Mustang Weak Performance

[Mustang5ohMan]

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1118826_history-of-the-ford-mustang-gt

So I’m no guru but I took a quick look at this read, seems the mustang was a horrible performer for most of its life. It just lately started to produce some nice power!


Curious to hear thoughts on past and current history?

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[kz]

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1118826_history-of-the-ford-mustang-gt

So I’m no guru but I took a quick look at this read, seems the mustang was a horrible performer for most of its life. It just lately started to produce some nice power!


Curious to hear thoughts on past and current history?

That I've driven my '65 today and only total ignorant could call it poor performer for what it was 55 years ago. I'm sure Boss 429 was also a terrible performer... Are you trying to troll or just don't know jack about Mustangs and their history ?

 

[Zathras]

"Horrible" is putting it too strongly. All domestic V8s had pretty awful power from the mid-70s through most of the '80s. The V8 Mustang was no worse than its primary competition (Camaro/Firebird) during that time. (225 HP in 1987 was considered very good, and the late 80s & early 90s Mustangs won a lot of bang-for-the-buck comparisons with that motor.)

Unfortunately, for most of the '90s, Ford was content to keep the Mustang GT at a modest power level, and fell well behind GM's LT1 and LS1 f-body cars. Ford didn't really catch up until the Coyote 5.0 in 2011.

 

[Mustang5ohMan]

"Horrible" is putting it too strongly. All domestic V8s had pretty awful power from the mid-70s through most of the '80s. The V8 Mustang was no worse than its primary competition (Camaro/Firebird) during that time. (225 HP in 1987 was considered very good, and the late 80s & early 90s Mustangs won a lot of bang-for-the-buck comparisons with that motor.)

Unfortunately, for most of the '90s, Ford was content to keep the Mustang GT at a modest power level, and fell well behind GM's LT1 and LS1 f-body cars. Ford didn't really catch up until the Coyote 5.0 in 2011.

I agree. The 87 Grand National was amazing. Good power but then I guess you could look at the Monte SS. Guess everything was modest back then. Late 80s to early 90s was when the 5.0 was HAWT!

 

[Shifting_Gears]

It depends on what you expect of the car.

Excluding classic Mustangs, speaking from 79-04 the Mustang has typically been the under performer. Arguable for Fox platform cars vs GM of the same era.

Some golden nuggets that propelled the Mustang forward and sparked ideas for further development and “what could” the car do:
Steeda Mustangs
Saleen Mustangs
Cobra/Cobra R models
Roush Mustangs

It didn’t matter when Chevy stopped producing the FBody cars after MY 2002. The people had spoken.. the Mustang had the styling, refinement and fun to drive feeling GM couldn’t pull off.

That being said, stock trim, non-speciality Mustangs have pretty much always sucked wind until the Coyote in 2011. The 3v Mustang was hot stuff 05-10 when the only real competition was the GTO and G8 (which were superior).. early RT Mopars weren’t much to write home about and the SRT 8’s would eat a 3V for dinner.. but they were really the first GT that was 12 second capable with bolt on/tune only.

Best things to ever happen were the development of the 4V 4.6 and IRS in the mid-model Cobras (99-04).

The 96-98, 99/01 and 03/04 Cobra, 03/04 Mach One lineups were Ford’s back pocket plan for future “what can we do” ideas. The Coyote engine and decision to put a 6 speed behind it finally propelled the Mustang to hot contender in straight line performance. Never mind putting real brakes and an IRS on the car. Total game changers.

 

[Medsport]

It is a bit ironic that the Mustang finally has the performance (except could use a little more torque), but I'm getting tired of the styling at this point. Whats weird is I actually like the look of the last gen better now as it looked more like a classic muscle car and one of the reasons I always liked the look of the Challenger.

 

[654234567]

It is a bit ironic that the Mustang finally has the performance (except could use a little more torque), but I'm getting tired of the styling at this point. Whats weird is I actually like the look of the last gen better now as it looked more like a classic muscle car and one of the reasons I always liked the look of the Challenger.

