1988 Ford Mustang LX 5.0L Hatchback Race Car Maximum Motorsports

Vehicle Description

1988 Ford Mustang LX Hatchback Road Race CarAs an engineer by trade, I refined the after every track day and undertook a multi-year thrash to turn the car from a driver into a track MONSTER. Every system on the car has been addressed in the process.ENGINE: built by Scorpion Racing Engines (West Babylon, NY) to make it capable of over 7000 RPM while remaining virtually unbreakable. Bored 0.030 over (w/ deck plate), line honed, and decked. Top of the line tri-metal mains and Cleveite 77 rod and cam bearings. Speed-Pro Forged pistons & Eagle H-beam rods balanced to within ½ gram, Eagle forged crank (PN: 430230015090), and entire rotating assembly balanced as a unit. Trickflow heads (PN: TFS-51400002) were lightly ported, upgraded valve springs and retainers to Trickflow ‘beehive’ (PN: TFS-2500200) and titanium locks and keepers (PN: TFS-214T0420). Trickflow cam (PN: TFS-51402002), Harland Sharp 1.6 ratio roller rockers, and a new Ford Racing timing set were used, along with Cometic head gaskets to ensure zero issues. The intake is a Ford Racing Cobra Upper and Lower with 24 lb. injectors, a flow-matched 70mm MAF, a 75mm Throttle Body, and a C&L cold air intake kit including hi-flow cast elbow. The thermactor was removed and heads were properly plugged (PN: TFS-51400265). A full Canton Oiling System was installed including main studs with a stud girdle, a windage tray, and their ‘trapdoor’ style road race oil pan. A blueprinted oil pump, the correct Canton pickup for the pan, and an ARP hardened oil pump driveshaft offers added assurance. A new Edelbrock water pump, Ford ‘Special Service’ stock style clutch fan/shroud and a new aluminum Fluidyne radiator were added. During the build, the engine was converted from the stock 50oz counterbalance to a ‘zero balance’ configuration, offering much better performance for road racing. To further reduce rotating mass, a Romac SA balancer was used along with a Fidanza Aluminum flywheel. It sits on solid motor mounts for maximum power transfer.TRANSMISSION: OEM Tremec 'World-Class' T-5 with Astro Performance Road Race 0.82 ratio 5th gear (from stock 0.64 overdrive), Astro Performance Cluster Support Kit (stronger 5th gear shaft), Ford Racing King Cobra clutch (PN: ‎M7560C302-VS2KC), professionally refurbished by Falcon Automotive of Bay Shore, NY with a Carbon Kevlar clutch disk. UPR firewall adjuster (PN: UPR: 3004-17), Ford Racing Double-Hook Clutch Quadrant (PN: M-7583-A), Prothane transmission mount (PN: 61604), Ford Motorsport Aluminum Driveshaft (PN: M4602-G), Maximum Motorsports Clutch Pedal Adjuster (PN: MMCL-10), and Ford Racing Hurst Shifter (PN: M-7210-M).K-MEMBER & FRONT-SUSPENSION: Maximum Motorsports K-Member (MMKM-1), Lower Control Arms (MMFCA-FOX), Coil Over Kit – Bilstein (PN: MMCO-1), and Caster/Camber Plates (MMCC7989). Bilstein Race Valved struts (PN: V36-4138-MM2). Hypercoil 450 lb./in springs (PN: HYP45008250). Maximum Motorsports Strut Tower Brace (MMSTB-1), Front Sway bar (MMFSB-1), Front Sway bar Reinforcements (PN: MMFSB-60), Front Sway bar Relocation Kit (PN: MMFSB-50), K-Member Spherical Rack Bushings (PN: MMST-6), and Adjustable Tie-Rod Ends (MMTR-2 - Bump-steer Kit). Flaming River steering shaft (eliminates rag joint).REAR AXLE & SUSPENSION: Ford Racing 3.27 gears, Torsen Torque-Biasing (2.5:1) 31-spline Differential (PN: TOR-88T2/31), TA Performance Rear Diff Cover/Girdle (PN: TA-1806), 5-lug Superior 31-spline rear axles (PN: SAG-EV80), Maximum