TheRealDeerHunter

Hi, new member, go easy on me. New to automotive too. I just traded a '94 Ford Ranger for a 1987 Ford Mustang 5.0L HO LX Hatchback 5spd with a 302 in it. The guy I traded with is a good friend and he got it from a guy who had built it up a little for drag racing on a track in Winterport, ME. I know he put a new racing cam, transmission, and clutch in it. I don't know any of the specs on those parts. I also know that it has Fords 9in rear end.

Anyways, I had the car for about 3 days and I left it home and went to a friends house in a different car. My dad took it out at 3am and fell asleep driving and drove into a ditch. It messed up the whole right side of the car.

I was never really fond of the thrid gen Mustang body style, and am using this accident as an excuse. I want to know if it would be possible to swap the motor, tranny, and whatever else I can into a 4th gen Mustang frame? Without having to modify to much if anything at all. If I need to find out more information about anything to help someone help me, just say so and I will do my best to find out.

I hope in posting in the right forum. If not sorry! If someone would be willing to help steer me in the right direction it would be GREATLY appreciated.


Thanks, Tucker

mjr46

you could swap it but it'll be time consuming and require the swap car

TheRealDeerHunter

would I have to modify anything? or just drop it in and hook everything up?

mjr46

depends , if you buy a 6 popper sn-95 then you'll need to swap k-members I believe and your stang is currently Speed density SO YOU'D NEED a complete sn-95 wire harness as well as a mass air set up and timing cover , water pump and all accessories for such and you'd have to convert your 5 speed input shaft to a sn-95 and get a sn-95 bellhousing and furthermore if it's a 6 popper out comes the small rear and in a sn-95 8.8 , fox rears are a tad narrower, in short, it is not a direct bolt in = requires alot of work and extra mods and I haven't even got to the brakes..lol

mjr46

ps......just go buy a sn-95 if that's what you like

kennebellgt

I agree, dont bite off more than you can chew, I did a 4 banger coupe 5.0 conversion and it was difficult and time consuming and my swap/parts car was everything off a sn95 5.0, it was a sob but all worth it now. I also did it in my backyard in the dirt than it rained for 2 weeks strait and i was still out there wrenching on it in the mud and rain I can say this NEVER AGAIN until I get a nice two car garage.

mjr46

swaps are time consuming...I converted my 92 4 cyl to a 5.0 using an 85gt

kennebellgt

I know where your coming from ehh...

TheRealDeerHunter

^^^^^ that sounds like a plan^^^^^

and that does sound like a lot of work....swapping. All of the damage happened to the front and front right of the car. I haven't looked at any of the handling components yet but the only other thing I have found so far that seems to be broken is the radiator. How about just getting a whole new front end?

FoxGT

If you have time I'd say go for it. The hardest issue i think would be the wiring. (assuming you didn't buy the harness) I don't think the swap would be too bad engine/trans wise. The fox bell & t5 will work in an sn95. The shifter moves up a hair, but still not in a bad location imo. Same with using an sn95 bell/t5 in a fox. The only problem I've found with it is the 4 bolts that hold the shifter in place are a little harder to get to, I had to use a wrench..

That rear will work if you don't try to put lots of power through some good sized tires. There's a local guy I know with a supercharged 5.0 in his still running the stock rear, but he also has some pretty narrow tires. He's keeping them that way until he can afford an 8.8

With the wiring I would just use the speed density & swap only the engine harness & run the two together. If you don't know much about wiring I would find someone that does. I've done it quite a few times on my own & other's vehicles. I don't find it hard, but almost every one of my friends that work on their own 5.0's are lost when it comes to wiring.

Definitely x2 on the time consuming part. I'd say at best you're looking at a weeks worth of work & that's assuming you work on it from morning to night, have a friend or two, have some mechanic & electric knowledge, & all the tools you'd need, but it never works out that way. I don't think there is such thing as having everything you need for something like this, there's always something small. (most cases multiple small things you forgot about)

I would do it just because I like learning how things work & I like a challenge.

All the same there's something to be learned about body work from the wreck too. I took my '89 into a concrete culvert at 35mph & destroyed the whole front end. It cost me about $300 & a lot of sanding/painting/hammering & some time with a frame machine to fix back to factory, but i'm glad I did it.