80's Mustang or camaro?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I had a new 1989 Mustang 2.3L with 5SP. It was "OK", but at about 45,000 miles the radiator fan seized (never overheated the car), but what did happen was the electrical harness under the dash caught on fire. Ford made a "repair kit" for it and I replaced it and it was fine for a while and did it again. The fan is seizing not so obvious, but Ford had a TSB about it at some point.

If I had to choose, I would go for the Camaro, not just based on my experience with the Mustang, but because the 2.3L was not a peppy ride brand new, much less now. I know that you are not looking for power, but the Camaro has to be a better overall ride and is a great platform to build upon.
 
Without detailed information it's hard to choose between those two. To be honest though, I always preferred the Camaro. Yes, I do have brand loyalty to the older GM cars, but I always thought the Camaro would handle better than the Mustang. Plus, I believe there are still a decent supply of aftermarket parts for the Camaro.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Find a LeBaron turbo convertible.

I owned 7 yes 7 different turbo Mopars from the 80's...
Skip the Lebaron

Get a Camaro or Mustang with at least a V6. Either one will do. At this is age condition is important.

Let me add to this. I loved all my turbo Dodges, but part are getting harder and harder to find and there is still a big aftermarket for the other 2.
The Mopars had there problems. Hall effects, head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, power steering pumps. You have to LOVE it like I did to keep it going.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Find a LeBaron turbo convertible.

I owned 7 yes 7 different turbo Mopars from the 80's...
Skip the Lebaron

Get a Camaro or Mustang with at least a V6. Either one will do. At this is age condition is important.

Let me add to this. I loved all my turbo Dodges, but part are getting harder and harder to find and there is still a big aftermarket for the other 2.
The Mopars had there problems. Hall effects, head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, power steering pumps. You have to LOVE it like I did to keep it going.


What kind`ve engine did the 1986 Chrysler Laser Turbo have? Friend of mine had a brand new one and it was AWESOME!!!!!!!! The whole car was pushbutton and digital. Really seemed ahead of its time.
 
2.2 Turbo, Garrett Turbo. 146 HP and if memory serves me correct 175ft/lbs of torque. It was very nice for the time. I had a gold one. It talked to you. It was a basic K-car design.
 
I need to proof read, man I type pretty fast and the words come out spelt wrong, left out or I do stuff like use there when I mean their. Duh.
 
Can't go wrong with either, I've owned both. It's a little easier to go faster with the Mustang because there are more parts available, and these parts can be had for cheaper.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Didn't maybe the 1979-80 or so Mustangs have t-tops as well?


They were offered right up to 1990 IIRC. My '87 had T-Tops.


That was the last year...and I wouldn't own one if you gave it to me. They leak, rattle, flex, and ROT!


I had problem #1 and #3, LOL! They didn't rattle or rot though
wink.gif
 
My Daytona's T-Tops didn't leak or rot. Sure, if you took it to a touchless car wash, it would blast through the seals but the interior was dry when it sat in the rain.

The main problem I had was storing them. There were two giant vinyl envelopes to store them in and a series of straps in the hatch to strap them down that rendered the hatch useless when the tops were stored back there.

That and the small key to lock them in place. I guess they would have had some headroom intrusion problems if they had keyed it with the ignition key.
 
Spazdog said:
What's the top like on the Mustang?
4 cyl Mustangs of that era have weak brakes and are prone to locking up the rear wheels prematurely.
With the automatic, the 2.3 is a snoozefest. With a manual, they can be kinda' entertaining. Just don't get into a hurry. It will take awhile to accelerate and then it will not stop well if you need to.

With T-tops? the Camaro is definitely at least a 2.8 MPFI. It's not particularly quick with the 2.8 but coupled with a 5-speed, it is more entertaining than any non turbocharged 2.3 Mustang. 5.0 carbureted makes all the right sounds and will light up the 15" tires like it's a quick car. It's not by today's standards, but it was okay in its day. 215 hp TPI 305 was usually just IROC-Z....to date I've seen just one 1985 Z/28 with a TPI 305.
The 3rd gen F-bodies aren't bad cars at all. Doors will be sagging. That's almost a guarantee. But otherwise it's a pretty solid car.


Not always doors sag but you got everything else right for sure.
I'm biased but I'd say buy the mustang. You get a bullet proof engine with either the 2.3 or the 5.0. If you ever decide to mod it parts are everywhere

Boost it. I've got a turbo coupe t-bird I can get the ecu and harness for. And the t-5 trannies are everywhere. Mustang baby
Click to expand...
 
I wouldn't want a 4cyl of either car. V6 would be fine though. I'm a fan of 80s Camaros but I'm sure the Mustangs are also good cars.
The thing that worries me about Camaros is that I get the impression half the people who own them are hacks. If it's been heavily molested I'd run away from it. 25+ years is a long time for them to be hacked beyond recognition. Of course, the same thing is probably true for Mustangs.
But in your area, the biggest issue of all is rust.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
2.2 Turbo, Garrett Turbo. 146 HP and if memory serves me correct 175ft/lbs of torque. It was very nice for the time. I had a gold one. It talked to you. It was a basic K-car design.