Motorsports Road Race Rear Lower Control Arms (MMRLCA-50), Torque Arm (PN: MMTA-1), Panhard Bar (PN: MMPBA), and Rear Coil-Over Kit – Bilstein (MMCO-3). Bilstein race-valved rear shocks (BE5-6418-MM2). Hypercoil 350 lb./in springs (HYP-35008225). Maximum Motorsports Bolt-on Wheel Spacers (PN: 5065705-9065705) and Adjustable Rear Sway bar (MMRSB-1). Sealed venting system using Summit PN: G1460EXHAUST: BBK chrome 1-5/8” primary Long Tube headers, Split-Lock header bolts (PN: BPP-200-777), BBK 3” X-pipe, 2-chamber, 3” Flow Master mufflers, Custom 3” dumps before the rear axle.MSD Ignition System: (fully redundant) Dual MSD 6TN Ignition Boxes, each with MSD PN: 8738 soft touch rev control, Dual MSD High-Vibration Coils, MSD Billet Distributor, MSD Firewall Feed-Thru (PN: 8212)BRAKES: Maximum Motorsports Master Cylinder adapter kit (PN: MMBAK-3) and Manual Brake Conversion Kit (PN: MMBAK-10). Wilwood Billet Superlite 14” 6-Piston Radial Mount calipers (PN: 120-8000-RS), 4-Piston 12.19” rear disk brakes (PN: 140-7146), and Adjustable Proportional Vlve (PN: 260-8420). Porterfield Race Compound pads [PN: R-4; Front: Stockcar 4 ¾”, Read: Stockcar 4”], NACA inlet ducts in stock Mustang LX front facia, Mid-Continent Mustang Brake backing plates, Heat resistant brake cooling tubingDRIVER SAFETY AND AMENITIES: Custom 6-point DOM roll cage hand fabricated by CJ Motorsports (Selden, NY), Kirky Road-Race Seat with head side support, Simpson 5-point racing Harnesses, Momo ‘Race’ steering wheel (PN: RCE35BK1B), Custom Off-set seat track for better driver alignment (more centered), Autometer Tachometer with Shift light (PN: 3905) and Tach Pod (PN: 49102), Moroso Sealed Battery Box (PN: 74050), Fuel-Safe Mustang Enduro fuel cell (PN: SA110C), Fire ExtinguisherCHASSIS & BODY: Front fenders have been rolled to make room for wider stance and wheel package, Front bumper replaced with roll-bar tubing, Tow-hooks added front and rear, directly connected to chassis, Headlights replaced with plexiglass covers (header and lights removed for weight), Ford Antenna Delete Plate, Door windows converted to manual style to save weight and retain glass, Rear quarter panels modified to clear wider rear stance and wheel package, Spare rear quarter panels from an ’89 LX 5.0L will be included in the saleTIRES: (2 sets) Sumitomo Z2 245-45R17 on Eagle Wheel Cobra-R replicas (for wet and storage), Avon M550 A/S 245-45R17 slicks on Maximum Motorsports ‘Villian’ wheels (for dry)WEIGHT: <3250 lbs, ‘wet’ with driverOther details: The car is essentially ready for track days as it sits. If some additions were made the roll cage, it would be ready for full, wheel-to-wheel competition.The body is in decent shape and the car has never been wrecked. The strut towers were showing some early signs of rust, so while the engine was out, they were completely repaired using hand-crafted mild steel inserts. In addition, all the extra holes in the inner fenders and firewall were closed off to reduce under-hood air pressure and associated lift.The interior retains the dashboard (91-93 style with running pony), but other items like carpet, door panels, and interior plastics have been removed to reduce weight.There is a small area that was rusting onlower rear corners of the rear quarter panels that was trimmed to reduce spreading and enable drainageThe engine has not bee dyno’d again since the update, but the difference in power is DRAMATIC and VERY NOTICABLE.Net-net is that like any race car, it’s not cosmetically perfect, but it does look good on track.