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I was reading the latest issue of Fox Mustang Magazine, and the article about the one-owner '84 SVO made a statement that caught my imagination. I've always drawn the obvious connection between the Fox body 5.0s (especially the post-'87s) and the Boss 302s - 302 block, performance parts, etc. But the guy's reason for buying his SVO was interesting: he originally wanted a '69 or '70 Boss 302, but couldn't manage it, and he felt like the SVO had the same mentality behind it - a Mustang built with a smaller, hi-revving engine and tuned suspension for better handling. A road racer. It makes sense - in 1969-70 the 302 CI V8 was the smallest performance engine available in a Mustang, just like the 2.3L turbo 4 was in the '80s, and both cars had state-of-the-art suspension tuning (the Boss, obviously, for Trans Am competition).
So, that leaves me with the question of what Classic-era Mustang is the equivalent to my '88 LX 5.0 coupe? You can draw a pretty good connection between the '82 - '86 GTs and the '65 - '68s (even the increase in engine performance over time kind of matches up). When I think about the post-'87 GTs, they remind me more of the '69-'73 Mach 1s - the most powerful factory engines of their days, body, driveline and suspension upgrades, plus appearance packages that made it clear this is a car to be reckoned with. That makes me think the LX 5.0s (especially pre-'89, after which Ford made them regular models) are just what they were in the '60s - base-model Mustangs optioned-up to the hottest engines available without the extra packaging. There's plenty of them out there, too, from K-code non-GT '65 fastbacks, to 428 Super Cobra Jet '69 coupes.
Whattaya think?
-Tim
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1988 LX 5.0/T-5 sedan Ext: 2H Int: G
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