In today's age, 5.0s just aren't competitive...

[FastDriver]

The beautiful thing about the 5.0 is unquestionably its aftermarket. Unfortunately in today's world of stock 505hp Corvettes, 420 horsepower cobras, 500 hp Shelby GT500's, 400 horsepower caddies, pontiacs, Chargers, challengers.... The list just keeps going and going.... 300hp lightweight AWD cars, supercharged Cobalts, Turbocharged neons... Hell, The honda freaking accord comes with a 253hp V6 whereas our beloved 5.0 came with only 225 hp in its best form (besides a cobra). All I've even mentioned here are production stock cars the KB Cobras, H/C/I+ LSX cars, turbo supras, the growing aftermarket of the EVOs notwithstanding.

There are so damned many cars now... What does it take to make a 5.0 competitive with the sports cars of today? Some type of forced induction without question. Realistically, though, 5.0s seem to be fading into the rear-view mirror. How many 5.0s are left in good condition? Of those, how many people are willing to invest the large sums of cash required to fight on into the forced induction realm? Then there's the limits of the stock block before aftermarket blocks and internals are necessary.

It used to be that LT1 owners were afraid of 5.0s because just a couple simple cheap bolt-ons had the potential of turning a 5.0 into something that an LT1 couldn't catch. With the LS1, 5.0s were still hanging on with the multitude of H/C/I combos out there that were cheap and how easily the work could be done. Now, the cars are so quick from the factory that fully worked 5.0s sometimes with forced induction are having problems keeping up. How embarrassing to take a supercharged 5.0 against a factory corvette and lose!

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of enthusiasts like me who have gone to the extreme building fox bodies with monster power. I'm certainly not afraid of any production car on the planet, but more realistically to be on the playing field with today's factory hot rods (especially after a few modifications of their own), the 5.0 has to have more than the normal 5.0 owner can afford, has the effort for, or is willing to put into such an old car.

God bless the ol' 5.0 (fox-body mustang) and those who are continuing to fight on to the ranger objective with their fox-body. I'm just a little displeased that my dream car is fading away. The muscle cars of the golden age of the hot-rod, while no faster or more easily modifiable than the 5.0, are looked upon with such reverence, inspiration, and awe. I think the 5.0 is beginning to be looked back on as just an old car that's out of wind and can't keep up.

Chris

 

[Mustang5L5]

Sometimes it's not all about being the faster car on the block.

The Mustang has a good name, and that's good enough for me. You still get tons of attention and praise even if in a 14-second stocker

 

[DMAN302]

Don't like to toot my own horn (who am I kidding) but more often people will walk by vetts, camaros, and any foreign job to take a peak at my fox when she's parked for a show. I Know how that sounds...but it's true, a well built foxbody always has and likey always will suck people in. I think the 'oldster' hotrods with the flat black bays and chome air cleaners hold an audience, but when the kids see those fox bodies with the blowers, glass hoods, nasty big wheels, they just can't resist.

 

[bubba-dough]

But you are comparing a decade or older car to newer technology. Its apples to oranges.

 

[FastDriver]

There doesn't seem to be as many 5.0s up there in the North east.... I used to get a lot of attention up there because a clean well taken care of 5.0 was few and far between.. Down here, it seems, they're a dime a dozen.

One thing I still get a kick out of, though, is that when I show up at a street meet people usually have absolutely no idea where I stand in the pecking order. When mine was twin turboed some people wouldn't know and would underestimate the car trying to line me up with preludes, stock old corvettes and such while other people would talk **** about how a turbo 5.0 would stomp so-and-so's trailered race car, clearly giving my car too much credit. They do it for good reason.... there's just no telling what a fox has under its hood: it could be the slowest damned 88hp 2.3L stock 4 cylinder, or it could be the faster than that hayabusa sitting across the parking lot.

Chris

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

I think the 5.0 stang will always be a contender, yes there are faster and better handling cars out there, but the stang has never been the fastest on the street or track, and it will prolly stay like that, thats why us crazy people put all this money into em to try to be. I like having a stang(s) and it always gets more recogniton than all the other cars in the parking lot, and plus the sound of a cammed 302 sounds better than any other car in existence in my opinion.

 

[Whytry91]

Don't like to toot my own horn (who am I kidding) but more often people will walk by vetts, camaros, and any foreign job to take a peak at my fox when she's parked for a show. I Know how that sounds...but it's true, a well built foxbody always has and likey always will suck people in. I think the 'oldster' hotrods with the flat black bays and chome air cleaners hold an audience, but when the kids see those fox bodies with the blowers, glass hoods, nasty big wheels, they just can't resist.

I know what you mean...except mine is far from a show car.....last week I had some friends come over they are 40-45 range (im 29) anyways one of them drives a 2004 Vette (very nice actually) and these two guys have never met....
So they come to my house and we're all talking about cars ans stuff like that, my friend shows the other guy his vette and then I open my garage and my friend without the vette is like "oh my god....seriously this is my dream car" and went on and on about how he always wanted a 5.0 it made me feel good in that my friend spent 43K on his car I spent 5K on mine and you can see from my sig that it is far from finished....anyways I think this story kinda fits in....There is just something about the mustang that makes people stop......especially when you start them up........ which by the way most of the camaro / vette guys I know wish they could get the "Ford" exhaust sound.....

