1993 5.0 : The Pony for all types of investments.

The 1993 Mustang is an outstanding purchase any way you look at it. The dimensions and configurations make for an unending amount of applications you could put a car through. Whether it be for show, racing, sound, or even a daily beater, this car can take it all. Mine has been rearranged to take on a 14 speaker stereo system and modified to handle turns and torque, and keep up with the speed demons; and it's still my daily use car.

For starters, by removing the single door speaker and implanting a custom speaker housing, the door now holds two 5" midranges and a 1" tweeter. The dash still has a single tweeter on each side. The rear speakers, for my hatchback, have a tweeter and midrange custom plate where the 6x9 use to be. The hatch contains a cd changer, two amplifiers, a crossover, and two 10" sub woofers in a carpeted box. Believe it or not, but there is still room in the hatch to place a baby stroller. The sound system may not be for everyone, but it is a nice replacement from the stock system.

The Mustang can be outfitted in many ways for performance, but to keep within budget, pass emissions, and still retain decent gas mileage (14 in the city), the following can be duplicated: Suspension is key, as "Epinionated" has already demonstrated in his review. Motorsport lowering springs and KYB shocks and struts have added comfortably cruising, but the car still takes the bumps harshly. Always go slow over speed bumps and speed humps. You'd be surprised how fast some will still go over them. My 'Stang had received a ported upper and lower GT-40 intake, BBK cold air induction, with a 73 mm mass air in 1996. I didn't change the throttle body at the time because the heads, cam, and injectors were still stock, and I didn't want to lose the bottom end. I've changed the exhaust to 1 5/8" shorty headers, a Bassani X-Pipe (which much be replaced to stock during emissions), and 3 chamber Flomaster mufflers. The clutch was replaced with a King Cobra, and I haven't had a problem with grinding or slippage yet. The rest of the modifications include 3.73 gears, a shift light, and a 1" raise fiberglass Mach hood.

I have since seen the light. As of October 2002, I have swapped the intake for a Holley Systemax. AFR (Air Flow Research) heads, which come factory ported, were added. A new Crane Cam, 24 pound injectors, Mac 70 mm throttle body, and 80 mm Pro-M Mass Air complete my recent upgrades. Dyno tested, the motor displaces 356 horsepower (305 HP at the rear wheels). Installed at Mustang Specialties in Pompano Beach, FL, total new upgrade package and installation was a mere $4,000. I was skeptical at first, based on price alone, but when the throttle was applied........ OH MY!!!! Complete and utter satisfaction... The time and patience of saving up for the cost of the upgrades was well worth it. These applications alone should produce low 12s in the quarter mile. I was advised to either add a super charger or 80 shot nitrous in the future, but for now, what I have will do.

Future applications are endless. If you have the money and the need for more speed, keep on going. There isn't much more I need to do for the fast track, but overall I'm satisfied, and couldn't be any happier with my baby.