Hi all, lapsed member (!) now with gratuitous 80s yank shite

[oman5]

Hello everyone, I was on here regularly a few years back but just been lurking in the background for a while. I had this as my daily

In fact I still do. It's one of the rare dizzler jobbies with the 6 pot VW LT engine. There was never much to report with it, apart from servicing and consumables I haven't laid a spanner on it in 3 years. It's now on 260,000 miles and just keeps doing what it does.

[Skizzer]

Siwmae, welcome back!

[anonymous user]

Welcome back, ask the doctor for some tablets to fix your lapsed member

[gordonbennet]

Many's the time we've kicked ourselves for parting with our old 940SE estate, someone* might have just wound the fuelling screw in half a turn, someones' Mrs might have loved the way that old girl could pick up her skirts and fly.

Like yours the bloody thing just kept going.

[Dirk Diggler]

It's one of those for me soon; no matter how hard I try my 850tdi just keeps thrumming on

[danthecapriman]

Welcome back.

Love your Volvo!

[oman5]

Many's the time we've kicked ourselves for parting with our old 940SE estate, someone* might have just wound the fuelling screw in half a turn, someones' Mrs might have loved the way that old girl could pick up her skirts and fly.

Like yours the bloody thing just kept going.

To be honest it's not as peppy as my old 740 td was, that thing would fly. It seems to lack that real urge that should be there when the turbo kicks in. I suspect injector issues but I'm too tight/lazy to investigate until the summer.

[oman5]

The volvos reliability was getting boring so naturally enough, it was time to scratch the itch to own another yank motor with a big feck off V8. Mid life crisis maybe, coupled with a fixation on v8 engine noises bordering on a fetish?

Anyhoo, limited off-road parking and various other considerations convinced me that an '80s Mustang would fit the bill. (I.e, they're cheapish, not too thirsty, small, easy parts availability, big feck off v8)

I found this locally. It wasn't top money but about right for a basically sound one with minor fiddly bits to fix.

1987 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT. It has two driving styles. Slow, pootling old fart style and HOLY SHIT WARPSPEEEED!!!

It's hibernating while they're salting the roads...it's an 80s Ford that hasn't rusted and I'd like to keep it that way.

[danthecapriman]

Fwooor! Fox Stang!

That looks awesome. More pics please.

[oman5]

Oh all right then...

 

 

[Wilko220]

Good to see you back

[eddyramrod]

Approval rating: through the roof!  Welcome back, now that's how to make an entrance!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

You are Vanilla Ice AICMFP.

[oman5]

It's actually not as bad as you'd think on fuel. Mixed town/motorway driving with only the occasional play with the loud pedal returned an average of 22 mpg over a couple of weeks. On a long run its in the upper 20s. I have every confidence that single figure consumption can be achieved with sufficient enthusiasm.

A charmingly eccentric '80s touch is the Federally mandated speedo that only goes up to 85 m.p.h.

The needle (I imagine. Ahem) just sails past that and heads back around to zero...at least when plod stops you and asks if you know how fast you were going, you can legitimately say "no, officer. Not a clue."

Bodywise, it's remarkably good. There's no rot at all. Engine and box are spot on, jobs to do include replacing the weather seals as the wind noise at speed with the roof up is laughably loud, hydraulic ram for the power top, replacement rear window as the material is dry/cracked. Nothing major. It's an absolute joy to drive, handling really quite well for a yank.

Whilst not the most desirable marque of mustang in this country, they are hugely popular for cheap performance modifiers in the states, which means just about any part you need is available.

[dollywobbler]

Those Federal speedos are a right giggle. Very annoying for DeLorean, who had to sell a car with a speedometer top whack of 85mph, when you needed 88mph to make it go back in time.

 

I'd love to know what these things are like to drive. Are they absolutely awful, but just really quick? Or do they actually manage to be quite pleasant?

[oman5]

Those Federal speedos are a right giggle. Very annoying for DeLorean, who had to sell a car with a speedometer top whack of 85mph, when you needed 88mph to make it go back in time.

 

I'd love to know what these things are like to drive. Are they absolutely awful, but just really quick? Or do they actually manage to be quite pleasant?

They're actually not at all yank-like to drive. If anything the ride is a little too firm, The GT had up rated suspension with a very well located rear axle having a four shock set up. It handles well on those fat tyres with little to no body roll, but as numerous YouTube videos show, it is easy to overcook it on the corners and lose the back end if your not careful with the throttle. There are no modern driver aids,the ball is entirely in the drivers court.The car is very European sized, not overly long or wide but the mirrors are too small and can hinder you sometimes particularly with the hood up.

The one to have apparently is the 5 speed manual as its slightly quicker, mine is an Auto and quite fast enough. It's not just about the 0-60 times with these cars, the power is absolutely relentless right up into triple digit speeds, it's a solid wall of torque. It has two D positions on the gear selector, one is for a more relaxed driving style with the lazy overdrive top gear, the other D locks out overdrive and gives a more aggressive upshift higher up the Rev range. It has recaro-alike seats that firmly hold you in place, I suppose it's similar in many ways to a Capri, sat low down inside with that loooong bonnet in front of you. I've seen some of your road tests, if I ever attend a shitefest (do you still have them?) I'd be happy to let you see for yourself.

I think from memory the 5 speed was 0-60 somewhere in the 6 point something region with a top end in the upper 130s, the auto is gonna be slower than that.

Oh yes, and I didn't know what scuttle shake was until I bought this. Apparently a convertible 'stang isn't the most rigid structure!

[chaseracer]

shitefest (do you still have them?)

 

Oh yes... indeed we do...

 

[oman5]

 

Bloody hell, I can't seem to kill this thing, it's only gone and sailed through another M.O.T.!

It's rather worrying in a way, apart from tyres/exhaust/servicing I haven't done anything to it in 4 years. It must be saving itself up for a catastrophic failure to proceed.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

From what I have seen here, they seem to be very good quality cars. If the measure of quality is longevity and fuss free ownership, these Volvo estates seem to be well ahead of their Mercedes w124 equivalent.

[Supernaut]

I think one of those big old Volvo estates is on my list.

 

I mean, I am Scottish, so it's traditional!

 

 

 

Top marks on getting that Mustang, and welcome back even though I wasn't here the first time.

[danthecapriman]

What did you honestly expect? It's an old Volvo, of course it flew through the test!

[oman5]

What did you honestly expect? It's an old Volvo, of course it flew through the test!

Yeah but it's still a novelty after 20 odd years of running scrapyard fodder!

[danthecapriman]

I bet, once Donald Trump starts a nuclear war the only things left afterwards will be cockroaches and old Volvo's!

[oman5]

From what I have seen here, they seem to be very good quality cars. If the measure of quality is longevity and fuss free ownership, these Volvo estates seem to be well ahead of their Mercedes w124 equivalent.

It's the 4th old RWD Volvo I've had, I only ever sold them on when I fancied a change not because they were worn out. any 240/740/940 is a safe bet, for longevity there is nothing to touch them for the price. They ain't fast, economical or well handling but they sure hang together well.

[tooSavvy]

I bet, once Donald Trump starts a nuclear war the only things left afterwards will be cockroaches and old Volvo's!

 

.... aye, + an Orange Wig?

 

TS

[JeeExEll]

.... aye, + an Orange Wig?

 

TS

And 2 hands doing strange pointy finger signals.

[Bren]

You are Michael Douglas in basic instinct and I claim my £5.

I have a copy of car magazine from dec 1987 with the mustang as a feature - 220 bhp 300lb/ft torque - your auto will hit 60 in 8.2.

Would like one myself - there is a very low mileage one on the bay for £6k.