 

[tunedin302]

I just love the fox bodies whether they are competitive or not. My only competition is myself and to make my fox better than it was yesterday.

 

[FastDriver]

thats why us crazy people put all this money into em to try to be. ..................... plus the sound of a cammed 302 sounds better than any other car in existence in my opinion.

So true!

But you are comparing a decade or older car to newer technology. Its apples to oranges.

On the street, at the scene, or at the track, noone cares how old or how little tech your car has. Everyone is going to compare what's out there. They want to see that '32 coupe with "ol' Rusty" scratched into the side of it and slicks line up with the Ferrari Enzo.

 

[DMAN302]

the old guys come over, the young guys come overs....they love to talk and every one of you guys have experienced it. You've all had the "I used to own one of these" or "my buddy has one just like it" or most often "i'm saving to buy one of these". Hondas and cavaliers with their monster glass body kits will draw your eye, but you can't denie the foxbody cars literally draw strangers over...they come right over and start conversations like old friends.

 

[25thmustang]

I have been 12s on street tires, mid 20 mpg all day on the highway, leather, CD player, and a stock idle. All that for not much into the car. The only thing I miss is the AC, but have all the other conviniences!

Sure its no CTS-V, or Z06, but then again what my car costs would barely cover insurance for a year on one of those cars!

 

[DMAN302]

I just love the fox bodies whether they are competitive or not. My only competition is myself and to make my fox better than it was yesterday.

If it gets much better you may end up in stangnet folk tales that children sing years from now

 

[habiv]

I don't know about everyone else but I didn't buy my 5.0 because it was the fastest thing I could find. I bought it because i grew up seeing these cars on the street. I thought they were the coolest cars around back then and I still do. To me, nothing sounds nicer than a 5.0

Also, just the fact that the 5.0 is being compared to cars 15 and 20 years younger says a lot for the mustang. This is why the mustang has lasted for so long and why it will continue to grow. There is a sort of aura that surrounds the name.

 

[bubba-dough]

On the street, at the scene, or at the track, noone cares how old or how little tech your car has. Everyone is going to compare what's out there. They want to see that '32 coupe with "ol' Rusty" scratched into the side of it and slicks line up with the Ferrari Enzo.

I see your point. But not everyone sees things that way. I don't mean this bad but somehow there must be a generational gap between you younger guys and us older folks or maybe its a demographic thing . I have nothing to prove to anyone, although I can when needed. I can appreciate every era car for what its worth or was worth. And not want to line up against it. The 5.0 had its day. And still does on occasion. We have cruise in night here every Sat night and there are never the "I'm faster than you are" things. Its just for the appreciation of the sport. We range from old muscle cars to Foxes to ls1 to Z06 to even some imports.

So in conclusion, its all about what you want. If you want the fastest best handling car, you mine as well give up. There is always someone faster. Could I go buy a new Z06, sure. Do I want to, no. I love the Fox. Win, lose or draw. Always have, always will.

 

[FastDriver]

I have been 12s on street tires, mid 20 mpg all day on the highway, leather, CD player, and a stock idle. All that for not much into the car. The only thing I miss is the AC, but have all the other conviniences!

Sure its no CTS-V, or Z06, but then again what my car costs would barely cover insurance for a year on one of those cars!

No doubt about it, your car is awesome. I've spoken to you quite a few times about it. In fact, I started chatting with you on AIM back when you were still in the mid 13s and your dad was in the 12s. I even tried to drive from school (West Point) to E-town to run my new AFR/FTI combo and to see you run back in 2003(?). I ended up blowing up the stock T5 on the way there, haha...

Anyway, your car's times impress the hell outta me because I know it didn't just happen overnight.

Chris

Ps. Did you know an owner of a C6 Z06 with Drag Radials only ran his car to a 10.85@128mph? My TT5.0 never did that...

 

[gruvee87vertgt]

I just love the fox bodies whether they are competitive or not. My only competition is myself and to make my fox better than it was yesterday.

Amen Brotha!



Dont let that Dream fade......Make it Bigger!!

Yeah..times get tough....Just wait till summer comes around and your crusin the Stang.......man when I was like 12 years old I watched that Vanilla Ice Video....I fell in love with a Converible Stang....Looks...Power....Style.........It's Gangsta!

 

[88gt]

I even like to look at a well put together VW.....talk about horsepower...

 

[DmnStr8]

505hp Corvettes, 420 horsepower cobras, 500 hp Shelby GT500's, 400 horsepower caddies, pontiacs, Chargers, challengers.... The list just keeps going and going.... 300hp lightweight AWD cars, supercharged Cobalts,

Chris

And even the cheapest one of those costs $14K more than my coupe did. I bought my stang as a cheap toy that I could play around with. Sure I could make a srt4 faster but I wouldn't be in there with the wrench and would be out the money I saved for grad school.

I learned in highschool that playing the "I got the faster car" game was stupid. Its really a matter of how fast you would like to spend. And in the end its nothing but a **** waving contest.

Besides I think its more fun to tool around in my stockish mustang then in a new accord v6.

 

[PJB]

5.0's are cheap fun.
Sure they dont compare to a $40K+ car but you can build one on a budget and it will still be reasonably fast.

 

[dastang2]

my coupe has a black front clip and 1 black door. the rest is white grey and primered. it sounds very mean though. a couple of times i will pull to the gas station and people asked me what kind of motor i had in it and stuff like that.