as possible. When it comes to EFI Foxes, their age (roughly 18 years at this point for an '88 5.0) is one of the main reasons for cost consciousness. Owners ask themselves, "Why spend a king's ransom on my old Fox Mustang when the cost of upgrades will nearly equal the price of a newer car?"
While having a king's ransom is always nice, it isn't a requirement for putting the zip back into a well-used 5.0 'Stang. We set out to prove that theory when we chose Trick Flow's Twisted Wedge Top-End Engine Kit (PN TFS-K514-350-370; $2,149.95) for this month's 5.0 Basics lesson. Everything's there, including an 0.499/0.510 hydraulic camshaft, a double-roller timing chain, 1.60 roller rocker arms, pushrods, valve covers, ARP bolts, and all the necessary gaskets. The all-inclusive package is highlighted by the legendary Twisted Wedge cylinder heads and Trick Flow's 5.0 Street upper/lower intake set.
After disconnecting the negative battery cable and safely mounting Jim Kilmartin's '88 coupe on the twin-post hoist, Mason "Mase" Rowland of B&D Racing gets the 'Stang in the air to drain the radiator coolant and disconnect the H-pipe from the headers.
After consulting with Brian Schapiro, owner of B&D Racing in Canoga Park, California, we agreed the high-mile '88 Mustang LX owned by Jim Kilmartin would give us a great look at any improvement in performance brought on by the Trick Flow setup and other bolt-on parts we believed would round out the complete "budget" top-end upgrade.
When you look at Jim's pristine notch, you'd think it barely has 10,000 miles, let alone the more than 170,000 original miles it actually has (he sometimes logs more than 350 miles per day in work-related driving). The coupe really is that clean and mechanically well maintained. Since Jim acquired it in 1992, it has been treated to only a modest assortment of modifications-AOD-to-T5 conversion, Ford Racing Performance Parts short-tube headers and high-flow H-pipe with cats, a MAC cold-air system, and a 75mm Pro-M Bullet mass-air tube calibrated to the stocker 19-lb/hr injectors and Global West and Maximum Motorsports suspension pieces.
Disassembling a 5.0 is fairly easy, especially if you have access to air tools and a hoist. One of the big timesavers (regardless of whether you have access to true shop equipment) is removing the alternator, belt tensioner, and smog pump as one unit-still attached to their common bracket-once the mass air tubing and other lines and hoses have been disconnected.
Brian handled the before and after dyno testing, and B&D Racing's lead technician, Mason "Mase" Rowland, flawlessly performed the entire parts upgrade in a single, 9-hour day. The immediate sensory results were impressive. The rejuvenated engine lit right up, sounded awesome and distinctively more aggressive, and was able to easily make the rear tires lose their grip on the street at the top of First gear-a feat that wasn't even close to possible with the factory E7TE heads, camshaft, intake, injectors, and other OEM parts. Another cool sign of improvement was the acceleration force that pushed driver and passenger deeper into their seats as the revs climbed.
While much can certainly be said about the real-world experience, the important tests, of course, were performed on the rollers of B&D's Clayton chassis dynamometer. We strapped down Jim's coupe and recorded power and torque info prior to installing the top end, and repeated the process after the last bolt was turned. The scientific proof confirmed that the bolt-on compilation of Trick Flow's top-end engine pieces, Accufab throttle body, AFM's Power Pipe, Pro-M 80, and Ford's new injectors definitely was a great choice for affordable performance.
Follow along as we take you through the project with the accompanying photos and captions.