Vehicle Description
The Fox Mustangs are 40 years old now. I'm going to let that sink
in while you look at how clean this 1989 Mustang LX 5.0 hatchback
looks. Basic black paint gives it a low-profile look, while a stout
5.0 provides plenty of old-school V8 motivation. With an
extraordinary documentation package and spare parts from a Mustang
enthusiast, this is a fast, affordable, fun pony that hasn't been
beaten or abused but certainly packs a serious punch.
The clean lines made the LX somewhat of a sleeper in the early
'90s, but everyone knew to look for the 5.0 badges and the twin
polished tailpipes out back. Today, it's practically invisible
among all the stripe-wearing GTs and Shelby Mustangs, but the
clean, unadorned lines of the LX look as good as ever. The original
paint is holding up well, with only a few minor signs of use and
age, and there's a light gray pinstripe which also highlights a
crease in the bodywork that's otherwise invisible on a
solid-colored car. There are no indications that this car has been
raced, wrecked, or otherwise mistreated, with doors that close
easily and great panel alignment throughout. It's showing some age,
but a high-end professional detail would make it look like a
million bucks, and to the previous owner's credit there's not even
a wild-looking wing out back. That suggests that the guy who built
this one had good taste as well as a desire for horsepower.
The gray interior is remarkably well preserved, offering sport
bucket seats covered in correct gray plaid cloth upholstery. The
seats are in fantastic condition, with only the door panels showing
some age, but again, nothing that couldn't be wiped out with a good
clean-up. This car pre-dates airbags, so it has a tilt column and
the relatively upright greenhouse makes the Mustang very
user-friendly in traffic where it's the ultimate point-and-shoot
machine. The original gauges are big and easy to read and there's a
Hurst shifter with a leather shift knob for the 5-speed. The
original radio is long gone, replaced by a Pioneer AM/FM/CD head
unit with a subwoofer and amplifier in the hatch, and it's right
below the controls for the ventilation system. Other options
include power windows and locks, cruise control, rear defroster,
and power mirrors, making this a fairly loaded LX. With rear seats
that fold down, cargo capacity is impressive and it still includes
its original cargo cover.
The venerable 5.0-liter V8 under the hood has been nicely upgraded
without going too far. It's internally stock, which makes it
bulletproof, and the only upgrades are bolt-ons, so it maintains
the 5.0's wonderfully punchy demeanor. Obvious changes include a
K&N filter, 1.7 roller rockers, Ford Motorsports shorty
headers, underdrive pulley, and an upgraded starter and alternator.
The 5-speed manual shifts beautifully thanks to a Ford Motorsports
clutch and steel clutch quadrant for improved precision. It powers
the original 8.8-inch rear end and barking through an off-road
H-pipe and Flowmaster mufflers, it sounds like a Mustang should
sound. Original 15-inch "phone dial" wheels are in excellent
condition and carry correct 225/60/15 performance radials all
around.
Still fast and still fun after all these years, this is the kind of
5.0 Mustang that you've always wanted to own. Complete with a huge
cache of manuals, books, paperwork, and spare parts, this is a
Mustang that's still ready to have fun. Call today!
