A Five Year Mustang Project - August 2000 - May 2006
And the project still continues...

Ford declared "The Boss is back!" in 1982 with this car.

My Mustang in Canada:

On the Lions Gate Bridge:

On Interstate 5 in California:
The 1982 Ford Mustang GT 5.0L before I bought it.

Car came with the following parts either installed or as extras:

  • '82 5.0L V8 (157HP, 240 ft/lbs Torque) (installed);
  • '85 5-speed manual transmission (installed);
  • '82 7.5-inch rearend w/3.36 gears (installed);
  • '85 10 Hole Aluminum wheels (installed);
  • Black CHP 10-Hole full size spare;
  • '82 4 -speed SROD manual transmission (extra);
  • '85 Canyon Red Metallic "GT" Hood (extra);
  • '85 Canyon Red Metallic "GT" Hatchback (extra);
  • 4 Turbine aluminum wheels (extra);
  • Sub frame connectors (not installed);
  • '85 Throttle Body Fuel Injection 302 GT motor (180HP, 260 ft/lbs Torque) (extra);
  • '85 AOD transmission (extra);
  • '87 Police 8-inch rearend w/2.73 gears and quad shocks (extra); and
  • Brand new 15:1 quick ratio powersteering rack and pinion unit (not installed).

Wow, that's a lot of stuff!

My new rack & pinion quick-ratio steering assembly.
I also installed a pair of offset aluminum bushings to account for bump-steer caused by the new Eibach progressive springs.
A late model power steering pump had to fitted giving a 15:1 steering.
Originally, my car had the TRW rack that had different hose connection sizes than this newer unit.
The SROD bell housing is on top of the dual snorkel air cleaner.


The old motor that finally gave out. Not sure if it had 58,000 miles on it or 158,000. I suspect the latter!
What a mess.



The newer motor has a new double roller timing chain. I should have popped for the gear drive.
I may change it over one day. Love that whine sound they give.
Also installed a new high pressure oil pump and a high volume water pump.

The newer motor ready for installation - rumor has it a little old lady drove it.


I wish I knew of a way to get rid of that curved part of my front spoiler...very tough to get that straight.
Had it painted for $500 at the local shop that does the CHP police cars.
I figured they were experts in spraying black paint.
Came out pretty good for the price.

I finally found a set of Marchal fog lights with the black cats still on them...the front is now complete.
Thanks go to the local pull and pick junk yard for those and the 1982 Capri tail lights.
The Marchal 750 fog lights take the H2 halogen bulbs. I had to order them online - cost about $3 each.
Ford also made a 750 series "driving" light that was more clear than mine. Those would be "da-bomb."

Yokahamas are ZR225 60-series asymetrical (Z-rated, like I can use that) and very sticky.
Picked them up for $42 each online from the tirerack.com.

Did you notice the driver-side exhaust? It's a single glasspack with a 3-inch pipe.
Sure got the looks on the off-ramps (loud).
The lack of back pressure ruined performance and killed mileage though.

I have since converted to a factory 3-inch pipe with single late model factory 5.0 muffler and factory single-stage catalytic converter. I even found a suitable look-a-like for the tail pipe (double barrel shotgun design).

Notice the 1979-1982 Capri tailights. Much nicer since they reach right across to the license plate.

Oops, 6 months later I swapped out the 5.0 muffler for a true Magnaflow muffler. Best setup yet.

Love those Capri taillights. Notice the 84 rear spoiler with no brake light opening.
I may go back to the traditional Mustang lights though.


Notice the "faux" white face guages - all the rage in the early 2000's. They did the job for the time...

 



Smog legal in California folks - factory emissions controls all in place. Cruises at under 1800 RPM at 70mph.
Averages 25mpg on interstate freeways, about 15-17mpg around town (mixed driving).
I have added the K&N E-1535 air filter to it.

I've since removed the red pinstripe and used black pinstripe to cover where the paint peeled.
I think you can notice the slightly wider track on the rear due to the addition of the 8.8-inch rear end.

Handles like a champ. You basically do not have to hit the brakes rounding a corner now...scary.

Not being content to have that lower lip on the airdam hang down, I decided to strip down the front end...
Here's the car with the fender extension, airdam and bumper removed.

Turns out the bumper bent and was only held on with one bolt on the passenger side! So,
I pulled a nice clean bumper off of a 1984 1/2 Anniversary Gt350 Mustang.
I also took the passenger bumper strut/absorber, a new fender fresh air snorkel, and the dash panel pieces.
I also pulled the build sheet just for kicks.
The new bumper is the white-ish one since Anniversary Mustangs were all white.

My poor airdam has a permanent "fat lip." I am thinking that a nice solid rod/bar would straighten it some.

The good news is that the GT350 Mustang in the junk yard also had a nice 1.375-inch front sway bar.
Energy Suspension bushings will do the trick.

Here's the upper shock tower strut install in my dusty engine bay.
The bad news is that I have to remove the bar to remove the lower portion of the air cleaner.

Here's the 1984 1/2 Anniversary Mustang dash installed in my car. Notice the clean upper dashboard.
I fitted a retro "shaft" Alpine stereo. That's a Supertramp tape in the deck.
This is the way the car would have been in the 1980s.

I also found a mint 1982 intrument cluster from a Capri in the wrecking yard.

Took a while to get all the lights working. I like the factory lighting best.



Here's the finished front end. I removed a fender molding. I also removed one on the other side.
I plan to replace them with mint ones from the Anniversary Mustang I stripped.
I think the front end is much straighter now and all bolts are in place (3 on each side for the bumper).

Even the lower lip of the airdam looks better.
I still want to replace it but they are impossible to find.

It's fun washing the car.