When I was in elementary school my mom had a different talking car, a 1985 Nissan Maxima. One thing that was different was the the voice actually sounded human. Other talking cars from the era sounded like an electrolayrnx.

I remember in one class we were all made to watch a car safety video where the cars talked. When I told them my mom had a talking car, the others thought I was hallucinating. One other student then said his parents had a talking Chrysler of some kind.

The Maxima of the time sucked in most categories, but it had a great engine. 150HP NA V6 that would hold together so long as the timing belt was replaced on time. Too bad back them mom and dad didn't know what a timing belt was.

That had me thinking... There are plenty of 1984-1989 300ZX models still out there? Do you want one?
 
Originally Posted By: armos
I wouldn't want a 4cyl of either car. V6 would be fine though. I'm a fan of 80s Camaros but I'm sure the Mustangs are also good cars.


I don't think you can get a V6 Mustang from about 1987 to 2003

Around 1983, Ford switched from the 3.3 L6 to the 3.8 Essex. It only lasted until '85 or '86. I'm certain it was gone by '87. None of the 6 cylinders had a long run in the Fox bodied Mustangs.

As much as I dislike the Essex from that era, it was better than the 255 V8. I watched an orange '83 3.8 auto hatchback lay waste to a 255 Notch several times
 
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: armos
I wouldn't want a 4cyl of either car. V6 would be fine though. I'm a fan of 80s Camaros but I'm sure the Mustangs are also good cars.


I don't think you can get a V6 Mustang from about 1987 to 2003

Around 1983, Ford switched from the 3.3 L6 to the 3.8 Essex. It only lasted until '85 or '86. I'm certain it was gone by '87. None of the 6 cylinders had a long run in the Fox bodied Mustangs.

As much as I dislike the Essex from that era, it was better than the 255 V8. I watched an orange '83 3.8 auto hatchback lay waste to a 255 Notch several times



The foxes had 5.0,sixxers and 4 bangers over its run and in 1196 the 3.8/3.9 found a home in its engine bay until this new 3.7 took over its duties.
 
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: armos
I wouldn't want a 4cyl of either car. V6 would be fine though. I'm a fan of 80s Camaros but I'm sure the Mustangs are also good cars.


I don't think you can get a V6 Mustang from about 1987 to 2003



Somewhat correct.

1986 was the last year for the 3.8 V6. It was also the last year for carburation in the 2.3. (86 was the 1st year for EFI in the 5.0) When they redesigned the Mustang for 87 you picked either the EFI 2.3 OHC or the EFI 5.0.

The V6 then reappeared with the resedign in 1994 when the 2.3 went away. It was the 3.8 again. The 4.0 got shoved in there in the 2005.

The 2.3, while slow is serviceable and durable.

Yeah, I'm a Mustang guy.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: armos
I wouldn't want a 4cyl of either car. V6 would be fine though. I'm a fan of 80s Camaros but I'm sure the Mustangs are also good cars.


I don't think you can get a V6 Mustang from about 1987 to 2003

Around 1983, Ford switched from the 3.3 L6 to the 3.8 Essex. It only lasted until '85 or '86. I'm certain it was gone by '87. None of the 6 cylinders had a long run in the Fox bodied Mustangs.

As much as I dislike the Essex from that era, it was better than the 255 V8. I watched an orange '83 3.8 auto hatchback lay waste to a 255 Notch several times



The foxes had 5.0,sixxers and 4 bangers over its run and in 1196 1994 the 3.8/3.9 found a home in its engine bay until this new 3.7the old Cologne Germany built 4.0 took over its duties in 2005.


Alright.

prove me wrong. Find me an '87-'93 OE V6 Mustang.


The V6 did not come back until the SN-95 in 1994
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Didn't maybe the 1979-80 or so Mustangs have t-tops as well?


They were offered right up to 1990 IIRC. My '87 had T-Tops.


That was the last year...and I wouldn't own one if you gave it to me. They leak, rattle, flex, and ROT!


I had problem #1 and #3, LOL! They didn't rattle or rot though
wink.gif



They tended to leak, soak the carpet, and rot the floors (and sometimes the rockers) from the inside. I will NEVER own a car with a hole in the roof!
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle

They tended to leak, soak the carpet, and rot the floors (and sometimes the rockers) from the inside. I will NEVER own a car with a hole in the roof!


Mine leaked when the car was moving, not when it was stationary. I recall vividly my wife with a Tim Hortons cup collecting the water when we encountered a torrential downpour on one outing, LOL! Ahhh, the memories
grin.gif
 
I had an '88 Mustang convertible from new. It wasn't that great a car.

Lots of stuff went wrong with it. Good tops are very expensive - probably more than the car is worth at this point.

Not the worst car I ever had, but definitely the worst Ford I ever had. Left me with no desire to ever own a Mustang again.

Never owned an '80's F-body so can't comment on those.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

dave1251
  • Locked
Exxon Mobil
Replies
19
Views
16K
MolaKule
G
  • Locked
What they're saying on other car forums
Replies
5
Views
1K
Crashbox
Back
Top Bottom