things to watch for when buying 5.0?
 

are there any special area's or concerns one should know when buying used 87-93 5.0's?

look for rust, and check the torque boxes for rotting or cracks

Check the torque boxes (area where the lower control arm connects in the rear). Chances are, if the car has been beaten and abused, they could very likely be damaged.

thanks, woulda never though of that.

also take a good look at the front frame rails, either side of the engine near the firewall and through the wheel well if you can

^^^Yes, that as well or you might likely end up like FivePointOhh!

check the radiator support for evidence of damage, indicating a wreck at one point, check underside the hatch for rust, listen for ticks, in the engine, etc. basically the more stock the car you can find, the less chance it was abused. check the floorboards for rust. peel back the carpet if you can

if your looking at a vert or coupe, pull back the trunk liner that covers where the taillight bolts are. check the rear panel for rust behind the taillights... (like mine has...sigh)

Most important thing to do is get underneath it. Check for rust or collision damage. Everything else can be replaced easily.

You would want to put it on a rack if possible. Stock exhaust is bad to rust through. You want to check the seals to see if there are any leaks. Look at the simple bolt on things, like the air conditioner, to see if they have a reman. sticker on them to get an idea how well maintained it was. Also check the resevoir that connects to the radiator to see if it has rust in it. This will give you an idea if it has sat a long time.

have a good look under the hatch for rust, as well, tap along the wheel arches and rockers. A dull thud will indicate the presence of bondo...

Also, grab the top of the seat and pull side to side (dont go nuts, just put pressure in either direction) A lot of movement will indicate the floor flexing, a sure sign of problems.

Other than that, crawl under the car and see whats leaking! its always nice to see where the car is usually parked, if the ground is covered in oil, beware.

If possible, check the front and rear engine seals (there will either be no oil at all, or greasy residue) and the same for the input and output of the trans (auto or 5spd). Finally, see what sort of play is in the gears, a lot of backlash is not good, and a sign of neglect and abuse. Check the back tires too, for obvious reasons. Bald = burnouts.

Finally, ask where it was parked (already mentioned I know) My car was in a heated garage, with carpet taped to the walls to avoid door dings, the ground was spotless, and there were stops screwed to the floor to keep the car from backing into a wall. While none of this is mechanical, it just showed the guy took care of it.

Good luck, hope you find something nice!