Vehicle Description
With today's focus on bling, wing, and other tacked-on stuff that
doesn't make a car go faster, it's hard to remember that cars like
this weaponized 1986 Ford Mustang GT Supercharged coupe were once
the most feared machines on the road. That low-key look hides some
serious blasting powder under the hood, including a 306 V8 and a
Kenne Bell supercharger, making this the automotive version of
"walk softly and carry a big stick."
For a lot of Mustang guys, the 5.0 GT hatchback coupes were pure
hardcore mayhem. No frills, just the lightest possible curb weight
and a strong, streamlined body to handle some pretty gnarly power.
The '86 models have an almost austere look and in basic Silver, it
looks like it sprang from the same kind of insane minds that gave
the FBI turbocharged Buick Regals, specifically the Turbo-T
versions. The Silver finish is actually quite good, shiny enough to
let everyone know this car has been well-maintained, but not so
shiny that potential victims spot the high-dollar paint and figure
that an even bigger sum was spent on the hardware underneath. No,
this car definitely nails the look. There's not much chrome on any
Fox Body Mustang, save for a little trim around the windows, but
that's how the factory did it and there's not much sense in trying
to change it. The urethane bumpers are in great condition and now
that the 5.0 has made a big comeback, those badges on the fenders
will once again strike fear into street racers' hearts.
You'd be forgiven for not recognizing the Mustang's interior, which
has been extensively upgraded to cope with the new horsepower now
on tap. Thankfully, they resisted the urge to install some
obtrusive 6-point roll cage that would make the already small cabin
even more cramped, although the back seat was removed to reduce
weight. Racing seats with black upholstery and bright red stitching
were added, and after you see what this car can do on the road,
you'll realize that adding supportive seats was a smart upgrade.
The original dash is intact, with the stock gauges surrounded by
industrial-looking bezels that look like they belong in a fighter
jet, and the gauges themselves are backlit with red lighting for a
really cool look. There's also a fuel pressure gauge mounted
outside the front windshield (a la the hood-mounted tachometers
that classic Pontiacs used to boast), along with Roush and
Innovative Motorsports gauges inside the reworked center console
that keep an eye on the supercharger and the boost. A methanol
module was installed inside the glove box, but despite all these
radical changes that account for the new explosive drivetrain, the
original dash is still crack-free and in fantastic shape. That
trick Grant steering wheel feels great in the hands of a
white-knuckle driver, and oddly enough the tilt wheel lever is now
on the right side of the column. Even with these sporty changes you
still get stock Mustang door panels, fresh carpet, and a headliner
that all feel like 1986, and even the shifter for the transmission
is the original, non-descript unit from the factory. Options
include power windows and locks, factory A/C with upgraded R134a
refrigerant that works but only blows cold air out of the defrost
vent, LED dome lights, and a modern Sony AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit
that handles the music. With the backseat gone, the cargo area is
expanded, although behind the passenger's seat a methanol injection
tank was installed inside a custom compartment, and the parts of
the bommin' stereo are visible as well.
Given the car's featherweight curb weight, speed is easy thanks to
the built 302 V8 (punched out to a 306 V8 in the recent rebuild)
fuel-injected motor augmented with some pretty big deal parts. The
biggest upgrade is obviously the Kenne Bell supercharger, but you
also get forged internals in the motor, Scorpion roller rockers, a
Crower camshaft, GT40 heads, a MegaSquirt ECU tuner, and a Cobra
intake just to name a few performance attributes. Currently tuned
to output about 450HP, it can do way more than that when the full
'Blowzilla' set-up is turned up to 11, with the methanol boost
flowing through the engine's veins. But the only reason this car
should ever be tuned to full capacity would be for a track day, in
which case we'd recommend the addition of a few extra safety
features. Or just drive it as-is, because it's certainly got the
pedigree to tussle with anything out in the streets in its current
configuration. A Grant aluminum radiator with an electric fan keeps
the engine cool, while the AOD 4-speed automatic transmission was
built up with a shift kit to handle all the extra power, and it
spins an 8.8-inch rear end with 3.55 gears. An X-pipe dual exhaust
gives it a nasty engine note, but lest you think this is just a
straight-line car, note the giant sway bars, upgraded springs, and
Bilstein shocks underneath, making this a tidy little handler, too.
Power 4-wheel disc brakes with drilled rotors solve the Mustang's
lone Achilles' heel, power steering means easy cruising is on the
menu, and the rolling stock was upgraded to a 5-lug set-up with
slick American Muscle wheels wrapped in staggered Sumitomo radials
keeping this GT planted to the ground.
There's no way you could find a clean 5.0 coupe this nice and stuff
it full of this much performance for anywhere near the asking
price. If you want one of the nastiest sleepers we've ever offered,
this is it. Call today!
