It is sometimes difficult to work up the gumption to restore a make and model you love if you feel a car has gone too far down a certain path. What I mean by this is when you scope out a project like this 1992 Ford Mustang coupe with the desirable 5.0L V8, some of the modifications and cosmetic flaws could make you look away; however, if most of the tweaks are simply cosmetic in nature, you could also argue that a weekend of cleaning and disassembly may make the car look way better than how it’s captured here on craigslist, where it’s listed for $3,500 in Lebanon, PA.
I will admit to having a strong preference for stock vehicles. They just seem to offer a cleaner baseline for beginning a restoration project. In the case of the Fox body Mustang, the more preserved the car is, the higher the values tend to be, so I would always aim for factory-correct condition if I were searching for or building a Mustang from this era. The aftermarket tinted tail lights; the poorly painted factory wheels; and the gaudy headlights with the fake projector-style lenses do this car no favors, which is also said to have a slipping automatic transmission, according to the seller who is listing it because they have no time to restore it.
Then, you get inside, where the carpets are pretty much trashed and an aftermarket racing-style seat has been swapped in (I can tell you right now, it’s not a Recaro or a Corbeau.) The good news is the interior will likely rebound nicely with a new factory carpet set and the factory bucket seat dropped back in. A good, used junkyard transmission, hopefully sold with a warranty, could address the slipping concerns and be a cheaper option overall versus rebuilding. The seller notes it doesn’t turn over at present, so I’d count on a few more repairs to get it running smoothly.
According to the listing, new spark plugs and a battery will solve the running issues, but that’s a bit of a gamble on the next owner’s part. The engine has been painted in places and seemingly not to a high standard; note the replacement hood prop as well. And you have the love the open element air filter, sucking in all that hot engine compartment air! Believe it or not, that may be factory paint known as Medium Titanium Metallic, so if it turns out you’re working with an original paint car, that could be a step in the right direction. Where do you start with this Stang? Is it worthy of rescuing? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the tip.
The engine air filter may need a change.
The passenger front seat isn’t stock either. In ’92 the LX had sport seats standard. That or it was originally a 4 banger car. Needs a VIN check
This weekend I attended a MCA National Show in Cincinnati which included excellent to pristine restored, unrestored, and occasional driver Fox Body cars. So seeing this one is more than a bit jarring. It’s typical of what happened to many of them: cheap or poorly-executed modifications, general neglect, even abuse. Makes it look more like a candidate for the scrapyard, doesn’t it. But maybe it isn’t rusty (can’t really tell), and there are people who are eager to take on a Fox project. So despite not being a 5-speed LX coupe, maybe it has a future.
It may have a future as a project for the drag strip, and as I have learned from watching too many “street racing” videos on YouTube, it may very well do so with a turbo LS under the hood. Sacrilege? Perhaps, but that is the hot set-up these days.
Yep. That’s exactly where this old dog is heading.
Considering the staining on the rims/wheels what does the non-shiny side of the vehicle look like? The appearance of the engine bay does not inspire confidence in a solid underside. There must be better starting points for anyone who is interested in this Mustang