If your mustang isnt fast enough or doesnt have enough torque its because you dont know much about working on v8s or how to build an engine with power adders.

 

[hiccup]

For some of us older guys the weak performance ended in the early 80's and also I think the mustang brand was rescued with the release of the 1986 Mustang GT.. Those who got the chance to drive a "stock" example after dealing with some 70's-80's cars will understand where I'm coming from...the 83?..84-85 with the factory holleys weren't far off..

 

[ice445]

From 1987-1992 the Mustang held the performance crown over the Camaro. Short lived, but still. You could run a low 14 with those cars pretty much stock. Honestly though, I think Ford prioritizes the Mustang's driving experience over it's raw numbers. It's only been recently that they joined the horsepower race. They mostly had to given how every manufacturer has been pumping up numbers across the board to entice buyers.

As much as I like the Camaro, the Mustang has just always felt more entertaining even if it's numerically disadvantaged. Numbers don't correlate with how a car makes you feel. I can have fun even in a 1998 2V 4.6L GT despite it being an absolute turd.

 

[DarkHors5]

The 60s and early 70s had some stout Mustangs. 427 & 429 CJs/SCJs the 427 SOHC, 351 Clevelands in various configs. The mid 70s and early 80s suffered from the fuel crisis. Everyone was still more concerned with fuel mileage than power. Otherwise the mini trucks, Chevettes, Sunfires and Fiestas would not have done as well as they did. Even the trucks were suffering. 400CI engine rated for 130hp, 460 was 160hp IIRC just weren't barnstormers. The 5,0 was anemic with barely over 120hp. It slowly creeped up through the early 80s till it hit the aforementioned 225hp.

Looking at the older mustang with todays eyes yea they were lacking, as we have 4cyl commuter cars pushing over 150hp. But compared to their contemporary's of the time they weren't that bad. A Ferrari 308 was only 240hp in 85

 

[Mustang5ohMan]

Yeah great feedback. It’s definitely a fun to drive car and I like the fact that lately it can hold its own with the dodge and Chevy crowd now. GM needS to nix that Camaro...

 

[Balr14]

I remember my 271hp 289 1965 Mustang was no match for most other V8s. Same for the 390 and 428 Cobra Jet against other big blocks. The 406 Galaxies and 427 Thunderbolts were very competitive, but they weren't Mustangs. Once you got into the mid 70's the performance of all cars were pretty awful. Some of the mid 80s Mustangs were sort of OK and may have performed better than Camaros. But, nobody cared.

 

[Mustang5ohMan]

I remember my 271hp 289 1965 Mustang was no match for most other V8s. Same for the 390 and 428 Cobra Jet against other big blocks. The 406 Galaxies and 427 Thunderbolts were very competitive, but they weren't Mustangs. Once you got into the mid 70's the performance of all cars were pretty awful. Some of the mid 80s Mustangs were sort of OK and may have performed better than Camaros. But, nobody cared.

Yeah I read they took away the GT moniker for the period during the 70s.
However I think the Mustang is the ONLY out of the big 3 that gave haven’t been discontinued. I know the Camaro stopped production for some years and the Challenger and Charger did too until they revived them back in 2006 in all those hot colors.

 

[Flimflamman]

For some of us older guys the weak performance ended in the early 80's and also I think the mustang brand was rescued with the release of the 1986 Mustang GT.. Those who got the chance to drive a "stock" example after dealing with some 70's-80's cars will understand where I'm coming from...the 83?..84-85 with the factory holleys weren't far off..

I agree the '86 Mustang GT was a revival. I remember severely lusting for one of those back then.

 

[Medsport]

Yeah I read they took away the GT moniker for the period during the 70s.
However I think the Mustang is the ONLY out of the big 3 that gave haven’t been discontinued. I know the Camaro stopped production for some years and the Challenger and Charger did too until they revived them back in 2006 in all those hot colors.

Yeah, it may be the only one that never stopped production, but the Mustang II should have been made or maybe called the Pinto and the first few years of the fox bodies were not much better either.

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