Slow Mustangs are cool, right? NMNA, 1986 with the 3.8

I had my eye on this one (strictly window shopping, can't buy a car right now) but since I just noticed a price drop from $1400 to $1000, thought I'd pass it along.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/d/avella-1986-ford-mustang/7216703954.html

They see me rollin' in my three point eight...hmm, doesn't have the same ring to it.

FYI, those have a bespoke K-member so engine swaps are non existent. You have to buy a 2.3, 5.0, or aftermarket K-member to do anything with the car. There's a bunch of other stuff that makes them "weird", too.

Still, that's a decent price.

I don't think I realized that the 3.8 went back that far.  I thought they were all either 2.3L or 5.0

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

Good to know. I'm dumb enough to want to swap the SC version of the V6 in there. Or some such nonsense.

slowbird said:

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

Good to know. I'm dumb enough to want to swap the SC version of the V6 in there. Or some such nonsense.

That was my very first thought as well!!!! I didn't knw the early fox's ever came with the v6 either... must not have been real popular.

slowbird said:

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

Good to know. I'm dumb enough to want to swap the SC version of the V6 in there. Or some such nonsense.

IIRC the Thunderbird SC 3.8 and this early one don't share a whole lot and that it's actually easier to swap the 3.8SC into a 5.0 car. But it's been a looooong time since I had my 86 3.8.

03Panther said:

slowbird said:

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

Good to know. I'm dumb enough to want to swap the SC version of the V6 in there. Or some such nonsense.

That was my very first thought as well!!!! I didn't knw the early fox's ever came with the v6 either... must not have been real popular.

I had a Granada wagon with an inline-6, a 3.8 86 Mustang, a 2.3T Thunderbird, and a 5.0 Mercury Cougar all at the same time. All fox chassis cars 86-87.

I said that slightly wrong. I meant to say "early fox mustangs." I knew the other fox platform cars did, just never saw a mustang with one back then, just 4's and 8's. Not at all surprised, though.

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

FYI, those have a bespoke K-member so engine swaps are non existent. You have to buy a 2.3, 5.0, or aftermarket K-member to do anything with the car. There's a bunch of other stuff that makes them "weird", too.

 

Still, that's a decent price.

Nope. Only the straight six k-members are different.

My wife had a 1980 mustang with the straight six when we were dating, and a friend had 1985 cougar with the 3.8 v6 at that time. I am not sure how ford determined which cars got which 6 cylinder engine. There was also the bmw straight 6 diesel offered in a fox chassis in the middle 80s. BTW, my wife's mustang had been upgraded to the 250ci in place of the 200ci because the previous owner blew up the original engine.

Don't forget the 4.2 liter V8 that lasted for a couple of years and the Cologne 2.8 V6 from the early Fox days as well.  Whole lot of not-performance options available in the Fox Mustangs.

I've owned too many Fox Mustangs.  I drive one if these once, but never bought it.  If the unibody is straight and rust free it's a blank canvass to do all sorts of things with.  If there are bent frame rails, buggered up torque boxes, rusty floorpans, rusty shock towers, or a rusted out battery well, run away.  The hatch will probably have rust bubbles alomg the rear seal no matter what.  

Slow mustangs are the coolest. 

You should buy that one, travel across the country, race it, then drive back. It's a great time. 

In reply to 03Panther :

The early cars were available with a 3.3 straight six. I've never seen one. But I do have a foxbody with the six, it's just a four door version. Slower than my N/A 2.3. 

Either I, or family members have owned the 170 L6, 200 L6 (this was before referring to engines with metric!) and the 3.8 V6's. Including a Fairmont 4 dr with a 200 L6. Just never saw one in a mustang back then. Like I said, not surprised, just had not thought about it. Even had a Mustang II with a V6... didn't keep it long enough to know what size it was, but know in retrospect it was the 3.8. Did not care for the hatchback Mustang II's, but I thought that little notchback with a proper HP engine would make a nice sleeper.

BTW, I think the ugly green wheels suit the look for the challenge!

The Ford 3.8 "Canadian Essex" V6 wasn't in production until well after the end of Mustang II production had ended.  Mustang II used the Cologne 2.8 V6 as one of its engine options. 

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Good to know. I know it was slow! All I did was throw the cheapest new tires I could find on it, and re sell it! Prolly the one car I owned I knew the least about! I paid as much for the tires as I did for the car, and made about the same amount off the sale. And a set of 13” tires did not cost a lot!

I had an 81 stang with the 200 straight 6. Sold it with 240k miles but it had lifter tick. I could change the oil standing next to the fender.